xt7ns17snk2t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ns17snk2t/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ns17snk2t/data/69m9.xml Willis, Simeon S., 1879-1965. 1932-1943 (bulk dates) 3.8 cubic ft. collections  English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Simeon Slavens Willis papers, 1915-1959, 1932-1943 (bulk dates) Simeon Slavens Willis papers, 1915-1959, 1932-1943 (bulk dates) text Simeon Slavens Willis papers, 1915-1959, 1932-1943 (bulk dates) 1932 1932-1943 (bulk dates) 2002 true xt7ns17snk2t collection false 69m9 Willis, Simeon Slavens papers Guide to the Simeon Slavens Willis papers, 1845-1964, undated  69m9 Ida Sell University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center 2011 July 25 Special Collections Research Center University of Kentucky Libraries Margaret I. King Library Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0039 URL:  This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on  2017-03-20 12:58:43 -0400 . Description is in English. Describing Archives: A Content Standard 2017 February 22 EAD and description updated by Megan Mummey 
   
     
       English 
     
     
       University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center 
     
     Simeon Slavens Willis papers 
     
       Willis, Simeon S. 
     
     69m9 
     
       6.9 Cubic Feet 
       16 boxes, 1 folder 
     
     1845-1964, undated 
     The Simeon Slavens Willis papers (dated 1845-1964, undated; 6.9 cubic feet; 16 boxes, 1 folder) consist of correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, speeches, and scrapbooks documenting Willis' tenure as governor of Kentucky and judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. 
   
   
     Conditions Governing Access 
 Collection is open to researchers by appointment.    
   
     Conditions Governing Use 
 The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.    
   
     Preferred Citation 
 69m9: [Identification of item], Simeon Slavens Willis papers, 1845-1964, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.    
   
     Biographical note 
 Born in Ohio, Simeon Slavens Willis (1901-1965) settled in Kentucky at an early age. In 1901, he passed the state bar examination and established a law practice in Ashland, Kentucky. Willis was appointed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals where he served from 1927-1932. In 1943, he became the sixth Republican Governor elected in Kentucky history, narrowly defeating Democratic candidate, J. Lyter Donaldson. Viewed as a significant off-year election, this vote was interpreted as a protest against President Roosevelt's wartime administration. After serving as Governor (1943-1947) Willis was defeated in an election for judge of the Court of Appeals from the Seventh District in 1951. Throughout his life, Willis remained active in the Kentucky Republican party.    
   
     Scope and Contents 
 The Simeon Slavens Willis papers (dated 1845-1964, undated; 6.9 cubic feet; 16 boxes, 1 folder) consist of correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, speeches, and scrapbooks documenting Willis' tenure as governor of Kentucky and judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence regarding a wide range of political topics, such as endorsements, petitions, and resolutions. The letters from the year 1943 are primarily congratulatory notes to Willis. Among the political ephemera are materials such as election pamphlets and flyers, ballots, election returns, invitations, convention programs, and Republican Party publications. Miscellaneous items include photographs, a scrapbook that concerns Mrs. Willis' trip to Harlan, Kentucky in March 1946, and newspaper clippings mostly documenting Willis' gubernatorial administration.    
   
     Arrangement 
 Collection is arranged by format.    
   
     Immediate Source of Acquisition 
 Gift, 1964    
   
     Pamphlets. 
     Election returns. 
     Governors -- Kentucky. 
     Kentucky -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950. 
     Speeches, addresses, etc. 
     Governors -- Correspondence. 
     Elections -- Kentucky. 
     Combs, Ballard French 
     Donovan, Herman Lee 
     Vinson, Fred M., 1890-1953 
     Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) 
     Underwood, Tom R. (Tom Rust) 
     Kentucky. Court of Appeals 
     Dummit, Eldon S. (Eldon Steven) 
     Willis, Simeon S. 
     Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center 
   
   Correspondence Series I. 1914-1963, undated Scope and Contents The Correspondence series primarily contains letters sent to Simeon Slavens Willis pertaining to his career as a judge and politician. Many letters confirm endorsements from Kentucky leaders for his bid for a position as a judge for the court of appeals or as governor.  Most of the correspondence relates to his office as governor from 1943 until 1947. Following his term as governor he resumed his law practice and remained politically involved and some the correspondence reveals his interest in federal courts and the national Republican Party. Arrangement The Correspondence series is arranged chronologically. Some of the letters were arranged according to the subject of the correspondence, however most are generally found by date. In 1942, the first year Simeon Slavens was governor of Kentucky the correspondence is arranged alphabetically by last name. 1915-1927 1 1 1928 1 2 Endorsements of Willis for Judge of Court of Appeals 1928-1932 1 3 Court of Appeals Commission 1928 January-1930 October 1 4 Supreme Court endorsements 1930 1 5 1930 1 6 Endorsements of Willis for Judge of Appeals Court 1931 October-1932 April 23 1 7 Appellate judgeship 1932 May-June 1 8 1932 July 1-19 1 9 1932 July 20-August 8 1 10 1932 August 9-31 1 11 1932 September 1-1933 January 11 1 12 1933 January 16-23 2 1 1933 November-1938 November 2 2 1938 December-1939 December 2 3 Ashland Junior College 1940-1941 2 4 1942 2 5-10 3 1-8 4 1-8 5 1-3 1944 January-May 5 4 1944 June 5 5 Campaign fundraising and state appointments 1944 July-December 5 6 National Federation of Republican Women's Clubs 1944 September 7-8 5 7 From Ralph Human 1944 October 7 5 8 From Alben W. Barkley 1944 October 10 5 9 From Ralph Homan of the Republic National Committee 1944-1945 9 15 Boyd County Bar Dinner 1945-1946 5 10 1947 January-June 5 11 Reaction to the Governor's call for a special session 1947 July 10-14 6 1 Appropriations for special session 1947 July 14-19 6 2 1948 January-June 6 3 1949 February-1950 May 6 4 1950 July 18-August 18 6 5 1950 August 22-December 8 6 6 Phoenix News Bureau 1950 February-May 9 16 1951 February 14-July 21 6 7 Governor's Highway Safety Conference 1951 April-May 6 8 Court of Appeals Judge 1951 July 13-1951 August 8 6 9 1951 August 9 6 10 1951 August 10-11 6 11 Republican primary 1951 August 14-15 6 12 1951 August 15-December 3 6 13 Mailed election pamphlets 1951 6 14 1952 6 15 From Kentucky Colonels 1953-1959 6 16 Interest in a position for Federal Court of Appeal 1953 January 5-12 6 17 1953 January 13-16 6 18 Federal Court of Appeals 1953 January 17-21 6 19 1953 January 22-31 6 20 1953 February 1-15 7 1 1953 February 16-28 7 2 1953 March 1-15 7 3 1953 March 16-April 15 7 4 1953 April 16-July 1 7 5 1953 July 1-December 31 7 6 1960-1963 7 7 Personal 1942-1959 7 8 undated 7 9 Cards, certifications, and tickets 1914-1953 7 10 Christmas cards, invitations, announcements 1925-1958 7 11 Professional materials Series II. 1845-1964, undated Scope and Contents The Professional materials series includes memorandums, notes, articles, and other ephemera from Willis' career as a judge and Governor of Kentucky. It is not evident why the nineteenth century notices and  Ashland Tragedy  narratives are included in the collection but perhaps the documents influenced his career. Most of the papers relate to work in the Kentucky politics and the legislature. Receipts, checks and notice of past due bill in Cincinnati 1845-1854 7 12 Ashland Tragedy clippings and accounts 1884 7 13 Judge election broadside 1916 7 14 Judicial re-election endorsements 1932 7 15-16 7th District Court of Appeals election advertisements, notes, receipts 1932 8 1 Court of Appeals election advertisements, clippings, and results 1932 8 2 Commonwealth of Kentucky receipts and disbursements 1933-1943 8 3 Fragmented notes, poems, speeches 1934-1949 8 4 Kentucky Lawyers directories circa 1935 8 5 Notes, articles, statements 1938-1949 8 6 State Republican Party county notes 1940-1945 8 7 Republican National Committee press release and radio broadcast 1940-1946 8 8 Republican campaign announcement 1942 8 9 Memorandums 1943-1944 8 12 Tax and legislative statements 1943-1944 8 13 Interview of Willis by B.F. Forgey 1943 February 8 8 14 Radio broadcast on the relation of taxation and industrial development 1943 April 18 8 15 Kentucky A.B.C. law 1943 June 30 8 16 Gubernatorial Race pamphlets, tablature, press release 1943 November 8 17 Department of Revenue Back Tax Session 1943 December 2 8 18 Political pamphlets 1943-1949 8 19 Republican party pamphlets 1944 8 20 GOP Convention programs and attendance list 1944-1955 8 21 Governor's conference report and schedule 1944 August  9 1 Southern Governor's Conference program and pamphlets 1944-1945  9 2 Department of Revenue Back Tax Session 1945 April 30 9 3 Willis on national campaign trail magazine articles, pamphlets, and certificates 1946-1949 9 4 Republican State Central Committee reports about Kentucky 1946-1948 9 5 Kentucky Female Orphan School program from centennial celebration 1947 April  9 6 Committee on Un-American Activities, House Report No. 209 and What is Communism essay 1947 9 7 Kansas City trip newspaper clipping and tickets 1949 September 13-15 9 8 Republican National Convention pamphlets and attendance list 1948 9 9 Butler County Republican Executive Committee report and financial statement 1948 November 10-1949 February 1 9 10 GOP and Kentucky Republican magazines and pamphlets 1948-1950 9 11 Names and numbers of votes cast in Judge of Appeals election 1951 November 9 12 Historical, economic, and academic pamphlets 1944 January-1947 July 9 13 Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation resolution and policy statements 1944 January 14 9 14 Appellate Court Race notes, tabulations and sample ballots 1951 10 1 Kentucky Senate Bill No. 1 about penal corrections 1963 June 26 10 2 New Kentucky constitution petition 1964 March 19 10 3 Event programs 1941-1948 10 5 Constitution Revision Assembly bills and memorandums 1964 February-April 11 1 Constitution Revision Assembly Coordinating Committee memorandums and assignments 1964 May 11 2 Constitution Revision Assembly Local Government Committee workbook 1964 May 11 3-4 Constitution Revision Assembly Revision Process Committee workbook 1964 May 11 5 Court of Appeals of Kentucky Harrison Preece 1953 March 11 6 Retirement from the Bench presentation undated 11 7 Biographical information undated 11 8 Compensation schedule for Kentucky undated 11 9 Reports Series III. 1939-1947 Scope and Contents The Reports series includes statements from Willis' term as governor of Kentucky. The reports discuss state budget issues and proposals. also included are the papers for employees of the state and the office administrative documents from his five years as governor. Kentucky Tax Research Association reports 1942 Mach 6-1943 October 15 8 10 Kentucky Annual Report 1942 July 1-1943 June 30 8 11 Monthly Report to the Governor 1943 November 10 4 To Board of Trustees at University of Kentucky 1946 September 21 10 6 To Board of Trustees at University of Kentucky 1946 December 10 10 7 To the Board of Trustees at University of Kentucky 1947 February 25 10 8 On District Activities for Smaller War Plants Corporation 1943 August 31 10 9 On Evans McGraw 1947 December 10 10 State expenditures 1947 January 31 10 11 State expenditures 1947 May 31 10 12 State receipts 1947 May 31 10 13 Kentucky Annual Report Teachers' Retirement System 1944-1945 10 14 Kentucky Executive Budget 1944-1946 10 15 Rules and Regulations for Department of Finance 1943 March 10 16 Kentucky State Highway Patrol Bulletin 1943 December 10 10 17 State Officials and Board of Commissions 1947 September 1 10 18 State employee memorandums 1939-1941 10 19 Governor's office administrative 1943-1946 10 20-21 Newspaper clippings Series IV. 1930-1950 Scope and Contents The Newspaper Clippings series includes articles from Kentucky newspapers about the Willis administration, as well as, major figures and events from his time in office. Official press releases from his office are also included. Press releases 1932 July 12-1949 September 10 11 10 Photocopies 1936-1948 11 11 1943 11 12-14 1944 11 15 12 1 12 4 1950 July 18-August 18 12 2 undated 12 3 1945 12 5 Kentucky politics 1946-1947 12 6 Tuberculosis sanatoriums 1950 12 7 About Sarah Lesley Willis 1943-1944 12 8 About Ida Lee Willis 1944 12 9 Court of Appeals judge 1930-1939, 1951 12 10 Henry Arrowood column 1943-1944 12 11 About D.C. Moore 1943 12 12 State politics 1943 12 13 1949-1950 12 14 Articles by J. Howard Henderson 1943-1944 12 15 About Lyter Donalson 1943 12 16 About Rhodes K. Myers 1943 12 17 About Ben Kilgore, a democratic candidate for governor 1943 13 1 About taxes, revenue, schools, old age pensions, state institutions 1943 13 2 Speeches Series V. 1907-1952, undated Scope and Contents The Speeches series includes orations given by Simeon Slavens Willis during his professional career. Some speeches given by his colleagues and political opponents are also present in the series. The speeches were often historical, political, campaign, or celebratory. Many of the speeches contain Willis' argument to eliminate sales tax in Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln Dinner 1908-1950 13 3-4 Bluefield, West Virginia 1930 July 28 13 5 Ashland, Kentucky 1943 February 5 13 6 Mount Sterling, Kentucky 1943 September 29 13 7 Newport, Kentucky 1943 October 28 13 8 Lexington, Kentucky 1943 October 29 13 9 Louisville, Kentucky 1943 October 30 13 10 Ashland, Kentucky 1943 November 1 13 11 Frankfort, Kentucky 1943 December 7 13 12 Frankfort, Kentucky 1944 January 10 13 13 Franklin, Kentucky 1944 February 27 13 14 Anco, Kentucky 1944 April 21 13 15 Louisville, Kentucky 1944 April 25 13 16 Frankfort, Kentucky 1944 May 19 13 17 Louisville, Kentucky 1944 June 23 13 18 Louisville, Kentucky 1944 August 31 13 19 Washington D.C. 1944 September 19 13 20 Maysville, Kentucky 1944 October 11 13 21 Louisville, Kentucky 1944 November 17 13 22 Paintsville, Kentucky 1944 October 28 13 23 Lexington, Kentucky 1944 Ocotber 31 13 24 Evansville, Indiana 1944 November 4 13 25 Louisville, Kentucky 1946 November 29 13 26 The Guns Are Silent 1946 13 27 Louisville, Kentucky 1947 July 31 13 28 Louisville, Kentucky 1947 September 26 13 29 Louisville, Kentucky campaign address 1947 October 13 30 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 1949 November 13 31 New York, New York 1950 May 16 14 1 Patriotic and memorial 1907-1941 14 2 Law, Order and Justice 1930-1952 14 3 Delivered in official capacity as governor 1943-1945 14 4 Address by Hon. J. Lyter Donaldson 1943 September 25 14 6 Address by Alben W. Barkley 1943 September 27 14 7 Corbin, Kentucky 1943 October 15 14 8 Walter E. Ernest 1943 November 15 14 9 Opening Address of S.S. Willis 1943 September 29 14 9 Speech of Hon. Rhodes K. Myers 1943 August 7 14 10 Commemoration of Centre College 1944 January 21 14 11 Red Cross Fundraiser 1944 14 12 To the General Assembly 1944 March 7 14 13 The Spender 1944 October 21 14 14 Address by A.M. Lyon, M.D., Director of Hospitals and Mental Hygiene 1944 May 20 14 15 Statement of Principles, Policies and Objectives of Republican Members of Congress 1946 September 15 14 16 About the Governor's car 1944 September 24 14 17 Kentucky's Frontier 1946 August 17 14 18 Louisville, Kentucky 1946 October 5 14 19 Moorehead, Kentucky 1946 October 2 14 20 Campaign address 1946 October 31 14 21 Special Session of the General Assembly 1947 14 22 Campaign address 1947 October 14 14 23 Address by Clinton Presba Anderson 1949  14 24 Republican Rallies 1936-1947 14 25 Analysis of Women undated 15 1 Defender of Democracy undated 15 2 Developments of State Industry undated 15 3 The Family Doctor  by Rueben A. Miller undated 15 4 Lessons from Lincoln for the United States Today undated 15 5 Mount Sterling, Kentucky undated 15 6 Oration on the Life of H.H. Ramey  by A.T. Patrick undated 15 7 Perils of Justice undated 15 8 Position of the States in the American System of Government undated 15 9 Reconversion and Post War jobs undated 15 10 Sketch of Eldon S. Dummit undated 15 11 The Stars and Stripes undated 15 12 State Federal Tax Coordination undated 15 13 Address by Thurston Morton undated 15 14 Toll Free Bridges undated 15 15 Education Today  by Mr. Williams undated 15 16 Untitled undated 15 17 Scrapbooks Series VI. 1943-1946 Scope and Contents The Scrapbooks series includes two albums belonging to Simeon S. Willis and his wife, Ida Lee Willis. Mrs. Willis visited Harlan, Kentucky and filled a scrapbook with clippings and postcards of the small Kentucky town. The second album is filled with newspaper clippings about Simeon S. Willis' governorship from his hometown's newspaper,  Ashland Independent . Ida Lee Willis' trip to Harlan, Kentucky 1946 15 18 Newspaper clipping of Simeon S. Willis in  Ashland Independent  newspaper 1943 15 19 Photographs Series VII. 1944, undated Scope and Contents The photographs series contains images from the turn of the twentieth century as well as from the Southern Governor's Convention in 1944. Some of the names are given in the photographs from before Willis'  term as governor but there is no indication of the relation to the Kentucky governor. The images from the convention are entirely from a banquet. Ethel Wakefield and Mrs. Stevenson undated 16 1 Group of unidentified women seated near a lake undated 16 2 Unidentified man and two women standing beside railroad tracks undated 16 3 Gypsy, Harry Schilp, and Amy undated 16 4 Studio picture of three unidentified men, one is wearing a Kentucky letter sweater undated 16 5 Southern Governors Conference banquet 1944 November 16 6-13 Group of men including S.S. Willis and Thomas E. Dewey 1944 16 14 Dewey's Kentucky Campaign, seated [L to R]: Kenneth Tuggle, Lieutenant Governor; Thomas E. Dewey, Simeon Willis, Governor; Ralph Homan, Governor Secretary. Standing [L to R]: Harry Wildon, J. Fred Williams, Pearl Hyden, two unidentified persons, Charles Brown, Dr. Moore of Eastern State College, C. I. Ross, Tom Vinson, Harold Browning, and Stephen Watking. 1944 1