Eugene C. Pulliam collection
Collection
Identifier: L630
Scope and Contents
This collection includes newspaper, journal articles and photographs of Senator Birch Bayh, Governor Roger Branigan, surgeon Michael DeBakey, President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Senator Barry M. Goldwater, Will Hays, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, First Lady Claudia Alla "Lady Bird" Johnson, Luci Baines Johnson, President Lyndon B. Johnson, actress Carole Lombard, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, Vice President and Mrs. Richard M. Nixon, Gov. Henry F. Schricker, Robert A. Taft, Wendell Wilkie and Eugene C. Pulliam by photographers Charles A. Berry, David W. Brady, Joe Clark, Joseph E. Craven, Bob Daugherty, Robert Doeppers, L. J. Foster, Larry George, Ludwig Keaton, Ed Lacey, Robert Lavelle, Nyle B. Leatham, Nick Longworth, Roy Molen, William Palmer, James C. Ramsey, Herb Rhodes, Steve Smith, Tommy Wadelton. Joe Young and others in Indianapolis, Indiana; Phoenix, Arizona and elsewhere in the United States ranging from 1940-1978 regarding journalism, political figures, war bond rallies, DePauw University and news stories.
Dates
- 1940-1978
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Eugene Collins Pulliam was born May 3, 1889 in a dugout shelter in Grant County, Kansas to Ervin Brown and Martha Ellen Collins Pulliam. He was the only son and the next to youngest child in a family of four children, including Zella M., Corinne M., and Helen J. Eugene attended DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, majoring in journalism and was graduated in 1910. In 1909 he co-founded Sigma Delta Chi, a national journalism fraternity now named the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi. He became a reporter for the Kansas City "Star". At age 23, he became the youngest newspaper publisher in the United States, buying the Atchinson, Kansas "Daily Champion". Eugene returned to Indiana as a part owner of the Franklin, Indiana "Star". In 1923 he purchased the Lebanon, Indiana "Reporter". He has owned and operated 47-51 newspapers in 8 states, 23 at one time. In 1974 he lived in Phoenix, Arizona and was the publisher of seven daily newspapers in Arizona and Indiana, including the Indianapolis "Star" and the Indianapolis "News".
He held 11 honorary degrees, many journalism awards, including the John Peter Zenger award and memberships on many boards of directors. He was a philanthropist, especially supporting the Indianapolis and Phoenix zoos and provided scholarships for carriers and children of employees. Eugene was personally acquainted with every President, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt.
He married Myrta M. Smith on February 21, 1912 in Hamilton County, Indiana. They had one son, Eugene Smith Pulliam, who also became a newspaper publisher. Myrta died in 1917 and is buried in McCordsville Cemetery, McCordsville, Indiana. He next married Martha Ott in 1919. They had two daughters, Martha Corinne and Helen Suzanne. Martha Corinne married James Quayle, with whom she had a son, James Danforth "Dan" Quayle, the 44th Vice President of the United States. Helen Suzanne married William Murphy. Eugene and Martha divorced in 1941. She was the publisher of the Lebanon "Reporter" from 1940-1990 and died in 1991 at the age of 100. Martha is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Indiana. His third wife was Nina Mason, a journalist, writer and the first licensed woman pilot in Indiana, whom he married in 1941; they were married until his death in 1975. She became a major philanthropist and publisher after his death. Nina died in 1997 in Arizona.
Eugene died June 23, 1975 in Phoenix, Arizona. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, Indiana.
Sources:
Information found within the collection.
"Pulliam, Eugene Collins "Gene". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Martha Ott". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Myrta Smith Pulliam". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Nina Mason". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Ugene C.". 1900 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com
He held 11 honorary degrees, many journalism awards, including the John Peter Zenger award and memberships on many boards of directors. He was a philanthropist, especially supporting the Indianapolis and Phoenix zoos and provided scholarships for carriers and children of employees. Eugene was personally acquainted with every President, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt.
He married Myrta M. Smith on February 21, 1912 in Hamilton County, Indiana. They had one son, Eugene Smith Pulliam, who also became a newspaper publisher. Myrta died in 1917 and is buried in McCordsville Cemetery, McCordsville, Indiana. He next married Martha Ott in 1919. They had two daughters, Martha Corinne and Helen Suzanne. Martha Corinne married James Quayle, with whom she had a son, James Danforth "Dan" Quayle, the 44th Vice President of the United States. Helen Suzanne married William Murphy. Eugene and Martha divorced in 1941. She was the publisher of the Lebanon "Reporter" from 1940-1990 and died in 1991 at the age of 100. Martha is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Indiana. His third wife was Nina Mason, a journalist, writer and the first licensed woman pilot in Indiana, whom he married in 1941; they were married until his death in 1975. She became a major philanthropist and publisher after his death. Nina died in 1997 in Arizona.
Eugene died June 23, 1975 in Phoenix, Arizona. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, Indiana.
Sources:
Information found within the collection.
"Pulliam, Eugene Collins "Gene". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Martha Ott". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Myrta Smith Pulliam". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Nina Mason". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://www.findagrave.com
"Pulliam, Ugene C.". 1900 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2017/08/28. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com
Extent
1 Cubic Feet (2 manuscript boxes, 1 medium oversize box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically, "last name, first name" within each box.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2017/09/06 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2017/09/06 by Edythe Huffman.
- Branigin, Roger D. (Roger Douglas), 1902-1975
- DeBakey, Michael E. (Michael Ellis), 1908-2008
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006
- Goldwater, Barry M. (Barry Morris), 1909-1998
- Hays, Will H. (Will Harrison), 1915-
- Johnson, Lady Bird
- Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973
- Lombard, Carole, 1908-1942
- Macmillan, Harold, 1894-1986
- Nixon, Pat, 1912-1993
- Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
- Photographs
- Pulliam, Eugene C. (Eugene Collins), 1889-1975
- Schricker, Henry F. (Henry Fredrick)
- Taft, Robert A.
- United States -- Politics and government - 20th century
- Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944
- Title
- Eugene C. Pulliam collection
- 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 Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
