Summary |
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| Creator: | O'Geran, Graeme. |
| Title: | Graeme O'Geran Papers |
| Dates: | 1865-1991 |
| Size: | 4 boxes, including 2 oversized boxes (4 linear feet) |
| Abstract: | The Graeme O'Geran Papers contain materials documenting his personal and professional life, including his interests in economics, politics, history and American presidential ephemera. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Research Center Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives |
Biography
Graeme O'Geran was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on March 2, 1892. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1919 and a Master of Arts in 1920 from Lawrence College, Wisconsin with a dual focus in economics and history. O'Geran spent a year teaching at the University of Wisconsin, an opportunity that allowed him to further focus his interests in the field, mainly public utilities, consumer problems and research into international economic problems. This led him to further continue his education at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with another master's degree in 1926. O'Geran went on to work as an associate professor at Michigan State Normal College from 1925 to 1928. He would later return to the University of Michigan in 1931 for his doctorate.
In 1928, O'Geran joined the Syracuse University faculty as an assistant professor in economics. This started thirty years of continuous service to the Department of Economics, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and the University as a whole. Before long, O'Geran's efforts to the service of Syracuse University earned him a full professorship of economics. At the end of World War II, O'Geran shared the responsibility of working with the large influx of new students and was named Assistant Director of Admissions from 1945 to 1949, a position that pulled him from teaching more and more as the student body nearly outgrew the administrative capabilities of the University. He began teaching again in 1950 until his resignation in 1958. After leaving Syracuse University, O'Geran worked as an economic consultant for Merchants Bank and served as a director of the Community Foundation in Syracuse, New York.
O'Geran repeatedly wrote on his interests, earning him a reputation of expertise on numerous topics. He published a number of articles on economics for the Grolier Society and The Daily Register, and he was known as an adamant opponent of the Postal Savings System for many years in many different news outlets. In 1937, O'Geran spent the summer in England and France to do research and write on the economic layouts of numerous countries in Europe. He also wrote the Outline of Economics (1925), "Problems and Questions in Economics" (1942) and "Consumer Problems" (1941).
A passion for history was instilled in O'Geran when his grandfather, Harvey Graham, a Civil War veteran, passed on to him material from the war, including letters from many prominent political figures at the time, including Abraham Lincoln. This started a lifelong collection of autographed letters and memoranda of every president in American history, concluding with George H.W. Bush, which is now held by Syracuse University. O'Geran's interest in history also drove him to amass one of the most impressive Civil War collections of his time, which he donated to the Iowa State Department of History in 1960. He also published a book, A History of Detroit Street Railways (1932) and other articles on the history of transportation, including "A History of Highway Transportation in Michigan" (1939).
Graeme O'Geran died on May 18, 1989 in Fayetteville, New York.
Scope and Content Note
The Graeme O'Geran Papers contains material documenting his professional and personal interests. While the papers span from 1865 to 1991, the bulk of the material dates from the 1920s to the 1960s. The collection has been divided into five series.
The Correspondence series consists of professional letters, including those from a number of notable political figures, such as Herbert Hoover, Edward Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. A majority of the general correspondence deals with the removal of the Postal Savings System. There are also copies of autographed letters and various envelopes from former presidents and other political figures.
The Newspaper Clippings series includes numerous articles describing O'Geran's presidential autograph collection, his work against the Postal Savings System and his time at Syracuse University. There are copies of newspaper articles covering major historical events and his personal interests in military history, including an 1865 copy of the daily Chronicle and Sentinel from Augusta, Georgia.
The Photographs series contains a variety of photographs from O'Geran's personal life and interests, including multiple portraits and a family photo album. Photographs of a few presidents and autographed portraits of many political figures are present as well.
The Subject Files series consists of materials spanning O'Geran's life including printed material, political memorabilia, greeting cards and scrapbooks compiled by O'Geran and his mother, Eva O'Geran.
The Writings series contains articles, notes and unpublished papers pertaining to O'Geran's work in economics, including some from his time as a research consultant in Sweden and Germany in the 1960s.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
The Archives holds a clipping file on Graeme O'Geran.
The collection of presidential autographs assembled by O'Geran is held by the Syracuse University Special Collections Research Center.
Special Collections also has the correspondence of Harvey Graham, O'Geran's grandfather, which O'Geran donated in 1965.
Selected Search Terms
Names
Types of material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Graeme O'Geran Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
The majority of the Graeme O'Geran Papers were donated to the Archives in 1990 by his wife, Alice O'Geran. She donated additional material in 1995.
Processing Information
Materials were rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: Matthew Isom
Date: 2014
Revision history: