Kenneth L. Bowen, 1912-1981 [RG1077.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG1077.AM:  Kenneth L. Bowen, 1912-1981

Papers:  1959-1966
Red Cloud, Webster County, Nebraska:  State Senator
Size:  12.5 cu.ft.; 25 boxes

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Kenneth L. Bowen was born in Red Cloud, Webster County, Nebraska on January 25, 1912. He received his early education in the Kansas Public schools. On May 31, 1942, Bowen married Kathryn V. Kirkebride. Their marriage produced four children, a daughter and three sons. Bowen was active in the agricultural and business activities of the Red Cloud community, formerly operating the Red Cloud Sale Barn, and the Amboy Milling Company, in addition to owning two farms in the area. He later operated an automobile dealership prior to the establishment of a real estate and insurance business in Red Cloud.

Bowen was also active in civic affairs, serving on the city hospital board and the Board of Education. He was a former president of the Chamber of Commerce, and a former mayor of the city of Red Cloud. On November 4, 1958, Bowen was elected to the Nebraska legislature from the 32nd District, which included the counties of Franklin, Webster and Nuckolls. He gained election to a second term in November of 1960, and was again re-elected in November of 1962. In November of 1964, Bowen was elected to a four-year term from the 37th district which included Webster, Nuckolls, Franklin and Kearney counties. While in the legislature, Bowen served on many committees and was active in attempts to expand and reform the state tax structure by means of a state income tax. He resigned from the legislature on January 5, 1967, to become Executive Secretary of the League of Nebraska Municipalities. He also served as state director of the Farmers Home Administration from 1970-1976.

Kenneth L. Bowen died at his home in Red Cloud on April 18, 1981.

Note: Photographs have been transferred to the photo component [RG1077.PH]. Please ask a reference staff member for assistance.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of 25 manuscript boxes of material arranged topically in five series: (1) Legislative files, 1959-1965; (2) Correspondence, 1963-1966; (3) Legislative bills and journals, 1961-1963; (4) Committee reports and minutes, 1961-1963; and (5) Printed matter.

The bulk of the papers are legislative files, 1959-1966, relating to Senator Bowen’s service in the Nebraska Legislature, 1959-1967. These files include correspondence from constituents, materials relating to specific bills, reports and studies, speeches and newsletters, and miscellaneous publications. Senator Bowen’s filing arrangement was retained in the processing of this collection.

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Legislative files, 1959-1965

Box 1
Folder

1. Agriculture
2. Assessment of Mineral Rights Reservations
3. Bottle Club Bill
4. Bond Issues
5. Council of State Government
6. Credit Card Bill
7. County Officers Board of Equalization – Assessor
8. Committee Assignments
9. Doves
10. Education – County Superintendents Redistrict (Free High School Tuition)
11. Educational T.V.
12. Education

Box 2
Folder

1. Education – Free Junior High
2. Franklin County, 1961
3. Game, Parks and Recreation; Mill Levy
4. Indians
5. Insurance – County Mutual
6. Insurance
7. Insurance Qualification Laws
8. LB 82 – Lottery
9. Lottery on T.V. programs
10. Grade A Milk
11. Miscellaneous A-Z
12. Nuckolls County, 1961
13. Outdoor Advertising – Interstate Highway
14. Personal File
15. Public Power
16. Pharmacy
17. Reapportionment

Box 3
Folder

1. Redistricting Congressional Districts
2. LB 351, Government and Military affairs
3. School Taxes
4. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Judges Retirement System, June 30, 1960
5. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Safety Patrol Retirement System, June 30, 1960
6. 14th Annual Report, Nebraska School Retirement System, June 30, 1960
7. Redistricting
8. LB 83, Raise Limitation
9. Tourist Study Interim Committee
10. Tourism
11. Sale Barn
12. Sales and Income Tax Data
13. School land and funds distribution
14. Stand-by Officials
15. Telephone Distribution of fees
16. Webster County, 1961

Box 4
Folder

1. Republican River – Willow
2. Expenses
3. Bankers Life – opinions of Julian Hopkins
4. GOP John Cooper, Humboldt, Nebraska
5. Carl Curtis Contributions
6. GOP Correspondence
7. Information (three counties)
8. Webster County Correspondence
9. Nuckolls County – Jackson Bernard
10. Congressional redistricting, 1961 (undecided)
11. Congressional Redistricting, 1961
12. East-West Division, 1961
13. North-South Division
14. Medical Care
15. LB 354: Government and Military Affairs
16. Letters for signature
17. Interstate government

Box 5
Folder

1. McClelland Reports
2. Personal
3. Military
4. Franklin County Address
5. Webster County Addresses
6. Highway 78 Improvement
7. Nuckolls County Addresses
8. Highways and Country Roads
9. Tax Study Interim Committee
10. Actuarial Report: The Nebraska Judges Retirement System, June 30, 1962
11. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Safety Patrol Retirement System, June 30, 1962
12. Actuarial Report: The Nebraska School Retirement System, June 30, 1962
13. Comparison of the Economy of NE to the Economic records of the US

Box 6
Folder

1. Ag. Statistics
2. Correspondence
3. Budget
4. Centennial
5. Correspondence (Special Session)
6. Senator Bowen
7. Primary Candidates
8. Education
9. Government and Military affairs, Senator Bowen Chairman
10. Government and Military affairs Committee
11. Intangible Taxes

Box 7
Folder

1. Legislative Studies
2. Lobbyist Letters
3. Mentally and Physically Handicapped
4. Marvel (news)
5. Medical Care
6. NFO
7. Petitions (Names)
8. LB 745, Increasing the size of the Centennial Commission from 10 to 15.
9. Republican Party
10. Miscellaneous Correspondence
11. Taxes
12. Civil Defense
13. Correspondence Files
14. Income Tax
15. Income (Also included are: LB 563, LB 797, Revenue and tax information, 1961, “My reasons for supporting a Partisan Legislature” by Senator Bowen, and “Government and Acquisitions” Nebraska edition, 1964.)

Box 8
Folder

1. LB 342
2. LB 641
3. Annual irrigation meeting in Nelson, Nebraska
4. LB 118 (correspondence)
5. Intergovernmental
6. Activities
7. Legislative District #37, Nuckolls County
8. Legislative District #37, Franklin County
9. Legislative District #37, Webster County
10. Legislative District #37, Kearney County
11. Political Letters, Statewide
12. Political Letters, Unicameral
13. Speeches
14. Senator Bowen, Legislative District #32
15. Franklin County, District 32
16. Kearney County, District 32
17. Nuckolls County, District 32
18. Senators Carpenter, Mahoney and Skarda; Legislature Organization
19. Constitutional Amendment LB 9, Interest Regulations
20. Reports, National Committee Woman
21. Correspondence, National Committee
22. Intangible Tax Study
23. Teacher Retirement
24. Legislative Bills and constituent correspondence

Box 9
Folder

1. LB 612
2. LB 59, Texas
3. Time Sale Legislation
4. Facts, LB 612
5. Senator Bowen, Chapter #3
6. Dr. Harold McClelland
7. Taxes

Box 10
Folder

1. LB 631 (Nebraska State Historical Society, relationship)
2. Abstractors, LB 133
3. Agriculture
4. LB 30 and LB 78
5. LB 229
6. LB 301
7. Budget
8. Beatrice State Home
9. Congratulatory Letters
10. Centennial Commission
11. Consumer Credit
12. 527 deeds
13. Doves
14. Education
15. Franklin County
16. Game Commission
17. Grain Storage
18. Income Tax
19. Invitations
20. KFOR Editorials

Box 11
Folder

1. Liberty Amendment
2. Lobbyists
3. Legislative Council
4. Governor Frank Morrison
5. Miscellaneous
6. Bills, Miscellaneous
7. Nuckolls County
8. News Clippings
9. NSIA
10. LB 515 (Obscene Literature)
11. Parochial Schools
12. Public Power
13. Republican Party
14. Reapportionment
15. Roads
16. Free High School Tuition Education (313, 448, 215)
17. Campaign Speeches
18. Statements of interest
19. State
20. Six-Year Public Schools
21. Speeches
22. South Central Public Power District (Also included: Statement of Nebraska Railroads in support of LB 336, 1965)

Box 12
Folder

1. Tax
2. Tires, LB 51
3. Trade Schools
4. Time Sales in Nebraska
5. Vocational Training
6. Webster County
7. Income Tax Poll Letters
8. Duane Doyle, 1964
9. Sprague Bernard, Red Cloud
10. Precinct committee, women and men delegates to 1962
11. County Representatives

Series 2 – Correspondence, 1963-1966

Box 13
Folder

1. Automobile Assessing Method New Car Dealer’s Assoc.
2. A
3. B
4. 1964 Campaign Exp.
5. C
6. D
7. E
8. Eye Bank
9. F
10. G
11. H
12. I
13. J
14. K
15. Kerr-Mills Bill
16. L
17. Med. Care

Box 14
Folder

1. M
2. Mc
3. N
4. O
5. P
6. Q
7. R
8. S
9. Seat Belts Safety – New Motor Vehicles
10. 6 Year High School – K-12
11. Tax Recommendations – 1966
12. Taxes
13. T
14. Tax Study
15. LB 370 Relating to reserve Teachers – to increase compensation
16. U
17. V
18. W
19. Y
20. Z

Box 15
Folder

1. Correspondence A-Z, 1965
2. Miscellaneous, 1966

Series 3 – Legislative bills and journals, 1961-1963

Box 16   Bills, 1961
Folder

1. Ft. Robinson
2. Historical Society
3. Instructions – 1961
4. Invitations
5. National Guard – 1961
6. Notices of Committee Hearings – Government & Military Affairs
7. LB 58
8. LB 59
9. LB 60
10. LB 81
11. LB 82
12. LB 83
13. LB 84
14. LB 86
15. LB 87
16. LB 89
17. LB 90
18. LB 93
19. LB 94
20. LB 96
21. LB 97
22. LB 101
23. LB 105
24. LB 108
25. LB 109
26. LB 111
27. LB 122
28. LB 132
29. LB 137
30. LB 140
31. LB 152
32. LB 153
33. LB 154
34. LB 155
35. LB 157
36. LB 159
37. LB 162
38. LB 167
39. LB 168
40. LB 169
41. LB 170
42. LB 201
43. LB 204
44. LB 221
45. LB 224
46. LB 233
47. LB 269
48. LB 270
49. LB 277
50. LB 279
51. LB 296
52. LB 312
53. LB 344
54. LB 352
55. LB 360
56. LB 369
57. LB 371
58. LB 375
59. LB 377
60. LB 403
61. LB 419
62. LB 430
63. LB 433
64. LB 455
65. LB 466
66. LB 470
67. LB 476
68. LB 491
69. LB 497
70. LB 499
71. LB 538

Box 17   Bills, 1961 and 1963
Folder

1. LB 539
2. LB 540
3. LB 541
4. LB 548
5. LB 592
6. LB 607
7. LB 614
8. LB 624
9. LB 630
10. LB 638
11. LB 644
12. LB 647
13. LB 662
14. LB 667
15. LB 710
16. LB 714
17. LB 716
18. LB 107
19. LB 111
20. LB 253
21. LB 254
22. LB 345
23. LB 346
24. LB 347
25. LB 486
26. LB 487
27. LB 689
28. LB 702
29. LB 713
30. LB 717
31. LB 718
32. LB 100
33. LB 298
34. LB 299
35. LB 300
36. LB 301
37. LB 302
38. LB 373
39. LB 374
40. LB 375
41. LB 376
42. LB 377
43. LB 378
44. LB 379
45. LB 380
46. LB 381
47. LB 382
48. LB 383
49. LB 384
50. LB 385
51. LB 386
52. LB 387
53. LB 388
54. LB 612
55. LB 613
56. LB 614
57. LB 615
58. LB 741
59. LB 742
60. LB 743
61. LB 744
62. LB 798
63. LB 59
64. LB 174
65. LB 268
66. LB 288
67. LB 313
68. LB 397

Box 18   Bills, 1963
Folder

1. LR 4
2. LR 5
3. LR 6
4. LB 1
5. LB 4
6. LB 7
7. LB 11
8. LB 12
9. LB 13
10. LB 14
11. LB 21
12. LB 29
13. LB 42
14. LB 47
15. LB 52
16. LB 78
17. LB 86
18. LB 87
19. LB 88
20. LB 103
21. LB 112
22. LB 114
23. LB 118
24. LB 132
25. LB 174
26. LB 175
27. LB 176
28. LB 196
29. LB 203
30. LB 204
31. LB 213
32. LB 218
33. LB 219
34. LB 228
35. LB 230
36. LB 233
37. LB 236
38. LB 239
39. LB 244
40. LB 249
41. LB 254
42. LB 255
43. LB 258

Box 19   Bills, 1963
Folder

1. LB 259
2. LB 298
3. LB 312
4. LB 314
5. LB 320
6. LB 338
7. LB 341
8. LB 345
9. LB 358
10. LB 365
11. LB 374
12. LB 375
13. LB 381
14. LB 382
15. LB 383
16. LB 387
17. LB 393
18. LB 406
19. LB 432
20. LB 461
21. LB 467
22. LB 474
23. LB 482
24. LB 505
25. LB 509
26. LB 520
27. LB 531
28. LB 533
29. LB 557
30. LB 578
31. LB 582
32. LB 586
33. LB 608
34. LB 609
35. LB 625
36. LB 629
37. LB 654
38. LB 657
39. LB 662
40. LB 730
41. LB 731
42. LB 748
43. LB 756
44. LB 767
45. LB 776
46. LB 777
47. LB 781
48. LB 782
49. LB 783
50. LB 785
51. LB 796
52. LB 802

Box 20
Folder

1. Legislative Bills, 74th session
2. Index to bills, 73rd session
3. Legislative Journals, 74th and 76th sessions
4. Session Law, 1963
5. Bills introduced by Senator Bowen
6. Pocket Dockets, 1959, 1961 and 1963

Series 4 – Committee reports and minutes, 1961-1963

Box 21
Folder

1. Government and Military Affairs committee, 1963
2. Redistricting minutes, Government and Military Affairs committee, 1961
3. Public Welfare Committee, 1961
4. Education Committee, 1961

Series 5 – Printed matter

Box 22
Folder

1. Reports – Nebraska State Tax Commissioner, 1961 and 1963
2. Nebraska Public Power Commission, 1962
3. “Study of accounting and Financial organization, systems and proceedings, report on remedial legislation, 1963”
4. “State and Local Finance” by Harold F. McClelland, for the committee on taxation

Box 23
Folder

1. Press releases and “Bowen Report” newsletter (1-22)
2. Miscellaneous publications including issues of “State Government,” “Nebraska Farmer,” and Dept of Health Education and Welfare publications

Box 24
Folder

1. Newspaper Clippings
2. Scrapbook – news clippings

Box 25
Folder

1. Campaign poster
2. Texas Public Safety Information and state map
3. Day Planners
4. Bumper Stickers
5. Certificates of Election
6. Other Miscellany

 

Subject headings:

Bowen, Kenneth L., 1912-1981
Income tax — Nebraska
Legislation — Nebraska
Legislators — Nebraska
Nebraska — Politics and government
Nebraska. Legislature, 1958-1967

 

Revised TMM        11-08-2007