Scope and Content Note
The papers of Key Pittman (1872-1940) span the years 1898-1951, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the period 1912-1940 and relating primarily to his position as senator from Nevada. The collection contains files of political, personal, and legal correspondence, speeches and articles, subject files, clippings, and other printed matter pertaining to such subjects as silver, mining and coinage, Boulder Dam, reclamation of lands in Nevada, Alaskan affairs, neutrality, foreign trade, commercial relations with China and Asia, the League of Nations, and women's suffrage. The collection is arranged largely as received and is organized into twenty-two series.
A Legislative File composed of congressional bills, pending and passed, and correspondence pertaining to them covers the period 1913-1940 for the 63rd -76th Congresses. For the same period there is a file of correspondence with the various executive departments of the government.
Pittman's early career as a lawyer, prospector, and miner in Alaska, California, and Nevada is treated by files on legal and business matters and personal correspondence in the period 1898-1912. The correspondence exchanged between Pittman and his wife is revealing of the senator's political career and personal life.
Financial records relating to the Pittman estate, 1940-1950, scrapbooks and photographs complete the collection.
Correspondents include Edwin Sidney Broussard, Herbert Hoover, Cordell Hull, Harold L. Ickes, Breckinridge Long, William Gibbs McAdoo, Pat McCarran, Henry Morgenthau (1891-1967), George Stuart Nixon, Tasker Loundes Oddie, Joseph Taylor Robinson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Graves Scrugham, Joseph P. Tumulty, Millard E. Tydings, Oscar Wilder Underwood, and Woodrow Wilson.
Dates
- Creation: 1898-1951
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1912-1940
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Key Pittman are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Copyright Status
Copyright in the unpublished writings of Key Pittman in these papers and in other collections of papers in the custody of the Library of Congress has been dedicated to the public.
Biographical Note
Biographical Note
- 1872, Sept. 19
- Born, Vicksburg, Miss.
- 1890
- Attended Southwestern Presbyterian University, Clarksville, Tenn.
- 1892
- Admitted to bar and began law practice, Seattle, Wash.
- 1897 - 1899
- Joined gold rush to Alaskan Klondike and worked as a miner
- 1897 - 1901
- Practiced law in Alaska; counsel for Australians in Dawson, Alaska
- Took part in establishing "consent" government for Nome, Alaska
- 1899
- First prosecuting attorney of Nome, Alaska
- 1900
- Married Mimosa June Gates (died 1952)
- 1901
- Moved to Tonopah, Nev.; continued law practice
- 1910
- Unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the United States Senate
- 1912
- Elected to United States Senate
- 1924
- Secretary, Committee on Platforms and Resolutions, Democratic Party national convention
- 1933
- Delegate, World Economic Conference, London, England
- 1933 - 1940
- Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- President pro tempore, United States Senate
- 1940, Nov. 10
- Died, Reno, Nev.
Extent
55,000 items
191 containers
76.4 linear feet
Abstract
Lawyer and United States senator from Nevada. Correspondence, speeches, articles, legal and financial papers, subject files, scrapbooks, newspapers, clippings, printed matter, memorabilia, photographs, and other papers relating mainly to Pittman's service in the Senate.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in twenty-two series:
- Biographical Data and Diary Material, 1910-1940
- Political Correspondence, 1902-1940
- General Correspondence, 1912-1940
- Key Pittman Personal Correspondence, 1902-1940
- Mimosa Gates Pittman, 1898-1950
- Business Correspondence, 1904-1912
- Executive Departments, 1912-1940
- Senatorial Committees, 1912-1922
- Legislative File, 1913-1940
- Tonopah Office Files, 1902-1915
- Legal File, 1902-1915
- Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1916-1918
- Boulder Dam File, 1919-1940
- Silver, 1923-1939
- Subject File, 1910-1940
- Speeches, Articles, and Remarks, 1903-1940
- Financial File, 1907-1951
- Newspaper Clippings and Newspapers, 1922-1940
- Miscellaneous Printed Matter, 1912-1940
- Scrapbooks, 1910-1939
- Memorabilia
- Photographs
Catalog Record
Acquisition Information
The papers of Key Pittman, lawyer and United States senator from Nevada, were deposited in the Library of Congress in 1941 by his wife, Mimosa Gates Pittman. The papers were temporarily withdrawn by her in 1942 before being given to the Library by Edgar R. Gates, Humbolt B. Gates, Maude V. Evans, and Angeline G. Huntley in 1954.
Processing History
The papers of Key Pittman were described and arranged in 1958 by Katherine Brand. The finding aid was revised in 2011.
Source
- Pittman, Key, 1898-1851 (Creator, Person)
Subject
- Broussard, Edwin Sidney, 1874-1934--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hull, Cordell, 1871-1955--Correspondence. (Person)
- Ickes, Harold L. (Harold LeClair), 1874-1952--Correspondence. (Person)
- Long, Breckinridge, 1881-1958--Correspondence. (Person)
- McAdoo, W. G. (William Gibbs), 1863-1941--Correspondence. (Person)
- McCarran, Pat, 1876-1954--Correspondence. (Person)
- Morgenthau, Henry, 1891-1967--Correspondence. (Person)
- Nixon, George Stuart, 1860-1912--Correspondence. (Person)
- Oddie, Tasker L. (Tasker Lowndes), 1870-1950--Correspondence. (Person)
- Pittman, Key, 1872-1940. (Person)
- Pittman, Mimosa Gates, 1872-1952--Correspondence. (Person)
- Robinson, Joseph Taylor, 1872-1937--Correspondence. (Person)
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945--Correspondence. (Person)
- Scrugham, James G. (James Graves), 1880-1945--Correspondence. (Person)
- Tumulty, Joseph P. (Joseph Patrick), 1879-1954--Correspondence. (Person)
- Tydings, Millard E. (Millard Evelyn), 1890-1961--Correspondence. (Person)
- Underwood, Oscar W. (Oscar Wilder), 1862-1929--Correspondence. (Person)
- Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence. (Person)
- League of Nations. (Organization)
- United States. Congress. Senate. (Organization)
Geographic
- Alaska--Politics and government.
- China--Commerce--United States.
- Far East--Commerce--United States.
- Hoover Dam (Ariz. and Nev.)
- Klondike River Valley (Yukon)--Gold discoveries.
- United States--Commerce--China.
- United States--Commerce--Far East.
- United States--Politics and government--1901-1953.
Occupation
Topical
- Title
- Key Pittman Papers
- Subtitle
- A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress
- Author
- Prepared by Manuscript Division staff
- Date
- 2011
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Manuscript Division Repository
Manuscript Reading Room
101 Independence Ave, SE
James Madison Building, LM 101
Washington, DC 20540-4683
(202) 707-5387