William Gibbs McAdoo Papers, 1902-1938

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Creators:
McAdoo, William Gibbs, 1863-1941
Abstract:
William Gibbs McAdoo (1863-1941) was a lawyer with a practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee before relocating to New York City in 1892. He developed system of rapid transit tunnels under the Hudson River and was president (1902-13) of the company which built them. In 1912, McAdoo served as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee and was later appointed Secretary of the Treasury (1913). During World War I, he served as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. He moved to Los Angeles, California (1922) and served as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate (1933-38). The collection consists of correspondence, financial records, and clippings related to the personal life and political career of William Gibbs McAdoo.
Extent:
15 boxes (7.5 linear ft.) 9 oversize boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of correspondence, financial records, and clippings related to the personal life and political career of William Gibbs McAdoo. Includes materials related to the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 as well as bound volumes of clippings related to the Hudson and Manhattan Railway Company.

Biographical / historical:

McAdoo was born near Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, on October 31, 1863; attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; admitted to Tennessee bar in 1885 and began law practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee; moved to New York City, 1892; developed system of rapid transit tunnels under the Hudson River and was president (1902-13) of the company which built them; vice chairman, Democratic National Committee, 1912; appointed Secretary of the Treasury by Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1918; chairman of the Federal Reserve Board during World War I; moved to Los Angeles, California, 1922; served as Democrat, U.S. Senate, 1933-38; died while visiting Washington, D.C., on February 1, 1941.

Acquisition information:
Zeitlin Ver Brugge Booksellers, gift and purchase, 1951.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Books on the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Reserve System (Boxes 1-3).
  2. McAdoo's personal financial ledgers, 1902-36 (Box 4).
  3. Correspondence and related material concerning McAdoo's activities with the Boy Scouts of America, 1919-20 (Boxes 5-6).
  4. Ledgers, account books, and records concerning McAdoo's business affairs, 1919-31 (Boxes 7-8).
  5. Personal files re: financial affairs, 1920-26 (Boxes 9-10).
  6. Correspondence and papers re: professional career, 1910-22, and Senatorial affairs, 1936-38 (Box 11).
  7. U.S. Railway Administration and Democratic National Committee chairmanship (Box 12).
  8. Private correspondence, legal documents, and miscellany, ca. 1911-22 (Box 14).
  9. Personal receipt file, 1919-20 (Box 15).
  10. Bound copies of mortgages, legal documents, etc. (Boxes 16-17).
  11. Clippings re: Hudson & Manhattan Railway Company and Century Syndicate Company (Boxes 18-21).
  12. U.S. Liberty Loan posters (Boxes 22-24).

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website