MS-30 Carl Ultes, Jr. Papers

Introduction

The records of Carl Ultes, Jr. are a small portion of the large collection from the O.S. Kelly Company, Springfield, Ohio. This collection was acquired from Mr. Tom Ultes, President, in the summer of 1974. Publication rights have not been deeded to Wright State; therefore, researchers must obtain written permission from Mr. Tom Ultes, O.S. Kelly Company, 316 North Street, Springfield, Ohio, 45502.

To date, two portions of the Ultes papers have been processed. The first accession was completed by David M. Whittaker in November 1975, covering Ultes’ personal papers from 1930 to 1959. Also, there was a large portion dealing with Ultes’ law practice in Spokane, Washington, dating back to 1910.

The second accession deals primarily with material from 1905 to 1928, with some overlap with Whittaker’s accession. There are legal documents for the same period of time in both accessions (see Appendix B of David Whittaker’s guide). The series Fraternity and Stamps precede those in the first accession (see Appendix C of Whittaker’s guide.

The biography for Carl Ultes, Jr., is contained in Whittaker’s guide, “Biographical Background,” page 5. Any additional information obtained in the processing of this portion has been included in the Scope and Content section.

This portion of the Carl Ultes, Jr., papers fills two Hollinger boxes. It is filled chronologically and arranged into four series: Legal Records; Fraternity; Politics; and Stamps.

Scope and Content Note

This portion of the Carl Ultes, Jr., papers is divided into four groups. Series I, Legal Records, is subdivided into three groupings. The first sub-series, Office Dockets, contains three ledgers with entries from October 1909-May 1923. The ledgers listed individual proceedings and notes pertaining to his law practice in Spokane, Washington. Sub-series two has four booklets with notes and drafts of pleadings to be presented in court. Also included are newsclippings about his clients, 1905-1919.

Sub-series three has a limited collection of correspondence and legal drafts for the Old Charles Dickens Mining Company, Washington. (The exact location is not known in the State.) Mr. Ultes was a large stockholder and provided legal services. Most of the records pertain to the proposed selling of the mine, May 1919-June 1919.

After his return to Springfield, Ohio, Mr. Ultes became active again in the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He had been a member of this fraternity when he was an undergraduate at Wittenberg University. Series II, Fraternity, covers this period. Sub-series one, Grand Arch Council (G.A.C.) Convention, contains complete records and correspondence on the preliminary planning stage, implementation of the plans, and conclusive stage for the national G.A.C. convention, 21-24 June 1922. Mr. Ultes served as the general chairman of this activity and kept meticulous records of the various stages in planning a convention for 1,200 attendees. Also included in the records are newsclippings, a photograph of Memorial Hall in Springfield, and all the paraphernalia presented to the guests, January 1921-May 1923.

In sub-series two, are program booklets of G.A.C. conventions held in other cities from 1914-1920. Also included are an Alumni Associates Manual, Charter, and Bylaws of The Endowment Fund. Mr. Ultes was President of the Springfield Alumni Association pf Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. One of the projects of the alumni was to solicit funds for paying the mortgage of the fraternity house. Sub-series three contains correspondence for this project, February 1921-May 1923. The last folder in Series II, Petitions, for the months January-June 1922, contains Petitions for Charter from national fraternities. Included in some petitions are photographs of the class and the fraternity house and a list of the members.

Series III, Politics, consists of correspondence, news releases, and different publicity methods required for nomination as Prosecuting Attorney, Republican Party. He shared the slate with three other Republican nominees. Joseph B. Lindsley won the primary ro represent the party for the office of Prosecuting Attorney. Also included is a photograph of Carl Ultes taken around 1918, and the slate of nominees for offices in the September 10, 1918 primaries, Spokane County, Spokane, Washington. Dates covered in this series are April 1918-April 1919.

Mr. Ultes returned to Springfield, Ohio, to be sales manager for his father-in-law’s company, O.S. Kelly Company, and later became president. During the early years in Springfield, one of his favorite hobbies had been collecting stamps. Series IV, Stamps, contains correspondence with other collectors and stamp agencies for buying stamps, January 1926-December 1928. His main goal was to complete a collection that had stopped in 1895. His correspondence and collecting were international in scope, with contacts in more than two dozen countries.

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