Ethel Halcrow Cooley Papers, 1914-1963

Collection Overview

Title: Ethel Halcrow Cooley Papers, 1914-1963

Predominant Dates:1948-1961

ID: OGLMC/1693

Creator: Cooley, Ethel Halcrow (1888-1970)

Extent: 4.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 07/23/2020

Languages: English [eng]

Abstract

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection holds materials focused around Ethel's time as a Republican National Committeewoman, which lasted from 1948 to 1961. Ethel worked with major political figures from this time, including Representative Otto Krueger, Senator Milton Young, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Ethel was deeply concerned about the people of North Dakota, writing vociferously in defense of rural mail routes and their importance for North Dakotans. She also occasionally made use of her political connections to help people in her community, such as the case of Miss Vassiliki Angeloupolou, her "little Greek Freind [sic]."

The collection is mainly made up of the large amount of Postal Service appointments, though included are several folders of political correspondence, personal correspondence, and North Dakota Republican Party media. Also included are items that come from the end of her tenure as a Republican National Committeewoman, including scrapbooks and well-wishing letters. Also included is a photo from a dinner she had with President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he visited Minot, North Dakota in 1953.

Administrative Information

Accruals: Madeline Sutherland-Meier donated additional materials on August 8, 2023; 2023-3486.

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Madeline C. Sutherland-Meier, Austin, Texas

Acquisition Method: Donation; 2020-3423

Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Processing Information: Processed by Terence D. Flynn, Graduate Student Intern from Indiana University, in July 2023.

Box and Folder Listing

Box 1

Folder 1: Funeral Card, 1970
Folder 2: 1948
Folder 3: M__ Correspondence and Misc. 1953
Folder 4: 1959-1961 Correspondence
Folder 5: Correspondence 1960
Folder 6: Milt Young Correspondence, 1953-1961
Folder 7: Eisenhower/White House, 1953-1960
Folder 8: Personal Correspondence, 1952-1962
Folder 9: Community Work, 1954
Folder 10: UND, 1914-1958
Folder 11: Miscellaneous-1, 1958-1960
Folder 12: Miscellaneous-2, 1956-1961
Folder 13: Political Correspondence, 1952-1962
Folder 14: Small Business Administration, 1954-1960
Folder 15: Political Appointee Community Work, 1953-1960
Folder 16: Minot-Federal Government Correspondence, 1954-1961
Folder 17: End of RNC Committeewoman Tenure, 1961
Folder 18: Attempt to Remove Mrs. Cooley from RNC Committeewoman Post, 1955
Folder 19: 1956 Campaign
Folder 20: Postal Appointments-1, 1955-1956
Folder 21: Postal Appointments-2, 1954-1956
Folder 22: Postal Appointments-3, 1955-1960
Folder 23: Postal Appointments-4, 1960-1961
Folder 24: Applications Other than Postal, 1952-53
Folder 25: Postal Appointments - A, 1955-1957
Folder 26: Postal Appointments - B, 1953-1956
Folder 27: Postal Appointments - C, 1953-1956
Folder 28: Postal Appointments - F, 1953-1956
Folder 29: Postal Appointments - Foster, 1959-1960
Folder 30: Postal Appointments - Grand Forks-Griggs-Grant-Golden Valley, 1957-1960
Folder 31: Postal Appointments - Hettinger, 1958-1960
Folder 32: Postal Appointments - L, 1953-1955
Folder 33: Postal Appointments - M, 1953-1956
Folder 34: Postal Appointments - McKenzie, 1957-1960
Folder 35: Postal Appointments - Minot, 1953-1957
Folder 36: Postal Appointments - N, 1953-1956

Box 2

Folder 1: Postal Appointments - U - 1954-1955
Folder 2: Postal Appointments - V - 1953-1955
Folder 3: Postal Appointments - Y - 1953
Folder 4: Postal Appointments - Z - 1953-1956
Folder 5: Postal Appointments - Adams
Folder 6: Postal Appointments - Barnes
Folder 7: Postal Appointments - Benson (Pleasant Lake)
Folder 8: Postal Appointments - Benson
Folder 9: Postal Appointments - Billings
Folder 10: Postal Appointments - Bottineau
Folder 11: Postal Appointments - B
Folder 12: Postal Appointments - C
Folder 13: Postal Appointments - D-E
Folder 14: Postal Appointments - F-G
Folder 15: Postal Appointments - H-I-J-K
Folder 16: Postal Appointments - L-M
Folder 17: Postal Appointments - Mc
Folder 18: Postal Appointments - N-O-P
Folder 19: Postal Appointments - Q-R
Folder 20: Postal Appointments - S
Folder 21: Postal Appointments - T
Folder 22: Postal Appointments - Walsh, Wells, U/V
Folder 23: Postal Appointments - Ward

Box 3

Folder 1: Postal Appointments - Williams

Folder 2: Stevenson's, Emmons - 1958-1959

Item 1: Minutes of the United Republican Convention Held at Bismarck, North Dakota, April 4th and 5th, 1956

Item 2: North Dakota Republican Leaders' Manual - 1961

Item 3: Proceedings before North Dakota Republican State Central Committee, September 16, 1957

Folder 3: 1952 Presidential Campaign

Folder 4: Newspaper Clippings, 1948-1970

Item 1: "ROC Campaign Will Open at Minot June 1." R.O.C. Messenger. May 1948 (includes photographs)
Item 2: "Cooleys Only Mother-Daughter Pair of GOP National Committeewomen in U.S." Minot Daily News. May 13, 1953 (includes photograph)
Item 3: "Fargo Forum Photos." Fargo Forum. June 11, 1953 (includes photograph of President Eisenhower at a dinner in Minot along with Cooley)
Item 4: "Summerfield Says Rate Increase Will Put Department in Black: GOP Record is Achievement Story, Cabinet Member Says." Minot Daily News. October 4, 1954 (includes photograph)
Item 5: "Special Hard Wheat Support Urged: Touring Senators Hear Plea." Minot Daily News. October 28, 1955 (includes photograph)
Item 6: "GOP Meeting Fails to Drop Conservativism." Omaha World Herald. April 14, 1957
Item 7: "North Dakotans Visit Summerfield." Minot Daily News. February 17, 1958 (photograph)
Item 8: "Ward County Huddle in Legislative Halls." Minot Daily News. March 5, 1959 (photograph)
Item 9: "GOP Convention Under Way: Republican Women Honor Mrs. Cooley at Banquet." Bismarck Tribune. March 29, 1960.
Item 10: "Mrs. Cooley and Andrews Re-elected." Fargo Forum. March 30, 1960
Item 11: "Republicans of 9th District to Hold Convention Here on Friday Evening and Saturday." Bemidji Daily Pioneer. April 21, 1960 (includes photograph)
Item 12: "9th District GOP Withholds Gubernatorial Endorsement; Backs Langen and Dickinson." Bemidji Daily Pioneer. April 25, 1960
Item 13: "They Served Republicans Well." Walsh County Record. September 28, 1961
Item 14: "Republicans Honoring First Lady of Party." Minot Daily News. November 2, 1961 (includes photograph)
Item 15: "GOP Honors Mrs. Cooley." North Dakota Republican News. November 1961 (includes photograph)
Item 16: "Mrs. Cooley Praised." Letter to the Editor by Darrell Bearson, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1961
Item 17: "Pioneers." Bismarck Tribune. March 30, 1962 (includes photograph)
Item 18: "Four From War County at the Convention." Minot Daily News. March 31, 1962 (photograph)
Item 19: "Honored at the Republican Convention Opening Day..." Minot Daily News. March 31, 1962 (photograph)
Item 20: "Minot GOP Women's Club Committee Named, Tea Set." Ward County Independent. February 14, 1963
Item 21: "Mrs. Cooley, N.D. GOP Figure, Dies." Grand Forks Herald. September 1, 1970
Item 22: "Pioneer in Minot Radio, GOP Worker Dies, 82." Minot Daily News. September 1, 1970
Item 23: "Minot Service, Burial at Forks for Ethel Cooley." Minot Daily News. September 1, 1970
Item 24: "KPLM to Give Silent Tribute to Mrs. Cooley." Minot Daily News. September 3, 1970
Item 25: "A Woman of Energy and Enthusiasm." Minot Daily News. September 3, 1970
Item 26: "GOP Leader, Ethel Cooley, N.D. Station Owner, 82." Washington Post. September 3, 1970
Item 27: "A Remarkable Woman." Grand Forks Herald. September 4, 1970
Item 28: "Ethel Cooley - 'Mrs. North Dakota Republican' Pioneer Daughter Served 25 Years as Farm Editor." Minot Daily News (likely). Undated (includes photographs)
Item 29: "Democrats Make It Difficult for GOP to Display Picture." Unknown Newspaper. Undated

Folder 5: Text of Speeches

Item 1: "Dean Ella L. Fulton. Reminiscences by Ethel Halcrow Cooley." Dedication of Fulton Hall at UND. October 1957
Item 2: "The Educated Woman in the World Community." Second Annual Conference for North Dakota Women in Higher Education. March 8, 1958
Item 3: "A Talk Given by Mrs. Ethel Cooley at a Meeting of the Grand Forks Republican Women's Club at Grand Forks, June 17, 1958"
Item 4: "The Political Picture in North Dakota." undated
Item 5: Regarding U.S. Postmaster General Summerfield's speech "How Deeply Do You Believe in America?" (untitled and undated)
Item 6: "Ladies First." undated
Item 7: Regarding Brynhild Haugland. undated
Item 8: Memorial Address regarding L.L. Twitchell, 1945

Box 4

Scrapbook 1: National Committeewoman Send-Off, 1961

Folder 1: National Committeewoman Send-Off Correspondence, 1961

Folder 2: President Eisenhower's Minot Visit, 1953

Folder 3: Photographs

Photograph 1: "Dinner for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. North Dakota White House. Penthouse, Clarence Parker Hotel. Minot, North Dakota. June 10, 1953": Left to right: Milton Rue (National Committeeman), Mrs. Ruby Doerner (State Vice-Chairman), Governor Norman Brunsdale, President Eisenhower, Ethel Cooley (National Committeewoman), George Longmire (State Chairman), and A.R. Bergesen (State Finance Chairman)
Photograph 2: Appreciation Dinner, Minot, November 2, 1961
Photograph 3: Appreciation Dinner, Minot, November 2, 1961
Photograph 4: Appreciation Dinner, Minot, November 2, 1961
Photograph 5: Appreciation Dinner, Minot, November 2, 1961
Photograph 6: Two unidentified U.S. Postal Service figures, Ethel Cooley, and George Longmire (left to right), January 30, 1958
Photograph 7: Ethel Cooley and four unidentified men pose for the handing over of a check, undated
Photograph 8: Ethel Cooley (second from the left) and three unidentified women, undated
Photograph 9: Ethel Halcrow Cooley, 1936

Folder 4: "Roger William Cooley"

One page biographical sketch, presumably written by Ethel Halcrow Cooley)

Folder 5: John B. Cooley