Skip to main content
COLLECTION Identifier: MC 196

Papers of Edith Nourse Rogers, 1854-1961 (inclusive), 1881-1961 (bulk)

Overview

Correspondence, speeches, photographs, etc., of Edith Nourse Rogers, Republican Congresswoman.

Dates

  • 1854-1961
  • Majority of material found within 1881-1961

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Access Restrictions:

Access. Collection is open for research, with the exception of volumes 1o-2o, which were returned to the donor and volumes 3o-47o, which are available only on microfilm (M-57). An appointment is necessary to use any audiovisual material.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright. Copyright in the papers created by Edith Nourse Rogers as well as copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.

Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.

Extent

10.43 linear feet ((25 boxes) plus 2 folio folders, 1 folio+ folder, 2 oversize folders, 2 supersize folders,15 reels of microfilm (M-57), 6 phonograph records,1 motion picture, 1 object)

Scope and Contents

This collection includes correspondence received by Edith Nourse Rogers as Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and correspondence with constituents; analyses of Roger's voting record in Congress; speeches in the House, over radio, before veterans' and other groups, and for various events; campaign material; citations and awards; photographs; newsclippings; and sympathy letters concerning her death.

Additional Description

BIOGRAPHY

Edith Nourse Rogers, Republican Congresswoman from the Fifth District of Massachusetts, was born March 19, 1881, in Saco, Maine. She graduated from Rogers Hall School in Lowell, Massachusetts and Madame Julien's School in Paris, France. In 1907 she married John Jacob Rogers, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1913 until his death in 1925. During World War I, Rogers served in France and England on a special assignment from President Wilson to survey medical care of wounded American soldiers, and was also a Red Cross nurse in France. In 1922, following four additional years of Red Cross work in Walter Reed Hospital, Rogers was appointed by President Harding as his personal representative to oversee the care of disabled veterans. She was reappointed to this position by President Coolidge in 1923 and President Hoover in 1929. Rogers again served overseas during World War II, inspecting soldiers' care, under a special assignment from President Roosevelt.

Mrs. Rogers was elected to the United States House of Representatives during the 69th Congress, on June 30, 1925, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband. She was re-elected to every successive Congress, and died in office on September 10, 1960. Legislation attributed to Rogers includes the improvement of the American Foreign Service; the establishment of the Women's Army Corps (WAC); the enactment of the G.I. Bill of Rights; the enactment of the bill for Korean Veterans Benefits; the establishment of a permanent Nurse Corps for veterans; and many other laws providing aid and assistance to permanently disabled American war veterans.

Although forced to give up her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee upon assuming the Chairmanship of Veterans' Affairs, Mrs. Rogers continued her interest in United States foreign policy. She vigorously opposed Vice President Nixon's proposal to intervene in Indochina in 1954 because she fervently believed that, "If America is to strike a blow at Communism, it must be struck at Moscow, the heart of Communism." She was a strong supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy, and of military predominance, and opposed the admittance of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations; other favorite causes included highway safety, cancer research, and legislation to help Massachusetts' Fifth District.

Congresswoman Rogers received awards and citations from veterans' and other groups, including the American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal. She was the recipient of honorary degrees from Tufts College, Bates College, Staley College, Washington College of Law, and the Lowell Textile Institute.

ARRANGEMENT

  1. Series I. Biographical, folder 1, and correspondence
  2. Series II. Official documents pertaining to election and voting records; papers relating to Congressional legislation, mostly re veterans, and papers about veterans by non-Congressional groups
  3. Series III. Speeches and related material by Edith Nourse Rogers
  4. Series IV. Material by others
  5. Series V. Campaign material - speeches, leaflets, maps, etc.
  6. Series VI. Engagements - invitations, replies, lists
  7. Series VII. Citations and awards
  8. Series VIII. Miscellaneous
  9. Series IX. Photographs
  10. Series X. Congressional Record notebooks, indexed
  11. Series XI. Newsclippings
  12. Series XII. Material re Edith Nourse Rogers's death
  13. Series XIII. Guest registers
  14. Series XIV. Scrapbooks
  15. Series XV. Oversize

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession number: 1332

The papers of Edith Nourse Rogers were deposited with the Schlesinger Library in February 1968 by the Veterans Administration Hospital, Bedford, Massachusetts.

Oversize scrapbooks (volumes 3o-47o), consisting mainly of clippings re: Edith Nourse Rogers were microfilmed in 1980 under a grant from The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation, Worcester, Massachusetts, and returned to the donor. Volumes 1o and 2o, re: Rogers, were also returned.

SEPARATION RECORD

The following materials were returned to the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts by the Schlesinger Library.
  1. 1. Plaque given by the American War Dads, 9/29/1949.
  2. 2. Plaque given by Amputee Veterans Association of America, 6/22/1947.
  3. 3. Plaque given by American Legion, 9/27/1955.
  4. 4. Plaque given by Philippine Veterans Legion, 1958-1959.
  5. 5. Framed award given by Student Veterans Association of the Philippines, 9/7/1955.
  6. 6. Loving cup given by AMVETS, n.d.
  7. 7. Loving cup given by Blind and Amputee Veterans, 1952.
  8. 8. Bowling pin given by Peltiers Jewelers Bowling Team of Lowell, 4/5/1935.
  9. 9. Wooden name plate.
  10. 10. Photo engraver's metal - Edith Nourse Rogers
  11. 11. Engraving plate - Edith Nourse Rogers signature.
  12. 12. Framed xerox of Herbert Hoover letter, 3/28/1929.
  13. 13. Framed newsclipping of Edith Nourse Rogers.
  14. 14. Framed photograph of John Jacob Rogers, damaged.
  15. 15. Framed portrait of Edith Nourse Rogers as nurse.
  16. 16. Large framed photograph of portrait of Edith Nourse Rogers.
  17. 17. Large framed photograph of Edith Nourse Rogers.
  18. 18. Large framed photograph of House Committee of Veterans' Affairs, 80th Congress.
  19. 19. 2 large framed photographs of John Jacob Rogers, duplicates.
  20. 21. Large photograph collage of Edith Nourse Rogers, unframed.
  21. 22. Large framed copy of Declaration of Independence.
  22. 23. Large framed picture of Liberty Bell.
  23. 24. 11 books:
  24. ___Abercrombie, H. R. The World to Come/The Seven Pillars of Federation, 1942.
  25. ___Brittain, Harry E. To Verdun from the Somme, 1927.
  26. ___Ellis, W. B. Sanity for Sale, 1929.
  27. ___Jacobs, Joseph Jewish Contributions to Civilization, 1920.
  28. ___Mackendrick, W. G. The Destiny of Britain and America, 1922.
  29. ___Manual for the General Court 1959-1960 - 2 copies.
  30. ___Millard, Thomas F. The End of Exterritoriality in China, 1931.
  31. ___Spargo, John The Jew and American Ideals, 1921.
  32. ___Yearbooks from the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland - 1932, 1951.

CONTAINER LIST

  1. Box 1: Folders 1-21
  2. Box 2: Folders 22-34
  3. Box 3: Folders 35-49
  4. Box 4: Folders 50-71
  5. Box 5: Folders 72-91
  6. Box 6: Folders 92-111
  7. Box 7: Folders 112-127
  8. Box 8: Folders 128-139
  9. Box 9: Folders 140-147
  10. Box 10: Folders 148-154a
  11. Box 11: Folders 154b-160
  12. Box 12: Folders 161-167
  13. Box 13: Folders 168-179
  14. Box 14: Folders 180-188
  15. Box 15: Folders 189-206
  16. Box 16: Folders 207-219
  17. Box 17: Folders 220-232
  18. Box 18: Folders 233-241
  19. Box 19: Folders 242-258; vol.1-vol.2
  20. Box 20: Folders 259-278; vol. 3
  21. Box 21: Folders 279-293
  22. Box 22: Folders 294-302
  23. Box 23: Folders 303-320
  24. Box 24: Folders 321-340; vols. 4 and 5
  25. Box 25: Volumes 6-11

INDEX

  1. Allen, A. Leonard 64
  2. American Association of Industrial Nurses 15
  3. American Legion 12, 14, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 41, 45, 60, 115, 116, 165, 243, 279, oversize folder 1.
  4. American Legion Auxiliary 35, 115, 126, 160, oversize folder 1.
  5. American Liberty League 200
  6. American Red Cross 14
  7. American Veterans Committee 22
  8. American Veterans of the World War 24
  9. AMVETS 23, 29, 30, 186, 281, oversize folder 1.
  10. American War Dads 28, 156
  11. Amputees of World War II 29, 33, 34
  12. Anderson, Robert 123
  13. Angell, Homer D. 37
  14. Anthony, Susan B. 140
  15. Army and Navy Union, USA 37
  16. Army and Navy Union, Auxiliary 105
  17. Bakewell, Claude 37, 43
  18. Baldwin, Raymond 29
  19. Bantz, F. A. 84, 109
  20. Bates, George 32
  21. Blackwell, Alice Stone 140
  22. Blinded Veterans Association 36, 37, 279, 342f+
  23. Blitch, Iris 262
  24. Boykin, Frank 35, 186
  25. Bolton, Frances 262
  26. Botte, Charles L. 274
  27. Bradley, Omar 121, 126
  28. Bridges, Styles 28, 123
  29. Brooks, Wayland 264
  30. Buchanan, Vera 262
  31. Burke, Arleigh 109, 124, 126
  32. Byrd, Harry F. 123
  33. Canadian Combat Veterans Association, Inc. 23
  34. Capsin, Joseph 58-61
  35. Carlson, Frank 32
  36. Castro, Fidel 172
  37. Catholic War Veterans 56
  38. Chiang Kai-Shek 263
  39. Church, Margaret 262
  40. Collins, John F. 123
  41. Conte, Silvio 124
  42. Coolidge, Calvin 7, 122, 192
  43. Coolidge, Grace 4
  44. Curley, James M. 264
  45. Curtis, Cathrine 16, 146, 188
  46. Cushing, Richard Cardinal 122, 123, 165, 186
  47. Daughters of the American Revolution 125, 152, 243, 245, 342f+
  48. Denfeld, Louis E. 156, 157
  49. Dewey, Thomas E. 123
  50. Dirksen, Everett McKinley 111, 122
  51. Disabled American Veterans 24, 26, 29, 31, 33-35, 58, 60, 159, 342f+
  52. Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary 103
  53. Donohue, Harold 32
  54. Eisenhower, Dwight D. 122, 123, 172, 186, 263
  55. Eisenhower, Maimie 263
  56. Equal Rights 188
  57. Farrington, Elizabeth 262
  58. Federal Employees Veterans Association 31, 78, 80, 81, 84
  59. Fletcher Charles K. 34
  60. Forrestal, James 23, 41
  61. Franke, W.B. 109
  62. Fuller, Alvan T. 6
  63. Gates, Thomas S., Jr. 122, 124
  64. Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. 27, 41
  65. Goodwin, Angier 32
  66. Green, Edith 262
  67. Griffiths, Martha 262
  68. Halleck, Charles A. 4, 124
  69. Harden, Cecil 262
  70. Harding, Warren G. 7
  71. Hayes, Helen 264
  72. Herter, Christian 16, 32, 124
  73. Hill, Lister 124
  74. Hobby, Olveta Culp 9, 121
  75. Hoover, Herbert 7, 123, 186, 194, 263
  76. Hynes, John B. 264
  77. Johnson, Glen D. 29
  78. Kahn, Florence 262
  79. Kee, Elizabeth 262
  80. Kelly, Edna 262
  81. Kennedy, John F. 32, 263
  82. Knox, Frank 264
  83. Knutson, Cora 262
  84. Landon, Alfred 264
  85. Lane, Thomas G. 32
  86. League of Women Voters, Watertown, MA 29
  87. Legion of Valor 29, 32
  88. LeMay, Curtis E. 288
  89. Lindbergh, Charles 265, 309
  90. Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr. 32, 111, 122, 264
  91. McCarthy, Jean 123
  92. McCarthy, Joseph 143, 188
  93. McCormack, John 32, 41, 81, 122, 123, 127, 186, 264, 281
  94. McCormick, Ruth 262
  95. McCowen, Edward 37
  96. McMillen, Clara 262
  97. Martin, Joseph 32, 37, 41, 63, 264
  98. Matthews, Frank A. 36
  99. Military Order of Foreign Wars of the U.S. 57
  100. Miller, Frieda S. 52
  101. Miller, George P. 30
  102. Mitchell, E.A. 34
  103. Mothers of World War II 24
  104. Murphy, Frank 126
  105. Murray, Reid 37
  106. National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. 41
  107. National Federation of Federal Employees 41, 45
  108. National Guard Association of the U.S. 82
  109. Nicholson, Donald 33
  110. Nixon, Pat 263
  111. Nixon, Richard 111, 123, 263
  112. Nolan, Mary 262
  113. O'Connell, W. Cardinal 122, 171
  114. Oldfield, Pearl 262
  115. Owen, Ruth B. 262
  116. Page, William Tyler 162, 188
  117. Paralyzed Veterans Association 29, 35, 39, 126, 243
  118. Paralyzed Veterans Research Foundation 23
  119. Pate, R. McC. 124
  120. Patterson, Robert P. 43
  121. Paulson, Norris 38
  122. Pearson, Drew 41, 121
  123. Pfost, Gracie 112, 262
  124. Powell, Rose Arnold 140
  125. Pratt, Ruth B. 262
  126. Rayburn, Sam 123
  127. Reiss Associates 107
  128. Republican National Committee 41, 199
  129. Rizley, Ross 37
  130. Rogers, John Jacob 2, 6, 189, 250, 305, 307; volumes 9, 10, 2o
  131. Romulo, Carlos P. 122, 123, 263
  132. Roosevelt, Eleanor 147, 263
  133. Roosevelt, Franklin D. 20, 263, 345f
  134. St. George, Katharine 262
  135. Saltonstall, Leverett 41, 56, 279
  136. Scott, Hugh 41
  137. Sheppard, Harry 34
  138. Smith, Margaret Chase 262
  139. State Service Commission of Mississippi 22
  140. Stefan, Karl 38
  141. Stettinius, Edward R., Jr. 123
  142. Sullivan, John L. 155
  143. Sullivan, Leonore K. 262
  144. Sumner, Jessie 262
  145. Taft, Robert A. 123
  146. Thompson, Ruth 262
  147. Thurmond, Strom 123
  148. Truman, Harry 43, 263
  149. United Spanish War Veterans 24-26, 29, 34, 121, 143
  150. United States Army Mothers 26
  151. United Veterans Hospital Organization 23
  152. Vandenberg, Arthur 264
  153. Van Zandt, James E. 124
  154. Veterans Collegiate Association 22
  155. Veterans' Administration 14, 16, 26, 29-32, 34, 36, 37, 45, 46, 47, 64, 103, 121, 126, 141
  156. Veterans of Foreign Wars 24-26, 29-31, 34, 37, 41, 56, 155, 168, 281
  157. Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary 41, 42
  158. Veterans of World War I 243, 281
  159. Wagner, Robert 264
  160. Weeks, Edward 69
  161. Weeks, John 3
  162. Widows World War I, Inc. 68
  163. Willkie, Wendell 264, 347+
  164. Woman Veteran 33
  165. Women Investors in America, Inc. 16
  166. Women's Army Corps 9, 148, 153, 155, 169, 312
  167. Women's Field Army 140, 168
  168. Women's Overseas Service League 14, 23, 38, 148
  169. Young Men's Christian Association 35

Processing Information

Processed: March 1974

By: Katherine Gray Kraft
Link to catalog

Subjects

Related Names

Administrative Information

Title
Rogers, Edith Nourse, 1881-1960. Papers of Edith Nourse Rogers, 1854-1961 (inclusive), 1881-1961 (bulk): A Finding Aid
Author
Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
Language of description
eng
EAD ID
sch00294

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository

https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/schlesinger-library

The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.

Contact:
3 James St.
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
617-495-8540

Powered by ArchivesSpace v3.3.1
© 2020 President and Fellows of Harvard College
Accessibility Privacy Harmful Language Statement
Send Feedback Help