Biography: Homer E. Capehart, 1969-1973
A Guide to the Collection of Oral History Interviews at
Indiana University Bloomington
Finding aid prepared by the staff of the Center for Documentary Research and Practice with a grant from the National Endowment
for the Humanities Division of
Preservation and Access, 2000-2002
Overview of the Collection
Repository
Indiana University Center for Documentary Research and Practice
Indiana University
Franklin Hall 0030B
601 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812/855-2856
Fax: 812/855-0002
E-mail: ohrc@indiana.edu
https://cdrp.mediaschool.indiana.edu
Creator
Indiana University Center for Documentary Research and Practice
TitleBiography: Homer E. Capehart, 1969-1973
Project No.
ohrc015
Interviews
29 interviews.
Audiotapes, transcripts, and collateral materials.
Physical Location
Interviews are housed in Franklin Hall, Room 0030B. Copies of interview transcripts are also held by the IU Libraries University
Archives.
Contact archives@indiana.edu for more information. For other locations housing the interviews
from this project, please contact the Center for Documentary Research and Practice office.
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
This project is comprised of interviews regarding Homer E.
Capehart and in particular, his political career as a Republican United States
senator from the state of Indiana from 1944 to 1962. Often emphasized in the
interviews is Capehart's organization of the Cornfield Conference in 1938 which
served to rejuvenate the Republican Party in Indiana. Also much discussed is
Capehart's legendary business acumen and status as a wealthy self-made man,
proud of his humble origins. Many of the interviews also deal with national
politics, Capehart's friends and political opponents, his impact and influence
in Congress (through the Senate Banking and Currency Committee and the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee), his personal characteristics, communism, and the
reasons for his unexpected defeat in 1962 at the hands of Birch E. Bayh,
Jr.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains 29 interviews. The interviews consist of reels and typed transcripts, as well as collateral materials.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Oral history interviews conducted by the Indiana University Center for the Study of
History and Memory from 1968 to the present, with particular focus on the history of
twentieth-century America and the Midwest.
Usage Restrictions
The archive of the Center for Documentary Research and Practice at Indiana University is open
to the use of researchers. Copies of transcript pages are available only when such copies
are permitted by the deed of gift. Scholars must honor any
restrictions the interviewee placed on the use of the interview. Since some of our earlier
(pre-computer) transcripts do not exist in final form, any editing marks in a transcript
(deletions, additions, corrections) are to be quoted as marked. Audio files may not be copied for
patrons unless the deed of gift permits it, and a transcript is unavailable for that
interview. The same rules of use that apply to a transcript apply to the audio interview.
Interviews may not be reproduced in full for any public use, but excerpted quotes may be
used as long as researchers fully cite the data in their research, including accession
number, interview date, interviewee's and interviewer's name, and page(s).
Preferred Citation
[interviewee first name last name] interview, by [interviewer first name last
name], [interview date(s)], [call number], [project name], Center for Documentary Research and Practice, Indiana University,
Bloomington, [page number(s) or tape
number and side if no transcript; if digital audio and no transcript, cite time when quote occurs].
Interview List
Interviewee
Billings, Claude
July 29,
1972
Call Number
73-006
Physical Description
39 pages; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 95 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Claude Billings, formerly a prominent member of the Republican
Editorial Association, recalls and discusses the political career of Homer E.
Capehart. Billings speaks of Capehart's rise to political power in the context
of the Indiana state political framework, the organization of the Indiana state
Republican Party, national and international politics and events, and he
discusses other politically powerful individuals and groups in Indiana.
Billings recalls his relations with Ralph F. Gates, William E. Jenner, and
Wendell L. Willkie, and how Homer Capehart was associated with each of these
Indiana political figures.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Bobbitt, Arch N.
- Emison, Ewing
- Gates, Ralph F.
- Jenner, William E.
- Willkie, Wendell L.
-
-
Subjects
- Indiana politics
- Cornfield Conference
- national politics
Interviewee
Bobbitt, Arch N.
July 25,
1969
Call Number
69-026
Physical Description
25 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born on September 3, 1895, Arch N. Bobbitt was a judge of the
Indiana Supreme Court beginning in 1951. In this interview, he recalls and
discusses the political history and career of Homer E. Capehart. Bobbitt speaks
of the Republican Party, its changing status in the state of Indiana, the
dynamics of the Indiana Senate, and how each of these things affected
Capehart's political aspirations. Bobbitt managed Capehart's senate campaign.
Bobbitt also discusses the 1938 Cornfield Conference of Republicans organized
by Capehart, and he speaks of other prominent players in Indiana state politics
including Wendell L. Willkie, Charlie Jewett, and William E. Jenner.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Indiana Senate
- Republican Party
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Jenner, William E.
- Jewett, Charlie
- Willkie, Wendell L.
-
-
Subjects
- Cornfield Conference
Interviewee
Bricker, John W.
October 27,
1971
Call Number
71-057
Physical Description
31 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 75 minutes; no index; photo of
interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born on September 6, 1893, John W. Bricker is a former United
States senator from Ohio who served with Homer E. Capehart in the United States
Senate. In this interview, Bricker recalls Capehart's personality and
character, the Senate committees he served on, the stands he took, and aspects
of his personal life. In addition, Bricker recalls his own political past,
including the proposed Bricker amendment. He emphasizes the influence of the
fear of communism in Congress in the nineteen fifties, but gives a different,
more forgiving portrayal of Joseph R. McCarthy. Finally, Bricker talks of
Robert A. Taft and others, and the inter-relations of Capehart within the
United States senate.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
- Senate Banking and Currency Committee
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- United States Senate
-
-
-
Personal Names
- McCarthy, Joseph R.
- Taft, Robert A., Sr.
-
-
Subjects
- Bricker Amendment
- communism
- national politics
Interviewee
Capehart, Homer E., Jr.
October 13,
1969
Call Number
69-030
Physical Description
51 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 120 minutes; no index;
newspaper clippings
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born on October 29, 1922, Homer E. Capehart, Jr. speaks of his
father, Homer E. Capehart, Sr., and of his family in this interview. He gives
insight into his father's personality and character, and his father's career as
a businessman and politician. For example, Capehart, Jr. recalls his father's
patent on phonographs, his organization of the Cornfield Conference and the
beginning of his association with the Republican Party, and his relations with
various politicians, senators, and United States presidents.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
- Senate Banking and Currency Committee
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Irma V.
- Capehart, Thomas C.
- Eisenhower, Dwight David
-
-
Subjects
- Cornfield Conference
- Indiana politics
- national politics
- phonographs
Interviewee
Cole, Benjamin R.
November 14,
1969
Call Number
69-034
Physical Description
24 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Benjamin R. Cole discusses Homer E. Capehart's relations with
the press throughout his political career. In the process, Cole reveals some of
the characteristics of Capehart's personality and his political messages and
methods. He discusses the impact of communism and the Cold War on Capehart's
senate career and also speaks of Joseph R. McCarthy. In addition, Cole relates
how Capehart described the making of his fortune through the Rudolph Wurlitzer
Company.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
- Rudolf Wurlitzer Company
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee
-
-
Personal Names
- Eisenhower, Dwight David
- Jenner, William E.
- McCarthy, Joseph R.
-
-
Subjects
- Cold War
- communism
- press relations
Interviewee
Conrad, Larry
November 14,
1969
Call Number
69-035
Physical Description
23 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 1 hour; no index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Larry Conrad, the campaign manager of Birch E. Bayh, Jr. in the
1962 senate campaign against Homer E. Capehart, discusses his recollections of
the election. He describes his ideas on the reasons why Bayh won and Capehart
lost, in addition to outlining Bayh's campaign strategy. Conrad discusses the
needs and interests of the citizens of Indiana at that time, the input and
actions of John F. Kennedy during the campaign, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and
the influence of fear of communism. In addition, he speaks of other political
figures, including Matthew Welsh and Albert B. "Happy" Chandler.
-
Keywords
-
-
Geographic Names
- Cuba
- Indiana
-
-
Personal Names
- Bayh, Birch E.
- Chandler, "Happy"
- Kennedy, John Fitzgerald
- Welsh, Matthew E.
-
-
Subjects
- communism
- Cuban Missile Crisis
- Indiana politics
Interviewee
Deaton, W.R.
July 1,
1969
Call Number
69-024
Physical Description
38 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 90 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
In this interview, W.R. Deaton, a regional manager and salesman,
discusses his association with Homer E. Capehart and comments on the
manufacturing of music systems and equipment in the Holcomb and Hoke
Manufacturing Company, the Capehart Phonograph Corporation, and the Rudolf
Wurlitzer Company. In addition, he speaks of Capehart's political career in the
United States Senate
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Holcomb and Hoke Manufacturing Company
- Capehart Phonograph Corporation
- Rudolf Wurlitzer Company
- United States Senate
-
-
Geographic Names
- Towanda, New York
-
-
Occupations
- regional manager
- sales
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
-
-
Subjects
- manufacturing
- sound systems
- hi-fi
- jukeboxes
- coin operated phonographs
- pianos
- politics
Interviewee
Douglas, Paul H.
November 10,
1971
Call Number
71-058
Physical Description
23 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 55 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born on March 26, 1892, Paul H. Douglas served as a United
States senator from the state of Illinois. In this interview, he discusses his
fellow senator, Homer E. Capehart. Though the two were on opposing sides of
many issues, Douglas describes his later conciliation and friendliness with
Capehart. He discusses Capehart's voting patterns and political history,
putting these into the context of the political dynamic of the senate and the
events of the times. Specific issues, which both senators tackled include
environmental legislation, the Indiana Dunes, the basing point system, and the
Federal Housing Administration investigation. In addition, Douglas speaks of
other political figures such as William Simon, William E. Jenner, and Burnet R.
Maybank.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Reconstruction Finance Corporation
- Republican Party
-
-
Geographic Names
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Humphrey, Hubert H.
- Jenner, William E.
- Lehman, Herbert H.
- Maybank, Burnet R.
- Simon, William
-
-
Subjects
- basing point system
- environmental legislation
- Federal Housing Administration investigation
Interviewee
Egenroad, Charles Leroy
November 12,
1969
Call Number
69-036
Physical Description
48 pp.; 3 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 115 minutes; no index; photo
of interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born on July 28, 1904, Charles Leroy Egenroad was a former
newspaperman who discusses the years he spent as senator Homer E. Capehart's
administrative assistant and personal business representative in this
interview. From his position as a member of the professional staff for the
Senate Banking and Currency Committee, Egenroad shares his perceptions of
Capehart's political career and associations, including Hubert H. Humphrey,
Herbert H. Lehman, and Charles W. Tobey. Egenroad discusses Capehart's
political actions and/or positions including those related to the Cornfield
Conference, export-import bank legislation, and foreign aid.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
- Senate Banking and Currency Committee
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Humphrey, Hubert H.
- Lehman, Herbert H.
- Miller, Fred A.
- Tobey, Charles W.
- Truman, Harry S.
- Tucker, James M.
-
-
Subjects
- Cornfield Conference
- export-import bank legislation
- foreign aid
Interviewee
Haskins, Bessie; Capehart, Homer E.
July 11,
1969 - July 12, 1969
Call Number
69-025
Physical Description
57 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 140 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Homer E. Capehart and his sister, Bessie Haskins, born in 1897
and died in 1979, discuss their youth and family in Illinois and Indiana. They
speak extensively about their father and other close relatives. Mrs. Haskins
recalls her brother's love of and talent for baseball as a boy, while Mr.
Capehart remembers his high school success in track and field. In addition, Mr.
Capehart comments on enlisting during World War I, the practice of tenant
farming, his employment history, and his salesmanship skills.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Rumford Baking Powder Company
- Brent Brothers Department Store
-
-
Family Names
- Graham
- Kelso
-
-
Geographic Names
- Polo, Illinois
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Washington, Indiana
- Pike County, Indiana
- Daviess County, Indiana
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Graham, Ray
- Capehart, Paul
- Haskins, Byron
-
-
Subjects
- farming
- track and field
- salesmanship
- World War I
- tenant farming
Interviewee
Hastings, John S.
October 24,
1969
Call Number
69-032
Physical Description
34 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 80 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born in 1898, John S. Hastings discusses his relationship with
Homer E. Capehart, Capehart's political career, and his character. Hastings
attributes his own rise to the position of senior judge of the United States
court of appeals, seventh circuit in Chicago, directly to the sponsorship and
support of Homer E. Capehart. In this interview, Hastings speaks of Indiana
politics, the revivification of the Republican Party in Indiana by means of the
Cornfield Conference, and many of Capehart's closest colleagues, including Paul
Bausman and James W. Carr.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
-
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Bausman, Paul
- Carr, James W.
- Emison, Ewing
- Gates, Ralph F.
- Halleck, Charles A.
- Rockefeller, Nelson A.
-
-
Subjects
- 1955 Capehart Housing Act
- Cornfield Conference
- politics
Interviewee
Ingoldsby, John L., Jr.
November
11, 1971 - November 12, 1971
Call Number
71-056
Physical Description
42 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 100 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born in 1914, John L. Ingoldsby, Jr., a successful attorney,
speaks of his relationship with and thoughts about former United States
senator, Homer E. Capehart. Through Ingoldsby's active involvement in the legal
end of international business and Capehart's interest in this area, especially
in Latin America, the two men shared many opinions and interests. In this
interview, Ingoldsby comments on Capehart as a man, a senator, a friend, and a
politician and also discusses Capehart's defeat in the 1962 senatorial
campaign.
-
Keywords
-
-
Geographic Names
- Central America
- South America
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Bayh, Birch E.
- Brand, Vance
- Bushman, George
- Luce, Clare Boothe
-
-
Subjects
- export-import banks
- international business
Interviewee
Krieg, Virginia B.; Krieg, William H.
November 30,
1971
Call Number
71-060
Physical Description
53 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 90 minutes; index; photo of
interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
William H. Krieg and his wife, Virginia B. Krieg, speak about
their close connections to and perceptions of Homer E. Capehart. Mr. Krieg ran
Capehart's company for him from 1946 to 1949 during several of Capehart's years
in the United States senate. The Kriegs and the Capeharts vacationed together
in Europe in the post-World War II era, an experience which revealed to the
Kriegs the respect and special treatment United States senators such as
Capehart received in Europe at that time. In addition, the Kriegs discuss
Capehart's business history including commentary on the Capehart Phonograph
Corporation and the Packard Manufacturing Company. Finally, the Kriegs describe
Capehart's character, personality, and the events surrounding Capehart's 1962
loss to Birch E. Bayh, Jr. in the United States senatorial race.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Capehart Phonograph Corporation
- Packard Manufacturing Company
-
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Stephens, Homer
Interviewee
Lehman, Adeline C.
October 8,
1969
Call Number
69-039
Physical Description
12 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 30 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Born in 1898, Adeline C. Lehman attended school with senator
Homer E. Capehart during his childhood and adolescence. In this interview, she
recalls physical impressions, memories of events, and political and general
opinions about Capehart. Overall, the interview reveals her pride in and
respect for senator Capehart and the job he had done.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
-
-
Personal Names
- Hastings, John S.
-
-
Subjects
- adolescence
- childhood
Interviewee
McHale, Frank
August 2,
1972
Call Number
72-011
Physical Description
20 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 50 minutes; no index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Open
Scope and Content Note
Frank McHale, an active lifetime Democrat, speaks about Homer E.
Capehart and Capehart's career in this interview. McHale had a great respect
for Capehart's representation of business interests in Congress. He also speaks
of Capehart in the context of both national and Indiana state politics and the
Democratic and Republican political parties. In addition, McHale describes his
perceptions regarding World War I, World War II, the importance and decline in
patriotism in American society, and Prohibition. He also details his
experiences regarding the Ku Klux Klan activities in the state of Indiana.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- American Legion
- Democratic Party
- Ku Klux Klan
- Republican Party
- Women's Christian Temperance Union
-
-
Personal Names
- Holder, Cale J.
- Jenner, William E.
- Schricker, Henry F.
-
-
Subjects
- alcohol legislation
- community life
- banking
- Indiana politics
- national politics
- patriotism
- Prohibition
- Vietnam War
- World War I
- World War II
Interviewee
Miller, Wilma
November 13,
1969
Call Number
69-033
Physical Description
35 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 85 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Wilma Miller, the longtime secretary of Homer E. Capehart,
recalls her years working for Capehart during his terms as a United States
senator. She speaks of exciting moments, such as Capehart's nomination to run
for senator, and sad times, such as the deaths of Capehart's son and
daughter-in-law in a plane crash, and the death of Robert A. Taft. In addition,
Miller discusses the organization of Capehart's office and staff in Washington,
D.C., his character and work ethic, and some of the experiences gained under
his employ.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- United States Senate
-
-
Geographic Names
- Washington, DC
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Truman, Harry S.
- McCarthy, Joseph R.
- Taft, Robert A., Sr.
- Eisenhower, Dwight David
- Capehart, Thomas C.
-
-
Subjects
- Senate nomination
Interviewee
Mueller, Carlton; Mueller, Earle
January 2,
1970
Call Number
70-005
Physical Description
28 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 65 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
In this interview, Carlton and Earle Mueller, brothers-in-law to
Homer E. Capehart, recount memories and observations of the Capeharts. They
recall Capehart's wedding to their sister, Irma, and the Capeharts' children
and family life. Also included are brief descriptions of means of
transportation in the first few decades of the twentieth century. In addition,
they comment on the progress of Capehart's career, both in business and
politics, but with an emphasis on the former, and on his character and work
ethic.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Holcomb and Hoke Manufacturing Company, Incorporated
- Packard Manufacturing Company
-
-
Geographic Names
- Wrightstown, Wisconsin
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Irma Mueller
-
-
Subjects
- weddings
- family
- transportation
- African-Americans
Interviewee
Pearson, Patricia Capehart
October 15,
1969
Call Number
69-031
Physical Description
37 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 85 minutes; no
index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Patricia Capehart Pearson, the daughter of Homer E. Capehart,
speaks of her father in the context of her youth, family life, discipline, and
his business and political careers. She recalls memories of events which made a
large impression on her, including the Cornfield Conference, the Senate
Daughters Club, and miscellaneous perks associated with Capehart's status as a
United States senator. In addition, Pearson reveals different aspects of her
father's character and personality, including his generosity, punctuality, and
lack of pretension.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- United States Senate
- Senate Daughters Club
-
-
-
Geographic Names
- Snyder, New York
- Washington, DC
-
-
Personal Names
- Taft, Robert A., Sr.
-
-
Subjects
- national politics
Interviewee
Borders, Marion C. "Bill"
December 20,
1969
Call Number
70-006
Physical Description
55 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 2 hours; no index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Marion C. "Bill" Borders was a school mate and life-long friend
of Homer Capehart, United States senator from Indiana from 1945 to 1963.
Borders reflects on their boyhoods together and Capehart's many business
ventures and early political career.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Rumford Baking Powder Company
- J.I. Case Plow Works
- Holcomb and Hoke Manufacturing Company
- Caswell and Runyan Company
- Capehart Phonograph Corporation
- Rudolf Wurlitzer Company
- United States Senate
- Packard Piano Company
-
-
Family Names
- Graham
- Kelso
-
-
Geographic Names
- Washington, Indiana
- Indian Springs, Indiana
-
-
Occupations
- farmer
- sales
- senator
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
- Graham, Zibe
- Ghormley, Mary "Molly"
- Caswell, Charlie
- Smith, Ed
- Kinnick, Otto Claude
- Balou, Dick
- Hastings, John S.
- Stellings, Duke
- Colbert, Herman "Skeets"
-
-
Subjects
- quartermaster's corps
- jukeboxes
- Cornfield Conference
- New Deal
- Gateway Arch
- farming
Interviewee
Capehart, Homer Earl
August 16, 1969;
December 11, 1969;
December 12, 1969;
December 15,1971;
December 16, 1971;
August 21, 1973;
August 27, 1973
Call Number
69-043
Physical Description
349 pp.; 13 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 14 hours; index; black and
white photograph
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Homer Earl Capehart was born in Algriers, Indiana, in 1897, to
parents Susan Kelso and Alvin Capehart. He attended public schools in Indiana
and graduated from high school in Polo, Illinois, in 1916. During World War I,
he enlisted as a private in the United States Army, was promoted to sergeant,
and served in the 12th Infantry from 1917 to 1919. He married Irma Mueller in
1922, with whom he had three children, Thomas, Earl Jr., and Patricia. Capehart
served in the United States Senate from Indiana from 1945 to 1963. He was
defeated for re-election in 1962. He describes his early life, and business and
political careers.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- United States Senate
- J.I. Case Plow Works
- Brent Brothers Department Store
- Rumford Baking Powder Company
- United States Army
- Burton-Paige Company
- Holcomb and Hoke Manufacturing Company
- Beaumont Hotel
- Baker-Capehart Agency
- Deckadisk Corporation
- Caswell and Runyan Company
- Rudolf Wurlitzer Company
- Capehart-Farnsworth Corporation
- Seaburg
- Rockola
- Gabel Company
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Packard Piano Company
- Capehart Phonograph Corporation
- Graham Farm
- Sons of Indiana
- Republican Party
- United Nations
- Packard Manufacturing Company
- Capehart Farms
- Columbia Avenue Realty Company
- Tri-State National Bank
- Democratic Party
- AFL-CIO
-
-
Family Names
- Capehart
- Kelso
- Graham
-
-
Geographic Names
- Germany
- Berlin, Germany
- Shelburn, Indiana
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Huntington, Indiana
- Speedway, Indiana
- Iva, Indiana
- White River, Indiana
- Polo, Illinois
- Prairie Creek, Indiana
- Bennington Levee, Indiana
- Elwood, Indiana
- Indianapolis, Indiana
-
-
Occupations
- senator
- laborer
- quartermaster
- sales
- farmer
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
- Roosevelt, Franklin Delano
- McCarthy, Joseph R.
- Acheson, Dean
- Eisenhower, Dwight David
- Graham, Ray
- Capehart, Irma Mueller
- Baker, Horace
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
- Capehart, Thomas C.
- Wurlitzer, Farny
- Fisher, Carl
- Machado, Gerardo
- Field, Marshall
- Kennedy, Joseph P.
- Bleakman, Bob
- Miller, Wilma
- Lennart, Paul
- Waltemeade, Roy F.
- Buzan, Elmer
- Rankin, William H.
- Bobbitt, Arch N.
- Willkie, Wendell L.
- Schricker, Henry F.
- Astor, Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess
- Kelso, Billy
- Capehart, Susan Kelso
- Capehart, Jemima "Mimie" Kelso
- Thomas, Helen
- Thomas, Roma
- Capehart, Alvin Thomas
- Allen, Gladys
- Neizer, Charlie
- Holling, Thomas L.
- Hopkins, Harry L.
- Minton, Sherman
- Barkley, Alban W.
- Truman, Harry S.
- Willis, Raymond E.
- Dewey, Thomas E.
- Holder, Cale J.
- Jacobs, Andrew, Sr.
- Campbell, Alexander M.
- Lawmeier, Thomas
- MacArthur, Douglas
-
-
Subjects
- Cold War
- Truman Doctrine
- World War I
- box socials
- Wallis tractors
- farm equipment
- tractors
- milking machines
- phonographs
- jukeboxes
-
Creative Selling
-
A Little Sound Ignorance
-
Indiana from Frontier to
Industrial Commonwealth
- Simplex phonograph
- Cornfield Conference
- New Deal
- manufacturing
- flood
- government debt
- communism
- socialism
- political campaigns
- V-J Day
- 1947 Taft-Hartley Act
- cement
- collective bargaining
- Korean War
- ice cube makers
- 1948 Presidential Election
- unions
Interviewee
Sellman, Mrs. John
October 8,
1968
Call Number
69-038
Physical Description
17 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 45 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Mrs. John Sellman, acquainted with Homer E. Capehart since her
youth in Washington, Indiana, shares some of her memories of Capehart as a boy
and young man, including aspects of his physical appearance and personality.
Mrs. Sellman remembers Capehart as a shy but well-liked boy. She later sang at
his Cornfield Conference and continues to respect and admire Capehart and his
actions as a United States senator.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
-
-
Geographic Names
- Washington, Indiana
-
-
Personal Names
- Allen, Ham
-
-
Subjects
- childhood
- adolescence
- high school
- Cornfield Conference
Interviewee
Simon, William
November 9,
1971
Call Number
73-012
Physical Description
31 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 75 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Born in 1912, William Simon served as Homer E. Capehart's legal
counsel during two United States Senate investigations. In this interview, he
discusses his association with the former senator. Included are Simon's
observations, memories, opinions, and knowledge of Capehart and Capehart's
political and business careers. Simon speaks about the federal housing
investigation and the basing point pricing investigation, two Senate matters
which were milestones in Capehart's senatorial career. In addition, Simon
comments on Capehart's relations with other senators including William E.
Jenner and Burnet R. Maybank.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- United States Senate
-
-
Geographic Names
- South America
-
-
Personal Names
- Fetter, Frank Albert
- McMahon, Brien
- Johnson, Edwin C.
- Krieg, William H.
- Jenner, William E.
- Maybank, Burnet R.
-
-
Subjects
- patents
- Senate basing point pricing investigation
- Senate federal housing investigation
- Great Depression
Interviewee
Tucker, James M.
December 14,
1971
Call Number
71-059
Physical Description
22 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 55 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Born on April 21, 1908, James M. Tucker discusses Indiana state
politics, his changing role in the Republican Party, and his association with
and observations about former United States senator, Homer E. Capehart, a
fellow Indiana Republican. A attorney by profession, Tucker discusses his quick
rise to the top of Indiana's Republican Party, his participation in World War
II, and his loss of the Republican senatorial nomination to Capehart. In
addition, he speaks of the impact of the Cornfield Conference and Capehart's
senatorial campaigns.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
-
-
Occupations
- attorney
- politician
-
-
Personal Names
- Jenner, William E.
- Lyons, Robert W.
-
-
Subjects
- Indiana politics
- Cornfield Conference
- World War II
- political campaigns
Interviewee
Valentine, Kenneth F.
September 10,
1971
Call Number
71-046
Physical Description
38 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 90 minutes; index; photo of
interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Born on June 25, 1906, Kenneth F. Valentine recounts his
experiences working with and for Homer E. Capehart in the late nineteen
twenties and early nineteen thirties in the Holcomb and Hoke Company and the
Capehart Automatic Phonograph Company, respectively. Valentine discusses
Capehart's business interests and acuity, as well as his extraordinary
salesmanship skills. In addition, he describes Capehart's closest peers in the
business world, including Edward E. Collison and Gerald E. Crary. Valentine
also describes the mechanics and popularity of the Capehart Orchestrope, the
most advance phonograph of its time.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Capehart Automatic Phonograph Company
- Holcomb and Hoke Manufacturing Company
-
-
Personal Names
- Collison, Edward E.
- Broyles, J.E.
- Crary, Gerald E.
-
-
Subjects
- Capehart Orchestrope
- salesmanship
- Great Depression
Interviewee
Ziegner, Edward H.
September 24,
1971
Call Number
71-047
Physical Description
14 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 35 minutes; index; photo of
interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Born in 1920, Edward H. Ziegner is a political writer who had
numerous dealings with and the trust of former United States senator, Homer E.
Capehart. In this interview, Ziegner speaks of Democratic, Indiana state, and
national politics, as well as many of Capehart's political contemporaries. In
addition, he discusses aspects of Capehart's final senatorial campaign and
those of the successful campaign of Capehart's adversary, Birch E. Bayh,
Jr.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Democratic Party
-
South Bend Tribune
-
-
Occupations
- political writer
-
-
Personal Names
- Welsh, Matthew E.
- Bayh, Birch E.
- Holder, Cale J.
- Reich, Jack
-
-
Subjects
- Indiana politics
- national politics
- political campaigns
Interviewee
Gates, Ralph F.
September 8,
1969
Call Number
69-028
Physical Description
30 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 70 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Ralph Gates served as governor of Indiana from 1945 to 1949. He
met Homer Capehart in 1937. Mr. Gates primarily talks about Capehart's
political career and the Republican Party of Indiana.
Restricted
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Republican Party
- American Legion
- Capehart Phonograph Corporation
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Willkie, Wendell L.
- Halleck, Charles A.
- Rockefeller, John D.
-
-
Subjects
- political campaigns
- World War II
- temporary housing
- Cornfield Conference
Interviewee
Donaldson, Ray S.
November 13,
1969;
November 5, 1971
Call Number
69-037
Physical Description
92 pp.; 4 reels, 3 3/4 ips, 3 hours, 45 minutes; no
index; photograph of interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Ray S. Donaldson, born 1910, was an Indiana native who, after
graduating from Harvard Law School in 1935, returned to Indiana to practice. In
1936, he met Homer Capehart. The two became friends and when Mr. Capehart
became a congressman in 1946, Donaldson went to Washington, D.C. along with
him, serving as his administrative assistant for the next four years. Mr.
Donaldson primarily discusses his years in Washington, D.C., Mr. Capehart's
congressional agenda, and important issues in national politics at the
time.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- United States Senate
- Senate Banking and Currency Committee
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
-
-
Geographic Names
- Washington, Indiana
- Washington, DC
- Bennington Levee
-
-
Occupations
- attorney
- executive secretary
- administrative assistant
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
- Eisenhower, Dwight David
- Miller, Wilma
- Dewey, Thomas E.
- Capehart, Irma Mueller
- Taft, William Howard
-
-
CSubjects
- military housing
- fundraising
- levee
- Federal Housing Administration hearings
- politics
- lifestyle
- legislation
- political campaigns
- communism
- Senate committees
- Marshall Plan
- labor
- exercise
- civil rights
- veterans' housing
- newsprint industry
- basing point system
Interviewee
Merchant, William F.
December 11,
1970
Call Number
69-027
Physical Description
76 pp.; 2 reels, 3 3/4 ips; 3 hours; no index
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
This is an interview with William F. Merchant, a former regional
manager for Homer Capehart. Merchant chronicles his experience as a regional
manager overseeing distribution and sales of coin operated phonographs for both
the Capehart Phonograph Company and the Rudolf Wurlitzer Company. He also talks
about how Capehart got into politics and how both Democrats and Republicans who
worked for him helped fund his campaign.
No oral Deed of Gift.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Capehart Automatic Phonograph Company
- Auburn Rubber Company
- Tokheim Company
- Wayne Oil Tank and Pump Company
- Goodrich Tire Company
- Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
- Huntington College
- Marquette Music
- Decca Record Company
- Rudolf Wurlitzer Company
- Packard Manufacturing Company
- Methodist Hospital
-
-
Geographic Names
- Detroit, Michigan
- Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Shoals, Indiana
- Elizabethtown, Kentucky
- Upton, Kentucky
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Michigan
- Kentucky
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Butte, Montana
- Chicago, Illinois
-
-
Occupations
- teacher
- attorney
- sales
-
-
Personal Names
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
- Broyles, J.E.
- Graham, Harry
- Jenner, William E.
- Payne, Harry
- Bleakman, Bob
-
-
Subjects
- coin operated phonographs
- 1950 Indiana Gubernatorial election
- Capehart Orchestrope
- Cornfield Conference
Interviewee
McWhirter, Felix M.
August 1,
1972
Call Number
73-005
Physical Description
5 pp.; 1 reel, 3 3/4 ips, 15 minutes; no index;
photograph of interviewee
Interviewer
Pickett, William B.
Scope and Content Note
Felix M. McWhirter, born in 1886, tells about his first meeting
with Homer Capehart while interviewee was treasurer of State Republican
Committee. He tells about Capeharts donations to the party and how he funded
the Cornfield Conference held in 1938. He speaks highly of Capehart as a person
and his ability to get things done.
Open
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Indiana State Republican Committee
- Columbia Club
- United States Congress
- United States Senate
-
-
Geographic Names
- Kansas
- Muncie, Indiana
- Columbus, Indiana
- Washington, Indiana
-
-
-
Personal Names
- Jewett, Charlie
- Hamilton, John
- Ball, George A.
- Irwin, Will
- Halleck, Charles A.
- Willis, Raymond E.
- Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.
-
-
Subjects
- Cornfield Conference