Frederick Enos Woltman correspondence and clippings, 1941-1943

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Woltman, Frederick Enos, 1905-1970
Title
Frederick Enos Woltman correspondence and clippings
Dates
1941-1943 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.05 linear feet, (2 folders)
Collection Number
Coll 397
Summary
Frederick Enos Woltman (1905-1970) was an investigative reporter who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1947 for his "expose" articles about communist infiltration into education, labor unions, organized religion and government. The collection contains correspondence from 1941-1943.
Repository
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Frederick Enos Woltman (1905-1970) was born in York, Pennsylvania and educated at the University of Pittsburgh. He began newspaper work as an investigative reporter for the New York Telegram.

In 1932 he and Joseph Lilly collaborated on a series of articles about the real estate mortgage and bond business, articles that were a factor in the award of the Pulitzer Prize to the World-Telegram. Woltman wrote numerous "expose" articles about communist infiltration into education, labor unions, organized religion and government.

In 1947 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism for "articles exposing communism." His newspaper career ended in 1957 when he suffered a series of paralytic strokes.

Ray Middleton (1907-1984) was an actor who also served four years in the U.S. Army, during the 1940s. According to a biography on IMDB, Middleton was also a baritone singer who won a scholarship to Juilliard, and graduated with a degree in music in 1930. He acted in plays on Broadway and also in movies.

Woltman and Middleton may have been related, or at least, were friends.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The letters are written by Woltman to Middleton, and he addresses Middleton as "Buck," "Hoot," Partridge," and a few other nicknames.

One letter is signed from "Fred and Auntie Bor," so Middleton might be Woltman's nephew.

Most of the letters are personal, but Woltman does talk about politics and his writings, in addition to escapades of friends, and he also critiques Middleton's performances in movies.

There is also one letter and one postcard from individuals taking Woltman to task over his anti-communist efforts and a "Spanish Refugee affair."

The collection also contains clippings of articles by Woltman.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Archival material may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal and/or state right to privacy laws and other regulations.

Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g. a cause of action for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of Oregon assumes no responsibility.

If a researcher finds sensitive personal information in a collection, please bring it to the attention of the reading room staff.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Frederick Enos Woltman correspondence and clippings, Coll 397, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

Collection processed by Tanya Parlet, 2013.

This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.

This collection received a basic level of processing including minimal organization and rehousing.

Description information is drawn in part from information supplied with the collection and initial surveys of the contents

Related Materials

Other collections relating to Frederick Enos Woltman at Special Collections and University Archives include: Frederick Enos Woltman papers, Ax 768.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Actors
  • Anti-communist movements
  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Journalists--United States--Correspondence

Personal Names

  • Woltman, Frederick Enos, 1905-1970--Correspondence

Form or Genre Terms

  • Correspondence