Main content

Allen S. Olmsted II Papers

Notifications

Held at: Swarthmore College Peace Collection [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore 19081-1399

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Allen Seymour Olmsted, 2nd, a lawyer and judge, was also an activist for civil liberties and pacifist causes. He was born on July 9, 1888, in Le Roy (New York), the son of John Bartow and Clara Morgan Olmsted. He attended Lafayette High School in Buffalo (New York), and then went to Harvard University, where he graduated cum laude in 1909. In 1912, he received a law degree from Harvard Law School. While a student there, he was president of the Harvard Men's League for Woman Suffrage. Following law school, Olmsted was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. Early in his career, he specialized in railroad rate cases, bringing them before the Interstate Commerce Commission and various state regulatory agencies.

Olmsted moved to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) in 1915 and soon joined the law practice of Saul, Ewing, Remick, and Saul. In 1930, he moved his principal office to Media (Pennsylvania), but maintained a downtown Philadelphia office at Saul, Ewing as well. He enlisted and served overseas during World War I with the American Expeditionary Force as a sergeant major with the 14th Railway Engineers (1917-1919), and remained for a year after the war with the Sorbonne Detachment in Paris. Disillusioned by war as a solution to world disputes, Olmsted began to have a strong interest in pacifism. In 1921, Olmsted married Mildred Scott Olmsted, whose papers (DG 082) are also available at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. The couple had a son, Peter Scott, and adopted two more children, Enid Scott and Anthony Scott. Allen Olmsted supported his wife's peace activities by serving as counsel without fee for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and, later, for the Jane Addams Peace Association. Early in the 1920s, Olmsted served on the Council of the Pennsylvania branch of the American Birth Control Federation and was on the Council of the Philadelphia branch as well. He was President of Philadelphia Young Democracy in 1923. In 1927, as a member of the American Legion's Howard C. McCall Post #20, Olmsted stood trial for urging that an alien had the right to make pro-Communist remarks and should be defended accordingly; he was subsequently acquitted by the Legion for his "alleged seditious utterings." Olmsted served as an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, and was a member of that organization most of his life. He was active in the National Council for Prevention of War. He served as Chairman and was active with the Philadelphia Peace Council (1926-1945), whose purpose was "to further international justice and good will by acting as a clearing-house for information and as a link for co-operation between organized groups working for World Peace." During World War II, Olmsted joined the Religious Society of Friends and served on the Conscription, Disarmament, and Rights of Conscience Subcommittee of the Friends Committee on National Legislation. On behalf of the Joint Peace Committee (of Chester and Providence (Pennsylvania) Friends Monthly Meetings), he helped to draft a proposal to stop the war without an unconditional surrender by Germany. In 1950, he helped raise funds for the Larry Gara conscientious objection case. He served as treasurer of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors in the early 1950s and was also on its Legal Committee. Olmsted was a member of the Rights of Conscience Committee of the American Friends Service Committee in 1955 and 1956. Allen Olmsted was also interested in politics. He ran for the legislature on the Democratic ticket in 1928, and for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1937, 1947, and 1949. In 1958, he was appointed Judge by Democratic Governor George Leader, and became the first Democrat ever named to be Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County (Pennsylvania). In a bid for election in Nov. 1959, Olmsted was defeated by Republican Thomas A. Curran. The Olmsteds resided in Rose Valley (Pennsylvania). Allen Olmsted died in December 1977 at the age of 89.

The bulk of the Allen S. Olmsted papers is correspondence (1898-1977). Most of these are carbon copies of letters dictated by Olmsted and filed in subject transfer files at his law offices in Philadelphia and Media (Pennsylvania) [note: there are also many letters from Allen Olmsted in the papers of his wife, Mildred Scott Olmsted (DG 082)]. Correspondents include Brent Dow Allinson, Gertrude Baer, Emily Greene Balch, Roger Nash Baldwin, Witter Brynner, Joseph S. Clark, Sophia H. Dulles, Caleb Foote, Frederick Fuges, Dorothy A. Hickie, Alan R. Howe, Dorothy H. Hutchinson, Agnes M. Irwin, Esther Everett Lape, Dr. Philipp Loewenfeld, Emily C.P. Longstreth, Walter C. Longstreth, Ruth Mellor, Agnes M. Morley, Ray Newton, Anne H. Price, Lyle Tatum, George Willoughby, Mary Winsor, Richard R. Wood, and C.H (Mike) Yarrrow. Also included is correspondence with German emigrés about affidavits in support of visas, and the transcript of Olmsted's dismissal hearing by the American Legion (1927). A biographical section of this collection contains newspaper clippings about Allen Olmsted (1958-1986), family history, scrapbooks from his high school and college years, academic memorabilia and essays, and a notable quantity of documents about the Harvard Men's League for Woman Suffrage (1911-1912). Diplomas and certificates were removed to the Oversized Items Collection: Documents. Photographs were removed to the Photograph Collection; sound tapes were removed to the Audiovisual Collection; and, memorabilia was removed to the Memorabilia Collection.

This collection was reprocessed and rearranged in 2006. At this time, Series designations were deemed no longer necessary; instead, underlined headings have been used to indicate the type of material that exists in the boxes.

Gifts of Allen S.and Mildred Scott Olmsted, 1975, 1987, 1989 [acc. 75A-070, 75A-079, 75A-085, 87A-143, 87A-147, 89A-129].

Processed by Martha Shane, 1992; reorganized by Anne Yoder, 2006; updated by SCPC staff 2015.

Publisher
Swarthmore College Peace Collection
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

All or part of this collection is stored off-site. Contact Swarthmore College Peace Collection staff at peacecollection@swarthmore.edu at least two weeks in advance of visit to request boxes.

Copyright to the Allen S. Olmsted Papers created by Olmsted has been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Copyright to all other materials is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Use Restrictions

None.

Collection Inventory

General: Copy of checklist.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
General: Finding aid for the records of the American Civil Liberties Union, Temple University.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Scope and Contents

includes some Allen Olmsted papers

General: List of items removed to DG 082 (Mildred Scott Olmsted).
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: General: Biographical information.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: General: Media coverage, 1958-1986.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: General: Family history: parents, siblings, extended family.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: General: Children.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Scope and Contents

includes Peter's statement re: being a C.O., ca. WWII

Biographical Information: General: Grandchildren.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life: Early and high school years (Buffalo, New York).
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life: Scrapbook from school years, ca. 1902-1904.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Essays written, 1907.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Essays written, 1908.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Other academic material.
Box DG 095: 1 [off-site box SCPC-3158]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Scrapbook, 1909-1914.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Memorabilia [folder 1].
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Memorabilia [folder 2].
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard University (Class of 1909): Theater memorabilia.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Financial records journal.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Scrapbook.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Scrapbook.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Grades.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Diary, 1910-1914; notebook of class notes re: international law.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Bookletsand pamphlets.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Essays written.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Scope and Contents

includes one re: woman suffrage

Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Harvard Men's League for Woman Suffrage: correspondence, 1911-1912.
Box DG 095: 2 [off-site box SCPC-3159]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Harvard Men's League for Woman Suffrage: controversy with Board of Overseers re: allowing women suffragists to speak on campus, 1911-1912.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Harvard Men's League for Woman Suffrage: miscellaneous, 1911-1912.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Scope and Contents

includes transcript of speech given by Allen S. Olmsted at Wellesley

Biographical Information: School Life -- Harvard Law School (Class of 1912): Prospect Union Night School: essays by students, 1912.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Enlistment in Army : Involvement in World War I, 1917-1919.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Scope and Contents

includes diary (March 21, 1918 - March 6, 1919) and court-martial record for letter he wrote on September 3, 1918

Biographical Information: Enlistment in Army : Involvement (classes, etc.) in American School Detachment, University of Paris (France), 1919 (March-June).
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Passports [one includes Mildred], 1921-1922.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Address books, 1905-1907.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Address books, 1909-1912.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Address book, ca. 1950s.
Box DG 095: 3 [off-site box SCPC-3160]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Address books, n.d.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Financial records.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Job applications, 1915-1919.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Vocational analysis, 1922.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Admittance to the Bar: cases argued, miscellaneous legal papers, 1916 -.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Service as Judge of Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County (Pennsylvania), 1958-1960.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Running for election as Judge, 1959.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : FBI files about Allen S. Olmsted.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Home in Rose Valley (Pennsylvania).
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Home in Rose Valley (Pennsylvania): correspondence, etc., 1932-1974.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Leasing of apartment to renters in Rose Valley (Pennsylvania).
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Deathand estate affairs, 1977.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Honors/appreciation/memorials.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Miscellaneous.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews, ____-1925.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews: correspondence re: article "Cost of Transportation", 1915-1916.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews, 1925-1959.
Box DG 095: 4 [off-site box SCPC-3161]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews, 1960-1969.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews, 1970-1977.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Interview: recollections of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) politics, 1975.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Biographical Information: Professional and Private Life : Writings/Speeches/Interviews, n.d.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence with wife Mildred.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence with son Anthony.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence with daughter Enid.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence with son Peterand Peter's wife, Polly; essays by Peter, includes statement of C.O. status.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence: letters to Peter's ex-wife, Polly, 1962-1963.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence about son Peter, 1936-1967.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence with grandchildren; essays by grandchildren.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Literature re: vacations, ca. 1931.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations, 1931-1943.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations (Mexico), 1941.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations, 1944-1945.
Box DG 095: 5 [off-site box SCPC-3162]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations, 1946-1973.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations (Europe), Summer 1965.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations (Africa), 1966.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations (Paris, France), 1969.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Correspondence re: vacations, 1974-1975.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Outgoing correspondence, 1902-1920.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Outgoing correspondence, 1921 (October-December).
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Outgoing correspondence, 1922-1925.
Box DG 095: 6 [off-site box SCPC-3163]
Correspondence: Outgoing correspondence, 1926-1938.
Box DG 095: 7 [off-site box SCPC-3164]
Correspondence: Outgoing correspondence, 1941-1978.
Box DG 095: 8 [off-site box SCPC-3165]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Annie Harpwood, 1907-1912.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Helen Heywood, 1912-1915, n.d.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Ninon Lacey, 1913-1916, n.d.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Dick Newhall, 1913-1915.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Grace Legate Olmsted, 1905-1912, 1919, n.d.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence: letters from Jeanne Troilet, 1919-1924, 1938-1971.
Box DG 095: 9 [off-site box SCPC-3166]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence, 1905-1915.
Box DG 095: 10 [off-site box SCPC-3167]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence, 1916-1935.
Box DG 095: 11 [off-site box SCPC-3168]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence, 1936-1978.
Box DG 095: 12 [off-site box SCPC-3169]
Correspondence: Incoming correspondence, n.d.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Birth Control League, Inc., 1922-1932.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Civil Liberties Union, 1920-1922.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Civil Liberties Union [re: conscientious objectors], 1940-1947.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Foundation, 1930-1931.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with American Friends Service Committee, Rights of Conscience Committee, 1955-1958.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Legion, 1920s.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Legion [re: amnesty for political prisoners], 1920-1921, 1926-1927.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Legionand the American Civil Liberties Union re: the break-up of a peaceful meeting of workers in Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania), 1924.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Legion: sedition charges against Allen S. Olmsted, 1927.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the American Legion, 1930s.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the CCCO, Courts Committee, 1940, 1957.
Box DG 095: 13 [off-site box SCPC-3170]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the CCCO: fundraising for Larry Gara case, 1949-1950.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Emergency Peace Campaign, 1936-1937, 1944-1945.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Joint Peace Committee of Chesterand Providence Meetingsand the Peace Now Committee, 1944-1947.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Pennsylvania Branch of the League of Nations Association, 1930-1937.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Philadelphia Peace Council: general.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Philadelphia Peace Council: correspondence [folder 1], 1926.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Philadelphia Peace Council: correspondence [folder 2], 1926.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Philadelphia Peace Council: correspondence, 1927-1930.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Speaker's Bureau of International Affairs, 1929-1937.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, 1927-1973.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Involvements : Involvement/correspondence (as Treasurer) with the Special Committee for a Mass Meeting on the Naval Construction Bill (with Senator Gerald P. Nye), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), 10263.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Irmgard Bamberger, 1938.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Wilhelmand Nelly Flam, 1939.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Dr. Berta Letimeier, 1938.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Ing. Ernest Shwartz, 1938.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Dr. Franz Rehrl, 1938.
Box DG 095: 14 [off-site box SCPC-3171]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Hansand Ilse Unterleitner (and children), 1938.
Box DG 095: 15 [off-site box SCPC-3172]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Hansand Ilse Unterleitner [folder 1], 1939-1942.
Box DG 095: 15 [off-site box SCPC-3172]
Efforts: Efforts on behalf of German immigrants to America: Hansand Ilse Unterleitner [folder 2], 1939-1942.
Box DG 095: 15 [off-site box SCPC-3172]
Reference material: Reference material re: conscription.
Box DG 095: 15 [off-site box SCPC-3172]
Reference material: Reference material re: the American Legion.
Box DG 095: 15 [off-site box SCPC-3172]

Print, Suggest