Samuel Untermyer Papers

Identifier
MS-251
Language of Description
English
Dates
1 Jan 1873 - 31 Dec 1952
Level of Description
Collection
Languages
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

57.8 linear feet (32 Hollingers, 45 record cartons)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Samuel Untermyer was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on March 2, 1858. His parents were Isidore and Therese Untermyer. Samuel was raised and educated in New York City, earning an LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1878.

After admission to the bar Untermyer entered law practice in the prestigious firm of Guggenheimer & Untermyer, later Guggenheimer, Untermyer & Marshall. His legal practice was varied, including corporate, civil, criminal, labor, family and international law. He achieved distinction and success early in his legal career, serving as counsel for many important cases. In addition to work in the courts, Untermyer was often engaged as an adviser for great financial transactions. He remained in active practice for 61 years, until his death in 1940.

In 1912 Untermyer received national prominence as counsel for the Money Trust Inquiry of the Committee on Banking and Currency of the House of Representatives. The committee, known as the Pujo Committee (named for its chairman), investigated financial conditions with the purpose of presenting remedial legislation. As a result of this and other inquiries, the Federal Reserve Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act and other measures designed to curb financial excesses were either enacted or amended. Untermeyer took a large part in drafting or presenting this legislation.

In behalf of Jewish rights, Untermyer served as attorney for Herman Bernstein's suit against Henry Ford for anti-semitic articles published in Ford's Dearborn Independent. After the advent of Hitlerism, Untermyer became president of the Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League to Champion Human Rights, to counter Nazi propaganda and lead in the boycott of German goods. Other activity in the Jewish community included serving as vice-president of the American Jewish Congress until 1926 and president of the Palestine Foundation Fund for several years.

Untermyer was a prominent member of the Democratic Party and was a delegate to six Democratic Conventions from 1904-1932. He had considerable influence on Democratic political affairs, especially in New York City.

Untermyer married Minnie Karl (died August 1, 1924) on August 9, 1880. They had three children: Alvin, Irwin, and Irene (Mrs. Stanley L. Richter). Samuel Untermyer died in Palm Springs, California, March 16, 1940.

Acquisition

Received from James Marshall, New York, N.Y., 1953, and Frank Untermyer, Chicago, Ill., 2006.

Scope and Content

Papers describe the career of Samuel Untermyer as lawyer and civic and communal leader; and as counsel for the Congressional Committee known as the Pujo Committee which in 1912 investigated the "money trust." The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda and reports pertaining to Untermyer's many legal and civic involvements, speeches, catalogs of art holdings, last will and testament, family correspondence and biographies, Untermyer Trust correspondence, and scrapbooks.

System of Arrangement

The collection is divided into four (4) series: A. Correspondence; B. Legal Papers; C. Financial Papers; D. Scrapbooks.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for use; no restrictions apply.

Sources

  • Preferred Citation

  • Footnotes and bibliographic references should refer to the Samuel Untermyer Papers and the American Jewish Archives. A suggestion for at least the first citation is as follows:

  • [Description], [Date], Box #, Folder #. MS-251. Samuel Untermyer Papers. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Process Info

  • Processed by Garret B. Kremer-Wright, July 2006.

People

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.