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. 1924-1938
2. May-June 1941
3. August 1941
4. September 1941
5. October 1941
6. November 1941
7. December 1941
8. 1942
9. 1943
10. 1946-1952
11. 1954-1959
12. 1960-1963

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

1. 1941-1942

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

1. Statement to House Rules Committee, February 1943
2. 1933-1935
3. 1943-1960 and undated

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

1. 1933-1960 and undated

Series 5 – Newspaper Clippings, 1934-1961

1. Campaign clippings, 1934-1936

Box 3
Folder

2. Campaign clippings, 1936
3. Miscellaneous clippings, 1931-1969

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

1. Miscellaneous photographs
2. Presentation of law books, 1954-1960

Series 7 – Miscellany, 1934-1970

1. Speeches and manuscripts not by Simmons
2. Campaign material, 1936
3. Voting records: 68th – 72nd Congresses; and 74th Congress
4. Essays written by Philippine High School students on a talk by Simmons, 1952
5. 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. Bibliography of Simmons’ publications (not complete), 1935-1947
2. 1948-1969
3. Publications about Simmons
4. Miscellaneous printed matter

Series 9 – Scrapbooks, 1922-1959
Box 5
Volume

1. 1923-1924
2. 1922-1926 (see oversize)
3. 1929-1932
4. 1934 (see oversize)
5. 1934 (see oversize
6. 1934
7. 1934
8. 1935-1936 (see oversize)
9. 1935-1936
10. 1935-1936
11. 1936
12. 1938
13. 1936-1939 (see oversize)
14. 1939-1947 (see oversize)
15. 1952 (see oversize)
16. 1952 (see oversize)
17. 1952
18. 1953-1955 (see oversize)
19. 1956-1959 (see oversize)

Box 6
Folder

1. Paper on Peace, 1945
2. Legislation & Law Observance paper, 1945
3. Correspondence re. article in Nebraska Law Review on Procedure, 1944
4. Address – Nebraska State Bar Association annual meeting, 1943
5. Kiwanis Club re. William Jeffers Distinguished Service Medal, 1943
6. Address – American Bar Association, 1943
7. Miscellaneous addresses, 1943
8. Nebraska Charter Day speech, 1942
9. Charter Day address, Feb. 1942 (Source)
10. Press releases
11. Commencement address, Hastings, 1942
12. Judge Delahant Introduction, 1942
13. Nebraska Democrat, 1942
14. Newspaper clippings
15. Robert A. Nelson speech, 1941
16. Mrs. Simmons’ projects
17. The Issue of War and Basis of Peace, 1941
18. Personal publicity, 1941
19. Speech material
20. Free speech drafts and press notes
21. Memorial Day, 1941
22. Worship & War speech, 1941
23. Americanization Committee Dinner, 1939
24. Material on Communist Party & labor unions, 1932
25. Memorial Day speech, 1930

Box 7
Folder

1. Address – Iowa Bar meeting, 1943
2. Flag Day speech, 1950 (Do we want what they have: U.S. vs. USSR)
3. Talk at Grand Island to Pioneer Descendants, 1952
4. Guest editorial for Arch Jarrell, Grand Island Independent, 1950
5. American Bar Association article on Robert Simmons, 1948
6. Iowa Bar speech, 1948
7. Judicial System of Russia, 1947-1948
8. Source material on Soviet law
9. Comparison: USA & USSR & satellites as to education, qualifications, political bias of judges & lawyers, 1947
10. Russian Concept of Covenant of Human Rights, 1947
11. Texas talk, 1947
12. Mississippi talk, 1947
13. Speech to Missouri Bar, 1947
14. Look Ahead in Misdemeanor Cases, 1947
15. University of Omaha speech, 1947
16. State Irrigation Association talk, 1946
17. Revision of the Rules, 1946
18. Administrator for State Courts, 1946
19. Founding Fathers’ Day, Scottsbluff, 1946
20. Paper at Cleveland Political Science Association, “Set Ye Up a Standard,” 1946
21. Women’s Division, Omaha Chamber of Commerce talk, 1946
22. Victory Day source material
23. 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