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Donald C. Macdonald Papers, 1892-1969
Collection Overview
Title: Donald C. Macdonald Papers, 1892-1969
ID: OGLMC384
Primary Creator: Macdonald, Donald C. (1891-1969)
Extent: 17.5 Linear Feet
Arrangement:
The Donald C. Macdonald Papers are organized into five series.
Series I: Political Materials
Series II: Personal Materials
Series III: Business
Series IV: Newspaper Clippings
Series V: Scrapbooks and Ledgers
Date Acquired: 00/00/1976
Subjects: Politics and Government - Nonpartisan League (NPL), Politics and Government - Republican Party, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Collection Historical Note
Donald Chester Macdonald was born July 26, 1891, to Neil and Isabelle (McLeod) Macdonald, in Hannah, North Dakota. He was inducted into the army at Roundup, Montana, on October 3, 1917, and served during World War I. He was discharged at Camp Lewis, Washington, on April 6, 1918, as a private. He graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1926.
Macdonald became active in politics after his return from the war and following the development of the Nonpartisan League in 1916. He was a candidate for the State Legislature in 1924 and for Congress in 1926. He was secretary of the Grand Forks County NPL from 1928 to 1938 and was chairman of William Langer's successful campaign for governor in 1932. In 1933, he was appointed a member of the Republican State Central Committee, serving through 1936. From 1936 to 1938, Macdonald was Grand Forks County Republican chairman. Prior to United States entry in World War II, he organized the North Dakota chapter of America First, a political group against U.S. involvement in the war.
Macdonald was an insurance agent in Grand Forks from 1925 through 1943 and reportedly wrote the first group hospital insurance program in the country in 1926. He was also a correspondent for the United Press for northern Minnesota and North Dakota from 1922 until 1940. From 1933 through 1936, he was district inspector for the State Regulatory Department and in 1951 was district inspector for the Attorney General's Licensing Department.
Macdonald was a Mason, Shriner, and an American Legionnaire. He was president of the Grand Forks Chess Club and from 1949 until the early 1960s was on the board of directors for the U.S. Chess Federation.
On September 25, 1928, Macdonald married Evelyn Salt. They had three children. He died December 9, 1969, in Grand Forks, and is buried in Hannah.
Subject/Index Terms
Politics and Government - Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Politics and Government - Republican Party
University of North Dakota - Alumni
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Method: Donation; The material was separated and transferred from the Neil C. Macdonald Papers, OGLMC 97, in December 1976.
Separated Materials: A total of 344 photographs were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. While most of the photographs depict Macdonald family members, other subjects include campaigning with the Nonpartisan League, chess events, and landscape photographs of northeastern North Dakota.
Related Materials: Neil C. Macdonald Papers: OGLMC 97
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Donald C. Macdonald Papers. OGLMC 384, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in May 2014.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Political Materials],
[Series 2: Personal Materials],
[Series 3: Business Materials],
[Series 4: Newspaper Clippings],
[Series 5: Scrapbooks and Ledgers],
[All]
- Series 1: Political Materials
- This series contains materials relating to D.C. Macdonald's role in North Dakota politics.
- Sub-Series A: Political Correspondence
- Sub-Series A contains political correspondence from 1923 to 1966; when available it has been categorized by correspondent.
- Box 1
- Folder 1: January 12, 1952-November 10, 1966
- Folder 2: January 8, 1949-July 20, 1951
- Folder 3: January 6, 1945-April 14, 1948
- Folder 4: January 4, 1944-December 4, 1944
- Folder 5: October 6, 1942-August 31, 1943
- Folder 6: January 5, 1942-September 21, 1942
- Folder 7: January 16, 1941-November 16, 1941
- Folder 8: January 5, 1940-December 16, 1940
- Folder 9: January 26, 1939-December 30, 1939
- Folder 10: January 18, 1938-December 21, 1938
- Folder 11: September 11, 1936-October 22, 1936
- Folder 12: March 31, 1935-August 22, 1936
- Folder 13: May 2, 1933-November 23, 1934
- Folder 14: January 26, 1924-April 24, 1933
- Folder 15: Quentin N. Burdick, October 14, 1942-January 6, 1961
- Folder 16: Lynn J. Frazier, February 4, 1939-February 1, 1941
- Folder 17: Lynn J. Frazier, October 16, 1923-April 21, 1938
- Folder 18: William Langer, April 1, 1955-August 31 1959
- Folder 19: William Langer, June 30, 1941-August 26, 1954
- Folder 20: William Langer, January 1, 1933-November 14, 1940
- Folder 21: William Langer, May 2, 1932-December 20, 1932
- Folder 22: William Lemke, July 29, 1932-December 26, 1945
- Folder 23: Nonpartisan League, February 24, 1932-November 19, 1937
- Folder 24: Gerald P. Nye, August 30, 1944-February 1, 1946
- Folder 25: Gerald P. Nye, January 18, 1944-June 26, 1944
- Folder 26: Gerald P. Nye, January 14, 1943-December 31, 1943
- Folder 27: Gerald P. Nye, January 14, 1942-December 21, 1942
- Folder 28: Gerald P. Nye, July 7, 1932-December 16, 1943
- Folder 29: John Nystul, June 11, 1932-December 10, 1932
- Folder 30: Republican Organizing Committee, August 2, 1944-June 8, 1952
- Folder 31: Charles Robertson, April 4, 1940-October 21, 1942
- Folder 32: James Sinclair, January 29, 1932-January 25, 1934
- Folder 33: Milton R. Young, October 7, 1940-June 25, 1959
- Folder 34: Political Correspondence, undated
- Folder 1: January 12, 1952-November 10, 1966
- Box 1
- Sub-Series B: Political Materials
- Sub-Series B is comprised of miscellaneous political and campaign materials from 1932 to 1968.
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Name Lists, June 16, 1944-1964
- Folder 2: Name Lists, 1938-1942
- Folder 3: Name Lists, 1934-July 9, 1936
- Folder 4: Name Lists, undated
- Folder 5: Political material, November 15, 1947-1958
- Folder 6: Political material, 1944-July 8, 1946
- Folder 7: Political material, June 9, 1942-May 1943
- Folder 8: Political material, February 18, 1941-October 27, 1941
- Folder 9: Political material, February 7, 1939-November 30, 1940
- Folder 10: Political material, February 15, 1936-November 8, 1938
- Folder 11: Political material, March 15, 1933-November 15, 1934
- Folder 12: Political material, undated
- Folder 13: Political Campaign material, 1932-1938
- Folder 14: Political Campaign material, 1940-1942
- Folder 15: Political Campaign material, 1944-1946
- Folder 16: Political Campaign material, 1948-1950
- Folder 17: Political Campaign material, 1951-1952
- Folder 18: Political Campaign material, 1958-1968
- Folder 19: Miscellaneous material
- Folder 1: Name Lists, June 16, 1944-1964
- Box 2
- Sub-Series C: Deputy Inspector's Reports and Correspondence
- Sub-Series C contains correspondence, reports and miscellaneous material from D.C. Macdonald's role as Deputy Inspector for the Attorney General's office.
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 9, 1968-May 15, 1969
- Folder 2: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 7, 1966-December, 22, 1967
- Folder 3: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 26, 1965-December 12, 1965
- Folder 4: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 24, 1964-November 27, 1964
- Folder 5: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 7, 1963-December 10, 1963
- Folder 6: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 17, 1962-December 20, 1962
- Folder 7: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 21, 1961-December 7, 1961
- Folder 8: Deputy Inspector correspondence, February 3, 1952-November 26, 1960
- Folder 9: Deputy Inspector correspondence, March 6, 1956-December 30, 1957
- Folder 10: Deputy Inspector correspondence, February 17, 1948-December 21, 1955
- Folder 11: Deputy Inspector correspondence, March 15, 1933-May 1, 1936
- Folder 12: Deputy Inspector correspondence, undated
- Folder 13: Deputy Inspector lists, 1954-June 30, 1968
- Folder 14: Deputy Inspector lists, undated
- Folder 15: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, January 2, 1965-December, 3, 1966
- Folder 16: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, February 9, 1957-December 19, 1964
- Folder 17: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, January 7, 1955-December 1, 1956
- Folder 18: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, January 3, 1953-December 31, 1954
- Folder 19: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, April 28, 1951-December 20, 1952
- Folder 20: Licensing Dept. Inspector's Reports, undated
- Folder 21: Licensing Dept. miscellaneous, November 12, 1964-May 14, 1969
- Folder 22: Licensing Dept. miscellaneous, January 3, 1964-May 28, 1964
- Folder 23: Licensing Dept. miscellaneous, 1948-February 11, 1964
- Folder 24: Licensing Dept. miscellaneous, undated
- Folder 1: Deputy Inspector correspondence, January 9, 1968-May 15, 1969
- Box 3
- Sub-Series D: America First Committee
- Sub-Series D is comprised of material from the America First Committee around the beginning of World War II. Arranged in reverse chronological order within each sub-series, this series covers the years 1923-1969.
- Box 4
- Folder 1: America First Committee "Did You Hear" and "Did You Know," July 5-September 23, 1941
- Folder 2: America First Committee "Did You Hear" and "Did You Know," October 13-November 7, 1941
- Folder 3: America First Committee, correspondence Grand Forks Chapter, December 6, 1941-January 20, 1942
- Folder 4: America First Committee, correspondence Grand Forks Chapter, April 19-July 28, 1941
- Folder 5: America First Committee, Grand Forks Chapter, undated
- Folder 6: America First Committee, List of members and contributors for North Dakota and Minnesota, September 2, 1941
- Folder 7: America First Committee, reproductions of flyers and advertisements
- Folder 8: List of Political expenditures including America First Committee, 1936-1944
- Folder 9: Bulletins 14 - 97, January 21-March 5, 1941
- Folder 10: Bulletins 104 - 196, March 5-April 14, 1941
- Folder 11: Bulletins 202 - 249, April 16-May 9, 1941
- Folder 12: Bulletins 250 - 296, May 12-June 5, 1941
- Folder 13: Bulletins 301 - 349, June 7-23, 1941
- Folder 14: Bulletins 353 - 399, June 24-July 8, 1941
- Folder 15: Bulletins 400 - 449, July 9-30, 1941
- Folder 16: Bulletins 450 - 499, July 30-August 18, 1941
- Folder 17: Bulletins 501 - 549, August 19-September 1, 1941
- Folder 18: Bulletins 551 - 598, September 11-October 4, 1941
- Folder 19: Bulletins 600 - 649, October 4-22, 1941
- Folder 20: Bulletins 650 - 700, October 23-December 4, 1941
- Folder 21: America First Committee, National Office Material, January 5-June 23, 1941
- Folder 22: America First Committee, National Office Material, July 12-September 15, 1941
- Folder 23: America First Committee, National Office Material, October 6-December 1, 1941
- Folder 24: America First Committee, National Office Material, undated
- Folder 25: Newspaper articles, January-July 1942
- Folder 26: Newspaper articles, September-December 1941
- Folder 27: Newspaper articles, January-August 1941
- Folder 28: Newspaper articles, 1936-40
- Folder 29: Newspaper articles, undated
- Folder 1: America First Committee "Did You Hear" and "Did You Know," July 5-September 23, 1941
- Box 4
- Sub-Series A: Political Correspondence
- Series 2: Personal Materials
- Series 2 contains materials relating to the personal lives and interests of D.C. Macdonald and his family. It has been further subdivided into three sub-series: personal correspondence, materials relating to Neil C. Macdonald, and items pertaining to D.C. Macdonald's interest in chess. Arranged in reverse chronological order within each sub-series, this series covers the years 1892-1969.
- Sub-Series A: Personal Correspondence
- Box 5
- Folder 1: 1969
- Folder 2: 1968
- Folder 3: May-December 1967
- Folder 4: January-March 1967
- Folder 5: 1966
- Folder 6: 1965
- Folder 7: 1964
- Folder 8: January 2-December 18, 1963
- Folder 9: April 2-December 13, 1962
- Folder 10: January 2-March 30, 1962
- Folder 11: September 3, 1961-December 19, 1961
- Folder 12: June 5-August 17, 1961
- Folder 13: March 1-May 31, 1961
- Folder 14: January 10-February 28, 1961
- Folder 15: October 2-December 30, 1960
- Folder 16: June 1-September 27, 1960
- Folder 17: March 2-May 30, 1960
- Folder 18: January 6-February 29, 1960
- Folder 19: October 1, 1959-December 31, 1959
- Folder 20: June 3, 1959-September 29, 1959
- Folder 21: January 11-May 28, 1959
- Folder 22: January 22-December 22, 1958
- Folder 23: January 3-December 27, 1957
- Folder 24: Undated
- Folder 1: 1969
- Box 6
- Folder 1: October 4-December 30, 1956
- Folder 2: May 1-September 6, 1956
- Folder 3: March 3-April 28, 1956
- Folder 4: January 2-February 27, 1956
- Folder 5: July 5-December 31, 1955
- Folder 6: January 4-June 27, 1955
- Folder 7: January 3-December 1, 1954
- Folder 8: February 18-December 31, 1953
- Folder 9: April 6-December 31, 1952
- Folder 10: January 1-March 25, 1952
- Folder 11: August 2-December 28, 1951
- Folder 12: January 3-July 31, 1951
- Folder 13: 1950
- Folder 14: January 3, 1946-September 26, 1949
- Folder 15: April 29, 1943-September 24, 1945
- Folder 16: January 28, 1941-December 18, 1942
- Folder 17: May 9, 1932-December 7, 1939
- Folder 18: 1910-December 31, 1939
- Folder 19: 35 mm film on insurance
- Folder 1: October 4-December 30, 1956
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Kathrine B. Tiffany, June 1942-April 1949
- Folder 2: 1960-1969
- Folder 3: 1954-1959
- Folder 4: 1950-1953
- Folder 5: 1940-1949
- Folder 6: 1918-1939
- Folder 7: Undated
- Folder 8: Personal, medical, September 1941-April 1969
- Folder 9: Financial matters, 1936-1942
- Folder 10: Insurance and Business, 1940
- Folder 11: Income Tax forms, 1945-1968
- Folder 12: Rental Dispute, 1944-1952
- Folder 13: United Press Stringer, 1938-1942
- Folder 14: Xeroxed material
- Folder 15: Macdonald family material, relating to Isabella Macdonald and her attempt to keep family farm in 1930s, 1917-1944
- Folder 16: Macdonald family material, 1904-1967
- Folder 17: Macdonald family material, miscellaneous
- Folder 18: Daily Record Book, 1941-1943
- Folder 19: Daily Record Book, 1939-1941
- Folder 20: Daily Record Book, 1937-1939
- Folder 21: Record Book, 1940s-1950s
- Folder 22: Miscellaneous material
- Folder 23: Family - miscellaneous
- Folder 24: Miscellaneous
- Folder 1: Kathrine B. Tiffany, June 1942-April 1949
- Box 5
- Sub-Series B: Neil C. Macdonald
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Correspondence and miscellaneous material, 1899-1926
- Folder 2: Correspondence - W.H. Taft incident, 1921
- Folder 3: Harvard College material, 1921
- Folder 4: Miscellaneous receipts and teachers' contracts 1897-1899, 1904
- Folder 5: Normal Exponent (Mayville, ND), undated
- Folder 6: Public School Income, 1908 (missing July 2013 - cataloged?)
- Folder 7: Rural Schools and Rural School Consolidation (missing July 2013 - cataloged?)
- Folder 8: Record of vouchers approved, 1915-1919
- Folder 9: Teacher's Register, Bruce School District, Cavalier County, 1911
- Folder 10: Teacher's Register, Linden School District, Cavalier County, 1908-1911
- Folder 11: Teacher's Register, Linden School District, Cavalier County, 1912-1914
- Folder 12: Teacher's Register, Osnabrock School?, Cavalier County, 1909
- Folder 13: Teacher's Register, Alma School District, Cavalier County, 1901-1902
- Folder 14: Teacher's Register, Osnabrock and Easby School Districts, Cavalier County, 1899-1901
- Folder 15: Oaths of applicants for liquor (for medicinal use), 1912
- Folder 16: Material on D.W. Hines and Farmers R.R., 1892-1897
- Folder 1: Correspondence and miscellaneous material, 1899-1926
- Box 8
- Sub-Series C: Chess Materials
- Box 8
- Folder 17: Correspondence, 1953-1957
- Folder 18: Correspondence, 1950-1952
- Folder 19: Correspondence, 1944-1949
- Folder 20: Correspondence, undated
- Folder 21: Miscellaneous, undated
- Folder 22: News clippings
- Folder 23: Newsletters, publications
- Folder 24: Chess Review, 1963
- Folder 25: Image of D.C. Macdonald(?) for printing (metal on wood block)
- Folder 17: Correspondence, 1953-1957
- Box 8
- Sub-Series A: Personal Correspondence
- Series 3: Business Materials
- This series relates to D.C. Macdonald's career as an insurance agent. Notable items in this series pertain to policies he wrote with the North Dakota State Mill and Elevator, the Grand Forks County Municipal Employees, and Grand Forks Public School Teachers. This series covers the years 1920-1958.
- Box 9
- Folder 1: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1950-1958
- Folder 2: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1945-1949
- Folder 3: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1944
- Folder 4: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1943
- Folder 5: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1942
- Folder 6: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1940-1941
- Folder 7: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1939
- Folder 8: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1938
- Folder 9: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1930-1937
- Folder 10: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1928-1929
- Folder 11: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1920-1927
- Folder 12: Insurance Agent, miscellaneous correspondence, undated
- Folder 13: State Mill and Elevator Business, 1930-1945
- Folder 14: Insurance business, State Mill and Elevator, miscellaneous
- Folder 15: Insurance policies, 1927-1941
- Folder 16: Insurance Business, State Mill and Elevator, January 1940-August 1942 and 1955
- Folder 17: Insurance Business, State Mill and Elevator, September 1939-December 1939
- Folder 18: Insurance Business, State Mill and Elevator, January-August, 1939
- Folder 19: Insurance Business, State Mill and Elevator, 1926-1938
- Folder 1: Insurance Agent, correspondence, 1950-1958
- Box 9
- Series 4: Newspaper Clippings
- Series IV contains newspaper clippings collected by D.C. Macdonald. The clippings deal mainly with items relating to events in North Dakota and to the Macdonald family. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
- Series 5: Scrapbooks and Ledgers
The first scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, certificates, membership cards and correspondence regarding the life and premature death of Neil C. Macdonald. This scrapbook also has material regarding D.C. Macdonald's other siblings. It dates from 1896 to 1965.
Scrapbooks 2 and 4-7 are each quite similar in that there is no guiding organizational principle. Each contains newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, children's artwork and miscellaneous memorabilia. Topics include Macdonald family members, northeastern North Dakota, and local and national politics. Scrapbook Two contains a page of political buttons including presidential campaign buttons for Dwight D. Eisenhower, Wendell Willkie, and Franklin Roosevelt. Among other items, Scrapbook Four includes photographs of the 1947 Red River flood and also has several articles regarding the Vietnam War. Scrapbook seven has only five pages filled. The date of the materials in these five scrapbooks is from 1903 to 1969.
Scrapbook three contains only newspaper clippings, many of them letters to the editor concerning the Irish Home Rule initiative or the advent of the Nonpartisan League in the Grand Forks area. The letters to the editor were all written by or concern D.C. Macdonald and his brother Colin C. Macdonald. This scrapbook dates from 1918 to 1924, with one exception being an article from Bismarck's Leader dated March 4, 1954.
Ledgers one and two are family account books, dating from 1932 to 1955. There are large chronological gaps in some places.
The scrapbooks and ledgers were placed on the shelves adjacent to the collection
- Scrapbook 1: Neil C. Macdonald and the Macdonald family, 1896-1965
- Scrapbook 2: Miscellaneous, 1904-1957
- Scrapbook 3: D.C. and C.C. Macdonald newspaper clippings, 1918-1924, 1954
- Scrapbook 4: Miscellaneous, 1911-1964
- Scrapbook 5: Miscellaneous, 1908-1964
- Scrapbook 6: Miscellaneous, 1914-1963
- Scrapbook 7: Miscellaneous, 1903-1969
- Ledger 1: Family ledgers, 1932-1943
- Ledger 2: Family ledgers, 1940-1955
- Scrapbook 1: Neil C. Macdonald and the Macdonald family, 1896-1965
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