Papers of William Preston Lane
Abstract
William Preston Lane (1892-1967) was a lawyer, newspaper publisher, Attorney General for Maryland, and governor of Maryland from 1947 to 1951. The bulk of Lane's papers consists of correspondence and speeches, and concentrates on his gubernatorial campaigns of 1946 and 1950. Other topics include the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Washington County's industrial and economic development during the early 1960's.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
This collection is open for research.
Papers of William Preston Lane, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries
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Historical Note
William Preston Lane, Jr. was born May 12, 1892, the second son of William Preston Lane and Virginia Cartwright Lane. His ancestors were among the earliest and most prominent settlers of the state; one was a proprietary Governor of Maryland (1676-1681). In 1922, he was married to Dorothy Byron. They had two daughters, Dorothy and Jean. Lane received his bachelor's degree in law in 1915 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1916. He immediately entered into partnership with the law firm of Keedy and Lane in Hagerstown, and later, in 1919, became a partner in the firm of Lane, Bushong, and Byron..
Appointed captain in the 1st Maryland Infantry National Guard in 1915, Lane saw service on the Mexican border in 1916. During World War I, he fought with the 115th Infantry and was awarded the Silver Star. Lane was promoted to major and Assistant Division Adjutant of the 29th Division after the war. During World War II, he was involved in the organization of the Maryland State Guard and Maryland Minute Men and served as lieutenant colonel in command of the 8th Battalion.
In 1922, William Preston Lane became president of the Herald-Mail Company, which published two Hagerstown newspapers, the Morning Herald and the Daily Mail. He became vice-president of the Hagerstown Trust Company in 1933, later succeeding his father as president. He also served as director of the W. D. Byron and Sons Tannery, Hagerstown Shoe and Legging Company, and the Washington County Railroad Company.
Lane's political career began in 1928 upon his election to the Board of Education of Washington County. Two years later, during Governor Ritchie's term of office, he was appointed Attorney General for Maryland and while in this position gained a reputation for outspokenness and courage. He won national recognition in 1933 for his anti-lynching campaign, although this caused him to lose favor in the Maryland Democratic organization.
While in temporary retirement, Lane was senior partner in the law firm of Lane and Mish. Also at this time he became a director of the Washington and Berkeley Bridge Company and the Fairchild Aircraft Corp. He served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from 1928-1948 and, from 1940 to 1950, was the Democratic National Committeeman for Maryland. In 1944, Lane managed Roosevelt's fourth presidential campaign in Maryland, pitting himself against his political rival U. S. Senator Millard E. Tydings. When Lane, in 1946, sought the nomination for governor, Tydings supported his rival J. Millard Tawes. After a very costly and hard-fought preliminary campaign, he was victorious of Tawes and easily defeated the Republican candidate for governor, Theodore R. McKeldin. Governor Lane then served as chairman of the Southern Governor's Conference in 1947 and 1948.
During his term the original Bay Bridge was begun and completed, and great strides were taken in improving the state's school and hospital systems. Governor Lane also instituted the first state sales tax in spite of bitter opposition. Although this cost him a second term of office, he was vindicated when Maryland ended its next budget year in the strongest fiscal condition it had ever enjoyed.
After retiring from public life in 1951, he continued his various business endeavors. William Preston Lane, Jr. died suddenly of a heart attack on February 7, 1967.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The papers of William Preston Lane, Jr. represent Lane's political career from 1925 to 1966. The bulk of the collection, which consists primarily of correspondences and speeches, concentrates on the gubernatorial campaigns of 1946 and 1950, although some personal items date back to 1898. Topics of interest include the construction of the Bay Bridge, Lane's gubernatorial campaigns, and Washington County industrial and economic development in the early 1960s. Particular items of interest are the numerous scrapbooks kept by Lane throughout his career, which have collated his various, and far-flung endeavors.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The Lane family donated the papers of William Preston Lane, Jr. to the University of Maryland Libraries in July 1979. The Libraries purchased correspondence dated from 1928 to 1941 from Spring Mount Collectibles in March 1992.
Processing Information
Processed by Janet Strickland, June 1985. Edited by Leslie P. May, March 1986. Revised by Jennie A. Levine, August 2003.
The material was in fairly good order when received, and this order was maintained with very little rearrangement. For the most part, the series derive from Lane's filing system. The correspondence has been kept in two separate components by county and by date of reply as in the original order. Speeches were roughly chronological, if dated at all. Undated speeches were left as they occurred in the original order. Duplicate speeches were discarded, as were report folders. The papers were placed in acid-free folders, labeled and boxed. In 2003, early Lane letters, dated 1928-1941 were removed from the Maryland Political Letters collection and placed into Series I: Correspondence.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Jennie A. Levine.
Arrangement of Collection
The collection is organized as 9 (nine) series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence, 1945-1950 (3 linear feet)
The bulk of this series consists of letters from constituents in support of Lane's candidacy or in sympathy for the loss of the 1950 election. Also included are early letters to Lane in his capacity as a partner in the Keedy and Lane; the firm of Lane, Bushong, and Byron; and the in firm of Lane and Mish, in Hagerstown, Maryland, as well as his tenure as vice-president and president of the Hagerstown Trust Company. A small amount of correspondence exists from Lane's years as Attorney General. Correspondents include Millard E. Tydings and Albert C. Ritchie. The constituent correspondence is arranged alphabetically by county; followed by chronological general correspondence.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constituent Mail -- Allegany County, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Allegany County, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Allegany County, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Anne Arundel County, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Anne Arundel County, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Baltimore City, 1950 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Charles County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Dorchester County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Dorchester County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 3 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Dorchester County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 4 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Frederick County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 5 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Frederick County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 6 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Garrett County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 7 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Harford County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 8 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Howard County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 9 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Kent County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 10 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Montgomery County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 11 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Montgomery County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 12 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Prince George's County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 13 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Prince George's County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 14 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Queen Anne's County, 1950 | series 1 | box 4 | folder 15 | |
| Constituent Mail -- St. Mary's County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 1 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Somerset County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 2 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Talbot County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 3 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Washington County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 4 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Washington County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 5 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Wicomico County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 6 | |
| Constituent Mail -- Worchester County, 1950 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 7 | |
| Correspondence, 1925-1941 | series 1 | box 5 | folder 8 | |
| Correspondence, September-October 1945 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 1 | |
| Correspondence, January-October 1949 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 2 | |
| Correspondence, January-July 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 3 | |
| Correspondence, September 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 4 | |
| Correspondence, October 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 5 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 6 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 7 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 8 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 9 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 10 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 11 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 12 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 13 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 14 | |
| Correspondence, November 1950 | series 1 | box 6 | folder 15 | |
| Correspondence -- Letters to Mrs. Lane, November 1950 | series 1 | box 7 | folder 1 | |
| Correspondence, December 1950 | series 1 | box 7 | folder 2 | |
| Correspondence, December 1950 | series 1 | box 7 | folder 3 | |
| Correspondence, December 1950 | series 1 | box 7 | folder 4 | |
| Correspondence, January-June 1951 | series 1 | box 7 | folder 5 | |
Series 2: Speeches/Statements, 1944-1962 (0.75 linear feet)
This series includes speeches, press statements, and radio/television transcriptions. Highlights are Lane's inaugural and outgoing addresses, speeches given during his term as governor, and the dedication of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Arrangement is chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correspondence, 1944-September 1947 | series 2 | box 7 | folder 6 | |
| Correspondence, October 1947-May 1962 | series 2 | box 8 | folder 1 | |
Series 3: Reports, 1948-1967 (1 linear feet)
Series III consists of Chesapeake Bay Bridge reports, and various committee and board reports. Arrangement is alphabetical by report title.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Visitors to the U. S. Naval Academy, 1949 | series 3 | box 9 | folder 1 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction, 1949 | series 3 | box 9 | folder 2 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Traffic and Revenues, May 1948 | series 3 | box 9 | folder 3 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- State Roads Commission, May 1948 | series 3 | box 9 | folder 4 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Engineering Report, July 1948 | series 3 | box 9 | folder 5 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Supplemental Engineering Report and Draft Copy, October 1948 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 1 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Chesapeake Bay Crossing, June 1948 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 2 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Storm Damage Report, November 1948 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 3 | |
| Chesapeake Bay Bridge Construction -- Board of Natural Resources Six-Year Conservation Program, November 1946 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 4 | |
| Commission on Racial Relations, 1950 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 5 | |
| State Employment Commissioner's Report, 1950 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 6 | |
| State Roads Commissions Operations, 1947, 1948, 1950 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 7 | |
| Subcommittee on School Buildings, 1956 | series 3 | box 10 | folder 8 | |
Series 4: Committee/Commission Files, 1937-1966 (0.25 linear feet)
This series includes files of the Constitutional Convention Commission, Washington County Economic Development Commission, and Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Economic Foundation. Arrangement is alphabetical by committee.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee on Taxation, Special Session of the General Assembly, December 1946 | series 4 | box 10 | folder 9 | |
| Constitutional Convention Commission, 1965 | series 4 | box 10 | folder 10 | |
| National Committee for the Birthday Bay of the President, 1937 | series 4 | box 10 | folder 11 | |
| Washington County Economic Development Commission - Correspondence File, 1963 | series 4 | box 10 | folder 12 | |
| CHIEF [Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Economic Foundation] -- Applications for Loan and Grant, 1966 | series 4 | box 11 | folder 1 | |
| CHIEF [Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Economic Foundation] -- Various Papers, November 2, 1964-October 11, 1966 | series 4 | box 11 | folder 2 | |
| CHIEF [Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Economic Foundation] -- Various Papers, November 2, 1964-October 11, 1966 | series 4 | box 11 | folder 3 | |
Series 5: Governor, 1946-1950 (0.75 linear feet)
This series consists of correspondence, speeches, and newspaper clippings as well as statistics and convention information. Also included are daily appointment books kept during Lane's term of office. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign -- Correspondence, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 4 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 5 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 6 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 7 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 8 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 9 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 10 | |
| Campaign -- Speeches and Statements, 1946 | series 5 | box 11 | folder 11 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Statistics, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 1 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Campaign Contribution Lists, 1946 and 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 2 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Miscellaneous Papers, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 3 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 4 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 5 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 6 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 7 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 8 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 9 | |
| Democratic Convention -- Speeches and Statements, 1950 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 10 | |
| Executive Yearbooks, 1947-1949 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 11 | |
| Executive Yearbooks, 1947-1949 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 12 | |
| Executive Yearbooks, 1947-1949 | series 5 | box 12 | folder 13 | |
Series 6: Personal, 1898-1966 (0.5 linear feet)
Series VI consists of biographical and family information and newspaper clippings, including news articles about the MIG incident in 1953. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biographical Information, 1941-1950 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 1 | |
| Family Information, 1898-1950 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 2 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: MIG Incident, March 1953 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 3 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: Various, 1930-1966 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 4 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: Various, 1930-1966 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 5 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: Various, 1930-1966 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 6 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: Various, 1930-1966 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 7 | |
| Newspaper Clippings: Various, 1930-1966 | series 6 | box 13 | folder 8 | |
Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1927-1951 (20.25 linear feet)
This series consists of scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings that follow Lane's political career. Arrangement is chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Scrapbooks], 1927-1932 | series 7 | box 14 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], 1932-1933 | series 7 | box 15 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], 1933-1934 | series 7 | box 16 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], October 1944 | series 7 | box 17 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], 1945-1946 | series 7 | box 18 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], March-June 1946 | series 7 | box 19 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], August-December 1946 | series 7 | box 20 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], April-December 1947 | series 7 | box 21 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], 1948 | series 7 | box 22 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], January-May 1949 | series 7 | box 23 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], May 1949-March 1950 | series 7 | box 24 | folder 1 | |
| [Scrapbooks], March 1950-January 1951 | series 7 | box 25 | folder 1 | |
Series 8: Political Cartoons, 1946-1950 (1.25 linear feet)
Series VIII consists of seven original political cartoons featuring Laneby Richard Q. Yardley, dated 1946. These most likely were published in the Baltimore Sun.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political Cartoons, c. 1945-1947 | series 8 | box 26 | folder 1 | |
Series 9: Photographs, ca. 1920-1951 (59 items)
Included in the photograph series are personal photos of Lane and family, including an unidentified baby portrait. The bulk of the series consists of black and white 8 x 10 photographs of the construction of the Bay Bridge (between Sandy Point and Kent Island). Also included are campaign photographs for Lane's unsuccessful run for governor in 1950 and photographs from a dinner in honor of President Roosevelt's birthday, 1931 and 1934.
There is currently no box inventory available for this series. Please refer to the series description above for a broad description of the materials.
Related Material
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.
Selected Search Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the University of Maryland Libraries' Catalog. Researchers desiring related materials about these topics, names, or places may search the Catalog using these headings.
Subjects
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge
- Electioneering -- Maryland
- Governors -- Maryland -- Biography -- Sources
- Lane, William Preston, -- 1892-1967 -- Archives
- Maryland -- Politics and government -- History -- Sources