J. Bracken Lee papers, 1891-1996

Overview of the Collection

Title
J. Bracken Lee papers
Dates
1891-1996 (inclusive)
Quantity
20 boxes, (19 linear feet)
Collection Number
USUE_COLL MSS 1
Summary
This collection contains photo albums, newspaper articles, correspondence, audio recordings, notes, and ephemera documenting the life and career of J. Bracken Lee. Lee served as mayor of Price, Utah, from 1936 to 1947, governor of Utah from 1949 to 1957, and mayor of Salt Lake City from 1960 to 1972.
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

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Any conversation about controversial Utah politicians must necessarily include J. Bracken Lee. The six-term mayor of Price, two-term governor of Utah, and three-term mayor of Salt Lake City was a staunch economic conservative who fought tirelessly to cut taxes and trim what he saw as wasteful government spending. Lee decried foreign aid and the United Nations, but it was his staunch opposition to the federal income tax that earned him a national reputation. "Only death and taxes are certain," Lee once quipped. "But death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets." This small-government fiscal conservatism inspired a sizable following across the state, but Lee's penchant for blunt honesty and personal confrontation also earned him a number of enemies. With a 36-year career in both state and local politics, Lee is remembered as one of Utah's most legendary elected officials.

Joseph Bracken Lee was born in Price, Utah, on January 7, 1899, the second oldest of six children. He was descended from Mormon converts on both sides of his family, but neither his father, Arthur, nor mother, Ida May Leiter, were active in the church. When Bracken was just five years old, the Lees moved to Fruita, Colorado, where Arthur was elected mayor. Despite his political success, Arthur moved the family back to Price after Bracken's eighth grade year. There Bracken attended Carbon County High School, but dropped out to join the army when the United States entered World War I in April 1917. He was just two months short of graduation.

Lee served in the army for two years before returning to Price in March 1919. He worked as a postal clerk for several months before joining his father's insurance and real estate business. He soon became manager, then owner of the business and married a Mormon, Nellie Pace, in 1920. The couple had a daughter, Helen, but their marriage was short-lived. Nellie contracted pneumonia in 1922, then Hodgkin's disease, and passed away on January 1, 1926. In order to make payments on the medical bills, Lee moved into a garage he built and rented out his house, living off of a hamburger and a quart of milk a day. He paid off the debt in just two years, displaying a frugality that undoubtedly influenced his future political philosophy.

In 1927 Lee met Margaret Draper. She was from Wellington, Utah, and like Lee's late wife, Nellie, she was an active Mormon. The religious difference didn't seem to bother Lee, though, who claims that Margaret never tried to convert him. Lee's insurance business prospered in the years following his second marriage, and he soon became involved in the Masons, the Elks, the Legionnaires, and the Republican Party. Lee became interested in politics, running for mayor of Price in 1931 only to be heavily defeated in the election. Then, in 1935, he decided to give it another try.

Lee was first elected mayor of Price in 1935 by the slimmest of margins—two votes. During his six two-year terms, he improved the city's water system, constructed a municipal building, created a new park, paved most of the city's streets, and installed a system of streetlights. Despite the cost of these numerous improvements, he was able to reduce the city's property tax rate from 34 mills in 1935 to zero by 1943, making Price the only municipality in Utah without city taxes. While these accomplishments made Lee very popular among his constituents, his approach to dealing with vice within the city drew substantial criticism. Much to the chagrin of Price's educators and church leaders, Lee sought to contain, not eliminate problems like illicit liquor, prostitution, and gambling. Notably, Lee had two members of the state liquor commission arrested after they raided the Jones Club for selling liquor by the drink in 1938. Though no legal action resulted from the incident, the controversy brought a great deal of attention to Lee, making him an attractive candidate for statewide office.

While serving as mayor of Price, Lee ran for a number of statewide positions. In 1940 he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor, losing to former congressman and prominent Mormon Don B. Coulton. Lee then ran for Congress in 1942, securing the Republican nomination before losing to Democrat Walter K. Granger by just 269 votes. He ran for governor again in 1944, this time winning the Republican nomination and earning a chance to face Democrat Herbert B. Maw in the general election. Maw, a member of the LDS Sunday School General Board, garnered only lukewarm support from the Church, giving Lee a chance to capture some of the state's overwhelmingly Mormon electorate. However, Lee's virtue was publicly called into question in a widely distributed pamphlet entitled, Morals and the Mayor. Prepared by Lee's opponents, the seven-page booklet attacked many aspects of Lee's tenure as mayor of Price, but particularly his alleged tolerance of vices such as illegal alcohol, prostitution, and gambling. It is hard to say if the critical pamphlet played a role in the election, which Lee lost by just 1,056 votes.

In 1948 Lee's political fortunes changed. Running against Maw for a second time, Lee soundly defeated the Democrat—151,253 to 123,814—and was sworn in as governor on January 3, 1949. His most notable and controversial accomplishments during his first term reflected a strong belief in a thrifty government. Immediately after taking office Lee slashed the budgets of every branch of state government except welfare, reserving the harshest cuts for education. Lee and his supporters praised the cuts for ferreting out waste and creating the largest surplus in state history, while his opponents harshly criticized the action as unnecessary, noting that the state was already running a surplus when Lee took office. For good or for ill, Lee's enthusiastic commitment to economy in government garnered attention from national publications such as Life, Time, and The American Magazine, which referred to Lee as the "politician without a future," "the stubbornest man in Utah," and "the lone wolf of Utah," respectively.

Despite the enemies Lee made during his highly-publicized round of budget cuts, the governor rode the wave of Republican president Dwight Eisenhower's popularity and his own incumbency to an easy reelection victory in 1952. His opponent, Democratic mayor of Salt Lake City Earl J. Glade, earned just 147,207 votes to Lee's 180,043. During his second term, the governor touted his balanced budget and building programs, but it was his controversial positions that once again gained national attention. Lee's fervent support of McCarthyism, as well as his passionate disdain for the United Nations made him a hero to many right-wing conservatives. In 1955, Lee famously announced his refusal to pay the balance of his income taxes in protest the federal government's use of taxpayer money for foreign aid. Despite Lee's growing national prominence, he was ultimately unable to secure a third term as governor. He sharply criticized the popular Eisenhower for not taking enough action to reverse New Deal policies and control the national debt. This stance led the media and Utah's congressional delegation to distance themselves from Lee, causing him to lose to George D. Clyde in the 1956 Republican gubernatorial primary. Undeterred, Lee mounted a strong third-party bid under the name "Citizens for Lee," but finished third in the general election.

Lee's 1956 defeat in the Republican gubernatorial primary was by no means the end of his political career. In 1958 he ran for office again, this time for the United States Senate. Having alienated many in the Republican Party, Lee chose to run as an independent against the incumbent GOP candidate Arthur V. Watkins and the Democratic challenger Frank E. Moss. Both Watkins and Moss felt threatened by Lee's candidacy, each attacking the former governor's extreme views on taxation, his past hostility to education, and his ties to For America, a national right-wing organization with which he became involved after his 1956 primary defeat. Though Lee garnered just 26.4 percent of the vote to Moss's 38 percent and Watkins's 34.8 percent, he clearly showed that his political career still had life.

In 1959 Lee announced that he would run for mayor of Salt Lake City. Lee faced six opponents in the non-partisan Salt Lake City mayor's race, including Adiel F. Stewart, the unpopular incumbent. In the election Lee dominated the field, winning 22,840 votes to earn a place in the runoff with Bruce Jenkins, who finished second with just 9,354 votes. After a hotly contested campaign, Lee emerged victorious in the general election, securing nearly 54 percent of the vote. The penny-pinching former governor quickly began work economizing Salt Lake City's government, battling the city commission over budget items like personnel raises and capital improvement projects.

It was a disagreement over police department funding that allegedly led Lee to take the most controversial action of his term as mayor, the firing of police chief Cleon Skousen in 1960. Both Lee and Skousen were militantly anti-communist conservatives, but they did not agree on the amount of money needed to efficiently run the police department, and perhaps more importantly, the intensity with which the police should patrol the city's taverns and gambling halls (Lee favored less on both accounts). Many of the city's residents criticized Lee for the firing, writing angry editorials in the paper and even harassing Lee and his wife at their home. Thanks to Lee's resilience—and a surprising amount of support from the LDS church—the controversial mayor would live to see another term.

Lee ran for Senate again in 1962 in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Republican senator Wallace F. Bennett. The mayor was defeated in his party's primary, 71,701 to 48,542. Lee did, however, win a second term for Salt Lake City Mayor in 1963, defeating Sheldon Brewster by a landslide—nearly a 2-to-1 margin. Despite his three decades in public office, the mayor remained true to his thrifty, conservative principles, opposing urban renewal, fluoridation of the city's water supply, and construction of the Salt Palace event center. By 1967 it was clear that support for the long-time politician was waning. Lee defeated D. James Cannon to earn a third term as mayor, but by a margin of just 291 votes. Citing a number of reasons—including his age, doubt that he could win, an inability to convince people about the dangers of government, and the passing of many political allies—Lee decided not to run for a fourth time.

After retiring Lee remained an influential player in state and local politics. Through endorsements and limited campaigning, the aging politician catapulted a number of candidates to elected office. He continued to espouse his conservative principles by submitting editorials in the state's newspapers, writing to prominent politicians like Bob Dole and Jack Kemp, and donating to conservative causes like the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Lee outlived his wife, Margaret, who passed away in 1989. He died at a Salt Lake City nursing home on October 20, 1996, at the age of 97. Throughout his career, Lee's consistent and principled stances often drew fire from politicians and constituents alike, but this mix of personal integrity and controversy defined Lee's political philosophy: "[d]o it honestly, do the best you know how, and let ‘em holler!"

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The J. Bracken Lee collection consists of two main sections: albums and loose manuscript materials. The 42 albums were left intact and rehoused in archival cartons. The loose manuscript materials were sorted and placed in acid-free folders and archival boxes. Together these items span much of Lee's life, from childhood through retirement. The albums, which contain mainly photographs and newspaper clippings, cover Lee's childhood, political career, and retirement. Little organization exists within or among these albums, so album-level descriptions have been created to assist the researcher. These summaries explain what types of materials are contained within each album, what topics they address, what time period they cover, and what notable items they include.

The loose manuscript material has been organized into seven main categories: newspaper articles, ephemera, handwritten notes, transcripts, correspondence, audio recordings, and publications. The newspaper articles are sorted by decade, and recurring topics are noted in the register at the folder level. The majority of the ephemera consists of campaign materials, but there are also numerous other items, including two Utah Municipal League programs (1938 and 1939), a Price Municipal Building dedication program (1939), a booklet entitled, "Morals and the Mayor" (1948), two transcripts of Governor Lee's legislative addresses (1949 and 1951), and a booklet concerning Governor Lee's proposal to turn Weber, Snow, and Dixie colleges over to the LDS church (1954). Governor Lee's "number 1" automobile license plates (1949) are also housed under this heading.

Transcripts and correspondence are also organized by decade, similar to the newspaper articles. The transcripts include dialogue from numerous radio and television programs, as well as speeches for the Republican National Convention, Idaho Republican Party, Ad-Sell League, and the For America organization. Lee's acceptance speech for the 1962 Republican nomination for Senate and a transcript of a 1960 meeting with W. Cleon Skousen are also a part of these materials. For the most part, the correspondence in this collection dates from Lee's retirement, in the 1970s and 1980s. Notable figures to which Lee wrote letters are President Ronald Reagan (1982), Congressman Jack Kent (1983), and Senator Bob Dole (1986). Lee's correspondence also includes form letters about foreign aid and wildlife conservation, as well as a batch of correspondence labeled "Lee Personal."

Handwritten notes appear to be drafts of speeches and letters, but nearly all are unlabeled and undated. While many of the notes appear to be missing pages or shuffled together, care was taken to keep these pages in the order in which they were found. Speeches and other events in which Lee was involved are preserved in the audio recordings, which include reel-to-reel, audograph, and vinyl record formats. These have all been digitized and a CD of each recording is housed with the original.

The final two boxes contain oversized items, including publications containing articles about Lee, as well as two loose photographs of Lee and his wife, Margaret. The last box houses full-page newspaper spreads that were previously laminated and are organized by decade. These articles, which are largely dated from the 1940s and 1950s, are from newspapers like the Deseret News, Western Farm Life, Carbon College News, Emery County Progress, andGrit. Few of these newspapers contain articles specifically about Lee, who perhaps collected them because they covered topics of interest to him.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the J. Bracken Lee papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: J. Bracken Lee papers USUE_COLL MSS 1>, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USUE_COLL MSS 1, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged by material type.

Location of Collection

The J. Bracken Lee papers are located at in the Utah State University Eastern - Utah Price Campus Library Lee Family Reading Room.

Processing Note

Processed in January of 2012

Acquisition Information

The materials in this collection were donated to Utah State University-College of Eastern Utah by the J. Bracken Lee family in 1996.

Bibliography

Sources
Fulton, Ben. "J. Bracken Lee: Utah's First 'Tea Party' Governor, Circa 1950." The Salt Lake Tribune . September 9, 2011. Grow, Stewart L. "The 1962 Election in Utah." The Western Political Quarterly Vol. 16, No. 2 (1963): 460-466. Lythgoe, Dennis L. Let ‘em Holler: A Political Biography of J. Bracken Lee . Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1982. Pace, Eric. "J. Bracken Lee is Dead at 97; Was Blunt Governor of Utah." The New York Times . October 22, 1996.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Albums, undatedReturn to Top

42 albums
Container(s) Description Dates
Box Album
1 1
This album consists mostly of newspaper clippings, election materials, and photographs from 1930s to 1950s when Lee was mayor of Price and ran for governor and Congress. It also contains miscellaneous motivational ephemera and poems, as well as an advertisement for George B. Russell's bio of Lee, a third grade report card from the Fruita Public Schools, and a commencement program for Carbon Senior High School dated May 21, 1948. Photographs include the 1920s Price Baseball team and the 1936 state Municipal League Convention in Smithfield, Utah.
1936-1982
1 2
This album consists of family photographs—some of which are reproductions. These include snapshots of Lee during WWI, Lee on the Carbon County High School baseball team, and Lee and wife Margaret on various trips to places like Japan, California, and Mexico. This album also consists of numerous photographs and newspaper clippings from Lee's time as governor of Utah from 1949 to 1957. Notable pictures include Lee at his 1949 inauguration, Lee with Herbert Hoover at the 1950 Utah Republican Day, and photographs from the 1950 governor's conference. Other notable documents include a letter from David O. McKay concerning the YWCA, a family Christmas card from 1950, and J. Bracken Lee, Jr.'s orders to report to West Point in 1948.
1900 - 1969
1 3
This album consists mostly of newspaper clippings, election materials, miscellaneous motivational ephemera and poems, WWI veterans material, letters of congratulation, and photographs, mostly from the 1930s to 1950s when Lee was mayor of Price and ran for governor and Congress. Of special significance are election certificates for the mayor of Price, a commencement program for Carbon College dated May 29, 1940, and a program from "The Last Formation of the Last Squad Club"—a WWI veteran's organization from Helper, Utah—dated March 1, 1986.
1938-1986
2 4
This album contains mainly newspaper clippings and photographs, many about or of Margaret Draper Lee. Other articles and photographs deal with the social and personal aspects of Lee's life after he became Mayor of Salt Lake City in the 1960s and during his retirement in the 1970s and 1980s. Of special interest are color photographs at Lee's funeral, a Christmas card from Joe McCarthy, a 1974 biography, a snapshot of Lee with Vincent Price, and a photograph of young Lee probably in his teens or early 20s.
1928-1996
2 5
Much of this album consists of photographs from Lee's time as governor of Utah from 1949 to 1957, though there are also some family photographs dating back to circa 1900. Notable photographs include a picture of Lee as a child circa 1900 and 1904, with LDS Church presidents George Albert Smith and David O. McKay, and campaigning unsuccessfully for Senate in 1958. There is also a picture of the Carbon High Athletic Club (1917) and a 1949 Christmas letter from Bracken to Margaret Lee.
1900-1957
2 6
Newspaper articles, photographs, correspondence, and ephemera spanning most of Lee's life make up this album. Notable items are a photograph of Lee with actor Joel McCray, pictures from WWI, and many promotional photographs taken when he was mayor of Price, Governor of Utah, and mayor of Salt Lake City. This album also includes articles in regional and national magazines about Lee, letters from constituents, inspirational and witty sayings, a dinner invitation from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and a program from the 1949 Republican National Committee Banquet at which Lee spoke.
1918-1986
3 7
Newspaper clippings and photographs comprise a majority of this Lake City, as well as the four-year period between these terms. There are also some articles and photographs from the years following his retirement from politics that date as late as 1984. Notable clippings include a political cartoon from the Houston Chronicle and an editorial written by Lee in 1980 entitled, "Government ignores constitution." The photographs depict, among other things, Lee at a book signing, posing with a shotgun, and standing in front of the capitol's Christmas tree. Other items of interest are a 1966 letter from David O. McKay acknowledging Lee's approval of the Christmas lighting at Temple Square, a biographical sketch with quotes about Lee from newspapers and public figures, and the Lee's Christmas card, probably from his term as Utah governor.
1960-1984
3 8
This album features newspaper clippings and photographs mostly related to Lee's wife, Margaret, and family, dating from the 1950s to the 1970s. Among the newspaper clippings are articles about Jon Lee's marriage and Jimmie Lee's appointment to West Point. Photographs include numerous pictures of Bracken and Margaret together, Bracken with boxer Jack Dempsey, and a series of portraits of Margaret taken in 1972. Also found in this album are an invitation to the 1953 Utah governor's inauguration and Christmas cards from 1951 and 1955.
1950-1979
3 9
The newspaper clippings, photographs and ephemera in this album, span a large portion of Lee's life. One notable newspaper clipping from 1917 notes Lee's entry into the military, while another is Margaret's obituary from 1989. Photographs include numerous family portraits and snapshots from early in Lee's life, though most are undated. There is also a picture of the 1915 Carbon County High School baseball team. Finally, this album includes a wedding announcement for Lee and his wife, Margaret, dated February 23, 1928.
1915-1989
4 10
This brief album includes newspaper clippings, photographs, and various other documents. The main newspaper article is from the May 5, 1991 issue of the Standard Examiner and is entitled, "J. Bracken Lee, Then and Now." Most of the photographs are reproductions of older prints, though there are some original pictures of Lee and his family from the 1980s and 1990s. The album also includes a letter from Margaret to Bracken on their 60th wedding anniversary in 1988.
1980-1991
4 11
Most of this album consists of newspaper clippings from Lee's time as governor. Other items include a series of photographs and newspaper articles about the 100th to 105th birthdays of Lee's mother, Ida Mae Lee, which took place in the 1970s. The album concludes with a few obituaries from Margaret Lee's death in 1989. All items in this album date to sometime between 1948 and 1989.
1949-1956
4 12
The photographs, newspaper clippings, and other items in this album cover a wide variety of topics. Photographs include pictures from the 1949 inauguration, as well as numerous family snapshots from after Lee's retirement from politics in 1972. Newspaper articles cover topics like the 100th birthday of Lee's mother, Ida Mae Lee, and Lee's retirement from politics. This album also includes an invitation to Bracken and Margaret's 60th wedding anniversary celebration.
1944-1988
5 13
Consists mostly of newspaper clippings, magazine articles, election materials, and photographs. Some of the newspaper articles discuss Margaret Lee's car accident in 1987. Notable photographs include historic photos of Price, Utah, WWII monument dedication c. 1990, family photos, photographs of Margaret Lee's family, Lee camping in mountains, and Lee with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
1900-1987
5 14
The bulk of this album consists of newspaper clippings and photographs that date from the 1950s and detail J. Bracken Lee's service as governor. Some of the articles highlight events attended by Lee or his wife, Margaret, while others discuss Lee's unsuccessful run for governor as an independent in 1956. In one article, Lee suggests that McCarthyism is synonymous with Americanism. Another article about Lee, published in The American Magazine, is entitled, "The Lone Wolf of Utah." Photographs are largely unlabeled but include some original and reproduced family snapshots. Also included is a 1950 letter from Lee to his mother, thanking her for his Christmas gift. The back of the album holds three documents pertaining to Lee's unsuccessful bid for governor in 1956, including a booklet entitled, "Accomplishments of the Administration of Governor J. Bracken Lee," an article entitled, "Why the People will Re-elect Governor Lee," and a transcript of his speech accepting a run for governor as an independent.
1950-1959
5 15
Items in this album include newspaper clippings, photographs, and other ephemera concerning numerous parts of Lee's life. Some of the earliest materials in this album are original photographs from Lee's military service during WWI. It contains a number of interesting magazine articles about Lee, including one from a 1957 issue of Human Events entitled, "J. Bracken Lee—Budget Cutter." There is also a booklet promoting Lee's 1958 failed Senate run and a reprint of the acceptance speech for his failed Senate run in a 1962 publication of The CSA Newsletter. Other materials come from after Lee's retirement from politics, including a letter from Utah governor Norman H. Bangerter wishing him Lee and his wife well after a car accident. A 1987 certificate for a donation to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation indicates Lee's continuing commitment to conservative politics.
1927-1987
6 17
This album consists mostly of newspaper clippings from Lee's terms as governor. Some clippings also address Lee's time as mayor of Salt Lake City. There are also numerous photographs, including a picture of Bracken and Margaret on the steps of the Governor's Mansion and snapshots from their trip to Japan when Bracken was mayor of Salt Lake City.
1910-1989
6 17
Consisting mostly of newspaper clippings and photographs, this album details Lee's life as governor, mayor of Salt Lake City, and a retiree from public life. Notable newspaper articles include those reporting Lee's desire to repeal the income tax, while photographs depict a billboard advertising Lee's unsuccessful Senate run in 1962 and show him with actress Kim Novak, geologist Charlie Steen, and Utah Governor Calvin Rampton. The album also contains a number of certificates, given to Lee by organizations like the Boys Club and Zion's 1st National Bank.
1950-1999
6 18
While largely consisting of photographs, there are also some newspaper articles and ephemera in this album. Prominent among the photographs are publicity shots from Lee's speeches, dinners, and other events as governor including speeches. There is also a picture of the governor fishing in La Paz, shooting a gun, and standing in front of the Utah state capitol Christmas tree. A 1956 Republican National Convention pass, is included as well.
1948-1956
7 19
Newspaper clippings and photographs comprise the majority of this album, which details Lee's time as governor of Utah and mayor of Salt Lake City. One newspaper cartoon depicts Lee as Cesar, with his assailants Bennett, Clyde, and Watkins, standing nearby. Notable photographs include Lee hunting antelope and observing cars at the Bonneville Salt Flats, as well as Lee's wife, Margaret, duck hunting with a friend.
1949-1981
7 20
This album contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and other ephemera originating mostly from Lee's term as governor of Utah and mayor of Salt Lake City, as well as his retirement. The articles are mostly retrospectives of Lee's life, or they cover topics like his wedding anniversary or the 100+ birthdays of his mother, Ida Mae Lee. Most of the photographs are unlabeled and depict Lee at a variety of events in his role as governor and mayor, as well as some photos of his travels with Margaret. Also included in this album is an invitation to Bracken and Margaret's 50th wedding anniversary.
undated
7 21
This album contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and reproductions of motivational poems. Most of the newspaper clippings in this album are from the 1970s and 1980s and a majority are retrospectives on Lee's life. Photographs of interest include a World War I-era snapshot labeled "C Comp XXI U.S. INFTRY" that likely identifies Lee, one of Margaret D. Lee in the dress she wore to Eisenhower's inauguration, and pictures of J. Bracken Lee hunting geese.
1915-1983
8 22
Nearly all of the items contained in this album are newspaper clippings. Most of them pertain to Lee's term as governor or the period after he retired from politics. Two major topics covered in these articles are the 1978 Salt Lake City city-county unification vote, as well as some late-1970s retrospectives of Lee's political career. A notable letter is written by Salt Lake City mayor Ted Wilson in 1979, thanking Lee for his support in the vote for city-county unification.
1917-1981
8 23
This album consists of newspaper clippings, photographs, and other items. Notable pieces in this collection are Ida Mae Lee's funeral program (1980) and photographs of Lee in his Shriner's fez.
1971-1980
8 24
Most of the items are photographs of Lee after his retirement from politics in 1972. Notable among these is a group of snapshots taken at the Last Formation of the Last Squad Club in 1986. Also included in these scrapbooks are pictures of Ronald Reagan, whom Lee appears to have supported late in his life.
1950-1989
8 25
This album consists exclusively of newspaper clippings and ephemera related to Lee's service as mayor of Price and the early years of his term as governor. Notable topics covered by the newspaper articles are the publication of a political pamphlet critical of Lee's leadership as Price mayor, Lee's election as Utah's governor in 1948, and Lee's push to significantly cut Utah's budget in 1949. Ephemera in this album include a pamphlet for Lee's unsuccessful run for Congress in 1942, a pamphlet listing Utah's Republican candidates in 1948, and stationary from Lee's gubernatorial campaign (probably 1948).
1942-1949
8 26
Mostly comprised of newspaper clippings with a few pieces of ephemera, this scrapbook documents a six-year period of Lee's 12-year tenure as mayor of Price. The newspaper articles cover a couple of significant events during his term, including his election as the head of the Municipal League and the arrest of state liquor control commission officials who raided an establishment in Price. Notable ephemera include a campaign flyer from Lee's unsuccessful bid for governor in 1940 and a flyer for the Helper and Price chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals listing Lee as the organization's president.
1937-1942
8 27
Consisting almost entirely of newspaper clippings, this album documents Lee's term as governor of Utah. Of interest is a letter to Lee's mother, Mrs. Arthur J. Lee, to attend her son's first gubernatorial inauguration at the state capitol.
1948-1954
8 28
Newspaper articles make up the entirety of this album. They cover topics such as Lee's refusal to pay his 1955 income taxes and Lee's disapproval of foreign aid. Because the tape that originally held the clippings in the album became brittle and lost its adhesiveness, the articles were removed from the original album and placed in an acid-free folder.
1955-1956
9 29
Scrapbook for the homecoming and other activities of an organization known as the Athletic Boosters Club until 1970-71 when the name was changed to the Activities Boosters Club. It was founded at Carbon College, later known as College of Eastern Utah, and now known as Utah State University-Eastern.
1963-1971
9 30
There are numerous newspaper clippings concerning Price and the College of Eastern Utah in this album. Article topics include the importance of coal in the nation's energy policy and CEU's annual Silver Dollar Days celebration.
1973-1974
9 31
This album consists of newspaper clippings about Price and the College of Eastern Utah. They cover topics like the opening of the Chicano Studies program at CEU, Eagle Week, the Miss CEU pageant, the Artrain traveling exhibit, and various sporting events.
1972-1973
9 32
This album consists entirely of newspaper clippings from the Price Sun Advocate. They cover topics relating to the College of Eastern Utah, from the sports teams to the CEU Prehistoric Museum.
1987-1988
9 33
This album contains photographs of Lee's early years, home, and children; most are identified and may be useful in identifying photographs in other albums. These photographs include pictures of George B. Russell, Lee's father and mother, and baseball player Allie Reynolds.
1891-1980
9 34
This album is entirely comprised of photographs that appear to be of Lee's family and friends, at their home in Price.
1930-1959
9 35
In this album are a series of photographs and a number of cards with motivational sayings. The photographs are unlabeled, except for one on which is written the names T. Halsis, M. Borthies, B. Lee, and J. Phillips. The cards say things like, "when guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns" and "democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."
1968 October
10 36 a-f
Each of these albums is labeled, "Governor's Personal File: Social, Mansion, Personal, Sports, Speeches and Reactions." They contain hundreds of newspaper articles under each of these general headings, and offer a surprisingly complete record of Lee's term as governor. Some of the clippings have come loose, so care should be taken when handling the albums.
1949-1956
11 37 a-d
The contents of these two albums are explained on a label attached to the front: "Pictures taken during the visit of Mayor & Mrs. J. Bracken Lee and party for the unveiling of the monument marking the sisterhood ties between Salt Lake City and Quezon City [Philippines] – October 28, 29, 30, 1968." Quezon City mayor Norberto S. Amoranto apparently gave Lee this album as a gift on March 16, 1971.
1968-1971

Loose Materials, 1935-1999Return to Top

9 boxes
Container(s) Description Dates
Newspaper Articles
1940-1999
Box Folder
12 1
Newspaper articles
Topics: 1948 election results, 1948 gubernatorial election, 1949 inauguration 1949 state budget, 1949 address to legislature, Lee's political appointees, Lee's congressional run, Margaret Lee
1940-1949
12 2-4
Newspaper articles
Topics: 1951 state budget, 1952 gubernatorial election, Lee's refusal to pay 1955 federal income taxes, 1956 gubernatorial primary, 1958 inauguration of George D. Clyde, Joseph McCarthy, income tax, state budget reductions, tax cuts, transfer of Weber, Snow, and Dixie colleges to the LDS church.
1950-1959
12 5
Newspaper articles
Topics: 1963 election, Skousen firing, income taxes, unions
1960-1969
12 6
Newspaper articles
Topics: Lee's retirement, income taxes
1970-1979
13 1
Newspaper articles
Topics: Lee's broken leg, Lee's 90th birthday, documentary: "Old Fights, Good Times: The J. Bracken Lee Story"
1980-1989
13 2
Newspaper articles
1990-1999
13 3
Newspaper articles
undated
Ephemera
1935-1972
Box Folder
13 4
Ephemera from term as mayor of Price
1935-1947
13 5
Ephemera from election and term as governor of Utah
1948-1957
13 6
Ephemera from election and term as mayor of Salt Lake City
1960-1972
13 7
Ephemera from run for U.S. Congress
1942
13 8
Ephemera from runs for U.S. Senate
1958 - 1962
13 9
Ephemera from run for U.S. President
1972
13 10
Ephemera from retirement
undated
13 11
Ephemera
undated
13 12
Biography entitled, "J. Bracken Lee, Governor of Utah"
undated
13 13
Collection of newspaper quotes about Lee entitled, "What They Think of Governor Lee"
undated
Speeches and Interviews
1941-1979
Box Folder
14 1
Transcripts of speeches and interviews
1941-1949
14 2
Transcripts of speeches and interviews
1950-1959
14 3
Transcripts of speeches and interviews
1961-1969
14 4
Transcripts of speeches and interviews
1970-1979
14 5-8
Transcripts of speeches and interviews
undated
Correspondence
1940-1989
Box Folder
15 1
Incoming correspondence
1940-1949
15 2
Outgoing correspondence
1940-1949
15 3
Incoming correspondence
1950-1959
15 4
Outgoing correspondence
1950-1959
15 5
correspondence
1960-1969
15 6
Incoming correspondence
1970-1979
15 7
Outgoing correspondence
1970-1979
15 8
Incoming correspondence
1980-1989
15 9
Outgoing correspondence
1980-1989
15 10
"The Personal Income Tax," a For America form letter
undated
15 11
Loose correspondence
undated
Handwritten Notes
undated
Box Folder
16 1-5
Handwritten Notes
undated
Audio Recordings
1955-1965
Box Folder
17 1
Audiographs
1955-1956
17 2
"Between the Headlines" by J. Bracken Lee
1962 March 11
17 3
"New Tax Bill" speech by J. Bracken Lee, KSL TV
1962 March 31
17 4
"American" by Don Gillis and Westminster Community Symphony Orchestra
undated
17 5
"Umstadtt" address by Governor J. Bracken Lee
undated
17 6
J.D. Williams speaks about John Birch Society, 12 PM news
undated
Oversize Audio Recordings
1948-1952
Box Folder
18 1
"News on the Spot" interview with J. Bracken Lee
1948 November 10
18 2
Governor Lee's Oath of Office
1949 January 3
18 3
Fulton Lewis, Jr. interviewing J. Bracken Lee
1949 July 19
18 4
Governor Lee
1950 August 8
18 5
J. Bracken Lee, Sam Hayes Newscast
1952 January 10
18 6
"A Salutation to America"
undated
18 7
Governor Lee at Vernal
undated
18 8
Junior Chamber of Commerce
undated
Oversize Publications and Photographs
1950-1956
Box Folder
19 1
Life
Contains article, "Politician Without a Future"
1950 May 1
19 2
The Saturday Evening Post
Contains article, "The Stubbornest Man in Utah"
1950 May 6
19 3
Facts Forum News
Contains article, "Will Income Taxes Destroy Capitalism?"
1956 July
19 4
The American Magazine
Contains article, "Lone Wolf of Utah."
1950 May
19 5
Portrait photograph of Margaret Lee
undated
19 6
Photograph of J. Bracken Lee and Margaret Lee posing with Bracken's portrait
undated
Oversize Newspaper Articles
1940-1959
Box Folder
20 1
Oversize newspaper articles
1940-1949
20 2
Oversize newspaper articles
1950-1959
20 3
Oversize newspaper articles
undated

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