Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Pheiffer, William T. (William Townsend), 1898-
Title:	William T. Pheiffer Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1921-1973
Quantity:	7 linear ft.
Abstract:	Papers of the American lawyer, legislator. Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, 1941-1943; U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, 1950s. Collection contains correspondence, articles, clippings, legislative records, photographs, and speeches related to Pheiffer's legal career and legislative term, the Republican National Committee, the Eisenhower campaign, and the Dominican Republic.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

William T. Pheiffer (1898-1986) was an American lawyer and legislator. He served in the United States Army during World War I and then received his law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1919. He was elected as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, serving from 1941 to 1943. He served in the military again during World War II (1943-1944), after which he was appointed counsel to the Petroleum Administration for War, a position he held until 1945. President Eisenhower appointed Pheiffer U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic in 1953, where he served until 1957.

The Julius Garfinckel who appears in the correspondence was Pheiffer's maternal uncle, and a successful merchant and philanthropist from Syracuse, New York.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The William T. Pheiffer Papers contains correspondence, articles, clippings, legislative records, photographs, and speeches related to Pheiffer's legal career and legislative term, the Republican National Committee, the Eisenhower campaign, and the Dominican Republic.

The collection is subdivided chronologically, according to phases in Pheiffer's career. Private life, early career and personal contains family correspondence and material relating to Pheiffer's years as a practicing lawyer in Texas. Public service career (I) material relates to Pheiffer's congressional service as a representative from New York, from 1941-1943, including elections, fundraising, bills and other items. Private life, transition period refers to Pheiffer's work as a member of the Petroleum Administration for War and then as an attorney in private practice; included here is material relating to the Eisenhower campaign. Public service career (II) is almost entirely concerned with his years as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, inluding correspondence, clippings, speeches and other items. Material in Private life, later career reflects Pheiffer's return to private practice of law.

Memorabilia contains election posters and photographs.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is subdivided roughly chronologically, beginning with Pheiffer's early private life, followed by his first public service phase, his private life, transitional phase, his second stint in public service (including his Ambassadorship), and finally his later private life. Within each series, material does not appear to be in any particular order, and may still be in original order.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

William T. Pheiffer Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of William T. Pheiffer, 1964.

Gift of William T. Pheiffer Estate, 1986.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: LD
Date: 3 Aug 1988
Revision history: 18 May 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

	Private life, early career and personal
		Correspondence
Box 1			General 1921-1936
Box 1			Garfinkel, Julius 1921-1936 - uncle (26 folders)
Box 1			Pfeiffer, Susan (Garfinkel) 1924, 1933-1934, 1936 - mother
Box 1			William T. Pheiffer 1933, 1935, 1936
Box 1			Texas Bar Association Sept. 1934-Sept. 1935 (2 folders)
Box 1			Amarillo Bar Association 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934-1938 (4 folders)
Box 1			Law practice 1939
Box 1			Beckwith and Van Slyck Dec. 1939-July 1940 (4 folders)

	Public service career (I)
		House of Representatives
Box 2			Re-election Jan. 1940-Nov. 16, 1940 (8 folders)
Box 2			Post-election Nov. 18, 1940-Dec. 31, 1940 (6 folders)
Box 2			First term Jan. 1941-Oct. 31, 1942 (3 folders)
Box 2			First term/re-election Nov. 1942-Dec. 1942 (6 folders)
Box 2			Bills and resolutions 1941-1942
Box 2			Campaign literature 1940-1942, undated (5 folders)
Box 2			Election returns, first and second elections (2 folders)
Box 2			Fundraising Mar. 23, 1940-Aug. 7, 1940 - May Day Ball
Box 2			Legislation Mar. 1942-Dec. 1942 - cooperative apartment (3 folders)
Box 3			List of correspondence 1942 (2 folders)
Box 3			General correspondence Jan 1940-June 1943, undated (7 folders)
Box 3			Clippings 1940-1942 (3 folders)
Box 3			Names and addresses (2 folders)
Box 3			O'Conner, Hon. John 1940-1942 (2 folders)
Box 3			Printed material 1940-1942
Box 3			Pro America 1940
Box 3			Speeches (WTP) 1941-1942

	Private life, transition period
Box 3		General correspondence Jan. 1943-Jan. 1948
Box 3		Petroleum Administration for War June 1944-March 1945 - correspondence
Box 3		Dr. Pepper Company June 1944-Jan. 1946 - correspondence
		Republican National Committee
Box 3			Correspondence Oct. 1945-April 1953
Box 3			Names and addresses 1952 (4 folders)
Box 3			Speeches (WTP) 1945
Box 3		Eisenhower campaign organization March 1952-July 1952 - correspondence
Box 3		Yuba Consolidated Industries Oct. 1951-May 1965 - correspondence

	Public service career (II)
		Dominican Republic
Box 3			Correspondence Jan 1953-Sept. 1953 (16 folders)
Box 4			Correspondence Oct. 1953-July 7, 1955 (44 folders)
Box 5			Correspondence July 8, 1955-May 1957 (41 folders)
Box 6			Correspondence June 1957-Nov. 1957, undated (5 folders )
Box 6			Articles 1953-1960, 1965 (5 folders)
Box 6			"Bible" Memos June 26, 1953-Nov. 23, 1954 (4 folders)
			Clippings
Box 6				General May 1953-1957 (8 folders)
Box 6				New York Herald Tribune Sept. 14, 1953
Box 6				General Hood 1954
Box 6				Westbrook Pegler 1954
Box 6				Galindez case 1958
Box 6				Miscellaneous undated
Box 6			Coronet Article 1957
Box 6			Printed material 1953-1957
Box 6			Speeches (WTP) 1953-1957 (3 folders)
Box 6			Speeches (by others) 1957

	Private life, later career
Box 6		General Aug. 1957-Dec. 1957 - correspondence
		Law Practice
Box 6			Correspondence Jan. 1958, 1970, 1973, 1979 (20 folders)
Box 6			Speeches 1958-1960
Box 6		Correspondence undated
		Printed material
Box 6			Clippings 1947-1966 (2 folders)
Box 6			Miscellaneous 1935-1971, undated
		Speeches
Box 6			By others 1947-1949, 1978
Box 6			WTP 1926, 1948, 1952

	Memorabilia
Oversize 7		Photographs
Oversize 7		Election posters and ballots

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