ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

DWIGHT I. TODD PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL #764

DATES: 1884-1983

SIZE: 5.25 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Dwight I. Todd Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Mavourneen Todd Anderson in 1982 (Acc. #82-1000) and August 1984 (#84- 1318).

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

RELATED COLLECTION: Mavourneen Todd Anderson Papers, OGL #1078

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Dwight I. Todd was born December 19, 1877, at Burr Oak, Michigan, to James A. and Marien (Smith) Todd. He graduated from high school there in 1896. Todd held a variety of jobs including teaching, meat sales, and locating homesteaders in the Dakotas. In June 1903 Todd married Jessie V. Drake of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Shortly after, they moved to Bottineau, North Dakota. They relocated in the fall of 1905 to Barr Butte Township, near Jessie's brother Ed Drake. In the fall of 1908, they moved to Stony Creek, close to Williston. Dwight and Jessie Todd had four children: Almeda Mavourneen, Petra (Pete), Kenneth, and Norman (Bud). Jessie Todd died in Fargo in 1930 of undiagnosed cancer. Dwight Todd then moved back to Michigan until 1966, when he moved to Williston to live with his daughter, Mavourneen.

Todd became active in the Socialist Party partly in response to the influence of Jessie Todd's brother, Charles Drake, who worked on the 1908 national presidential campaign of Eugene V. Debs . Todd worked on party organization in Williams County for over ten years, but by the Depression he had become disillusioned with the Socialist Party and concentrated his efforts on farm-related concerns. Todd's involvement with the Farmers Union began with a desire to improve the economic conditions for the farmers through cooperative and mutual organizations which he strongly supported.

Intellectually, he embraced those political philosophies involving socialism, communism, and cooperative associations, but he did not accept the philosophy of public ownership of farm land. Todd was a voracious reader, and his personal library was said to be the largest in Williams County. Little of philosophical or political interest escaped Todd's rumination during his active lifetime.

Todd died in October 1968 at Williston at the age of 90. (See Wonder of Williams County, Vol. 2, page 1822-23).

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Dwight I. Todd Papers date from 1890-1983 and has been divided into five series.

Series I: Correspondence
This series consists primarily of Dwight Todd's personal correspondence dating from 1885-1970. Also included are letters of the Socialist Party and the Farmers Union. Also included are correspondence and keepsakes related to Charles Ellery, a friend of Dwight Todd's. Box 1, Folder 1 - Box 1, Folder 28

Series II: Records of Political Activities
This series contains records concerning Todd's political activities with the Socialist Party, the Non-partisan League, the Farmers Union, and other related farm groups. Box 2, Folder 1 - Box 2, Folder 24

Series III: Publications
This series contains publications on Socialism, Communism, and Russia. Box 3, Folder 1 - Box 3, Folder 12

Series IV: James A. and Marien Smith Todd Papers
This series consists of historical papers, correspondence, and materials related to temperance and suffrage. Marien Smith Todd became very involved in the temperance cause serving as superintendent of education for the Women's Christian Temperance Union for her county and district in Michigan. She wrote many articles, speeches and poems relating to temperance and carried on a correspondence with a fellow Michigan WCTU member for many years. The Todd family also actively supported the Women' s Suffrage movement believing that liquor would not be banned until the women were allowed to voice their feelings through voting.
His father, James A. Todd (1838-1926) was born in New York and moved to Michigan 1839. James served as a volunteer in the Civil War, was wounded, and received a medical discharge in 1863, marrying Marien Smith that same year. James and Marien Todd had four children- Raymond (1869-1962), Hubert (1872-1965), Dwight (1877-1968), and Marien (1880-1938). Box 4, Folder 1- Box 4, Folder 10

Series V: Miscellaneous
This series contains miscellaneous newspaper clippings and photographs. Box 5, Folder 1 - Box 5, Folder 9, Photograph File

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE

1. Personal Correspondence 1895-1900.
2. Personal Correspondence 1901-1903.
3. Personal Correspondence 1904- 1906
4. Personal Correspondence 1907-1909.
5. Personal Correspondence 1910-1912.
6. Personal Correspondence 1913-1915.
7. Personal Correspondence 1916-1913.
8. Personal Correspondence 1919-l921.
9. Personal Correspondence 1922-1924,
10. Personal Correspondence 1925-1927.
11. Personal Correspondence 1928- 1930.
12. Personal Correspondence 1931-1953.
13. Personal Correspondence 1934-1936.
14. Personal Correspondence 1937-1939.
15. Personal Correspondence 1940-1945.
16. Personal Correspondence 1946-1950.
17. Personal Correspondence 1951-1955.
18. Personal Correspondence 1956-1960.
19. Personal Correspondence 1961-1970.
20. Socialist Party Correspondence, National and State 1905-1920.
21. Socialist Party Correspondence, Williams County/General 1910-1920.
22. Socialist/Communist Party Correspondence 1920-1940.
23. Farmers Union/Farm-related Correspondence 1929-1934.
24. Farmers Union/Farm-related Correspondence 1935-.
25. School Bookkeeping Records of Night Todd, 1894-1895.
26. School Papers and Records of Dwight Todd. 1890-1901.
27. Personal Papers of Night Todd: Articles, Contracts, Receipts, Business Records 1905-.
28. Charles Ellery: Correspondence, Diary, keepsakes 1905-1950.

Box 2
Folder
SERIES II: RECORDS OF POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

1. Socialist Party Proposed Constitution 1912-1915.
2. Socialist Party Membership Cards, Receipts 1910- 1920.
3. Socialists in North Dakota
4. Socialist Party Campaign Material, National and State 1908-1920.
5. Socialist News Clippings 1910-1920.
6. Socialist Political Cartoons 1910-1920.
7. Socialist Party: Pamphlets, Literature, Playing Cards ,Publications, Publicists 1910-1920.
8. Socialist Labor Party: Publications, Articles 1920-1940.
9. Socialist/Communist Materials 1940-19704
10. Non-Partisan League/Home Defenders League 1920-1935.
11. Bills and Receipts: Farmers Union/Dwight Todd 1925-1950.
12. Corn Belt Committee- ND Production Costs 1925.
13. Northwest Farm Managers Association 1921.
14. Farmers National Grain Corporation 1933.
15. Farmers Union: Minutes, Meetings, Materials 1926-1934.
16. Farmers Union: Minutes, Meetings, Materials 1935-1939.
17. Farmers Union: Minutes, Meetings. Materials 1940-1970.
18. Farmers Union School for Organizers Rollbook 1929.
19. Farmers Union Mutual Life Insurance Company 1927-1929.
20. Farmers Union Cooperative Creamery / Livestock Commission 1930-1935
21. Miscellaneous Publications and Materials 1933-.
22. ND Political Materials 1920-.
23. Labor Unions / Labor Convention 1930-1970.
24. Williams County Guide (:1937), ND Highway Map (1932)

Box 3
Folder
SERIES III: PUBLICATIONS

1. Publications: William Montgomery Brown.
2. Publications: Eugene V. Debs.
3. Publications: Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Engels, Bukharin.
4. Publications: Anna Rochester.
5. Publications: Upton Sinclair.
6. Publications: Communism, Socialism, Russia 1890- 1920.
7. Publications: Communism, Socialism, Russia 1920-1940.
8. Publications: Communism, Socialism, Russia 1940-1960.
9. Publications: Communism, Socialism, Russia 1960-1983.
10. Publications: Monthly Review, New WorldReview 1960-1970.
11. Publications: Religion.
12. Maps of the Soviet Union.

Box 4
Folder
SERIES IV: JAMES A. and MARIEN SMITH TODD PAPERS

1. Historical Information: Todd Family and Burr Oak, M.
2. School Papers and Records: Almeda, Hubert and Raymond Todd.
3. Correspondence: Todd Family 1884-1918.
4. Correspondence: M.S. and Almeda Todd to Mrs. EU. Browne 1899-1907.
5. Correspondence: Mrs. LU. Browne to U.S. Todd,
6. Women Suffrage: Articles and Speeches.
7. News Clippings: Prohibit, WCTU,
8. WCTU: Brochures, Pamphlets, Programs, Songbook.
9. WCTU: Correspondence, -Meetings.
10. Prohibition Writings: Poems, Circular Letters.

Box 5
Folder
SERIES V: MISCELLANEOUS

1. National Epic News, Upton Sinclair, 1935.
2. The Provoker, 1963.
3. The Independent, 1959-1961.
4. In Fact, 1945-1946.
5. I.F. Stones Weekly, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963.
6. The New Republic, 1938.
7. The Catholic Worker, 1956, 1959-1963.
8. The National Guardian ,1955,1956. 1959-1963, 1965.
9. Miscellaneous Local Newspapers.

SEPARATIONS RECORD

44 photographs were separated and added to the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.

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