RICHARD VERNER FRANSON:
An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Franson, Richard Verner, 1929-2015, creator. | |
| Title: | Richard Verner Franson papers. | |
| Dates: | 1953-2014. | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Photographs (approximately 2010), publicity (1996-2014), correspondence (1969-2003), diary (1969-1970), and scrapbooks (1953-1992) of Minneapolis-based former 12th Ward alderman, and Korean and Vietnam War veteran Richard "Dick" Verner Franson. | |
| Quantity: | 0.75 cubic feet (1 box and 1 volume in partial box). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Richard “Dick” Franson was born February 14, 1929 in Little Falls, Minnesota, one of two children born to Evangeline and Verner Franson. A lifelong Minneapolis resident, Franson graduated from Minneapolis Central High School in 1947. In 1976, he received a bachelor of arts degree in public administration from Metropolitan State University.
In 1951, Franson married Margaret Chapman and had three children: Terri, Todd, and Tim. He later married Theresa Quarberg in 1978.
Franson held the position of Minneapolis 12th Ward alderman from 1963-1965 and ran as a candidate in over 25 political campaigns, including lieutenant governor, senator, and secretary of state. In his military career, Franson served in the Army during the Korean War and enlisted and served as a Navy Seabee during the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy Seabees, he spent over a year in Vietnam, where he was exposed to Agent Orange before being honorably discharged in 1970. Franson was awarded 16 different military honors for his service in the United States Armed Forces.
Franson also worked as chief appraiser for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and served as an active member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and the Knights of Columbus.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Franson, Richard Verner. Richard Verner Franson Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 17,111
Processing Information:
Processed by: Leif Kopietz, August 2019.
Catalog ID number: 9989760140004294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Box | |||||||||||
| P3249 | 1 | September 11th Patriot's Day Greeting, approximately 2010. | |||||||||
| Photographs, approximately 2010. | |||||||||||
| Photographs used for campaigns, including images of Franson in full military regalia. | |||||||||||
| Publicity, 1996-2014. | |||||||||||
| Mainly pamphlets listing summarized professional activities and images. Some materials relate to specific campaigns, including Franson's defeated runs for secretary of state (2010 and 2014) and defeated or withdrawn campaigns for election to the Minneapolis School Board covering a number of election years, most recently 2014. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence during service in the Vietnam War: | |||||||||||
| Letters to family, 1970-2003 (bulk 1969-1970). | |||||||||||
| Letters to parents with general topics, including daily life, Vietcong attacks, and campaigning for lieutenant governor. | |||||||||||
| Letters from family, 1969-1970. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Mainly letters from family, which detail daily activities, such as vacations, hospital visits, schooling, and political campaigns. Also includes a small portion of letters from friends. | |||||||||||
| Letters from friends, 1970. | |||||||||||
| Diary, 1969-1970. | |||||||||||
| Entries cover topics such as daily activities and way of life in Vietnam, Vietcong attacks, and letters received from home. | |||||||||||
| Scrapbooks: | |||||||||||
| 12th Ward Alderman scrapbook, 1962-1967. 1 folder. | |||||||||||
| Newspaper clippings regarding Franson's election to 12th Ward alderman, political endeavors in said position, and his re-election campaign. | |||||||||||
| Miscellaneous scrapbooks, 1953-1992 (bulk 1963-1970). 1 folder and 1 volume in folder. | |||||||||||
| Mainly campaign materials including alderman pamphlets, Margaret Franson's election letters, Arne Carlson's campaign pamphlets, newspaper clippings, photographs from service as 12th Ward alderman and in Vietnam, as well as honorable discharge certificates from Korea and Vietnam. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 108.D.10.3B-2 | 2 | Photograph album, 1969-2010 (bulk 1969-1970). 1 volume. | |||||||||
| Includes images from Franson's Navy Seabee service in Vietnam, as well as political campaign photographs. | |||||||||||
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:
- City council members -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
- Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Veterans -- Minnesota.
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Veterans -- Minnesota.
- Organizations:
- American Legion. Minneapolis-Richfield Legion Post No. 435 (Richfield, Minn.).
- Fraternal Order of Eagles.
- United States -- Army -- Military life.
- United States -- Navy -- Seabees.
- Knights of Columbus.
- Minneapolis (Minn.). City Council.
- United States. Veterans Administration.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Department of Minnesota.
- Document Types:
- Diaries.
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