Charles Wooster [RG2622.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG2622.AM:  Charles Wooster, 1843-1922

Papers:  1861-1920
Merrick County, Neb.:  Newspaper editor; politician
Size:  9.5 cu.ft.; 18 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

Charles Wooster was born in Hillsdale County, Michigan, on 1 May 1843 the son of John E. and Abigail Fowler Wooster.  At the age of 18, he enlisted in Co. G, 2nd Michigan Cavalry and served in the Union Army until the close of the Civil War.  He served in the western theatre of operations and participated in numerous battles and engagements.  Following his discharge, Wooster attended Hillsdale College and later taught school.

In 1868, Wooster was married to Helen Hitchcock of Hillsdale County and the couple was to have two children.  Wooster and his wife came to Nebraska in 1872, where they settled on a homestead in Merrick County near Silver Creek.  He soon became active in civic and political affairs although he continued to operate his farm.  Wooster was the owner and editor of the Silver Creek Times from 1891 to 1897, and contributed to its columns for several years afterwards.

In 1896, Wooster successfully campaigned for the State legislature as a Silver Republican and served in the House for one term.  Although he never again held a state office, he became known as an outspoken critic of individuals and ideas which were contrary to his personal philosophy and was often involved in controversy, especially regarding farm movements and organized religion.  He once launched an attack upon the Union Pacific Railroad’s right to hold title to a 400 foot right-of-way across the state, and succeeded in forcing a court test of his position.  Wooster was also credited with the establishment of the Silver Creek Farmer’s Elevator and the Silver Creek Township Library.

When his first wife died in 1877, Wooster married Miss Lillie M. Todd of Plainwell, Michigan in 1881.  Six children were born to the couple.  Charles Wooster died in Silver Creek, Nebraska, on 30 December 1922.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of 18 boxes of manuscript material arranged in five series:  (1) General correspondence, 1861-1942; (2) Diaries, 1861-1881; (3) Manuscripts, 1867-1920; (4) Miscellany; and (5) Clippings, 1880-1924.

The collection relates to the political and journalism career of Charles Wooster during the late 19th and early 20th century.  It is especially valuable for the material it contains regarding early life and politics in Nebraska.  The bulk of the material is correspondence which includes letters with and about many prominent political figures of the day.  Subjects mentioned in the correspondence include Populism, the Silver Question, Railroads, the War with Spain, Nebraska State Politics, Agriculture, World War One, the State Council of Defense, the Non-Partisan League, the Grand Army of the Republic, and Wooster’s election to the State Legislature on the Silver Ticket in 1896.

Correspondents include:  Bryan, William J., 1904; Hitchcock, Gilbert M., 1910, 1912, 1918; Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1917; Manderson, Charles F., 1888; Maxwell, Samuel, 1898-1900; Morehead, John H., 1912-1913; Morton, J. Sterling, 1897; Neville, Keith, 1917; Norris, George W., 1915, 1916, 1919; Poynter, William A., 1899; Shallenerger, A. C., 1912; Sorenson, C. A., 1919-1920; and Stephens, Dan V., 1916, 1918.

INVENTORY

Series 1 – General correspondence, 1861-1942
Box 1
Folder

1. 1861-1865
2. 1863-1865
3. 1866
4. 1867
5. 1868
6. 1869
7. 1870
8. 1871

Box 2
Folder

1. 1870-1872; Torbert & Dickinson Real Estate Agents
2. 1872; Quinlan & Geraughty
3. 1872; Pioneer life described by Helen and Charles Wooster
4. 1872
5. 1873
6. 1874
7. 1873-1874; Torbert & Dickinson
8. 1874
9. 1874; Pioneer Life

Box 3
Folder

1. 1875; Helen Hitchcock Wooster
2. 1876
3. 1877
4. 1877; Death of Helen Hitchcock Wooster
5. 1878
6. 1879
7. 1880

Box 4
Folder

1. 1881
2. 1882
3. 1883
4. 1884
5. 1885
6. 1886
7. 1887
8. 1888
9. 1888; Charles F. Manderson
10. 1889
11. 1890
12. 1890-1891; Farmer’s Alliance
13. 1890-1891; Omaha Bee
14. 1891-1892

Box 5
Folder

1. 1895 (Missing?)
2. 1896
3. 1897
4. 1897; J. Sterling Morton
5. 1898
6. 1898; Samuel Maxwell
7. 1898; Dr. J.H. MacKay, Chairman Democratic Congressional Committee
8. 1898-1899; Wooster’s appointment to Soldiers and Sailors Home
9. 1899
10. 1899; Populist Party
11. 1899; Wooster to Poynter
12. 1899; Letters to the Editor
13. 1900
14. 1900; J. W. Carr
15. 1900; J. H. MacKay
16. 1900; Samuel Maxwell
17. 1900; Populist Party
18. 1900-1901; John Wooster
19. 1901
20. 1901; Silver Republican Party

Box 6
Folder

1. 1902
2. 1903
3. 1903; Burlington R. R. Law Dept
4. 1904
5. 1904; William J. Bryan
6. 1904; “Letters to the Editor”
7. 1905
8. 1906
9. 1907
10. 1907; Margaret Wooster
11. 1907; Democratic State Central Comm.
12. 1907; Right of Lease – U.P.R.R. includes correspondence
13. 1908
14. 1908; Bryan Volunteers of Nebraska
15. 1908; Merchants’ & Manufacturers’ Association (Omaha)
16. 1908-1909; Margaret Wooster
17. 1909; “Letters to the Editor”

Box 7
Folder

1. 1910
2. 1910; Gilbert M. Hitchcock
3. 1910; E. C. Simmons, State Engineer
4. 1910; Edith Wooster
5. 1910; John Wooster
6. 1910; Margaret Wooster
7. 1910; Pauline Wooster
8. 1910; “Letters to the Editor”
9. 1911
10. 1911; Nebraska State Representatives
11. 1911; “Letters to the Editor”
12. 1911; Edith Wooster
13. 1911; John Wooster
14. 1911; Margaret Wooster
15. 1911; Pauline Wooster

Box 8
Folder

1. 1912
2. 1912; Edith Wooster Brightenburg
3. 1912; G. M. Hitchcock
4. 1912; “Letters to the Editor”
5. 1912; A. C. Shallenberger
6. 1912; Dorothy Wooster
7. 1912; Margaret Wooster
8. 1912; Pauline Wooster
9. 1912-1913; John Morehead
10. 1913
11. 1913; Edith Brightenburg
12. 1913; Farmers Elevator Co., Charles Wooster, President
13. 1913; “Letters to the Editor”
14. 1913; Nebraska Farmers Congress
15. 1913; Governor Salisbury of Iowa
16. 1913; Voter Legislative League of Nebr.
17. 1913; John Wooster
18. 1913; Margaret Wooster
19. 1913; Pauline Wooster

Box 9
Folder

1. 1914
2. 1914; Edith Brightenburg
3. 1914; “Letters to the Editor”
4. 1914; Margaret Wooster
5. 1914-1915; John Wooster
6. 1914-1915; Pauline Wooster
7. 1914-1915; Francis Echols
8. 1915
9. 1915; H. S. Blinn
10. 1915; Edith Brightenburg
11. 1915; G.A.R.
12. 1915; “Letters to the Editor”
13. 1915; George W. Norris
14. 1915; Theo. M. Osterman
15. 1915; Margaret Wooster

Box 10
Folder

1. 1916
2. 1916; James L. Bartlett
3. 1916; Edith Brightenburg
4. 1916; Dan V. Stephens
5. 1916; John Wooster
6. 1916; “Letters to the Editor”
7. 1916; George W. Norris
8. 1916-1917; Margaret Wooster
9. 1916-1917; Pauline Wooster
10. 1917
11. 1917; Edith Brightenburg
12. 1917; “Letters to the Editor”
13. 1917; Henry Cabot Lodge
14. 1917; Nebraska Farmers Congress
15. 1917; Keith Neville

Box 11
Folder

1. 1918
2. 1918; J. H. Craddock
3. 1918; G.A.R.
4. 1918; G. M. Hitchcock
5. 1918; “Letters to the Editor”
6. 1918; Dan V. Stephens
7. 1918-1919; Edith Wooster Brightenburg
8. 1918-1919; Council of Defense
9. 1918-1919; Louis Vautrain & Yvonne Vedel, French War Orphans adopted by Wooster through Franternite’ Franco-Americaine
10. 1918-1919; Margaret Wooster
11. 1918-1919; Pauline Wooster
12. 1919
13. 1919; “Letters to the Editor”
14. 1919; Nebraska Farmers’ Union
15. 1919; George W. Norris
16. 1919; C. A. Sorenson

Box 12
Folder

1. 1920
2. 1920; “Letters to the Editor”
3. 1920; J. G. Maker
4. 1920; Non-Partisan League
5. 1920; C. A. Sorenson
6. 1920; Emil G. Stolley, Constitutional Convention
7. 1920-1921; Edith Brightenburg
8. 1920; Nebraska Farmers’ Union
9. 1920; Vautrain & Vedel
10. 1920; John Wooster
11. 1920; Margaret Wooster
12. 1920; Pauline Wooster
13. 1920; Wooster vs. U.P.R.R. Company
14. 1921
15. 1921; “Letters to the Editor”
16. 1921; National Economic League; list of Council members from Nebraska

Box 13
Folder

1. 1922; Edith Brightenburg
2. 1922; J. L. Hall (Wheat Growers’ Assoc.)
3. 1922; “Letters to the Editor”
4. 1922; National Economic League
5. 1922; Nebr. Farm Bureau Federation
6. 1922; Vautrain & Vedel
7. 1922; Pauline Wooster
8. 1922-1923
9. Letters of Sympathy
10. Margaret Wooster
11. 1924-1943; Posthumous

Box 14 – Undated and damaged correspondence

Series 2 – Diaries, 1861-1881
Box 15
Folder

1. 1867
2. 1861-1869
3. 1862
4. 1881; Account Book and Diary

Series 3 – Manuscripts, 1867-1920

5. 1861-1863; Notes to Helen Hitchcock
6. 1866; Notes concerning law
7. 1867; Essay, miscellaneous
8. 1867; Play – “Starting in Help”, 3 pp.
9. 1868; “History”
10. 1870; Essay, miscellaneous
11. 1871; Essay, miscellaneous
12. 1907; “To My First Grandson”
13. 1908; Verse, miscellaneous
14. 1909; Verse, miscellaneous
15. 1910; Verse, miscellaneous
16. 1914; Verse, miscellaneous
17. 1915; High School Commencement Address
18. 1916; Verse, miscellaneous
19. 1919; Campaign Statement
20. 1919; Address “The Advent, or the Second Coming of Christ”
21. 1920; Verse
22. Copies of Some Wooster letters

Series 4 – Miscellany

23. Wooster Last Will and Testament
24. Biographical Information
25. Constitution Silver Creek Township, Farmers Club, 1905
26. Burlington R. R. Law Dept. (Fillanderson), 1903
27. 1890; Silver Creek Farmers’ Alliance Resolutions
28. 1890; Silver Creek Farmers’ Alliance proposed Articles of Incorporation
29. 1867; Helen Wooster’s Certificate to teach
30. 1875; Charles Wooster’s Contract to teach
31. 1874; Tax Receipts
32. 1875; Tax Receipts
33. 1912; Tax Receipts
34. Affidavits – Wooster & Becker, 1916
35. 1910; Petition
36. Certificates, posters, etc. (see oversize)

Series 5 – Clippings, 1880-1924

Box 16 – 1880-1915 and undated

Box 17 – 1916-1924

Box 18 – Miscellany

Subject headings:

Brightenburg, Edith (Wooster)
Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925
Hitchcock, Gilbert Monell, 1859-1934
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924
Manderson, Charles Fredrick, 1832-1911
Maxwell, Samuel, 1825-1901
McKay, J. H.
Morehead, John Henry, 1861-1942
Morton, Julius Sterling, 1832-1902
Nebraska Farmers’ Alliance
Nebraska. State Council of Defense
Neville, Keith, 1886-1959
Non-Partisan League (Neb.)
Norris, George William, 1861-1944
Populist Party (Neb.)
Poynter, William Amos, 1848-1909
Republican Party (Neb.)
Shallenberger, Aston Cokayne, 1862-1938
Sorensen, Christian Abraham, 1890-1959
Stephens, Daniel Vorhees, 1868-1939
Wooster family
Wooster, Charles, 1843-1922
Wooster, John, 1847-1921
Wooster, Margaret
Wooster, Pauline, 1885-1949

Agriculture
Frontier and pioneer life
Journalism
Journalists
Merrick County (Neb.)
Railroads
Silver Creek (Neb.)
Silver question
Spanish-American War, 1898
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
World War, 1914-1918

L. Willmore/js 06-19-1964
JEP/DDS/pmc 04-10-1972