Guide to the Thomas Brackett Reed collection, 1838-1976 (bulk 1869-1902)
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Thomas Brackett Reed Collection, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine
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A noted politician and lawyer, Thomas Brackett Reed (1839-1902; Bowdoin 1860) became a member of the Maine bar in 1865. He was elected to the Maine House in 1867 and 1868, the Maine Senate in 1869, and served as Attorney General from 1870 to 1872. After four years in private practice, Reed entered Congress representing the First Maine District, serving from 1877 to 1898. He was a member of the Judiciary Committee, the Committee on Rules, the Ways and Means Committee and several special committees. His greatest contribution was as Speaker of the House, serving from 1889 to 1991 and then again from 1895 to 1899. A presidential candidate in 1896, Reed lost the Republican nomination to William McKinley. After leaving Congress in 1899, Reed practiced law in New York City.
Reed married in 1870. He and his wife had two children, one of whom died in infancy.
The collection consists of correspondence, essays, manuscripts, articles and clippings about Reed and his policies. Additionally, there is a set of microfiche, prepared in 1974, from an extensive collection of Reed material retained by the Reed family, containing speeches, diaries, manuscripts, and letters.
Prominent correspondents in the manuscript collection include Lyman Abbott, Susan B. Anthony, James G. Blaine, Robert G. Ingersoll, Henry Cabot Lodge, William McKinley, and John Sherman; the microfiche include many of the above plus Andrew Carnegie, William Pitt Fessenden, William P. Frye, Marcus A. Hanna, Robert Todd Lincoln, Whitelaw Reid and Elihu Root.
Principal correspondents in the manuscript collection, each with fourteen or more letters, are: Horace H. Burbank, a Bowdoin classmate; Winthrop M. Crane; George Gifford, diplomat; Andrew Hawes, of Stroudwater, Maine; Asher C. Hinds and Theodore Roosevelt. In the microfiche, with twelve or more letters each, they are: Henry Cabot Lodge and Joseph H. Manley, Maine journalist.
The correspondence contains approximately 200 letters, 1860-1914, between Reed and his family, friends and colleagues, the bulk of them written by Reed. The letters are personal, professional and political; covering subjects as diverse as Republican politics, House of Representatives business, and his friendship with Theodore Roosevelt. Most of those to George Gifford are in French.
Arranged chronologically.
No restrictions.
Lists - Alphabetical and Chronological
Biographical Info, including microfiche
1860-1914
undated
Biographical records, together with 20th century academic essays on Reed; clippings including obituaries, eulogies and biographical sketches; and printed ephemera relating to Reed. There is also a campaign ribbon with a campaign button portrait of Reed attached.
Arranged alphabetically.
No restrictions.
Biographical essays and material, 1880-1976
Clippings
Printed ephemera
"State of Maine, Reed Club" campaign ribbon with a campaign button portrait of Reed attached, [1896]
A set of 62 master microfiche containing letters, 1838-1918; speeches and essays, from College through the 1890s; diaries, 1882-1902; and articles, etc., by Reed; together with material concerning him. Also includes typescript translations (compiled by researcher Robert Gallagher) of the diaries Reed wrote in French, 1882-1902, that appear on the Jenney microfiche. The fiche are kept in the donor's original order.
No formal arrangement.
Copy fiche available for patron use.
No restrictions.
List of Correspondents
Reed Letters, from 1838 to 1918 (11 fiche)
Reed Essays on California Ca. 1863 (1)
Reed Speeches and Essays (2)
Reed Essays Arnold/Bonaparte/Northern Light (1)
Reed College Essays (2)
Reed Misc. Essays, Letters and Other Papers (1)
Reed Speeches Wash. 1879 Campaign and Chicago 1894 (3)
Reed Speeches The Democrats Quorum April 22-23, 1880 (2)
Reed Speeches (3)
Translation of Reed Diary 1885 (1)
Reed Portland Cenntenial Address July 1886 (3)
Reed Typescript and Speeches (1)
Diary of W.F. Crowell, a Reed Classmate and Speeches (2)
Notes on Reed's Early Career and Diary 1896 (1)
Reed Diary 1882- (1)
Reed Diary 1886-7 (4)
Reed Diary 1888 (2)
Reed Diary 1887? (4)
Reed Diary 1892-1893 (2)
Reed Diary 1900-1902 (3)
Reed Article on Mob Rule Nov. 18, 1878 (1)
Reed Biennial Sessions and Elections (1)
Reed Article on Paris and French Justice Sept. 1899 (1)
Reed Newspaper Intrusion, Walker Dale (1)
Reed Declaration of 1875 Mursey Convention 1787 (1)
Reed Speeches to Loyal Legion May 7, 1887 (1)
Reed Letters (1)
Reed Speech January 25, 1891 (1)
Reed Speech 1896 (1)
Reed Speech 1899 (1)
Reed "The Rich Are Growing Richer" 1898 (1)
Reed Speech at the House of Representatives (1)
1883 Diary xerox
1885 Diary typescript translation
1886 Diary typescript translation
1887-1888 Diary typescript translation
1888-1895 Diary typescript translation
1892-1893 Diary typescript translation
1896 Jan Diary typescript translation
1900 Jan Diary typescript translation
1901 Jan Diary typescript translation
1902 Diary typescript translation
Master Set - DO NOT USE
Twelve scrapbooks of newspaper clippings pertaining to Thomas B. Reed and the political issues and campaigns of the day. The 1897-1898 volumes contain large color political cartoons from Puck and other magazines. The 1894 volume includes clippings concerning the silver/ gold/ bimetalism debate. The 1900-1901 volume contains clippings concerning anti-imperialist views and the potential political consequences of Reed opposing President Roosevelt on this issue.
Arranged chronologically.
No restrictions.
1870-1877, 1894-1895
1888-1892
1890
1890
1890-1893
1891-1893
1894
1896-1897
1897-1898
1898 Dec-1901
1899
1900-1901