Scope and Content Note
The John R. Williams Papers consist of correspondence, speeches and printed matter documenting his gubernatorial career and extending from 1967-1974. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence with Arizonans and other political figures regarding political issues. Subjects addressed in the collection include the Four Corners Commission, the Arizona Board of Regents, the Equal Rights Amendment, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. Significant correspondents include Barry Goldwater, Paul Fannin, John B. Conlan, Spiro Agnew and Richard Nixon.
Of particular interest is the correspondence between Governor Williams and Reverend Walter Hofmann of Phoenix regarding a potential commutation of sentence and Parole Board hearings for Winnie Ruth Judd in 1971. The correspondence includes a copy of a letter from Judd to Reverend Hofmann written from the Arizona State Hospital in 1953. This item is located in Box 59, Folder 5.
Dates
- Creation: 1967-1974
Language of Materials
Material in English
Access Restrictions
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
Biographical Note
John R. (Jack) Williams, Arizona governor, Phoenix mayor and radio commentator, was born October 29, 1909 at Los Angeles, California. He relocated with his family to Phoenix, where he attended Phoenix Union High School and Phoenix Junior College. He was hired at radio station KOY in 1929 and became a popular radio commentator.
Williams became vice president of the Phoenix Housing Authority in 1944, president of the Phoenix Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1946 and a member of the Phoenix City Council. He served two terms as mayor of Phoenix beginning in 1956. He was elected governor as a Republican in 1966 and served three terms until 1975. He was the first Arizona governor elected to a four-year term. Williams died at Phoenix in 1975.
SOURCE: Jack Williams
, American Biographical Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, Paul W. Pollock, Phoenix, Arizona, 1981.
Full extent
110 Box(es)
Full extent
55 Linear Feet
Abstract
The John R. Williams Papers consist of correspondence, speeches and printed matter documenting his gubernatorial career and extending from 1967-1974.
Arrangement
This collection consists of one hundred and ten boxes divided into three series:
- Series I: Correspondence
- Series II: Speeches
- Series III: Other Papers
Provenance
The John R. Williams Papers were received from Governor Williams in 1983 (Accession #1983-00092).
Geographic
Occupation
Topical
- Title
- John R. Williams Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Robert P. Spindler in March 1994; machine-readable finding guide created by Michael Lotstein in July 2003.
- Date
- 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding guide encoded in English.
Repository details
Part of the Greater Arizona Collection Repository
Contact
Arizona State UniversityP.O. Box 871006
Tempe AZ 85287-1006 United States
(480) 965-4932
archives@asu.edu