Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Samuel P. Cowley papers, 1934-1975
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Fox, Charles Wilson, 1823-1880
- Title
- Samuel P. Cowley papers
- Dates
- 1934-1975 (inclusive)19341975
- Quantity
- 2 boxes, (1 linear ft.)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 156
- Summary
- Material relating to Cowley's funeral, including itinerary tributes and correspondence. Also included are numerous biographical articles about Cowley's life.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Restrictions
Open to public research.
- Languages
- English.
- Sponsor
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Samuel Parkinson Cowley was born July 23, 1899 in Franklin, Idaho the son of Mathias Foss and Luella Smart Parkinson Cowley. (Mathias F. Cowley was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had numerous polygamous wives.) Around 1910 Samuel and his mother moved to Logan, Utah where he graduated from high school. The following year Cowley enrolled at the Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University). After graduating from the UAC, Cowley was called to serve as a missionary in Hawaii by the LDS Church and he labored there from 1914 to 1920. After completing his missionary service, Cowley enrolled at George Washington University and studied law. Upon graduating he took a position with the FBI in 1929. In 1934 Cowley was promoted to the rank of inspector.
In the early summer of 1934 J. Edgar Hoover assigned Cowley to preside over several agency operations to catch a string of notorious criminals. One of Cowley's investigations aimed to catch and arrest John Dillinger, then "public enemy number one." That summer Cowley and his team located and surrounded Dillinger as he exited the Biograph Theater in Chicago. A gun battle erupted and Dillinger was killed.
After this assignment Cowley next set out to catch Baby Face Nelson (alias Lester Gillis), an infamous criminal of the time who was wanted for murder and other criminal charges. In November 1934, Cowley and other FBI detectives discovered that Lester Gillis and his accomplices were hiding out near Barrington, Illinois. When the FBI attempted to make an arrest a gun battle erupted. During this firefight Cowley was mortally wounded and later died on November 28, 1934. National and local government officials attended Cowley's funeral in Utah.
Sources:
Respect Paid to Cowley,The Herald Journal, 8 May 1972.
Hoover, J. Edgar, Samuel P. Cowley of the FBI Millennial Star, Special Sunday School Issue, Vol. 121 # 9 (Sept 1959), 368-370.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This two-box collection contains papers concerning Samuel P. Cowley and his family spanning the period from 1934 to 1974. This collection is comprised of materials assembled during the 1970s by John J. Stewart, a former USU faculty member, who was conducting research on Samuel P. Cowley during this period. This collection contains Stewart's research materials in the form of publications about Cowley (1935-1974), oral history interviews with the Cowley family (1971), Cowley family correspondence (1930s), reports, and various other papers. This collection also contains Stewart's correspondence (1971-1974) with the Cowley family concerning his research on S.P. Cowley. For an unknown reason Stewart never published his findings.
Researcher Note: Researchers further interested in Cowley should see USU Special Collections' Edgar B. Brossard Collection; COLL MSS 4. Brossard was the brother-in-law of Cowley and some papers in the collection concern Cowley and his death. Additionally, newspaper articles about Cowley can be found in PORT. SHELF 1-3.1.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
CopyrightIt is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Permission to publish material from the Samuel P. Cowley papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Samuel P. Cowley papers, 1934-1975. (COLL MSS 156). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Department.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in numeric sequence according to Box and Folder.
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections during the 1970s by John J. Stewart.
Related Materials
Edgar B. Brossard Collection (COLL MSS 4)
Newspaper articles about Samuel P. Cowley, 1930-1967, PORT. SHELF 1-3.1
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Papers concerning S.P. Cowley, 1934-1974Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | J.J. Stewart, outgoing correspondence |
1971-1974 |
| 1 | 2 | J.J. Stewart, incoming correspondence |
1971-1974 |
| 1 | 3 | J.J. Stewart's self memos and research papers |
1970-1979 |
| 1 | 4 | Two oral history interview typescripts and notes of Joseph Cowley about S.P. Cowley, by J.J. Stewart |
1971 |
| 1 | 5 | S.P. Cowley's funeral program and eulogies |
1934 |
| 1 | 6 | Newspapers clippings concerning S.P. Cowley |
1930-1939 |
| 1 | 7 | Complied tribute to S.P. Cowley by Joseph Cowley (contains family correspondence), circa |
1934 |
| 1 | 8 | Various papers used to compile the tribute to S.P. Cowley |
undated |
| 1 | 9 | Transcript of the National Broadcasting Company's broadcast of the events surrounding the death of S.P. Cowley |
1935 |
| 1 | 10 | "Samuel," by Mathias F. Cowley |
undated |
| 1 | 11 | Biographical article and biographical letter about S.P. Cowley, by J. Edgar Hoover |
1971 |
| 1 | 12 | "Recollections of Samuel P. Cowley," R.P.M |
1971 |
| 1 | 13 | Various papers concerning S.P. Cowley's death |
undated |
| 1 | 14 | Funeral program of Luella S. P. Cowley |
1961 |
| 1 | 15 | Funeral tribute to Mathias F. Cowley, Millennial Star |
1941 |
| 1 | 16 | Various LDS publications about S.P. Cowley |
1935-1974 |
| 1 | 17 | Issues of The Investigator with articles about S.P. Cowley |
1935-1952 |
Publications concerning S.P. Cowley, 1935-1961Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Issues of The Magazine of Sigma Chi with articles about S.P. Cowley |
1935-1952 |
| 2 | 2 | Various magazines with articles about S.P. Cowley |
1930-1939 |
| 2 | 3 | Various magazines with articles about S.P. Cowley |
1951-1961 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Criminals--United States.
- Intelligence agents--United States--Archives.
Personal Names
- Chipman, Lavon.
- Cowley, Joseph.
- Cowley, Matthias, 1858-1940.
- Cowley, Samuel P., 1899-1934.
- Dillinger, John, 1903-1934
- Hollis, Herman.
- Nelson, Baby Face, 1908-1934.
Finding aid created by Special Collections and Archives.
2008
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
