Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Newhouse Papers, 1959-1975
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Newhouse, John, 1909-1993
- Title
- John Newhouse Papers
- Dates
- 1959-1975 (inclusive)19591975
- Quantity
- 0.5 linear feet and 17 audio cassettes
- Collection Number
- Mss 742
- Summary
- This collection includes John Newhouse's correspondence, research, taped interviews, and drafts of a book about the history of Lee Newspapers, Inc. in Montana, beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Newhouse was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1909. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1934. He worked for a bank briefly before he took his first journalism job with the Monroe Evening Times. Newhouse then worked freelance as a writer and photographer, traveling around Wisconsin looking for interesting stories before taking a job at the Rockford Morning Star in Illinois as a reporter. He married Franny, a reporting colleague, and they moved to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1943. Newhouse worked at the Wisconsin State Journal until he retired in 1974.
In 1975 Newhouse took on the job of researching and writing the history of Lee Newspapers, Inc. in Montana, beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. His research included extensive interviews of relevant people in Montana as well as at the Lee Newspapers headquarters in Davenport, Iowa.
Newhouse died May 19, 1993.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection includes John Newhouse's correspondence, research, interviews conducted on 17 audio cassettes, and drafts of a book about the history of Lee Newspapers in Montana beginning with their 1959 purchase of newspapers long owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. The correspondence briefly lays out the structure of the project while the research contains some background of the pre-1959 newspaper owners and policies. The body of research is in the interviews with Lee Newspaper Inc's personnel in Montana and in their Davenport, Iowa, headquarters.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes.
Preferred Citation
John Newhouse Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is divided into four series:
Series I: Correspondence and research, 0.1 linear foot, 1959-1975
Series II: Interview transcripts, 0.3 linear foot, 1975
Series III: Writing, 0.1 linear foot, circa 1975
Series IV: Audio Recordings, 17 audio cassettes, 1975
Custodial History
Collection was held by John Newhouse or his family until donation.
Acquisition Information
Donated to the Archives by Eric Newhouse, 2001.
Processing Note
During processing, like materials were foldered together. Newhouse's audio cassette and transcript labels or descriptions were maintained as much as possible.
In 2019, audio interviews were identified as an oral history collection, Lee Newspapers Oral History Project and given collection number OH 465.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Correspondence and Research, 1959-1975Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Correspondence between John Newhouse, Don Anderson and Lloyd Schermer |
1975 |
| 1/2 | Correspondence between Don Anderson and Sam Gilluly |
1974 |
| 1/3 | Research notes regarding history of Montana newspapers between 1884 and 1959 |
undated |
| 1/4 | Newsclippings about Lee Enterprises, Inc. and Montana newspaper people |
1959-1975 |
| 1/5 | Draft of report on Lee Newspapers, Inc. equipment and personnel in Montana |
circa 1965 |
| 1/6 | "Town and Gown" by Don Anderson,
a brief history of Montana up through changes resulting from Lee Newspaper's purchase |
1975 |
| 1/7 | "Measures of our Editorial Excellence" |
circa 1972 |
| 1/8 | Chronology of Workmen's Compensation Division scandal |
1975 |
| 1/9 |
Independent Record, "Carden Affidavit" regarding Workmen's Compensation criminal charges |
1975 |
| 1/10 | Letter regarding editorial independence within Lee Newspapers, Inc. |
1962 |
| 1/11 | Miscellaneous |
1968-1975 |
Series II: Interview transcripts, 1975Return to Top
This series consists of interview transcripts of taped interviews with Lee Enterprises employees and individuals who studied the history of newspapers and newspaper ownership in Montana. Interviews were conducted in Davenport, Iowa, and in Montana.
Only a transcript exists for the Ron Semple interview and part of the Lloyd Schermer interview. The audio cassette for both of them is missing.
Electronic copies of these transcripts are available from the University of Montana's Archives and Special Collections as oral history project OH 465. They are also available online via ScholarWorks.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/12 | Transcript of Davenport Tapes 1-4 Ron Semple interview; Lloyd Schermer interviews; Ron Rickman interview; Tom Williams interview;
Tony Tatarka interview; Jim Burgess interview
|
1975 |
| 1/13 | Transcript of Davenport Tapes 1-2 Ron Semple interview; Lloyd Schermer interview; Ron Rickman interview
|
1975 |
| 1/14 | Transcript of Davenport Tapes 3-4 Tom Williams interview; Tony Tatarka interview; Jim Burgess interview; Lloyd Schermer interview
|
1975 |
| 1/15 | Transcript of Montana Tape 1 Sam Reynolds interview; John Toole interview
|
1975 |
| 1/16 | Transcript of Montana Tape 2 John Toole interview (cont.); Warren Brier interview; Nathan Blumberg interview; K. Ross Toole interview
|
1975 |
| 1/17 | Transcript of Montana Tape 3 K. Ross Toole interview (cont.); Dick Morrison interview; Ed Coyle interview;
Ed Erlandson interview; John Talbot interview
|
1975 |
| 1/18 | Transcript of Montana Tape 4 John Talbot interview (cont.); Henry Pennypacker interview; Fred W. DeMoney interview
|
1975 |
| 1/19 | Transcript of Montana Tape 5 Fred W. DeMoney interview (cont.); Walter Nelson interview
|
1975 |
| 1/20 | Transcript of Montana Tape 6 Walter Nelson interview (cont.); Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview
|
1975 |
| 1/21 | Transcript of Montana Tape 7 Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview (cont.); Ed Winter interview
|
1975 |
| 1/22 | Transcript of Montana Tape 8 Duncan "Scotty" Campbell interview; George O'Connor interview; Bob Corbett interview;
Alec Hansen interview; Bill Christiansen interview
|
1975 |
| 1/23 | Transcript of Montana Tape 9 Bill Christiansen interview (cont.); John C. Harrison interview; Sam Gilully interview
|
1975 |
| 1/24 | Transcript of Montana Tape 10 Sam Gilully interview (cont.); S. Keith Anderson interview; Mike Voeller interview;
Gary Langley interview; George Remington interview
|
1975 |
| 1/25 | Transcript of Montana Tape 11 George Remington interview (cont.); J. Strand Hilleboe interview
|
1975 |
| 1/26 | Transcript of Montana Tape 12 J. Strand Hilleboe interview (cont.)
|
1975 |
| 1/27 | Transcript of Montana Tape 13 Seip (first name unknown) interview; Russ Hart interview; Bernard "Bud" Longo interview;
Duane "Doc" Bowler interview
|
1975 |
| 1/28 | Transcript of Montana Tape 14 Duane "Doc" Bowler interview (continued)
|
1975 |
Series III: Writing, circa 1975Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/29 | Handwritten notes |
undated |
| 1/30 | Typed notes |
circa 1975 |
| 1/31 | Draft of book, 70 pages |
undated |
| 1/32 | Copy of draft of book, 70 pages |
undated |
Series IV: Audio Recordings, 1975Return to Top
This series consists of audio recordings of the oral history interviews that Newhouse conducted. Three of the cassettes contain interviews recorded in Davenport, Iowa, with Lee Enterprises employeees. The rest of the cassettes contain interviews recorded in Montana with Lee Enterprises employees and individuals who studied the history of newspapers and newspaper ownership in Montana.
In 2019, the audio interviews were assigned an oral history collection name, Lee Newspapers Oral History Project and given collection number OH 465, to facilitate discovery and access.
Davenport Tape 1 is missing. This tape contains the interview with Ron Semple and part of the interview with Lloyd Schermer. Full transcripts of both interviews are available in Series II of this collection.
Audio was originally recorded on cassette tape. In 2019, the audio was digitized for access and preservation purposes.
Electronic copies of the audio are available from the University of Montana's Archives and Special Collections as oral history project OH 465. They are also available online via ScholarWorks.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| cassette | ||
| Davenport 2 | Lloyd Schermer interview (continued); Ron Rickman
interview The first part of Lloyd Schermer interview was recorded on Davenport Tape 1, which is missing.
|
1975 |
| Davenport 3 | Tom Williams interview; Tom Tatarka interview |
1975 |
| Davenport 4 | Tom Tatarka interview (continued); Jim Burgess
interview; Lloyd Schermer interview |
1975 |
| Montana 1 | Sam Reynolds interview; John Toole interview |
1975 |
| Montana 2 | John Toole interview (continued); Warren Brier and
Nathan Blumberg interview; K. Ross Toole interview |
1975 |
| Montana 3 | K. Ross Toole interview (continued.); Dick Morrison
interview; Edward Coyle interview; Ed Erlandson interview; John Talbot
interview |
1975 |
| Montana 4 | John Talbot interview (continued); Henry Pennypacker
interview; Fred W. DeMoney interview |
1975 |
| Montana 5 | Fred W. DeMoney interview (continued); Walter Nelson
interview |
1975 |
| Montana 6 | Walter Nelson interview (continued); Albert Gaskill,
and Jeff Gibson interview |
1975 |
| Montana 7 | Albert Gaskill and Jeff Gibson interview (continued);
Ed Winter interview |
1975 |
| Montana 8 | Duncan "Scotty" Campbell interview; George O'Connor interview;
Bob Corbett and Alec Hansen interview; Bill Christiansen interview |
1975 |
| Montana 9 | Bill Christiansen interview (continued); John C.
Harrison interview; Sam Gilully interview |
1975 |
| Montana 10 | Sam Gilully interview (continued); S. Keith Anderson
and Mike Voeller interview; Gary Langley and Mike Voeller interview; George Remington
interview |
1975 |
| Montana 11 | George Remington interview (continued); J. Strand
Hilleboe interview |
1975 |
| Montana 12 | J. Strand Hilleboe interview (continued) |
1975 |
| Montana 13 | Seip (first name unknown) interview; Russ Hart interview;
Bernard "Bud" Longo interview; Duane "Doc" Bowler interview |
1975 |
| Montana 14 | Duane “Doc” Bowler interview (continued) |
1975 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
Corporate Names
Finding aid prepared by Teresa
Hamann (2010) and Hannah Soukup (2020)
2010
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
