Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers

Special Collections and Archives

Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers

You are here

Special Collections and Archives

Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers

You are here

Finding Aid for the Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers

Repository: Kent State University. Special Collections and Archives.
Title: Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers
Inclusive Dates: 1886-1953
Author: Finding aid prepared by Amanda Faehnel, January 2026
Origination: Pomerene, Atlee, 1863-1937 and Pomerene, Mary B., 1865-1952
Extent: 10.33 cubic feet (13 boxes = 6 record storage boxes, 4 half-size record storage boxes, 1 oversize document case, 1 legal size document case, 1 flat document box, and 3 oversized map case files)
Physical Location: 11th floor
Abstract: This collection contains the professional and personal papers of Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene. Most materials date from the first half of the 20th century and focus heavily on the political career of Atlee Pomerene, especially during his time as United States Senator (1911-1923) and his later political appointments in Washington. The inclusion of Mary B. Pomerene's diaries and daybooks provide insight into their lives during this time.
Language: English
Descriptive Rules: DACS 2nd Edition

Biographies of Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene

Atlee Pomerene was born in 1863 in Berlin, Ohio. He attended the Vermillion Institute in Hayesville, Ohio, graduated from Princeton College with honors in 1884, and received his law degree at Cincinnati Law School in 1886. After relocating to Canton, Ohio to practice law, Pomerene entered politics as Stark County's city solicitor in 1887. He served on the Board of Education five years later and was elected as the county's prosecuting attorney in 1896.

Mary Helen Bockius was born in Canton, Ohio in 1865. She was the daughter of a prominent shoe merchant and grew up in Canton's so-called "Quality Hill" neighborhood, a few houses north of William McKinley's home. Mary Bockius met Atlee Pomerene through mutual friends in 1886 during Atlee's visit to Canton to establish local connections and plan the location of his new law office. Mary and Atlee were married in 1892.

Atlee served as the Ohio Tax Commissioner from 1906-1908, but lost the gubernatorial Democratic nomination in 1908. He was later elected as Ohio's lieutenant governor in 1910, but resigned his position in order to serve as a United States senator from 1911-1923 for the Democratic Party. Atlee lost his reelection campaign for a third term in 1922. In 1924, Pomerene was appointed by Calvin Coolidge to assist in the prosecution of the Teapot Dome scandal. After running unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for President in 1928, he was appointed by Herbert Hoover as the chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in 1932. Atlee Pomerene later resumed his law practice in Cleveland, Ohio, and died in 1937 at the age of 74. Mary B. Pomerene died in 1952 at the age of 87.

Scope and Content

This collection contains the professional and personal papers of Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene. Most materials date from the first half of the 20th century and include correspondence, photographs, government publications, and materials related to Atlee Pomerene’s election campaigns and political career.

Although most of this collection is centered on Atlee Pomerene’s work in politics, Mary B. Pomerene’s personal diaries and her voice in the correspondence, programs, and invitations of this collection demonstrate her contributions to the political obligations, social clubs, and activities of the wife of a politician in the early 20th century.

Statement of Arrangement 

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1886-1953
Series 2: Correspondence, 1905-1949
Series 3: Diaries of Mary B. Pomerene, 1912-1941
Series 4: Election Campaigns of Atlee Pomerene, 1908-1926
Series 5: Government Documents and Publications, 1912-1922
Series 6: Invitations and Programs, 1896-1940
Series 7: Photographs, 1890-1941
Series 8: Position Statements and Speeches, 1911-1934
Series 9: Senatorial and Political Subject Files, 1901-1937

Preferred Citation

Atlee and Mary B. Pomerene papers. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Philip Shriver in the 1960s. Additional materials were donated to Special Collections and Archives by Elizabeth Brice in 2011. 

Controlled Access Headings
The following are found in this collection:

Subjects:

Box 1
Folder -- Contents

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1886-1953

  1. Articles by Atlee Pomerene, 1927-1929
  2. Articles on Atlee Pomerene, 1910-1922
  3. Articles on Mary B. Pomerene, 1911-1916
  4. Artwork of Atlee Pomerene, 1928
  5. Biographies of Atlee Pomerene, 1911-1953
  6. Cincinnati Law School ephemera, 1886-1936
  7. Funeral Invitation and program, Atlee Pomerene, 1937
  8. Genealogy notes, Pomerene and Bockius, 1892-1935
  9. Membership cards, 1920-1938
  10. Memorial Booklet, Atlee Pomerene, 1950
  11. Memorial Dedications, Atlee Pomerene, 1939-1949
  12. Memorial Speeches and Tributes, Atlee Pomerene, 1937-1938
  13. Notes and Poems, undated
  14. Obituary, Atlee Pomerene, 1937
  15. Princeton University ephemera, 1919-1934
  16. Speech by Mary B. Pomerene, 1913
  17. Wedding Invitation, Atlee Pomerene and Mary Bockius, 1892

Box 2
Folder -- Contents

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1886-1953 (continued)

  1. Scrapbook of News Clippings, 1934-1939

Box 3
Folder -- Contents

Series 2: Correspondence, 1905-1949

  1. Correspondence, 1905
  2. Correspondence, 1910
  3. Correspondence, 1911
  4. Correspondence, 1912
  5. Correspondence, 1913
  6. Correspondence, 1914
  7. Correspondence, 1915
  8. Correspondence, 1916
  9. Correspondence, 1917
  10. Correspondence, 1918
  11. Correspondence, 1919, January
  12. Correspondence, 1919, February
  13. Correspondence, 1919, April
  14. Correspondence, 1919, June
  15. Correspondence, 1919, July
  16. Correspondence, 1919, August
  17. Correspondence, 1919, September
  18. Correspondence, 1919, October
  19. Correspondence, 1919, November
  20. Correspondence, 1919, December
  21. Correspondence, 1920, January
  22. Correspondence, 1920, February
  23. Correspondence, 1920, March
  24. Correspondence, 1920, April
  25. Correspondence, 1920, May
  26. Correspondence, 1920, June
  27. Correspondence, 1920, July
  28. Correspondence, 1920, August
  29. Correspondence, 1920, September
  30. Correspondence, 1920, October
  31. Correspondence, 1920, November
  32. Correspondence, 1920, December
  33. Correspondence, 1921, January
  34. Correspondence, 1921, February
  35. Correspondence, 1921, March
  36. Correspondence, 1921, April
  37. Correspondence, 1921, May
  38. Correspondence, 1921, June
  39. Correspondence, 1921, July
  40. Correspondence, 1921, August
  41. Correspondence, 1921, September
  42. Correspondence, 1921, October
  43. Correspondence, 1921, November
  44. Correspondence, 1921, December
  45. Correspondence, 1922, January
  46. Correspondence, 1922, February
  47. Correspondence, 1922, March
  48. Correspondence, 1922, April
  49. Correspondence, 1922, May
  50. Correspondence, 1922, June
  51. Correspondence, 1922, July
  52. Correspondence, 1922, August
  53. Correspondence, 1922, September
  54. Correspondence, 1922, October

Box 4
Folder -- Contents

Series 2: Correspondence, 1905-1949 (continued)

  1. Correspondence, 1922, November (folder 1 of 5)
  2. Correspondence, 1922, November (folder 2 of 5)
  3. Correspondence, 1922, November (folder 3 of 5)
  4. Correspondence, 1922, November (folder 4 of 5)
  5. Correspondence, 1922, November (folder 5 of 5)
  6. Correspondence, 1922, December (folder 1 of 2)
  7. Correspondence, 1922, December (folder 2 of 2)
  8. Correspondence, 1923, January (folder 1 of 2)
  9. Correspondence, 1923, January (folder 2 of 2)
  10. Correspondence, 1923, February (folder 1 of 2)
  11. Correspondence, 1923, February (folder 2 of 2)
  12. Correspondence, 1923, March
  13. Correspondence, 1924
  14. Correspondence, 1925
  15. Correspondence, 1926
  16. Correspondence, 1927
  17. Correspondence, 1928
  18. Correspondence, 1929
  19. Correspondence, 1931
  20. Correspondence, 1932, January
  21. Correspondence, 1932, February
  22. Correspondence, 1932, July (folder 1 of 5)
  23. Correspondence, 1932, July (folder 2 of 5)
  24. Correspondence, 1932, July (folder 3 of 5)
  25. Correspondence, 1932, July (folder 4 of 5)
  26. Correspondence, 1932, July (folder 5 of 5)
  27. Correspondence, 1932, August (folder 1 of 2)
  28. Correspondence, 1932, August (folder 2 of 2)
  29. Correspondence, 1932, September
  30. Correspondence, 1932, October
  31. Correspondence, 1932, November
  32. Correspondence, 1932, December
  33. Correspondence, 1933
  34. Correspondence, 1935
  35. Correspondence, 1936

Box 5
Folder -- Contents

Series 2: Correspondence, 1905-1949 (continued)

  1. Correspondence, 1937, October
  2. Correspondence, 1937, November (folder 1 of 5)
  3. Correspondence, 1937, November (folder 2 of 5)
  4. Correspondence, 1937, November (folder 3 of 5)
  5. Correspondence, 1937, November (folder 4 of 5)
  6. Correspondence, 1937, November (folder 5 of 5)
  7. Correspondence, 1937, December
  8. Correspondence, 1938
  9. Correspondence, 1939
  10. Correspondence, 1940
  11. Correspondence, 1941
  12. Correspondence, 1942
  13. Correspondence, 1943
  14. Correspondence, 1944
  15. Correspondence, 1946
  16. Correspondence, 1948
  17. Correspondence, 1949
  18. Correspondence, undated

Box 6
Folder -- Contents

Series 3: Diaries of Mary B. Pomerene, 1912-1941

  1. Diary, 1912
  2. Diary, 1913
  3. Diary, 1915
  4. Diary, 1916
  5. Diary, 1917
  6. Diary, 1918
  7. Diary, 1919
  8. Diary, 1920
  9. Diary, 1921
  10. Diary, 1922
  11. Diary, 1923
  12. Diary, 1924
  13. Diary, 1925
  14. Diary, 1926

Box 7
Folder -- Contents

Series 3: Diaries of Mary B. Pomerene, 1912-1941 (continued)

  1. Diary, 1927
  2. Diary, 1928
  3. Diary, 1929
  4. Diary, 1930
  5. Diary, 1931
  6. Diary, 1932
  7. Diary, 1933
  8. Diary, 1934
  9. Diary, 1935
  10. Diary, 1936
  11. Diary, 1937
  12. Diary, 1941
  13. Diary, undated

Box 8
Folder -- Contents

Series 4: Election Campaigns of Atlee Pomerene, 1908-1926

  1. Campaign for Ohio Governor, 1908
  2. Campaign for United States Senator, 1911
  3. Campaign for United States Senator, 1916
  4. Oversized political advertisement, 1916
            Physical Location: Shelved in map case.
  5. Campaign for United States Senator, 1922
  6. Democratic Campaign Book, 1922
  7. Campaign for United States Senator, 1926
  8. "Pomerene Booster," ribbon, undated
  9. "United States Senator: Atlee Pomerene," oversized campaign poster, undated 
             Physical Location: Shelved in map case.

Box 9
Folder -- Contents

Series 5: Government Documents and Publications, 1912-1922

  1. Government Documents and Publications, 1912
  2. Government Documents and Publications, 1913
  3. Government Documents and Publications, 1914
  4. Government Documents and Publications, 1915
  5. Government Documents and Publications, 1916
  6. Government Documents and Publications, 1917
  7. Government Documents and Publications, 1921
  8. Government Documents and Publications, 1922
  9. Government Documents and Publications, undated

Box 10
Folder -- Contents

Series 6: Invitations and Programs, 1896-1940

  1. Programs, 1896
  2. Programs, 1897
  3. Programs, 1898
  4. Programs, 1899
  5. Programs, 1900
  6. Programs, 1901
  7. Programs, 1902
  8. Programs, 1903
  9. Programs, 1904
  10. Programs, 1905
  11. Invitations, 1906
  12. Programs, 1906
  13. Programs, 1907
  14. Programs, 1908
  15. Programs, 1909
  16. Invitations, 1910
  17. Programs, 1910
  18. Invitations, 1911
  19. Programs, 1911
  20. Invitations, 1912
  21. Programs, 1912
  22. Invitations, 1913
  23. Programs, 1913
  24. Programs, 1914
  25. Invitations, 1915
  26. Programs, 1915
  27. Invitations, 1916
  28. Programs, 1916
  29. Invitations, 1917
  30. Programs, 1917
  31. Invitations, 1918
  32. Programs, 1918
  33. Invitations, 1919
  34. Programs, 1919
  35. Invitations, 1920
  36. Programs, 1920
  37. Invitations, 1921 (folder 1 of 2)
  38. Invitations, 1921 (folder 2 of 2)
  39. Programs, 1921
  40. Invitations, 1922 (folder 1 of 2)
  41. Invitations, 1922 (folder 2 of 2)
  42. Programs, 1922
  43. Invitations, 1923
  44. Programs, 1923
  45. Programs, 1925
  46. Invitations, 1926
  47. Programs, 1926
  48. Invitations, 1927
  49. Programs, 1927
  50. Invitations, 1928
  51. Programs, 1928
  52. Invitations, 1929
  53. Programs, 1929
  54. Invitations, 1930
  55. Programs, 1930
  56. Invitations, 1931
  57. Programs, 1931
  58. Invitations, 1932
  59. Programs, 1932
  60. Invitations, 1933
  61. Programs, 1933
  62. Invitations, 1934
  63. Programs, 1934
  64. Invitations, 1935
  65. Programs, 1935
  66. Invitations, 1936
  67. Programs, 1936
  68. Invitations, 1937
  69. Programs, 1937
  70. Programs, 1939
  71. Programs, 1940
  72. Scrapbook of Invitations, 1932-1940
  73. Invitations, undated (folder 1 of 2)
  74. Invitations, undated (folder 2 of 2)

Box 11
Folder -- Contents

Series 7: Photographs, 1890-1941

  1. Cabinet Cards, Atlee Pomerene, undated
  2. Cabinet Cards, Mary B. Pomerene, undated
  3. Cabinet Cards, Groups, undated 
  4. Photographs, Atlee Pomerene, 1915-1933
  5. Photographs, Atlee Pomerene, undated
  6. Photographs, Mary B. Pomerene, undated
  7. Photographs, Groups, 1911-1936
  8. Photographs, Groups, undated
  9. Photographs, Pomerene Memorial and Gravestone, 1940-1941

Box 12
Folder -- Contents

Series 8: Position Statements and Speeches, 1911-1934

  1. Position Statements and Speeches, 1911
  2. Position Statements and Speeches, 1912
  3. Position Statements and Speeches, 1913
  4. Position Statements and Speeches, 1914
  5. Position Statements and Speeches, 1916
  6. Position Statements and Speeches, 1917
  7. Position Statements and Speeches, 1918
  8. Position Statements and Speeches, 1919
  9. Position Statements and Speeches, 1920
  10. Position Statements and Speeches, 1921
  11. Position Statements and Speeches, 1922 (folder 1 of 3)
  12. Position Statements and Speeches, 1922 (folder 2 of 3)
  13. Position Statements and Speeches, 1922 (folder 3 of 3)
  14. Position Statements and Speeches, 1923
  15. Position Statements and Speeches, 1932
  16. Position Statements and Speeches, 1934
  17. Position Statements and Speeches, undated

Box 13
Folder -- Contents

Series 9: Senatorial and Political Subject Files, 1901-1937

  1. Subject File: Cotton Production, 1920
  2. Subject File: Democratic National Committee, 1921-1926
  3. Subject File: Democratic National Convention, 1928
  4. Subject File: Haiti Trip, Senatorial Party, 1921
  5. Subject File: Hoover, Herbert, 1932-1937
  6. Subject File: Labor, 1922
  7. Subject File: McKinley, William and McKinley Memorial, 1901-1918
  8. Subject File: Newberry vs. United States, 1921-1922
  9. Subject File: Ohio Democratic State Conventions, 1916-1922
  10. Subject File: Ohio Railroad Brotherhoods, 1922
  11. Subject File: Pan American Petroleum Company, 1922-1931
  12. Subject File: Prohibition, 1922
  13. Subject File: Railroad Strikes, 1918-1922
  14. Subject File: Reconstruction Finance Corporation, 1932-1933
  15. Subject File: Republican National Committee, 1926
  16. Subject File: Senate Rolls, 1911-1924
  17. Subject File: Stephenson, Isaac, case, undated
  18. Subject File: Teapot Dome scandal, 1921-1924
  19. Subject File: Vacuum Cleaner Company, 1916
  20. Subject File: Volstead Act, 1922
  21. Subject File: Voting Records,1933
  22. Subject File: Women's Suffrage, 1915-1922
  23. Subject File: World War I, 1916-1921
  24. Subject File: World War I, oversized materials, undated
           Physical Location: Shelved in map case.

 

Support Special Collections and Archives

Kent State University Home
© 2026 Kent State University Libraries All rights reserved.