Karl Steiwer and Frederick Steiwer correspondence and memorabilia
Scope and Contents
Correspondence and memorabilia of brothers Karl Steiwer and Frederick Steiwer of Oregon. Most of the correspondence consists of letters they wrote to their father, John Steiwer (1856-1950), while serving in the U.S. Army during and immediately after World War I. There are 17 letters and three postcards (two of the postcards were sent as a single message) from Karl Steiwer and five letters from Frederick Steiwer. There is also a letter from Frederick Steiwer to Karl Steiwer, which Karl Steiwer forwarded to John Steiwer, along with a letter of his own, after he had censored some details from Frederick Steiwer's letter.
Other correspondence in the collection consists of a January 6, 1920 letter from John Steiwer to Karl Steiwer, discussing Karl Steiwer's involvement with the family farm, and four letters from Frederick Steiwer to his sister, Lyle Steiwer Walls (1891-1980). Two of the letters to Walls were written while Frederick Steiwer was a United States senator and are on Senate letterhead; the other two were written after his resignation from the Senate.
Memorabilia in the collection consists of a copy of the 1898 Manual of Arms that belonged to Frederick Steiwer, and two short typed writings, both undated and possibly by either Karl Steiwer or Frederick Steiwer. The writings are a short biographical sketch of Ulysses S. Grant and thoughts concerning the use of imagination in business.
Dates
- Creation: 1898, 1918-1938
Creator
- Steiwer, Karl, 1885-1954 (Correspondent, Person)
- Steiwer, Frederick, 1883-1939 (Correspondent, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Biographical Note
Frederick Steiwer was born in 1883 and Karl Steiwer was born in 1885. Both brothers were born and grew up on their family's farm near Salem, Oregon. Frederick Steiwer studied at Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University) in Corvallis and the University of Oregon in Eugene, and was admitted to the Oregon bar in 1909. Karl Steiwer also attended Oregon Agricultural College, graduating in 1905. He then served in the Philippine constabulary until 1909. Both Steiwer brothers served in U.S. Army artillery units during World War I.
After the war, Karl Steiwer worked in the livestock business on the family farm until poor health forced him to retire in 1948, after which he moved to Salem. He was a candidate for Marion County sheriff in 1940, and served on the county's courthouse commission. Frederick Steiwer ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican in 1926, defeating the incumbent, Robert Stanfield, and seven other candidates in the primary before winning the general election. He was re-elected in 1932. In February 1938, he resigned from the Senate, citing family expenses and health issues. He died of cancer in February 1939, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Karl Steiwer died in Salem in 1954.
Sources: "Steiwer to Quit Senate Monday," by Duane Hennessy, Oregonian, January 28, 1938, page 1; Obituary for Frederick Steiwer, Oregonian, February 3, 1939, page 1; "Arlington Grave Awaiting Steiwer," Associated Press article in the Oregonian, February 4, 1939, page 1; obituary for Karl Steiwer in the Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon), February 10, 1954, page 5.
Full Extent
0.23 Cubic Feet (1 slim legal document case)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Correspondence and memorabilia of Oregon brothers Karl Steiwer (1885-1954) and Frederick Steiwer (1883-1939). The bulk of the correspondence is to their father, John Steiwer (1856-1950), and was written while the brothers were serving in the U.S. Army during and immediately after World War I. Other correspondence includes letters Frederick Steiwer wrote to his sister, Lyle Steiwer Walls, in the 1930s; and a letter from John Steiwer to Karl Steiwer. Memorabilia consists of a manual of arms and two short writings. After World War I, Karl Steiwer worked in the livestock business. Frederick Steiwer was a U.S. senator for Oregon from 1927 to 1938.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Howard Lehman, August 2025 (RL2025-082).
Subject
- Title
- Guide to the Karl Steiwer and Frederick Steiwer correspondence and memorabilia
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org