HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG3563.AM: William Henry Meier, 1904-1997
Papers: 1946-1963
Minden, Kearney County, Neb.: Lawyer; Democratic Party leader
Size: 11 boxes; 10.5 cu.ft.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on December 23, 1904, William Henry Meier graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1926 with an A.B. degree. He taught English and history in Puerto Rico for a year and then returned to Lincoln. Meier attended the University of Nebraska College of Law, graduating in 1930. From 1932-1934 he worked as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. William Meier married Mabel Utter on August 12, 1934.
William Meier worked for the Federal Land Bank in Omaha from 1934-1936. In 1936 the Meiers moved to Minden, Nebraska, where he started a private law practice. Meier served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Omaha from 1942-1945. He returned to Minden in 1945, where he remained in private practice until his retirement. Meier was active in the Nebraska Democratic Party, serving for a time as the Chair of the Nebraska Democratic State Central Committee. He was a candidate for U.S. Representative in 1946, but he lost to Carl T. Curtis. Meier ran for U.S. Senate in 1954, but he was defeated by Hazel Abel.
William H. Meier passed away at the Mt. Carmel Home in Kearney, Nebraska, on January 6, 1997. His wife, Mabel, preceded him in death. He was cremated and buried in the Minden Cemetery.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of papers relating to William H. Meier’s involvement in the Nebraska Democratic Party. The majority of materials relate to Meier’s service on the Nebraska Democratic State Central Committee. The collection includes correspondence, minutes of meetings, newsletters, financial information, etc. Also included are materials relating to Meier’s campaigns for U.S. House and Senate in 1946 and 1954. The last box of the collection consists of materials relating to Meier’s involvement in the Nebraska Bi-Partisan Committee from 1953-1954.
Note: The collection is mostly unprocessed, but the following inventory is available.
INVENTORY
Box 1
Folder
- Democrats State Central Committee, 1957-1959
- Democratic County Committee
- Democratic Central Committee; Kearney County
- Democratic County Convention, May 29, 1958
- Delegates to 1954 Convention
- Radio
- 1952 Budget
- Under-Secretary McCormick
- Stevenson-Sparkman Fund
- Executive Com Meeting, October 5, 1952
- P&S
- Executive Committee Meeting, Sept. 17, 1952
- Veteran’s Committee
- Democratic Newsletter
- PMA Lists (Dem.)
- Sparkman
- 1952 Campaign
- Candidates (Dem.)
- Dem. State Finance
- Demo. State Committee (1952) General File
- National Committee Reports (Dem.)
Box 2
Folder
- Democratic State Committee General File
- 1954 Campaign
- 1954 Candidates
- First Congressional District
- Democratic Party
- State Committee Meeting
- Jefferson-Jackson Day
- Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner
- Financial Information
- Lincoln Co
- 1952 Jefferson-Jackson Day – Daily Receipts and Banking records, Donors Names and Addresses
- Democratic State Committee
- Democratic State Central Committee 1962-1963
Box 3
Folder
- Credentials Committee
- Finance Committee Audit – Remittances
- Paid Bills
- Democratic Third Congressional District Convention and Election
- Printing
- Platform Committee
- Women’s Division Packet re. Meetings, Etc.
- State Committee Meeting, Oct. 18, 1952
- Post Primary Convention, Hastings (1954)
- Next Executive Committee Meeting
- Convention Arrangements
- Finances
- YD Magazine
- Democratic Digest
- State Committee Vacancies
- National Advisory Council
- 1953 YD State Convention
- Contributions to Democratic State Committee
- State Central Committee Meeting Nominating US Senator
- Executive Committee Meeting, May 15, 1954
- 1953 National Committee Reports & Publicity
- Personal (Dem.)
- PM & Rural Routes
Box 4
Folder
- Committee List – 2nd Cong.
- Midterm Democratic Convention 1959, Resolutions Committee
- Platform
- Committee on Revision of Official Rules, Democratic Party in Nebraska
- Democratic National Convention
- Agriculture
- Bipartisan Committee
- Jefferson-Jackson Day Programs, Procedures
Box 5
Folder
- Primary (Dem.)
- State Pre-Primary Convention (Democratic) 1952
- Democratic State Convention – Resolutions Committee
- Democratic State Central Committee 1962
- Nebraska Democratic Platform 1962
- Platform and Development of Issues – Democratic National Committee Training School – Omaha
- Democratic State Central Committee
- Dollars for Democrats Drive booklets
Box 6
Folder
- Adams County
- Antelope
- Arthur
- Banner
- Blaine
- Boone
- Box Butte
- Boyd
- Brown
- Buffalo
- Burt
- Butler
- Cass
- Cedar
- Chase
- Cherry
- Cheyenne
- Clay
- Colfax
- Cuming
- Custer
- Dakota
- Dawes
- Dems Bills – Unpaid
- Dawson
- Deuel
- Dixon
- Dodge
- Douglas
- Fillmore
- Franklin
- Frontier
- Gage
- Garden
- Garfield
- Gosper
- Grant
- Greeley
- Hall
- Hamilton
- Hayes
- Hitchcock
- Hooker
- Howard
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Kearney
- Keith
- Keya Paha
- Kimball
- Knox
- Lancaster
- Logan
- Loup
- McPherson
- Madison
- Merrick
- Morrill
- Nemaha
- Nuckolls
- Otoe
- Pawnee
- Perkins
- Phelps
- Pierce
- Platte
- Polk
- Red Willow
- Richardson
- Rock
- Saline
- Sarpy
- Saunders
- Scotts Bluff
- Seward
- Sheridan
- Sherman
- Sioux
- Stanton
- Thayer
- Thomas
- Thurston
- Valley
- Washington
- Wayne
- Webster
- Wheeler
- York
Box 7
Folder
- Democratic State Committee – General File
- Democratic State Committee (1952) – General File
- Kerr (Dem.)
- Democratic Delegates to National Convention
- Next Executive Committee Meeting
- State Convention; June 13, 1950 – Pre-Primary
- Doctors
- Personal Congratulations Dems State Organization
- Democratic County Pre-Primary Conventions
- Rep. Miller, R., 4th Nebraska
- Former Rep. Buffett., R., 2nd, Nebraska
- Rep. Stefan, R., 3rd. Nebraska
- Jefferson-Jackson Day Contributors – 1951 by Counties – w/ Amounts for 1948, 1949, 1950
- Candidates Committee
- 1953 Jefferson-Jackson Day (Dems)
- Pre-Primary Conference
- 1953 Democratic State Committee, General File
Box 8
Folder
- Meier for Congress, 1946
- 1st District Newsletter, 1947-1948
- Meier for US Senate Short Term, 1954
- Lincoln Telephone Directory, Nov. 1946
- Political Payments
- Nebraska Public Works
- General Election Material
- Political Advertising
- Questionnaires, Political
- Agriculture and REA
- Communism
- International
- Labor
- Taxes & Government Economy
- Printed Circular
Box 9
Folder
- State Wide Appointments
- Jackson Day Dinner & Committee, 1951
- County Chairmen – Letter No. 1
- County Chairmen – Form Letter No. 2
- County Chairmen – Follow Up Cards
- 1951 Jefferson-Jackson Day, finances
- Resolutions Committee
- Executive Secretary Democratic Committee
- Post-Primary Convention, State Delegates & Proceedings
- Post-Primary Convention & Conferences
- National Convention
- Jefferson-Jackson Day
- 1952 Post-Primary Convention
Box 10
Folder
- 1st District Democratic Newsletter
- Meier for US Senator
- Mrs. George P. Abel
- National Committee Reports & Publicity
- Research Division Reports
- Meier for Senate, Adv. Media
- Indiana
- Senatorial Clip Sheet
Box 11 Nebraska Bi-Partisan Committee
Folder
- Correspondence, 1953, June 23
- Correspondence, 1953, July
- Correspondence, 1953, Aug.
- Correspondence, 1953, Sep.
- Correspondence, 1953, Oct.
- Correspondence, 1953, Nov.
- Correspondence, 1953, Dec.
- Correspondence, 1954, Jan.
- Correspondence, 1954, Mar.
- Correspondence, 1954, Apr.
- Correspondence, 1954, June-Sept.
- Jefferson-Jackson Day Receipts, 1954, June
- Bicameral Initiative Petition, 1953-1954
- In-Party Tally Sheets, 1954
- Pro-Bicameral Printed Matter, 1953, Oct.
Subject headings:
Meier, William Henry, 1904-1997
Nebraska Bi-Partisan Committee
Nebraska Democratic Party
Politics — Nebraska
TMM/bl 10-22-2008
Revised TMM 11-01-2010
Encoded TMM 11-01-2010