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Biography: John Hurt

1985-1986

5 interviews



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This collection of interviews focuses on the political career of John E. Hurt. The bulk of the collection consists of Mr. Hurt's interviews where he speaks about his role as a leading Democratic fundraiser and political advisor to several gubernatorial candidates and governors in Indiana from the late nineteen forties through the early nineteen sixties. The other interviews offer background and specifics about Hurt's political career and actions.

Interviewees

Carmony, Donald F.

Hurt, John E.

Madison, James

New, Jack L.

Wells, Herman B


Interviewee: Carmony, Donald F.
Call number: 86-002
Date(s) of Interview: July 8, 1985
Physical Description: 13 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 30 minutes; no index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Domowitz, Susan

Donald Carmony, a retired professor of history from Indiana University, speaks a little about John E. Hurt. He mentions he has not known Hurt long, and does not know many details about Hurt's political life, but does offer some background and advice for the interviewer.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Indiana University

Personal Names

McNutt, Paul V.

Schricker, Henry F.

Welsh, Matthew E.

Occupation Names

history professor

Subjects

1809 Ten O'clock Treaty Line

Indiana politics

Two Percent Club

civil rights

political fundraising

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Interviewee: Hurt, John E.
Call number: 86-001
Date(s) of Interview: September 23, 1985; September 24, 1985; October 8, 1985; November 11, 1985; November 12, 1985; January 23, 1986; January 24, 1986; February 7, 1986, July 16, 1986
Physical Description: 380 pp.; 25 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 450 minutes; index; photocopy of photographs; biographical sketch of interviewee
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Domowitz, Susan

John Hurt, born 1912, grew up in Martinsville, Indiana and attended Indiana University where he earned a law degree. He was a Democrat and entered local and state politics during the late nineteen thirties. He speaks briefly about his early life, education, and interest in politics before spending considerable time discussing his heaviest involvement in politics from about 1952 to 1964. He discusses the drive to take over and reorganize the Democratic Party in Indiana and oust the "old guard". He describes his and the party's success in raising funds for campaigns, the Democratic conventions, and the gubernatorial campaigns and administrations he was involved in, particularly Henry F. Schricker's in 1948 and Matthew Welsh's in 1960. Throughout he talks about national politics, fundraising, political patronage, and differences in campaign strategy among many other topics. Finally, Hurt ends by speaking about his banking and lobbying duties since his prime political time, and discusses the changes in running campaigns and entering politics from his early days to the 1980s.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Democratic Party

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Indianapolis News

Ku Klux Klan

Truman Presidential Museum and Library

Young Democrats of Indiana

Personal Names

Bayh, Birch E.

Branigan, Roger D.

Bryan, William Jennings

Buell, Dorothy

Campbell, Alexander M.

Capehart, Homer Earl, Jr.

Cotton, Louella

Craig, George N.

Gates, Ralph F.

Green, Clinton

Hartke, R. Vance

Haymaker, Ira

Hoover, Herbert C.

Hulman, Anton J., Jr. "Tony"

Jacobs, Andrew, Sr.

Johnson, Lyndon Baines

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald

McKinney, Frank E.

McNutt, Paul V.

New, Jack L.

Palmer, Arnold

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano

Schricker, Henry F.

Smith, Al

Steckler, William

Tucker, Ralph

Wells, Herman B

Welsh, Matthew E.

Place Names

Lake County, Indiana

Lake Wawasee, Indiana

Martinsville, Indiana

Morgan County, Indiana

Occupation Names

attorney

political advisor

Subjects

1932 Democractic National Convention

1932 WWI Veterans' Bonus March

1948 Democratic National Convention

1948 Presidential Election

1956 Democratic National Convention

Branigan administration

Dixiecrats

Great Depression

Indiana Democratic Party reorganization

Indiana highway scandal

Kennedy inauguration

Roosevelt Fireside Chats

Truman campaign train

Two Percent Club

Welsh administration

banking industry

civil rights

direct primary

education

federal funding

fraternal organizations

local politics

media relations

party loyalty

political appointments

political campaign donations

political campaign fundraising

political conventions

political lobbying

political patronage

politics

religion

vote buying

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Interviewee: Madison, James
Call number: 86-005
Date(s) of Interview: July 9, 1985
Physical Description: not transcribed; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Domowitz, Susan

James Madison, history professor at Indiana University, speaks about John Hurt and his role in Indiana politics.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Democratic Party

Occupation Names

history professor

Subjects

Indiana politics

political fundraising

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Interviewee: New, Jack L.
Call number: 86-003
Date(s) of Interview: July 9, 1985
Physical Description: 25 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; no index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Closed until both John Hurt and Jack New have been deceased ten years.
Interviewer: Domowitz, Susan

Jack New was a member of Governor Matthew Welsh's administration and a close friend of John Hurt. He gives some information about Hurt's early life and then delves into his personality during the time he worked with him. He speaks about how Hurt was the "hatchet man" and would do things, not illegal, that many others would not do to get things done.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Democratic Party

Indiana University

Personal Names

Branigan, Roger D.

Haymaker, Ira

McNutt, Paul V.

Schricker, Henry F.

Watkins, John A.

Wells, Herman B

Welsh, Matthew E.

Place Names

Martinsville, Indiana

Subjects

alcoholism

interstate highway system

legislation writing

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Interviewee: Wells, Herman B
Call number: 86-004
Date(s) of Interview: July 15, 1985
Physical Description: not transcribed; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 30 minutes; letter from Claude Rich to Wells
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Domowitz, Susan

Herman Wells, born 1902, speaks about John Hurt's role in the legislative funding tension, specifically the parity issue, and how it was resolved.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Indiana University

Purdue University

Occupation Names

university chancellor

Subjects

Indiana politics

funding parity

university funding

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