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Leonidas A. Guthrie papers and photographs

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-024

Scope and Contents

The collection contains notes on Guthrie's clients, cases, juries, and other legal files dating from 1917 to 1964. It also includes manuscripts written by Guthrie on judges and lawyers in Delaware County, newspaper clippings, speeches, wills, a scrapbook, Knights of Pythias records (1942- 56), an Optimist Club program (1928), and other miscellaneous materials. See also SC 441 for the Judge’s introduction for Eleanor Roosevelt at the Muncie Fieldhouse, October 25, 1939.

A small photo collection, PSC 72, contains seven items.

Dates

  • Creation: 1917-1964

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Biographical Note

Leonidas A. Guthrie was born April 18, 1875, in Liberty Township. After schooling and training in law, he became a licensed attorney in 1896. He took a break from practicing law when he was elected mayor of Muncie in 1906. At age 30, Guthrie remains the youngest person ever elected to that office. He was instrumental in getting the first brick roads built in the city. He was elected judge in the Delaware County Circuit Court for two terms beginning in 1929, and continuing practicing law until his death at age 89 on July 4, 1964. Guthrie was a member of High Street Methodist Church where he taught Sunday school. He was also active in the Muncie Boys Club and served as president of the Delaware Boy Scout Council for five years. Guthrie was also interested in preserving the history of law in Delaware County. He wrote a history of the Delaware County Bar Association from the county’s formation in 1827 until 1960. It includes biographical information on all 233 attorneys who practiced law in the county over this 133 year period.

The collection was originally titled the Lawyers of Delaware County and was recovered from the Delaware County Genealogical Society on December 19, 1975. The name was changed in 1982.

Extent

5.7 Cubic Feet (7 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series 1: Leonidas A. Guthrie papers, 1917-1964

Series 2: Leonidas Guthrie photographs, undated

Series 3: Leonidas A. Guthrie family oversize photographs, undated

Series 4: Leonidas A. Guthrie scrapbook collection, 1950-1955

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation. Additions were received by Mrs. Marian Brower on 2003/08/13.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 1994/02/18 by M. Sears. EAD finding aid created 2013/07/30 by Leslie Nellis.

Title
Leonidas A. Guthrie papers and photographs
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA