Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. Papers 1911-1965

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968

Background

Scope and content:

The Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. Papers, 1911-1965, consist of 273 linear feet of correspondence, memoranda, records, files of all sorts, photographs, scrapbooks, etc. pertaining largely to the Virginia Senator's political and business careers. Save for his years as governor of Virginia (1925-1929) the collection documents in great detail his activities in politics and business. The bulk of the political papers deal with Virginiastate politics, and present a clear picture of Byrd's leadership of the state Democratic Party. Substantive material from or concerning national figures for the period is not to be found in these papers.

Material of greatest research value is probably to be found in the papers before 1932 when Byrd was elected to the U.S. Senate. The correspondence files are particularly rich and helpful in the 1920's. A cautiousness of statement appears in his correspondence when Byrd arrives in Washington, but the tendency disappears after a few years, and the later correspondence is candid and useful.

The papers of Senator Byrd are invaluable for any study of Virginia's politics and public life during Byrd's lifetime. Because of his great success as an apple grower and farmer, researchers in these fields will find much of value here. There is also some material useful for the study of journalistic history, and other fields of research.

Biographical / historical:

  • 1887 --born Martinsburg, W. Va., son of Richard Evelyn & Eleanor Bolling (Flood) Byrd, and nephew of Hal D. Flood
  • 1902 --acquired the Winchester Star
  • 1906 --established the Martinsburg Evening Journal and leases his first apple orchard
  • 1908 --appointed to Winchester City Council, first public office
  • 1908-1918 --president of the Valley Turnpike Company
  • 1909 --sold Martinsburg Evening Journal to purchase apple orchards
  • 1913 --married Anne Douglas Beverley
  • 1915-1925 --member of Virginia State Senate: served on the Finance, Roads, and Privileges & Elections Committees
  • 1922-1925 --chairman of the State Democratic Committee
  • 1923 --acquired the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record
  • 1923 --member & Chairman of Publicity Committee of the "Pay As You Go" Roads Association
  • 1926-1930 --governor of Virginia
  • 1928 --his anti-lynch law passed by the Virginia legislature
  • 1928-1940 --member of the Democratic National Committee
  • 1929 --acquired his family home "Rosemont" from the Harriman's of New York
  • 1930 --reorganization of Virginia State Constitution and government
  • 1932 --Virginia endorsed Byrd for president
  • 1933-1964 --U. S. Senator from Virginia. Member of the following standing committees: Finance, chair man, 1955-1965; Armed Services, Rules; Civil Service. Member of the following special committees: 1. Select committee on Government Reorganization; 2. Joint Committee on Reduction of non-essential Federal Spending; 3. Provision Committee to draft the original Atomic Energy Legislation; 4. Finanance Subcommittee on intergovernmental taxation; 5. Preparedness Subcommittee which investigated the Korean ammunition shortage; 6. Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation
  • 1958 --announced retirement, but was persuaded by friends to run again
  • 1965 --resigned from Senate due to ill health
  • 1966 --died at "Rosemont"

Acquisition information:
The sons of Harry F. Byrd--Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Richard E. Byrd, and Beverley B. Byrd--presented their father's papers to the University of Virginia in March 1971. Papers relating to Byrd's Senate career were picked up on March 2 from the Victory Van Corporation, Alexandria, Virginia where they had been stored since 1965. Eight days later a second group which dealt with the years 1911-1932, was collected from the Senator's home, Rosemont.
Arrangement:

The collection arrived at the University of Virginia divided into business, personal, and political groups. There was a great deal of inconsistency and repetition within and between the three divisions. As a result, it was decided that a thorough reorganization was in order. Five series were evolved which are described below.

The arrangement is chronological and varies from series to series. Within each chronology generally topics and correspondents are alphabetized together. Individual folders were made when a person was a voluminous correspondent or was politically prominent. Topics always have separate folders and will be specifically mentioned in the guide. The researcher must be willing to search topical files for information on specific people. For example, there could be Watt Abbitt correspondence in the Alfalfa Club, the Luncheons, and the Senate Campaign of 1964 folders.

Series I: Business, 1914-1965: Correspondence, memoranda, bills, and receipts comprise this Series. Senator Byrd's various business interests are represented--apple and peach growing, general farming, cold storage, and newspaper publishing. In the pre-1932 years, those papers detail exhaustively Senator Byrd's financial career, especially in the apple business.

There are three subsections to Series I. First, a general business section arranged chronologically and within the year alphabetically by correspondent and topic. There follows a section on the apple sales of specific orchards-- Rosemont, Turkey Knob, and Timberville. Thirdly, a section on general apple sales is arranged chronologically.

The general business material was pulled in many cases from storage boxes marked personal and political from both shipments of material. The files on the apple sales came chiefly from the attic of Rosemont. They are chiefly bills and receipts, and orders for apples.

Series II: Political, 1911-1932: This series documents Senator Byrd's rise to political prominence and gives a detailed picture of the formation and maintenance of the Byrd Organization. But it must be repeated that there is a gap for the gubernatorial years. We assume material for this part of his official life is to be found in the Executive Papers of the Library of Virginia.

The chronology for Series II is by one year periods, and, of course, alphabetically by topic and correspondent within those time spans.

This material had been stored at Rosemont, and practically every piece was rearranged.

Series III: Political, 1933-1965: Series III contains material on Byrd's senatorial career. Although there is correspondence with national political figures, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the materials deal with Virginia politics and government rather than national politics and government.

Chronological arrangements for this series is by four year subsections, save for the last which is a 5 year period (1933-1936; 1937-1940; 1945-1948; 1949-1952; 1953-1956; 1941-1944; 1957-1960; 1961-1965). Within these sub-series, material is again alphabetically by correspondent and topic.

These papers came to the University from the Victory Van Storage Company. They had evidently been boxed in the Senator's Washington office after his death. As with Series II, it was necessary to go through nearly every folder to assure consistency.

Series IV: Miscellaneous topics: Divided into 8 sub-series, this section contains material which would not easily fit into the first three series or were simply too large to be integrated.

A. Appointment & engagement books, 1928-29 & 1950-1965

B. Magazine articles, 1920-1966. This sub-series is comprised of articles by and about Byrd, and some collected by him. There are some drafts and correspondence re the articles, and their publication. The arrangement is chronological.

C. Newsclippings, 1924-1966. A miscellaneous collection dealing with a wide range of topics-- Harry F. Byrd, Virginia politics, economic, issues, etc. The arrangement is chronological.

D. Constituents' mail, 1957, 1960-1965. Comprised of letters to Byrd from his "national" constituency, commending, and, in some instances, condemning Byrd's position on various issues. In addition, this sub- series contains three bound volumes of letters, 1963 April-May, from various chapters of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

E. Harry F. ByrdVoting Record, 1933-1965. Consists of seven bound volumes and five boxes of material detailing the Senator's voting record for 1933-1943 and 1953-1965. However, in 1957 the first session of the 85th Congress is not represented.

F. Speeches and Statements. This sub-series is divided into several sections. Byrd kept a "Reference file of other people's speeches." This is arranged alphabetically and is indexed. There is also another alphabet of other people's speeches which was pulled together from various locations, and is listed item by item. Secondly, there is a large file of Byrd's speeches, 1920-1965, arranged chronologically, which contains many original drafts with holograph corrections, and mimeograph copies. Thirdly, is a section of Public Statements, 1922-1965, which includes press releases.

G. Scrapbooks, 1906-1965. Consists of 110 loose volumes and two boxes. The first two volumes in this sub-series are scrapbooks of Richard E. Byrd, Sr.The remaining items contain newspapers, photographs and some correspondence pertinent to Harry Byrd's career.

H. Cartoon Collection, Photographs and Awards. Throughout his political life, Byrd collected cartoons about himself. They lined the walls of his Senate office. There is a card index to these 575 framed drawings and a microfilm has been prepared of each for reference use. This sub-series also contains photographs of political figures and friends, and various awards and certificates presented to the Senator.

Series V: Byrd and Flood Families: This series contains papers relating to Richard Evelyn Byrd, Sr. and Jr., Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Hal D. Flood, Joel W. Floodand various other Byrds and Floods. It is divided into 5 sub-series.

A. Richard E. Byrd, Sr., father of the Senator and prominent member of the Virginia House of Delegates. His papers, 1907-1928, contain political and legal correspondence with Harry F. Byrd and others. The arrangement is generally chronological with some topical breakdown.

B. Richard E. Byrd, Jr., U. S. Navy Admiral and polar explorer. Papers, 1917-1957, consist chiefly of correspondence between the Admiral and the Senator--many of a political nature--and letters from the Senator concerning his brother. There is material relating to the death of Admiral Byrd and the creation of various memorials to him.

C. Harry Flood Byrd, Jr.: The correspondence of Byrd, Jr. with Byrd, Sr. has been pulled together from various locations and placed in this sub-series. In addition, there is material concerning legislation the younger Byrd proposed, and comments by him on the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

D. Various members of the Byrd Family. Chiefly correspondence, 1917-1965, of Senator Byrd with various members of the family, and with non-relatives concerning Byrd genealogy. There is a segment of condolence letters, 1957, to the Senator on the death of his mother, Eleanor Bolling (Flood) Byrd. Letters from prominent people have been pulled from this subseries and placed in Series III.

E. Flood Family. This sub-series is composed of 2 sections. First is a topical arrangement of Hal D. Floodpapers, 1896-1922. There is some political correspondence, although the Library of Congress holds the more important pieces of Flood's papers. In addition, there is business & legal correspondence, and material relating to the settlements of various estates. Of note are the Thomas S. Martinestate and that of Hal Floodhimself.

The second section chiefly contains the estates of other members of the Flood family: Joel W. Flood, Anna Portner Flood, Bolling Byrd Flood, and Eleanor F. Flood, Hal Flood, Richard E. Byrd, Sr., and Harry F. Byrd, Sr.were all executors or guardians to these Floods and their papers are found in the group.

A small group of correspondence, 1941-1965, in this sub-series from the Senator concerns Flood genealogy.

Physical location:
Physical description:
273 linear feet