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Claude Weaver Collection

 Collection
Identifier: CAC-CC-055
Consisting of 5 cubic feet of material, the Weaver Collection focuses extensively on Weaver's legal career and family. Only one folder of material deals exclusively with his years in Washington. This material covers the Federal Reserve Act, Panama Canal legislation, and roll call votes. There are, however, several political files relating to elections and the National Democratic Party as well as correspondence from such well known politicians as Thomas P. Gore, Sam Rayburn, and Elmer Thomas. There is also a substantial amount of material on William H. Murray.

The bulk of the Weaver Collection consists of documents pertaining to his legal career, skills as an orator, and his family. Court documents and speeches, by him and others, abound. There are copies of his speeches from nearly every chapter in his life. For example, there is the valedictory speech he made at his high school graduation as well as the speech he delivered at his sixtieth college reunion. Topics of speeches cover myriad social and political issues, including materialism, representative government, banking reform, agriculture, foreign policy, religious liberty, and Oklahoma history. Also included in the collection is a small number of photographs.

The collection also contains biographical sketches of family members, as well as collections of poetry that his father and other relatives wrote. Other personal information includes anecdotal essays that Weaver wrote about his days as a young lawyer in Texas, many of which are dedicated to his grandchildren, and personal correspondence with old friends, including Temple Houston.

Dates

  • 1861-1953
  • Majority of material found in 1885-1937

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Use:

The University of Oklahoma asserts no claim of copyright over photographs in this collection taken by private citizens. Any publication of such photographs requires the consent of the copyright holder.

Extent

8.7 Linear Feet (12 containers)

Biographical Information:

Claude Weaver was born in 1867 in Gainesville, Texas. His father, lawyer W.T.G. Weaver, authored the judiciary code of the Texas constitution. Although the younger Weaver considered pursuing a newspaper career, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps. He attended law school at the University of Texas at Austin, then returned to Gainesville where he practiced law. He moved to Oklahoma City in 1902.

In 1912 Weaver was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as one of three Oklahoma congressmen-at-large. He was on the House Banking and Currency Committee when the Federal Reserve Act was written and signed into law. Losing his bid for reelection in 1914, he returned to Oklahoma. In 1915, he was appointed as the postmaster of Oklahoma City by President Woodrow Wilson. He served in that position until 1923, with interruptions for participation in the Liberty Loan drives of World War I and unsuccessful attempts to recover his congressional seat. After his tenure as postmaster, Weaver returned to his law practice.

When William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray became governor of Oklahoma in 1930, Weaver was selected as his personal secretary and legal advisor. In 1934 Murray appointed Weaver to a vacancy in the thirteenth Oklahoma judicial district, a position that he held only until 1936 when he failed to win reelection. He once again returned to his law career, retiring in 1947. Weaver died in 1954.

Arrangement of Materials:

This collection is arranged into 8 thematic series. The Legal Career Series is arranged chronologically by year. The Personal and Family Series is arranged predominantly alphabetically. The Political Series is arranged alphabetically then chronologically by year. The Speeches Series is arranged into three sections: speech material, speeches by Claude Weaver, speeches by other people. The section of speeches by Claude Weaver is arranged chronologically by year. The section of speeches by other people is arranged alphabetically by surname. The Scrapbooks Series is arranged alphabetically by scrapbook topic. Many of the photographs in the Photograph Series are arranged into groups based on event or content. The last five folders of the series were donated in August 2012 by Ms. Nancy Wilkin Weaver Durka and were arranged by photograph type or content. The Oversize Series is arranged into groups by material type.

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Accruals:

Accruals and additions: March 10, 1953; November 21, 1978; August 2012. Photographs were donated by Nancy Wilkin Weaver Durka in August 2012.
Title
Guide to the Claude Weaver Collection
Language of description
The collection description/finding aid is written in English
  • TypeCollection

Repository Details

Part of the Carl Albert Center Congressional and Political Collections Repository

Contact:
630 Parrington Oval
Room 202B
Norman Oklahoma 73109 United States