RODNEY C. LOEHR:
An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Loehr, Rodney C. (Rodney Clement), 1907-, creator. | |
| Title: | Rodney C. Loehr papers. | |
| Dates: | 1928-1998. | |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, articles, and other material relating to Rodney C. Loehr, a professor of history at the University of Minnesota and a U.S. Army historical and intelligence officer. | |
| Quantity: | 9.25 cubic feet (10 boxes). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Rodney C. Loehr was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota in 1907 and received his early education in public schools. He received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Minnesota, with specialization in agricultural history. He served seven years in the Minnesota National Guard before entering the Army of the United States in 1942. He graduated from Officers' Candidate School in 1943 and was assigned to the secretariat of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he was an assistant secretary of the Combined Boards.
Loehr organized the historical section of the JCS and served as historical officer (Oct. 1943 - May 1945) and as assistant historical officer, continental ((May - Aug. 1945). From 1951 to 1953 he was stationed in Germany as special historian, Office of the High Commissioner for Germany. From May 1948 to October 1960 he served in the U.S. Army Reserve as commanding officer of the 483rd Strategic Intelligence Detachment. He retired with the rank of major and was chairman of the University of Minnesota ROTC Committee and was a lecturer to Army, Navy, and Air Force cadets and midshipmen.
Loehr married Nancy Scammon in 1936.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
Correspondence (1930s-1991), M.A. and Ph.D. theses, diaries (1940s), reminiscences (1938), newsletters (1940s), organizational minutes, articles and book reviews, citations and awards, bibliographies, and printed material relating to Rodney C. Loehr, a professor of history at the University of Minnesota and a U.S. Army historical and intelligence officer.
Subjects of the papers include forests and forestry, agriculture, military experiences, U.S. military (including Civil War) history, the war in Vietnam and anti-war demonstrations, and the University of Minnesota ROTC program.
Correspondents include diplomat John Paton Davies and family, Everett E. Edwards (Agricultural History Society), Erle C. Cress (Joint Chiefs of Staff), Elizabeth Abbot (WAC), Michael Deveny (soldier), G. E. Fussell, Guy Lee, Wolfgang Tolle, G. Bernard Noble, Roger Wells (U.S. High Commission), Jeannette Spear (diplomat), and Jarod Kieffer. There are also files on the Forest History Foundation and the Agricultural History Society.
ARRANGEMENT
These documents are organized into the following sections:
| Correspondence. | ||
| Organizational Files. | ||
| Academic and Research Files. | ||
| Military Files. | ||
| Miscellaneous Files. |
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Rodney C. Loehr Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples
Accession Information:
Accession numbers: 5446; 7429; 11,121; 11,269; 11,358; 11,768; 11,923; 12,745; 13,572; 13,842; 14,112; 14,458; 14,568; 14,927; 15,342; 15,706
Processing Information:
Processed by: Bonnie Beatson Palmquist, March 1990; Lara D. Friedman-Shedlov, April 2000.
Catalog ID number: 990017148560104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence is arranged in two series. Earlier correspondence (the bulk dating from the 1930s to the 1960s) is arranged chronologically. Later correspondence (mainly dating from the 1960s and later) is organized into files by author.
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.H.14.5B | 1 | Chronological Correspondence: | |||||||||||
| Additional correspondence (primarily 1960s and later) from many of the authors in this section may be found in the correspondence by author section. | |||||||||||||
| Loehr and Scammon family information. | |||||||||||||
| Correspondence, undated. 2 folders | |||||||||||||
| Correspondence, 1930-1943. 24 folders | |||||||||||||
| Mainly the letters of Nancy and Rodney Loehr to each other and to Nancy's parents (the Scammons) in Minneapolis while they were in England in 1936. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.H.14.6F | 2 | Correspondence, 1943-1965. 28 folders | |||||||||||
| In the early 1940s and 1950s there is correspondence with Everett E. and Helen Edwards of the Agricultural History Society (additional correspondence will be found in the correspondence filed by author.). In 1951-1953 there are letters from Rodney and Nancy Loehr, as well as letters received by them, while Rodney was with the Historical Section in Germany. In 1953 Rodney was at the Army War College (Carlisle Barracks, Pa.). | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.H.14.7B | 3 | Correspondence, 1966-1988. 20 folders | |||||||||||
| Correspondents are associates from Loehr's service in the military, his teaching at the University of Minnesota, and his professional activities. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.H.14.8F | 4 | Correspondence By Author: | |||||||||||
| Additional correspondence (mainly pre-1960s) from many of the authors in this section may be found in the chronological correspondence section. | |||||||||||||
| Abbott, Elizabeth, 1988. | |||||||||||||
| Joined the WACS and served in New Guinea and the Philippines. | |||||||||||||
| Adelman, Fred and Bobbi, 1987-1991. | |||||||||||||
| Beard, William and Hope, 1986-1991, 1994-1997. 3 folders | |||||||||||||
| William Beard served in World War II and Korea and was colonel of army cadets at the University of Minnesota during Loehr's ROTC chairmanship. | |||||||||||||
| Beasley, Linton, 1967-1973. | |||||||||||||
| Former student writes while in army in Vietnam, with Army ROTC at University of Minnesota, and in Germany. Includes folder of Seventh United States Army Noncommissioned Officers Academy materials, ca. 1967. | |||||||||||||
| Bouffard, Edward, 1980-1992, 1994-1998. 4 folders | |||||||||||||
| Retired navy captain and head of NROTC at the University of Minnesota in the 1960s. Writes of Spanish society and politics. | |||||||||||||
| Cress, Erle C., 1945-1962, 1985, 1991. 8 folders | |||||||||||||
| Correspondence to and from Cress, who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Includes book reviews by Cress, who reviewed books for other officers. | |||||||||||||
| Davies, John Paton and family, 1953-1971. 5 folders | |||||||||||||
| Davies was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1948 for his work for the State Department in China; was fired by Secretary of State Dulles in 1954 (after 23 years in foreign service) during the McCarthy era. He was vindicated by President Nixon in 1971. Includes newspaper clippings and a Christmas card designed by John and Pat Davies and correspondence relating to his lecture at the University of Minnesota. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 152.F.8.11B | 9 | Davies, John Paton and family, 1971-1992, 1994-1997. 8 folders | |||||||||||
| Deveny, Michael and Theresa, 1985-1992, 1994-1997. 4 folders | |||||||||||||
| Michael Deveny was the son of a Minneapolis neighbor who served on long-range patrols in Vietnam and reported directly to General Westmoreland. | |||||||||||||
| Dively, Florence and Don, 1987-1991. | |||||||||||||
| Edwards, Everett. Bibliography of Bathtubs, 1935. | |||||||||||||
| Edwards, Helen, 1953-1957, 1971. | |||||||||||||
| Fussell, G. E., 1941, 1943, 1955, 1962-1968, 1971-1973. | |||||||||||||
| Loehr met Fussell when he was in England in 1936. | |||||||||||||
| Hubbs, Ronald, 1984, 1986. | |||||||||||||
| Kieffer, Jarold, 1981-1990, 1992-1997. | |||||||||||||
| A St. Paulite whom Loehr helped with his Ph.D. Keiffer served as assistant secretary of the national Security Council in President Eisenhower's administration. | |||||||||||||
| Kress, James, 1988-1991, 1995. | |||||||||||||
| Lee, Guy and Freda, 1953, 1987-1992. | |||||||||||||
| Guy Lee was with the Agricultural Society in 1936, in the U.S. army Historical Section, 1951-1953, and with the State Department thereafter. | |||||||||||||
| Lingham, Jean C., 1987-1991, 1994. | |||||||||||||
| McDonald, Alice R., 1987-1992, 1994. | |||||||||||||
| Mather, Cotton, 1987-1989, 1991, 1998. | |||||||||||||
| Associated with the Cultural Geographical Society. | |||||||||||||
| Ploetz, Ray C., 1985-1988. | |||||||||||||
| Met Loehr in the Army Reserve, worked for State Department, and ran for Congress from Minnesota's 6th district. | |||||||||||||
| Piotrowski, Karl, 1985-1990. | |||||||||||||
| Spear, Jeannette, 1981-1987. | |||||||||||||
| Worked for the State Department, volunteering for dangerous or hardship posts in Norway, Germany, India, Japan, and Sudan. | |||||||||||||
| Stetson, Kirk, 1987-1998. | |||||||||||||
| Thrapp, Dan L., 1989-1991. | |||||||||||||
| Tolle, Wolfgang, 1970-1974, 1987-1991. 2 folders | |||||||||||||
| Met Loehr at the University of Minnesota; lived in Switzerland. | |||||||||||||
| Wells, Roger, 1987-1989, 1991-1992, 1994. | |||||||||||||
| Head of Historical Section, 1951-1953, in the office of United States High Commissioner for Germany. | |||||||||||||
| Various correspondents, 1987-1998. 2 folders | |||||||||||||
| Includes Angove family, David and Charlene Collins, Elmer Ellis, Cary Hall, Jack Loegerling, Mildred and Herbert Newell, and Walter Trenerry. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 152.C.16.4F | 10 | Loehr Family: | |||||||||||
| Loehr, Jacob, 1987-1988. | |||||||||||||
| Lauren Loehr family, 1982, 1986-1991. | |||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous Loehr relatives, 1987-1991, 1993-1996. 4 folders | |||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous correspondence, 1988-1998. | |||||||||||||
ORGANIZATIONAL FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.H.14.9B | 5 | Forest Products History Foundation, 1946-1971, 1990. 10 folders | |||||||||||
| Correspondence, A-W, including printed material. Loehr was a foundation director. | |||||||||||||
| Agricultural History Society, 1946-1991, 1993-1994. 3 folders | |||||||||||||
| Journal of Cultural Geography, 1984. | |||||||||||||
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.G.15.3B | 6 | Thesis: "The Influence of English Agriculture Upon American Agriculture, 1775-1825," by Rodney Loehr, [1936?]. | |||||||||||
| Lumbering in the Lake States, Rodney C. Loehr and William G. Rector, eds., 1968. 2 folders | |||||||||||||
| Broadcast texts, 1931-1933, 1950. | |||||||||||||
| Texts of four broadcasts (1931-1933) on WBZ from Business Historical Society appealing for historical data and documents. | |||||||||||||
| Book reviews by Loehr, undated and 1937-1972. | |||||||||||||
| United States Air Force Historical Research Center research grant application, undated. | |||||||||||||
| Articles and book chapters by Loehr. | |||||||||||||
| Book manuscript, undated. | |||||||||||||
| Symposium: 18th Century Agriculture, October 11-13, 1967. | |||||||||||||
| Harry S. Truman Library Institute, April 10-11, 1970. | |||||||||||||
| KTCA-TV Chief of Staff programs, 1966-1967. | |||||||||||||
| Includes "Trails West," by Richard B. Dunsworth. | |||||||||||||
| Enterprise Club (Montgomery County, Md.): Minutes, 1973-1878. 1 volume. | |||||||||||||
| Photocopy. | |||||||||||||
| Marsena Patrick, 1811-1888. Microfilmed papers and notes. | |||||||||||||
| Patrick was a Civil War general and was Provost Marshall General of the Army of the Potomac. | |||||||||||||
| Eliot, Jarod (Killingworth, Conn.), 1750-1769. | |||||||||||||
| Positive photographic copies of letters written to Eliot. Includes letters from Benjamin Stiles, Peter Oliver, R. Jackson, B. Franklin, and Hollinton Thomas Fitch. | |||||||||||||
| Civil War Round Table, 1960s. 2 folders | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.G.15.4F | 7 | Student papers. | |||||||||||
MILITARY FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.G.15.4F | 7 | Military orders, 1942-1943, 1948. | |||||||||||
| Historical Section, 1943-1945. | |||||||||||||
| Includes a report on U.S. military strategy in World War II; report on occupation of North Africa (unfinished); Role of State Department in North Africa Economic and Political Program from Its Inception to the Invasion; Brief of British Attitudes Towards their Post-war Position; Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany; Fighting on Guadalcanal; and a notebook of Loehr covering various aspects of the war. | |||||||||||||
| United States High Commission. Historical Section, 1951-1953. | |||||||||||||
| Includes History of the Historical Section (by Guy A. Lee); The West German Banking System, 1952 (by Loehr); and correspondence with G. Bernard Noble, Hubert G. Schmidt, and Roger H. Wells. | |||||||||||||
| The Bat (31st Battalion newsletter, Camp Croft, S.C.), 1942-1943. | |||||||||||||
| WAAC News (Fort Des Moines, Ia.), March 20-27, June 26 - July 3, [1943?]. 2 items | |||||||||||||
| St. Paul Public Library: Letters From Our Men and Women in the Service (newsletter), 1943. | |||||||||||||
| ROTC, 1965-1974. | |||||||||||||
| Includes minutes of the Association of NROTC Colleges, December 13, 1965. | |||||||||||||
| Vietnam hearings (Minneapolis), December 6-7, 1965. | |||||||||||||
| Anti-war material, 1969-1970. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 152.C.16.4F | 10 | National Guard certificates. | |||||||||||
MISCELLANEOUS FILES
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.G.15.4F | 7 | Blizzard of 1888, 1938. | |||||||||||
| Reminiscences. | |||||||||||||
| Citations and awards. | |||||||||||||
| Hubert Heaton eulogy, 1973. | |||||||||||||
| European trip, 1973. | |||||||||||||
| Printed material. | |||||||||||||
| First Regiment, Minneapolis Civilian Auxiliary, undated. | |||||||||||||
| Printed circular. | |||||||||||||
| [Uncle Tim Talks] (Oshkosh, Wis.). | |||||||||||||
| Printed circular on labor. | |||||||||||||
| USAF Strategic Air Command information kit, 1973. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 149.G.15.5B | 8 | Bibliographies, undated. | |||||||||||
| Card files relating to Loehr's writings. | |||||||||||||
| Diaries, undated and 1936, 1949, 1950, 1951. | |||||||||||||
| Mainly notations and addresses. | |||||||||||||
| Memo book, [1936?]. | |||||||||||||
| Address book. | |||||||||||||
| Wedding gifts book, 1931. | |||||||||||||
| Trips, 1973, 1975. | |||||||||||||
| University of Minnesota graduation booklet, 1930. | |||||||||||||
| Scammon, Nancy, "On Mathematics Problems," The Minnesota Quarterly: A Literary Magazine (Spring 1928): 46-49. | |||||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||||
| 152.C.16.4F | 10 | Miscellaneous papers, undated and 1994. | |||||||||||
| Photographs. 4 folders. | |||||||||||||
| [0.2 cubic feet empty, legal size] | |||||||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
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:
- Agriculture -- History.
- Bathtubs -- Bibliography.
- Blizzards -- Minnesota -- 1888.
- History -- Study and teaching -- Minnesota.
- History -- Societies, etc.
- Lumber camps -- Wisconsin.
- Lumbering -- Wisconsin.
- Peace movement -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Historiography.
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Protest movement.
- Persons:
- Cress, Erle E.
- Davies, John Paton.
- Deveny, Michael.
- Edwards, Everett E.
- Eliot, Jared.
- French, Peggy Lois.
- Fussell, G. E.
- Kieffer, Jarod A., 1923-
- Lee, Guy.
- Noble, G. Bernard.
- Spear, Jeannette
- Organizations:
- Agricultural History Society.
- Enterprise Club (Montgomery County, Md.).
- Forest History Society.
- Saint Paul Public Library -- Officials and employees -- Periodicals.
- United States -- Armed Forces -- Reserves.
- United States. Army -- Officers -- Military and personal papers -- 20th century.
- United States. Department of the Army. Historical Division.
- University of Minnesota. Department of History.
- Places:
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
- Document Types:
- Diaries.
- Photographs.
- Theses.
- Occupations:
- Historians.
- Soldiers.
- Titles:
- Bat.
- WAAC news.
Collapse
All