Robert Glenmore Simmons [RG3642.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG3642.AM:  Robert Glenmore Simmons, 1891-1969

Papers:  1922-1969

Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska:  Lawyer, Congressman, Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice

Size:  7.0 cu.ft.; 7 boxes & oversized volumes

BACKGROUND NOTE

Robert Glenmore Simmons was born on December 25, 1891 in a sod house in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska.  Most of his early schooling was in Gering, Nebraska.  While in high school, he worked part time in the law office of Wright and Wright in Scottsbluff.  Simmons went to Hastings College for two years and then transferred to the University of Nebraska from which he graduated in 1915.

Simmons returned to Scotts Bluff County in 1916 and became county attorney.  After a year, he enlisted in the air corps and served throughout World War I.  In 1918 Simmons became Judge Advocate of General Courts Martial and taught officers training school.  After a year, he returned again to Scottsbluff, to practice law, where he stayed until 1922.  In 1920 he was named Department Commander of the American Legion in Nebraska.  In 1921 Simmons became president of the University of Nebraska Alumni Association.  In 1922 he was elected United States Representative from Nebraska’s sixth district and served five terms until his defeat in the Democratic landslide of 1932.  Simmons returned to Lincoln and reopened his law practice, which he maintained until 1938 when he was elected Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court.  Before that time, in 1934 and 36, he ran for U.S. Senator but was defeated.

Throughout his career as Chief Justice, Simmons traveled extensively throughout the world, including two trips to the Asia in a judicial exchange sponsored by the State Department.  Simmons also sponsored several projects, including the donation of law libraries to developing countries.  An important project for Nebraska high school students, which Simmons began, was the formation of County Government and Boys and Girls State which enabled students to learn more about state and local government.  After his retirement in January of 1963, Simmons remained active in public life although he was restricted by a heart attack in December of 1959.  He died on December 27, 1969.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection, the papers of Robert Glenmore Simmons, consists of seven boxes of manuscript material and nineteen scrapbooks.

This collection is arranged in nine series: 1) Correspondence, 1924-1963; 2) Research material relating to early law practice in Nebraska, 1941-1942; 3) Speeches and statements, 1933-1960; 4) Press releases, 1933-1960; 5) Newspaper clippings, 1934-1961; 6) Photos, 1950’s; 7) Miscellany, 1934-1970; 8) Printed matter, 1935-1969; and 9) Scrapbooks, 1922-1951.

This collection relates to the public life of Robert Glenmore Simmons from 1922 until his death in 1969.  the bulk of the material is his correspondence, of which over half deals with the gathering of source material for a paper on the early practice of law in Nebraska.  Much of the material he collected is attached to the correspondence.  Also attached to correspondence are newspaper clippings and photos dealing with the donation of law books to developing countries.  Most of the speeches and press releases deal with Simmons’ Senatorial campaign in 1934 and 1936.  However, there are a large number of speeches on various topics given throughout his career as Chief Justice.  The newspaper clippings also relate primarily to Simmons’ Senatorial campaigns of 1934 and 1936.  Most of the publications are from the years Simmons was Chief Justice.  Included with these is a partial bibliography of his publications.

The last two boxes were added at a later date and are not fully processed or divided into the series arrangement.

Note:  Photographs of the Nebraska Supreme Court, taken throughout Simmons’ career, have been transferred to the photo collections.

INVENTORY

Series 1 – General Correspondence, 1924-1963

Box 1

Folder

1. 1. 1924-1938

1. 1. May-June 1941

1. 1. August 1941

1. 1. September 1941

1. 1. October 1941

1. 1. November 1941

1. 1. December 1941

1. 1. 1942

1. 1. 1943

1. 1. 1946-1952

1. 1. 1954-1959

1. 1. 1960-1963

Series 2 – Research Material, Early Law Practice in Nebraska, 1941-1942

Box 2

Folder

1. 1. 1941-1942

Series 3 – Speeches and Statements, 1933-1960, n.d.

1. 1. Statement to House Rules Committee, February 1943

1. 1. 1933-1935

1. 1. 1943-1960 and undated

Series 4 – Press Releases, 1933-1960, n.d.

1. 1. 1933-1960 and undated

Series 5 – Newspaper Clippings, 1934-1961

1. 1. Campaign clippings, 1934-1936

Box 3

Folder

1. 2. Campaign clippings, 1936

1. 1. Miscellaneous clippings, 1931-1969

Series 6 – Photographs, 1950s (additional photographs are filed in Photo archives)

1. 1. Miscellaneous photographs

1. 1. Presentation of law books, 1954-1960

Series 7 – Miscellany, 1934-1970

1. 1. Speeches and manuscripts not by Simmons

1. 1. Campaign material, 1936

1. 1. Voting records:  68^th – 72^nd Congresses; and 74^th Congress

1. 1. Essays written by Philippine High School students on a talk by Simmons, 1952

1. 1. Resolution from Cornhusker Boys and Girls State given at the time of Simmons’ death, January 1970

Series 8 – Printed Matter, 1935-1969

Box 4

Folder

1. 1. Bibliography of Simmons’ publications (not complete), 1935-1947

1. 1. 1948-1969

1. 1. Publications about Simmons

1. 1. Miscellaneous printed matter

Series 9 – Scrapbooks, 1922-1959

Box 5

Volume

1. 1. 1923-1924

1. 1. 1922-1926 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1929-1932

1. 1. 1934 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1934 (see oversize

1. 1. 1934

1. 1. 1934

1. 1. 1935-1936 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1935-1936

1. 1. 1935-1936

1. 1. 1936

1. 1. 1938

1. 1. 1936-1939 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1939-1947 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1952 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1952 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1952

1. 1. 1953-1955 (see oversize)

1. 1. 1956-1959 (see oversize)

Box 6

Folder

1. 1. Paper on Peace, 1945

1. 1. Legislation & Law Observance paper, 1945

1. 1. Correspondence re. article in Nebraska Law Review on Procedure, 1944

1. 1. Address – Nebraska State Bar Association annual meeting, 1943

1. 1. Kiwanis Club re. William Jeffers Distinguished Service Medal, 1943

1. 1. Address – American Bar Association, 1943

1. 1. Miscellaneous addresses, 1943

1. 1. Nebraska Charter Day speech, 1942

1. 1. Charter Day address, Feb. 1942 (Source)

1. 1. Press releases

1. 1. Commencement address, Hastings, 1942

1. 1. Judge Delahant Introduction, 1942

1. 1. Nebraska Democrat, 1942

1. 1. Newspaper clippings

1. 1. Robert A. Nelson speech, 1941

1. 1. Mrs. Simmons’ projects

1. 1. The Issue of War and Basis of Peace, 1941

1. 1. Personal publicity, 1941

1. 1. Speech material

1. 1. Free speech drafts and press notes

1. 1. Memorial Day, 1941

1. 1. Worship & War speech, 1941

1. 1. Americanization Committee Dinner, 1939

1. 1. Material on Communist Party & labor unions, 1932

1. 1. Memorial Day speech, 1930

Box 7

Folder

1. 1. Address – Iowa Bar meeting, 1943

1. 1. Flag Day speech, 1950 (Do we want what they have: U.S. vs. USSR)

1. 1. Talk at Grand Island to Pioneer Descendants, 1952

1. 1. Guest editorial for Arch Jarrell, Grand Island Independent, 1950

1. 1. American Bar Association article on Robert Simmons, 1948

1. 1. Iowa Bar speech, 1948

1. 1. Judicial System of Russia, 1947-1948

1. 1. Source material on Soviet law

1. 1. Comparison: USA & USSR & satellites as to education, qualifications, political bias of judges & lawyers, 1947

1. 1. Russian Concept of Covenant of Human Rights, 1947

1. 1. Texas talk, 1947

1. 1. Mississippi talk, 1947

1. 1. Speech to Missouri Bar, 1947

1. 1. Look Ahead in Misdemeanor Cases, 1947

1. 1. University of Omaha speech, 1947

1. 1. State Irrigation Association talk, 1946

1. 1. Revision of the Rules, 1946

1. 1. Administrator for State Courts, 1946

1. 1. Founding Fathers’ Day, Scottsbluff, 1946

1. 1. Paper at Cleveland Political Science Association, “Set Ye Up a Standard,” 1946

1. 1. Women’s Division, Omaha Chamber of Commerce talk, 1946

1. 1. Victory Day source material

1. 1. Misc. unsorted materials

Subject headings:

Law — Nebraska

Lawyers — Nebraska

Nebraska Supreme Court

Politics and government — Nebraska

Simmons, Robert Glenmore, 1891-1969

APD/ct                   10-13-1975

Revised TMM        04-18-2018; 05-30-2019