Collection #

M 0100,

BV 1150–1169,

BV 2546–2553,

BV 3309–3325

 

 

CHARLES WARREN FAIRBANKS
PAPERS, 1876–1928

Collection Information

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by

Paul Brockman
15 March 2001
Revised 23 January 2002

Updated by Barbara Quigley
16 September 2004

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202–3269

www.indianahistory.org

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

Manuscript Materials: 14 manuscript boxes and 45 bound volumes.
Visual Materials: 3 albums, 3 folders of photographs, 3 oversize boxes (OVA, OVB, OVC), and 2 oversize folders in flat file storage.

COLLECTION
DATES:

1876–1928

PROVENANCE:

Main body of material obtained from estate of Adelaide Fairbanks Causey by purchase from Hoosier Bookshop, 3820 East 61st Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46220, September 1962; other material from several sources, 1945–88

RESTRICTIONS:

 

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

 

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

Charles Fairbanks letter (SC 2640); William E. English Last Will and Testament (SC 0550); William E. English letter (SC 1654); Robert Fairbanks Papers (M 0101); Harlow Lindley Collection (M 0186)

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

1962.0801, 2001.0148, 1945.0505, 1960.0102

NOTES:

 

BIOGRAPHiCAL SKETCH

Charles Warren Fairbanks (1852–1918), the son of Lorsiton M. and Mary A. (Smith) Fairbanks, was born in a log cabin near Unionville Center, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1872, and three years later received a master's degree from the same institution.  Through the influence of his uncle William Henry Smith he obtained a position with the Associated Press, serving in its Pittsburgh and Cleveland offices from 1872 to 1874.  At the same time he managed to study law and to be admitted to the bar in 1874.  In that year, also, he married Cornelia Cole (1852–1913), a college classmate, and moved to Indianapolis.  They had five children: Adelaide (1875 or 1876–1961), Warren Charles (1878–1938), Frederick C. (1881–1940), Richard M. (1883–1944) and Robert C. (ca. 1887–1951, see also: M 0101, Robert C. Fairbanks Papers).

For the next twenty years, Fairbanks specialized in railroad law, practicing in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.  He was paid well for his work, and amassed a considerable fortune, which permitted him to give up practice when he decided to enter politics.

Fairbanks' first venture into politics was as a leader of Walter Q. Gresham's campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 1888.  When this effort failed, Fairbanks supported the successful nominee, Benjamin Harrison.  In 1893, Fairbanks was the Republican candidate for U.S. Senator, but was defeated.  He was an early advocate of women's suffrage.  He became a good friend of William McKinley, and at his suggestion was keynote speaker at the Republican convention in 1896.  From that time on, Fairbanks had considerable influence in the Indiana Republican Party.

In 1897, Fairbanks was elected to the U.S. Senate.  He served on several committees, and, as a close friend of President McKinley, he often served as the president's spokesperson in the Senate.  Fairbanks was also a member of a joint commission that negotiated outstanding disputes with Great Britain.

He was elected to a second term in 1903, but resigned the next year when he began a four-year term as vice president under Theodore Roosevelt.  Fairbanks was mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 1908, but lost out to William Howard Taft.  Upon leaving public office, Fairbanks took a world tour in 1909 and 1910.  He was an influential Methodist layman, and served as board chairman of Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.  He took an active interest in conservation and forestry, and was president of the Indiana State Forestry Association.

Sources:
Materials in collection
Who Was Who in America, Vol. I
Dictionary of American Biography
Indiana Biographical Series, Vol. 1 pp. 132-135; Vol. 7 pp.39-42
Dunn, Indiana and Indianans, Vol. 3, pp. 1221-1225

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists principally of Fairbanks' business and political papers from the period 1876–1904.  Included are his letter books from 1876–1904, containing copies of letters relating to state and national politics, the operation of his U. S. Senate office, and his legal cases involving midwestern railroad companies.  Also contained is correspondence, primarily from 1894–1904 regarding the legal affairs of railroad companies, the 1896 political campaign, patronage appointments, the U. S. and British Commission on Canada which considered the Alaska boundary question, the 1904 presidential election, and the Indiana Forestry Association, 1910–17.

Also contained in the collection are letters to Fairbanks from Indiana constituents giving opinions on state and national issues, 1897–1904.  Additional items include scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and memorabilia relating to Fairbanks' political campaigns, his official trips to Alaska and Quebec, and the work of his wife, Cornelia Cole Fairbanks (d. 1913) as president-general of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1901–05.  The collection also includes Fairbanks' letters to Rev. J. Wesley Hall, 1907–17, and a diary kept by Fairbanks' daughter, Adelaide, in Vevay, Switzerland County, 1924–28.

Photographs in the collection include items contained in three albums (stored in OVA boxes), one oversize box (OVB), and three folders.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Correspondence

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Correspondence, January 1881–94

Box 1, Folder 1

Correspondence, 1889–92

Box 1, Folder 2

Correspondence, January–October 1893

Box 1, Folder 3

Correspondence, November 1893

Box 1, Folder 4

Speech, November 1893

Box 1, Folder 5

Correspondence, December 1893

Box 1, Folder 6

Correspondence, 12–29 December 1893

Box 1, Folder 7

Correspondence, 1–17 January 1894

Box 1, Folder 8

Correspondence, 10–31 January 1894

Box 1, Folder 9

Correspondence, 1–21 February 1894

Box 1, Folder 10

Correspondence, 22–28 February 1894

Box 1, Folder 11

Correspondence, March–November 1894

Box 1, Folder 12

Correspondence, 1895

Box 1, Folder 13

Correspondence, January–July 1896

Box 1, Folder 14

Correspondence, 1–15 August 1896

Box 1, Folder 15

Correspondence, 16–31 August 1896

Box 1, Folder 16

Correspondence, 1–8 September 1896

Box 1, Folder 17

Correspondence, 9–17 September 1896

Box 1, Folder 18

Correspondence, 18–22 September 1896

Box 2, Folder 1

Correspondence, 23–30 September 1896

Box 2, Folder 2

Correspondence, 1–8 October 1896

Box 2, Folder 3

Correspondence, 9–15 October 1896

Box 2, Folder 4

Correspondence, 16–24 October 1896

Box 2, Folder 5

Correspondence, 26–31 October 1896

Box 2, Folder 6

Correspondence, 1–6 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 7

Correspondence, 7–8 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 8

Correspondence, 9–11 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 9

Correspondence, 12–17 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 10

Correspondence, 18–21 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 11

Correspondence, 23–25 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 12

Correspondence, 26–30 November 1896

Box 2, Folder 13

Correspondence, 1–3 December 1896

Box 2, Folder 14

Correspondence, 4–7 December 1896

Box 2, Folder 15

Correspondence, 8–14 December 1896

Box 2, Folder 16

Correspondence, 17 December 1896–4 January 1897

Box 2, Folder 17

Correspondence, February 1897

Box 3, Folder 1

Correspondence, 1–4 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 2

Correspondence, 7–20 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 3

Correspondence, 21–22 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 4

Correspondence, 23 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 5

Correspondence, 24–25 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 6

Correspondence, 26 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 7

Correspondence, 27 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 8

Correspondence, 28–29 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 9

Correspondence, 30–31 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 10

Correspondence, 1–10 April 1897

Box 3, Folder 11

Correspondence, 11–16 April 1897

Box 3, Folder 12

Correspondence, 17–22 April 1897

Box 3, Folder 13

Correspondence, 23–30 April 1897

Box 3, Folder 14

Correspondence, 1–6 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 15

Correspondence, 7–10 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 16

Correspondence, 11–21 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 17

Correspondence, 22–31 March 1897

Box 3, Folder 18

Correspondence, 1–4 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 1

Correspondence, 5–8 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 2

Correspondence, 9–10 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 3

Correspondence, 11 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 4

Correspondence, 12–13 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 5

Correspondence, 14 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 6

Correspondence, 15 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 7

Correspondence, 16–17 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 8

Correspondence, 18 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 9

Correspondence, 19–20 June 1897

Box 4, Folder 10

Correspondence, 1–13 July 1897

Box 4, Folder 11

Correspondence, 14 July 1897

Box 4, Folder 12

Correspondence, January–September 1898

Box 4, Folder 13

Correspondence, 14–15 October 1898

Box 4, Folder 14

Correspondence, 16–20 October 1898

Box 5, Folder 1

Correspondence, 21–25 October 1898

Box 5, Folder 2

Correspondence, 26–31 October 1898

Box 5, Folder 3

Correspondence, 1–4 November 1898

Box 5, Folder 4

Correspondence, 5 November 1898

Box 5, Folder 5

Correspondence, 6–30 November 1898

Box 5, Folder 6

Correspondence, 1–15 December 1898

Box 5, Folder 7

Correspondence, 16–31 December 1898

Box 5, Folder 8

Correspondence, 1–10 January 1899

Box 5, Folder 9

Correspondence, 11–20 January 1899

Box 5, Folder 10

Correspondence, 21–31 January 1899

Box 5, Folder 11

Correspondence, 1 February 1899

Box 5, Folder 12

Correspondence, 7–10 February 1899

Box 5, Folder 13

Correspondence, 11–14 February 1899

Box 5, Folder 14

Correspondence, 15–28 February 1899

Box 5, Folder 15

Correspondence, March–June 1899

Box 5, Folder 16

Correspondence, July–November 1899

Box 5, Folder 17

Correspondence, December 1899

Box 6, Folder 1

Correspondence, January 1900

Box 6, Folder 2

Correspondence, 1–15 February 1900

Box 6, Folder 3

Correspondence, 16–29 February 1900

Box 6, Folder 4

Correspondence, n.d.

Box 6, Folder 5

Correspondence, n.d.

Box 6, Folder 6

Correspondence, March–May 1900

Box 6, Folder 7

Correspondence, 1–11 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 8

Correspondence, 12–13 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 9

Correspondence, 14–16 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 10

Correspondence, 17–20 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 11

Correspondence, 21–25 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 12

Correspondence, 26–27 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 13

Correspondence, 28–30 June 1900

Box 6, Folder 14

Correspondence, 1–5 July 1900

Box 6, Folder 15

Correspondence, 6–31 July 1900

Box 6, Folder 16

Correspondence, August–September 1900

Box 6, Folder 17

Correspondence, October 1900

Box 6, Folder 18

Correspondence, November 1900

Box 6, Folder 19

Correspondence, 1–8 December 1900

Box 6, Folder 20

Correspondence, 9–15 December 1900

Box 7, Folder 1

Correspondence, 16–22 December 1900

Box 7, Folder 2

Correspondence, 24–31 December 1900

Box 7, Folder 3

Correspondence, 1900

Box 7, Folder 4

Correspondence, 1–8 January 1901

Box 7, Folder 5

Correspondence, 9–21 January 1901

Box 7, Folder 6

Correspondence, 22–31 January 1901

Box 7, Folder 7

Correspondence, 1–18 February 1901

Box 7, Folder 8

Correspondence, 20–28 February 1901

Box 7, Folder 9

Correspondence, 1–11 March 1901

Box 7, Folder 10

Correspondence, 12–21 March 1901

Box 7, Folder 11

Correspondence, 22–31 March 1901

Box 7, Folder 12

Correspondence, 1–12 April 1901

Box 7, Folder 13

Correspondence, 13–30 April 1901

Box 7, Folder 14

Correspondence, May 1901

Box 7, Folder 15

Correspondence, June 1901

Box 7, Folder 16

Correspondence, 1–15 July 1901

Box 8, Folder 1

Correspondence, 16–31 July 1901

Box 8, Folder 2

Correspondence, August–September 1901

Box 8, Folder 3

Correspondence, October–December 1901

Box 8, Folder 4

Correspondence, January–June 1902

Box 8, Folder 5

Correspondence, July–December 1902

Box 8, Folder 6

Correspondence, 1903

Box 8, Folder 7

Correspondence, December 1903–June 1904

Box 8, Folder 8

Correspondence, 1–9 July 1904

Box 8, Folder 9

Correspondence, 11–13 July 1904

Box 8, Folder 10

Correspondence, 17–30 July 1904

Box 8, Folder 11

Correspondence, 1–15 August 1904

Box 8, Folder 12

Correspondence, 16–31 August 1904

Box 8, Folder 13

Correspondence, September 1904

Box 8, Folder 14

Correspondence, October–December 1904

Box 8, Folder 15

Correspondence, 1906–09

Box 8, Folder 16

Correspondence, September–October 1910

Box 8, Folder 17

Correspondence, November 1910

Box 8, Folder 18

Correspondence, December 1910

Box 8, Folder 19

Correspondence, January 1911

Box 8, Folder 1

Correspondence, February –August 1911

Box 9, Folder 2

Correspondence, September–December 1911

Box 9, Folder 3

Correspondence, January–April 1912

Box 9, Folder 4

Correspondence, May–December 1912

Box 9, Folder 5

Correspondence, January–June 1913

Box 9, Folder 6

Correspondence, July–December 1913

Box 9, Folder 7

Correspondence, 1914–15

Box 9, Folder 8

Correspondence, 1916–17

Box 9, Folder 9

Correspondence, n.d.

Box 9, Folder 10

Series 2: Letterbooks, Scrapbooks, and Receipts

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Letterbook, April–July 1899

BV 2546

Synopsis of Correspondence 1897

BV 2547

Letterbook, September–December 1900

BV 2548

Letterbook, December 1899–February 1900

BV 2549

Letterbook, December 1900–January 1901

BV 2550

Letterbook, 1901

BV 2551

Letterbook, 1901

BV 2552

Letterbook, September–December 1904

BV 2553

Letterbook, August 1876–February 1878

BV 3309

Letterbook, February 1878–July 1880

BV 3310

Letterbook, July 1880–October 1881

BV 3311

Letterbook, October 1881–January 1882

BV 3312

Letterbook, June 1884–July 1885

BV 3313

Letterbook, September 1884–April 1885

BV 3314

Letterbook, January–April 1885

BV 3315

Letterbook, August 1891–October 1892

BV 3316

Letterbook, October–November 1894; February–October 1897

BV 3317

Letterbook, August 1896–January 1897

BV 3318

Letterbook, May 1897–April 1901

BV 3319

Letterbook, January 1898–March 1901

BV 3320

Letterbook, November–December 1898

BV 3221

Letterbook, July–November 1898

BV 3222

Scrapbook, 1901

BV 3223

Letterbook, November 1901–January 1902

BV 3224

Letterbook, February–July 1904

BV 3225

Scrapbook, General, 1900–03

BV 1153

Scrapbook, Canadian Commission, 1901–02

BV 1154

Scrapbook, Personal, 1902–03

BV 1156

Scrapbook, Alaskan Boundary, 1903–04

BV 1157

Scrapbook, Political, 1903–04

BV 1158

Scrapbook, Political, 1905–06

BV 1159

Scrapbook, Political, 1908

BV 1160

Scrapbook, Personal, 1908

BV 1161

Scrapbook, Photo Card Album, 1910–11

BV 1162

Scrapbook, Personal, 1913–15

BV 1164

Scrapbook, Vol. 1, 1904

BV 1166

Scrapbook, Vol. 2, 1905

BV 1167

Souvenir of the Quebec Tercentenary Celebration Scrapbook, Vol. 1, 1908

BV 1168

Souvenir of the Quebec Tercentenary Celebration Scrapbook, Vol. 2, 1908

BV 1169

Mrs. Charles Fairbanks D.A.R. Scrapbooks 1901–02

BV 1155

Cornelia Fairbanks Scrapbook, 1913

BV 1163

John Wesley Timmons Scrapbook, 1897–1903

BV 1165

Pass to Senate Chambers, n.d.

Box 9, Folder 11

Receipts, Indianapolis, 1899–1902

Box 9, Folder 12

Receipts, Indianapolis, January–May 1903

Box 9, Folder 13

Receipts, Indianapolis, June–December 1903

Box 9, Folder 14

Receipts, Indianapolis, 1904

Box 9, Folder 15

Receipts, Indianapolis, n.d.

Box 9, Folder 16

Receipts, Indianapolis, n.d.

Box 9, Folder 17

Series 3: Legal Cases, 1874–89

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western R.R., April–August 1886, book 1

Box 10, Folder 1

Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western R.R., April–August 1886, book 2

Box 10, Folder 2

Indianapolis Bloomington & Western Railway, 1878–81

Box 11, Folder 1

Toledo, Cincinnati, St. Louis and other railroads, December 1882–January 1887

Box 11, Folder 2

Legal Cases and Letters, August 1888–April 1889

Box 11, Folder 3

Series 4: Adelaide Fairbanks Materials, 1916–22

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Record of Summer, June–September 1922

Box 12, Folder 1

Recipes, January 1916

Box 12, Folder 2

Poetry, 1921

Box 12, Folder 3

Adelaide Fairbanks Diary, 1924–28

BV 1150

Series 5: Miscellaneous

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Inaugural Souvenir, 1905 (bound volume in flat box)

Box 13

Bohemia––International League of Press Clubs, 1908 (bound volume in flat box)

Box 14

Series 6: Photographs

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Political and Personal Photographs, 1890s–1900s

Visual Collections:  Manuscript Photographs, Folder 1

Family and Personal Photographs, 1880s–1890s (1 of 2)

Visual Collections:  Manuscript Photographs, Folder 2

Family and Personal Photographs, 1880s–1890s (2 of 2)

Visual Collections: Manuscript Photographs, Folder 3

Whitepass, Alaska, June 1899

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 1

Copy Neg. C6318

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 2

Unidentified Portrait, n.d.

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 3

[Interior,] ca. 1890s

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 4

Unidentified, ca. 1920s

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 5

Group Portrait, Unionville, Ohio, July, 1905

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 6

Unidentified Woman's Portrait, 1905

Visual Collections:
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 7

Charles Fairbanks Portrait, 1909

Visual Collections: 
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 8

William McKinley and Charles Fairbanks in automobile, ca. 1900

Visual Collections: 
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 9

Residence of J. or P. G. Manning, ca. 1898

Visual Collections: 
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 10

Horse and Carriage, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 11

Indiana Members, Associated Press, Banquet, Indianapolis, 1916

Visual Collections: 
OVA Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 12

Death of Fairbanks and personal photographs, 1918, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 1

Unidentified Woman, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 2

Claudia Gage, December 1900

Visual Collections:
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 3

Group Portrait including Fairbanks, ca. 1900

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 4

Unidentified Woman, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 5

Unidentified Woman, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 6

Charles Fairbanks Portrait, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 7

Unidentified Woman, n.d.

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 8

Fairbanks in front of house, ca. 1910s

Visual Collections: 
OVB Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 9

Mrs. Fairbanks and Identified Ladies, 1898

Visual Collections:  Oversized Photographs, Flat File FF 28-f, Folder 1

Mrs. Fairbanks and Identified Ladies, 1898

Visual Collections:
OVC Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 1

William McKinley Home, ca. 1898

Visual Collections:
OVC Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 2

Fairbanks and Group of Men, ca. 1898

Visual Collections:
OVC Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 3

United States War Senate 1898

Visual Collections:  Oversized Photographs, Flat File FF 28-f, Folder 2

Signed Portrait of Charles Fairbanks, 1909

Visual Collections:
OVC Photographs,
Box 1, Folder 4

Series 7: Photograph Albums

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Bound Album Travel Photographs from Africa, Asia, and other areas, ca. 1900s

Visual Collections: 
Album 1

Bound Album of Alaska Photographs, 1898

Visual Collections:
Album 2

Washington (State) Logging Camp Family Trip, 1899

Visual Collections:
Album 3

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

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