C. ELMER ANDERSON:

C. Elmer (Clyde Elmer) Anderson was born in Brainerd, Minnesota on March 16, 1912, one of nine children born to Swedish immigrants Fred and Anna Anderson. When his father died (Anderson was 14) he joined his siblings to work in support of the family. His first job was delivering newspapers, while helping out on the family farm near Brainerd. Though still working, he was able to finish high school at age 16. He attended the University of Minnesota hoping to become a doctor, but could not continue his studies because of financial constraints.

While working for a magazine distribution company, Anderson took over its management after the owner died. He subsequently purchased it and continued to run it for 26 years. Anderson married Lillian Otterstad in 1937, and they had 3 children.

Anderson's political career began in 1939, when he began serving two terms as the lieutenant governor of Minnesota. He was defeated for a third term in 1942, but was again elected to that post and served from 1945 to 1951. He presided a record six terms as lieutenant governor under three different governors. Anderson was appointed governor, himself, when Governor Luther W. Youngdahl accepted an appointment to a federal judgeship in 1951. He was elected again in 1952, but was defeated in a reelection bid in 1954.

Anderson was elected mayor of Nisswa, Minnesota in 1960 and served two years in that post. He went on to serve as mayor of Brainerd, Minnesota from 1976 to 1986. After he was defeated in his bid for reelection in 1986, he returned to private life, pursuing theatrical endeavors. He died on January 22, 1998 at the age of 85.

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The collection contains speech transcriptions, personal and official correspondence, newspaper clippings, political and campaign materials, signed and unsigned photographs and portraits, complimentary membership cards, constituent memorabilia, certifications, proclamations, and awards chiefly from the time Anderson served as governor (1951-1954) and as mayor of Brainerd (1976-1986). The collection provides an interesting glimpse into the personal side of a state elected official.

There are numerous documents that record Anderson's correspondence with and about Senator Hubert H. Humphrey ("HHH"), 1976-1986, as well as from Governor Al Quie ("Q"), 1979-1984. Other correspondents throughout the collection include Vice President Walter Mondale, San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich, and "D. E." (President Dwight Eisenhower) who wrote a condolence message to Anderson upon his defeat as governor in 1954. (Found in Correspondence section: Political Files.) Of added interest is Anderson's invitation to the 50th Presidential Inaugural for President Reagan in 1985, found in the Ephemera section.

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These documents are organized into the following sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. C. Elmer Anderson Gubernatorial and Mayoral Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,911

Processing Information:

Processed by: Ann Mulfort, October 2004

Catalog ID number: 990029581890104294

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Included in this series are annotated speech transcriptions, handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, scripts for radio broadcasts, and press releases organized alphabetically by file titles.

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Included in these files are personal and official correspondence, newspaper clippings, biographical information, photographs, programs, memorials, wedding invitations, and telegrams. Because Anderson created a separate filing system between subject files and alphabetical files, these systems were maintained. Where there was no title or where the title of the file was ineffective, the title was created or enhanced by the processor, as indicated by brackets.

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Minnesota. Governor (1951-1955 : Anderson). Records, 1952;

Minnesota. Governor (1951-1955 : Anderson). Records, 1953;

Minnesota. Governor (1951-1955 : Anderson). Records, 1954;

Minnesota. Governor (1951-1955 : Anderson). County correspondence, 1954;

Minnesota. Supreme Court. Scrapbooks, 1986, 1904, 1931-1957 [microform].

All are in the Minnesota State Archives.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Executive departments -- Minnesota.

Political campaigns.

Persons:

Anderson, C. Elmer (Clyde Elmer), 1912-1998.

Humphrey, Hubert H. (Hubert Horatio), 1911-1978.

Quie, Albert H., 1923-.

Organizations:

Minnesota. Fort Snelling Sesquicentennial Committee.

Minnesota Racing Commission.

Places:

Minnesota -- Politics and government -- 1945-1980.

Minnesota -- Politics and government -- 1951- .

Document Types:

Photographs.

Political art.

Speeches.

Occupations:

Governors.

Mayors.

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