Although the records of the Wisconsin Farmers Union span the years 1924-1969, only a few
documents are present for years prior to 1942. The collection is organized in two series,
Correspondence, and a Subject File. Materials relating to many persons, organizations, and
topics appear in both the Correspondence and the Subject File series.
CORRESPONDENCE comprises approximately one-half of the total collection, and most of it
dates from 1943 to 1969. Roughly one-third of the correspondence is general, and the
remainder falls under various specific topics, mostly names of persons and organizations.
These are arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically thereunder. The Union's
emphases on economic cooperation and political lobbying are clearly seen throughout this
series.
The extensive files of the Director of Education (filed under “E”) illustrate
the importance of education in the promotion of interest in the Farmers Union and in Farmers
Union projects.
The National Farmers Union correspondence (filed under “N”) is also large and
diverse, and includes correspondence of: NFU legislative secretary in Washington, D.C., John
Baker; NFU national secretary Tony Dechant; NFU national education director Gladys Talbott
Edwards; NFU Legislative Services associate director Reuben Johnson; National Union Farmer
editor Bob Lewis; NFU president James Patton; NFU legislative secretary Russell Smith;
National Union Farmer editor Benton Stong; and general
correspondence of the NFU.
Filed with the United States Government correspondence (filed under “U”), under
“Congressmen and Senators, General,” are letters of interest from Melvin Laird,
Joseph McCarthy, Alexander Wiley, and others. (The Telegrams section [filed under
“T”] also contains much correspondence with Congressmen). The correspondence of
Merlin Hull, Ninth District Congressman and longtime friend of the WFU, as well as that of
Hull's successor, Congressman Lester Johnson, also a popular figure with the WFU, is filed
under their respective names. Correspondence with numerous federal agencies is also found.
The correspondence with the Selective Service System (in the “United States
Government” files) shows the concern of the WFU at the loss of farmers to the armed
forces.
The Wisconsin State Government correspondence (under “W”) is important in
detailing the relationship of the WFU to various state agencies, and illustrates the
lobbying efforts of the WFU at the state level. Included is correspondence with: Assemblymen
and Senators; the Conservation Department; the Department of Agriculture; governors Walter
Kohler, Gaylord Nelson, John Reynolds, and Vernon Thompson; and the University of Wisconsin
Agriculture Extension Service.
Also included in the series is a large amount of correspondence concerned largely with
administrative and local matters of the organization itself.
Processor's Note: Because this collection has been processed only to the folder level,
correspondence from the same individual may be found filed under their name and also filed
in the general correspondence. Therefore, to make an exhaustive study of a particular person
or organization, one should also consult the appropriately lettered section of the general
correspondence. In addition, the general correspondence has been left largely as it was
received, thus correspondence on a given subject may be found under the name of the
organizational head, the name of the organization, or both.
The SUBJECT FILE series, 1924-1969, comprises roughly one-half of the collection, and is
arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically thereunder. About half of the papers in
this series come from the WFU; another quarter originated with the NFU; and the remaining
quarter have their origins in various organizations whose activities overlap those of the
Wisconsin Farmers Union. In this latter group, significant sections include the following:
American Dairy Association of Wisconsin, Farmers Union Central Exchange, Farmers Union Grain
Terminal Association, Farmers Union Marketing and Processing Association, “Farmers
Union on the Air,” Green Thumb, Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives, and Wisconsin
Electric Cooperative. Within the various files are found incorporation papers, financial
records and reports, and general reports of many kinds, both private and governmental, which
touch on the economic and political aspects of farm issues in the 1940s, 1950s, and
1960s.
The National Farmers Union section, 1943-1969, illustrates the many areas of the NFU
operation. Included among others are the following subdivisions: the reports of John Baker,
NFU legislative secretary in Washington, D.C.; Tony DeChant, NFU national education
director; financial papers, records, and reports, which show the financial standing of the
NFU; the Legislative Services Division, dealing with NFU concerns in Congress; Minutes of
NFU meetings, mostly meetings of the National Board; a large section containing the personal
reports, speeches, and public testimony of James Patton, NFU president, which provide a
valuable picture of the NFU's understanding of current issues; Press Releases, concerning
NFU political stances; and a large section of Reports and Miscellaneous papers relevant to
NFU positions on many current issues. Closely related to the National Farmers Union papers
are the files under “National Farmers Union Service Corporation,” which is
largely concerned with selling low-cost life and casualty insurance to NFU members.
