Governor John Berridge McCuish family papers

Creator: McCuish, John Berridge, 1906-1962

Date: 1852-1962

Level of Description: Coll./Record Group

Material Type: Manuscripts

Call Number: Ms. Coll. 854

Unit ID: 44269

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this collection.

Biographical sketch: Journalist, business owner, lieutenant governor (1955-57) & governor of Kansas (Jan. 3-14, 1957) (Republican). Of Leadville, Colo.; Newton, Topeka, Kan.

Abstract: Materials include journals from Anna Hulburd (McCuish); Helen Morgan (Hulburd)'s diary; John Berridge McCuish, Sr.'s, notebooks from Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.); scrapbooks pertaining to John Berridge McCuish, Jr.'s, participation in the 1936 Republican National Convention & enlistment in the Army, 1943; photograph albums containing portraits of family & friends; correspondence & invitations; correspondence related to his 90 day visit to Japan as a consultant; folders & billfold contents and other documents pertaining to his business & political career; notes & other materials related to his funeral; and other items from various family members.

Space Required/Quantity: 2.17 cubic feet

Title (Main title): Governor John Berridge McCuish family papers

Titles (Other):

John Berridge McCuish family papers
McCuish family papers

Biography

Biog. Sketch (Full):

John Berridge McCuish, Jr., was governor of Kansas for exactly eleven days in January 1957. Born in Leadville, Colorado, to Dr. and Mrs. John McCuish, his family moved to Newton, Kansas, when he was two years old. He attended school in Missouri before graduating from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, in 1925.

After running several Harvey County, Kansas, newspapers including the Harvey County News, McCuish was inducted into the United States Army and served in World War II, 1943 - 1945. After returning from Germany, McCuish served as a member of the Kansas State Commission of Revenue and Taxation; he also held several jobs with the Kansas Republican Party between 1939 and 1948.

McCuish began his term as lieutenant governor of Kansas in 1955 under Governor Fred Hall. Hall resigned a little more than a week before the inauguration of his successor, Democrat George Docking on 3 January 1957. McCuish became governor, an office he held for eleven days, making it the shortest administration in the history of the State. His one official act of governor was to appoint Hall to the State Supreme Court in what was known as the "triple play of 1956" as a way of depriving Docking the opportunity to appoint the new justice.

After leaving office, McCuish returned to his Newton newspaper and later entered the oil business. He died after suffering a stroke and was interred in Greenwood Cemetery in Newton.

His family ranged across the United States, including Massachusetts (his father went to Harvard University in Cambridge), Utah, and Missouri.

Scope and Content

Scope and content:

The collection covers the political and some military aspects of John Berridge McCuish, Jr.'s, adult professional life. He obtained the governorship due to the resignation of Governor Fred Hall. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings relating to Lieutenant Governor McCuish and Governor Hall, 1955-1957. There are several clippings about their inaugural. There are four folders containing a journal, correspondence, and photographs of McCuish's 90 days in Japan serving as a consultant. One of two scrapbooks contains photographs and clippings pertaining to McCuish and his participation in the 1936 Republication National Convention.

A diary, 1852-1853, belonged to Helen Morgan (Hulburd), believed to be the aunt of McCuish. It speaks of her travels and encounters.

A photograph album contains portraits of family and friends. Most of the photos date to the nineteenth century. Several portraits are of John McCuish, Sr., and Anna Hulburd McCuish and siblings.

Four journals, 1884-1888, belonged to Anna Hulbard (McCuish), mother of John McCuish, Jr. Three are from Park College (now University) in Parkville, Missouri, and one from Utah, where she taught in a mission school.

Two college notebooks, 1893-1894, belonged to John McCuish, Sr., and contain special study notes while a student at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

One folder labeled Park Program was transferred to the State archives holdings of the Kansas State Historical Society.

A briefcase, desk name plate, gavel, World War II military artifacts, copy of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and a Bible were transferred to the Kansas State Historical Society's museum collection.

Contents: Ser. 1. Photo albums -- ser. 2. Journals -- ser. 3. Diary -- ser. 4. Notebooks -- ser. 5. Journal report -- ser. 6. Scrapbook -- ser. 7. Folders.

Locators:

Locator	Contents
029-15-02-04	1939 commission certificate to State Commission of Revenue & Taxation
041-02-05-01 to 041-02-05-02

Related Records or Collections

Associated materials: Associated materials in the Kansas Historical Society photographs collection.

Associated materials: Park program files, 1954-1962 (Ser. 221800): Transferred to the State archives holdings of the Kansas State Historical Society (Topeka): Records of the Lieutenant Governor (Record Group 446).

Index Terms

Subjects

Creators and Contributors

McCuish, John Berridge, 1906-1962

McCuish, John Berridge

Hulburd, Helen Morgan

McCuish, Anna Hulburd

McCuish family

Additional Information for Researchers

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this collection.

Use and reproduction: NOTICE: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The user is cautioned that the publications of the contents of this microfilm may be construed as a violation of copyright. Copyright derives from the principle of common law, affirmed in the 1976 Copyright Act as amended, that the writer of an unpublished letter or other manuscript has the sole right to publish the contents thereof for the duration of the copyright unless he or she affirmatively parts with that right; copyright descends to his or her legal heirs regardless of the ownership of the physical manuscript itself. It is the responsibility of an author or his or her publisher to secure permission of the owner of copyright in unpublished writing.

Cite as: McCuish, John Berridge. Governor John Berridge McCuish Family Papers, 1906-1962, Ms. Collection 854, Library & Archives Division, Kansas State Historical Society.

Action note: Finding aid prepared by Debra A. Riley, 2008