History Department Chairman Candidates

File — Box: 28, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The Richard Douglas Poll papers (1844-1994) provide information on the personal life of Dr. Poll, the political and religious history of the United States, and the historical background of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The collection contains correspondence, personal notes, business files, research materials, and rough drafts of Poll's writings about special university programs, the "new" Mormon history, and significant members of the LDS Church, including Hugh B. Brown, Howard James Stoddard, and Henry D. Moyle. Poll's personal information is housed in boxes 1 through 12. Included in this section are Poll's personal correspondence, school papers and yearbooks, curriculum vitae, an autobiography, awards, and information on his mission to Germany and Canada for the LDS Church from 1939 to 1941. These files are followed by information about his family (both immediate and extended) and five scrapbooks with contents ranging from 1918 to 1958. These scrapbooks contain photographs, news clippings, letters, telegrams, program guides to events connected with him and his siblings, ticket stubs, class papers, commencement and graduation announcements, and certificates.

Poll's office files, contain academic, business, and research files from Poll's professional activities, and are housed in boxes 13 through 50. Poll was a professor of early Mormon history, political history in the United States, national and world history, and religious studies. All of Poll's academic files contain lecture notes, outlines, examinations, examination keys, course schedules, and attendance records. The academic files from Brigham Young University (BYU) are located in boxes 13 through 20. Files from his teaching at the University of Maryland during the 1958 and 1965 academic years are in box 21. Files from Western Illinois University (WIU) are located in boxes 22 through 29. Poll's business files, in boxes 30 through 41, contain information on real estate sales, associations in which Poll was a member, conference packets, business correspondence, LDS Church business files, information on business associates, political contribution records, and other documents. Boxes 42 through 50 contain Poll's general research files for background information on the articles and speeches he wrote. They include such topics as general research articles and information on various companies, organizations, people, and certain aspects of Mormon society. Boxes 51 through 76 contain his research and writing files. Notes, drafts, and other material related to Poll's writing activities are in these boxes and focus on LDS topics. The research files and drafts for each book project have been kept together and are in the order of publication. The files concerning Hugh B. Brown: His Life and Thought are located in boxes 51 through 54. The research files about Brown include his correspondence, an incomplete autobiography, interviews, biographical highlights and sketches, and some of his journals. Utah's History information is housed in boxes 55 through 58, and the research contains maps, correspondence, pictures, political notes, and statistical information. Howard James Stoddard: Founder, Michigan National Bank files are located in boxes 59 through 60. The research on Stoddard includes family correspondence, genealogy charts, and information from Michigan State University Press and the Singler Grand Jury. The History and Faith project is located in box 61. This book is a compilation of essays concerning the "new" Mormon history. Finally, the Henry D. Moyle project is in boxes 62 through 70. This final project was published posthumously, as it did not match the ideals of the Moyle family. The research includes samples of Moyle's writings, biographical excerpts, information from Consolidated Freightways Inc. and the Deseret Livestock Company, correspondence, information on his stake presidency, his diaries and daybooks, information about his educational background and missions, and several interviews with friends and family. Boxes 71 through 75 contain articles, pamphlets, speeches, and notes written by Poll. The articles or speeches that were reviewed or edited by Poll for another author are in box 76. Box 77 folders 1-12 contain research on the article "The Move South." Box 77 folders 13-15 through box 82 folders 1 and 2, contain research notes and transcripts of diaries and letters pertaining to the Utah War. Box 82 folders 3-21 contain transcripts of interviews done by Poll.

Dates

1844-1994

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.