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Guide to the Papers of William Robert Smith Member of Congress 1903-1917  Gift of Ben Guttery

Biography | Chronology Photograph Collection Statement Scope and Content Processing Note Inventory of Letters Ben Guttery Materials

 

Collection Statement Ben Guttery acquired the papers from a paper dealer in Oklahoma. He first purchased a lot of about 100 letters in 1999 when he noticed the dealer selling a Congressional letterhead on eBay. Mr. Guttery asked about one letter and ended up buying the first 100. Later, he noticed the same man selling more letters and acquired the balance of the materials. Some of these were separated from the collection as they were sold for the interesting letterhead. Mr. Guttery collected these as part of his overall interest in Texas politics. They represent a unique view into the life of a traveling district judge and congressman separated from his wife while serving in office.   Biographical note | Bio Chronology | TOP W. R. Smith was elected to represent the 16th Congressional District of Texas in 1903 and served until 1917. He was born in Brenham, Texas in 1863 and graduated from Sam Houston Normal Institute at Huntsville. In 1890 Smith married Frances Lipscomb Breedlove and they continued to live in Colorado (now Colorado City) where Smith practiced law from 1888 until elected to Congress, serving from 1903 to 1916. A month after leaving Congress, President Wilson appointed Smith U.S. district judge for the Western District of Texas Subsequently, Smith, his wife, and their five children moved to district headquarters in El Paso. Smith remained there until his death in 1924.   Scope and Content | TOP The majority of this collection from Congressman Smith involves correspondence between Smith and his wife Frances Breedlove Smith during the years 1890 through 1912. Other correspondence found in this collection occurs between W. R and Frances' children, close relatives, and friends of the Smith family. Biographical information on Smith and his son W. R. Jr. can be found at the beginning. Also, an investment check for Frances Smith accounts for the only other portion of this collection that does not involve Smith correspondence.   Processing Note | TOP A " ? " or set of brackets, [ ], around a date of correspondence indicates that an exact date could not be located within the correspondence. A " Inc." marking on a file folder denotes an incomplete correspondence where a page or portion of the correspondence is not included in the collection, which often leads to an uncertain date. The abbreviation of " P " on a file folder indicates either a photograph or a piece of published material was included in the correspondence by the sender. In either the front or back top corner of each letter, the cities from which the correspondence was written and sent are denoted from the postmarks and envelopes accompanying the correspondence.