Rowell (Chester H.) Papers, 1882-1940

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Summary

Title:
Chester Harvey Rowell Papers,
Dates:
1882-1940
Creators:
Rowell, Chester Harvey, 1867-?
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Chester Harvey Rowell Papers, Sanoian Special Collections Library, California State University, Fresno.

Background

Scope and content:

The Chester Harvey Rowell papers measure 1.25 linear feet and date from 1882 to 1937. The collection predominantly consists of correspondence to Rowell's family, in particular, to his sister, Cora. These are personal letters in which he reveals his feelings about his current place of employment or his opinions about the various places he has traveled. Also included are Rowell's marriage announcement and editorials from the Fresno Morning Republican and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The collection also contains of correspondence from Dr. Chester Rowell, a prominent physician in Fresno, to his nephew and niece, Chester and Cora.

Interfiled with the correspondence are typed transcripts (some incomplete) of approximately half of the family's letters, done by Schyler Rehart, a former journalism professor at California State University, Fresno.

Biographical / historical:

Chester Harvey Rowell was born in Bloomington, Illinois, in 1867. In his youth, he went to Europe to study and travel. After his return, he taught at a small college in Kansas for a year and then came to Fresno, California, to be a high school instructor in mathematics and German. After two years in Fresno, Rowell joined the faculty at the University of Illinois, where he remained for a year. He returned to Fresno in 1898 to become the editor and manager of the Fresno Morning Republican, positions he maintained for twenty-two years. In 1912, on the death of his uncle Dr. Chester Rowell the founder and president of the board of directors of the newspaper, Rowell became president of the board. After leaving Fresno, Rowell became the editor and director of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Rowell also had a highly active political career. In 1907, he helped to organize the Lincoln Roosevelt League of California, the Republican party reform organization of which he was president for several years. He was chairman of the Republican state convention in 1910 and 1912, and a delegate from California, first to the Republican and then to the Progressive national convention. During this period, he served on a subcommittee which wrote the platforms of both political parties. In 1916, Rowell became a member of the Republican national campaign committee from California and between 1916 to 1918 he was chairman of the Republican state committee of California.

After his retirement from newspaper work in 1920, Rowell worked actively to promote general international good will among nations bordering the Pacific Ocean and spent much time in the Orient as a member of the Institute of Pacific Relations.

Acquisition information:
The papers were donated by Barbara Laughlin, Rowell's daughter, in 1983.
Physical description:
1.25 linear feet
Bibliography:
  • Bogart, Victor. Chester Harvey Rowell and the Lincoln Roosevelt League, 1907-1910 (M.A thesis--University of California, 1962).
    f F866. R6 B63
  • Cormier, William C. Chester Harvey Rowell: the 1916 Election (M.A. thesis--Fresno State College, 1969)
    f F866. R6 C67 1969
  • Everett, Miles Chapman. Chester Harvey Rowell, Pragmatic Humanist and California Progressive (Ph.D. thesis--University of California, 1966)
    F866. R6 E8 1967

    • About this collection guide

    Collection Guide Author:
    Processed by Hülya Reshad; machine-readable finding aid created by James Lake
    Date Prepared:
    © 1998
    Date Encoded:
    Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: 1997.

    Access and use

    Restrictions:

    The collection is open for research.

    Terms of access:

    Copyright has not been transferred to California State University, Fresno.

    Preferred citation:

    [Identification of item], Chester Harvey Rowell Papers, Sanoian Special Collections Library, California State University, Fresno.

    Location of this collection:
    5200 North Barton Avenue, M/S ML 34
    Fresno, CA 93740-8014, US
    Contact:
    (559) 278-2595
    specialc@listserv.csufresno.edu
    Website