Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
MS 81
George and Sewell Allen
Papers, 1910-1972
Descriptive summary
| creator: | Allen, George E. (1886-1944); Allen, Sewell E. (1913-1975) |
| title: | Papers |
| dates: | 1910-1972 |
| extent: | 4.5 linear feet (7 document boxes, 1 oversized box, and 1 map case folder) |
| collection number: | MS 81 |
| repository: | Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative information
| access: | Open for research |
| publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
| preferred citation: | George E. Allen and Sewell E. Allen Papers, MS 81, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Biographical note
George E. Allen (1886-1944) and his son Sewell E. Allen (1913-1975) were both lawyers. They practiced law in Onawa, Monona County, Iowa, and worked in partnership from 1939 to 1944. |
Collection description
The collection (1910-1972) contains legal documents, correspondence, maps and printed matter. Much of the collection deals with farm foreclosures during the Great Depression and complicated legal matters arising from drainage problems in Woodbury, Harrison, and Monona Counties in Iowa. As background to the drainage cases, it should be noted that the problems of flooding and drainage in the Little Sioux River Valley go back many years. The Monona-Harrison Drainage Ditch was built in 1906-1909. In the 1910s the Monona-Harrison Drainage District was formed. Some time afterwards, an "equalizer" (a connecting ditch) was built between the Drainage Ditch and the Little Sioux River. This "equalizer" was blamed for shifting the water at the time of heavy rains from the Little Sioux to the Drainage Ditch. The Gaynor Plan (1953) was proposed to correct the problem of periodic flooding. In the same year the Monona-Harrison Flood Control Association, organized by R. W. Fischer, was formed to oppose this plan and to support Plan "O" of the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control. In 1955, the Gaynor Plan was defeated and the "O" Plan was begun by the Corps and finished in 1958. As a means of helping the Corps with Plan "O" the Little Sioux Intercounty Drainage District (Little Sioux I.D.D.) was formed in 1955. John Beardsley, Sewell Allen, and Michael Murray were retained as attorneys for the Little Sioux I.D.D. For related collections see the Little Sioux Watershed Records (MS 106) and the John D. Beardsley Papers (MS 79). |
Organization
This collection is organized into seven series: |
Description of series
| Series 1 | Foreclosures |
1935-1940 |
| extent: | 13 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains foreclosures with the following residents: Hans J. Olson, John A. Olson, Fred A. Reese, Frank A. Reinbold, Bert Seitzinger, Frank T. Shanahan, E.M. Stuart, Adam Treiber, Joseph Uhl, Elmer O. Wilson, John A. York, and Harlin H. Zortman. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Hans J. Olson |
1936-1940 |
1 |
2 |
John Al Olson and Mattie Olson |
1938-1940 |
1 |
3 |
Federal Land Bank of Omaha vs. Lee Phipps |
1939-1940 |
1 |
4 |
Fred A. Reese |
1935-1936 |
1 |
5 |
Frank A. Reinbold |
1935-1936 |
1 |
6 |
Bert Seitzinger |
1939 |
2 |
1 |
Frank T. Shanahan |
1937-1939 |
2 |
2 |
E.M. Stuart |
1937-1938 |
2 |
3 |
Adam Treiber and wife, Elizabeth Treiber Bence |
1939-1944 |
2 |
4 |
Joseph Uhl |
1935-1940 |
2 |
5 |
Elmer O. Wilson |
1937 |
2 |
6 |
John A. York and wife, Amy York |
1935-1937 |
2 |
7 |
Harlin H. Zortman |
1935-1940 |
Description of series
| Series 2 | Iowa State Highway Commission |
1965-1968 |
| extent: | 12 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains correspondence and deeds from the following people: Joe Ankerstjerne, Drew Arney, C.A. Beener, Frederick Jepson, Frederick Koithan, M.W. Morely, Clayton P. Moats, Theresa L. Schoenjahn, Joe Slota, Edward L. Torticill, and Raymond Wilkins. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
3 |
1 |
General Correspondence |
1965-1968 |
3 |
2 |
Joe Ankerstjerne Warranty Deed |
1966-1967 |
3 |
3 |
Drew Arney Deed |
1966 |
3 |
4 |
C.A. Beener Deed |
1966 |
3 |
5 |
Frederick Jepson Deed |
1966 |
3 |
6 |
Frederick Koithan Deed |
1966 |
3 |
7 |
M.W. Morley Deed |
1966 |
3 |
8 |
Clayton P. Moats Deed |
1966 |
3 |
9 |
Theresa L. Schoenjahn Deed (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1967 |
3 |
10 |
Joe Slota Deed |
1967 |
3 |
11 |
Edward L. Torticill Deed (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1967 |
3 |
12 |
Raymond Wilkins |
1967 |
Description of series
| Series 3 | Drainage Suits |
1915-1962 |
| extent: | 13 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains various lawsuits involving the following organizations and people: Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company, Board of Supervisors of Monona County, The Board of Trustees of Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1, Herbert Miller, Monona County Haitz Drainage District, Seybold Fisher, Chicago Railway Company, Milwaukee Railway Company, St. Paul Railway Company, Thomas W. Sorenson, Monona County, Joe and Josephine Weaver, and Little Sioux Intercounty Drainage District. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
3 |
14 |
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company vs. Board of Supervisors of Monona County |
1915-1923 |
3 |
15 |
Board of Trustees of Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1 vs. Board of Supervisors of Monona County |
1923-1924 |
4 |
1 |
Board of Trustees of Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1 vs. Board of Supervisors of Monona County |
1936-1944 |
4 |
2 |
Herbert Miller vs. Monona County, Haitz Drainage District |
1937-1939 |
4 |
3 |
Herbert Miller vs. Monona County, Haitz Drainage District |
1929-1940 |
4 |
4 |
Herbert Miller vs. Monona County, Haitz Drainage District |
1940 |
4 |
5 |
Seybold Fisher, et. al. vs. Trustees of Monona-Harrison Drainage District |
1938-1939 |
4 |
6 |
Haitz Drainage District No. 17, Monona County vs. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Railway Company |
1941-1944 |
4 |
7 |
Board of Trustees of Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1 vs. Board of Supervisors of Monona County |
1945 |
4 |
8 |
Board of Trustees (Monona-Harrison Drainage District) vs. Board of Supervisors (Monona County) |
1946-1947 |
4 |
9 |
Thomas W. Sorenson vs. Monona-Harrison Drainage District |
1953-1954 |
5 |
1 |
Monona-Harrison Drainage District vs. Monona County |
1953-1962 |
5 |
2 |
Joe and Josephine Weaver vs. Little Sioux Intercounty Drainage District |
1956-1958 |
Description of series
| Series 4 | Drainage Districts |
1910-1963 |
| extent: | 17 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains information regarding the following drainage districts in Iowa: Crane Outlet, Fairview-Lincoln Levee, Hubbard, Linscott, Little Sioux, McCandless-Cleghorn Outlet, McNeil, Maple, Monona County, West Fork, and Wilcox. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
5 |
3 |
Crane Outlet Drainage District (Harrison County) |
1953 |
5 |
4 |
Fairview-Lincoln Levee and Drainage District (Monona County) |
1937-1938 |
5 |
5 |
Hubbard Drainage District (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1919-1943 |
5 |
6 |
Linscott Drainage District |
1910 |
5 |
7 |
Little Sioux Drainage District |
1959 |
5 |
8 |
Little Sioux Drainage District (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1960 |
5 |
9 |
McCandless-Cleghorn Outlet Drainage District |
1953-1955 |
5 |
10 |
McNeil Drainage Ditch (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1946-1955 |
5 |
11 |
Maple Drainage District No. 6 |
1938 |
5 |
12 |
Monona County Drainage Districts: Attorney's Fee |
1943-1953 |
5 |
13 |
Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1, correspondence |
1919-1924 |
5 |
14 |
Monona-Harrison Drainage District No. 1, legal documents |
1919-1924 |
5 |
15 |
Monona-Harrison Drainage District |
1963 |
6 |
1 |
West Fork Drainage District, bonds |
1931-1934 |
6 |
2 |
Wilcox Drainage District No. 13 (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1934-1935 |
6 |
3 |
Woodbury-Monona County West Fork Ditch |
1951 |
6 |
4 |
Woodbury-Monona No. 2 West Fork Drainage District |
1962-1964 |
Description of series
| Series 5 | Related Drainage Materials |
1926-1971 |
| extent: | 8 Folders |
|
| description: | This series contains Commissioner's reports, appropriation hearings, and sections of the Iowa code pertaining to drainage. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
6 |
5 |
Appropriations for Little Sioux (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1955-1958 |
6 |
6 |
Commissioners Report of Damages and Consideration of Claims Filed |
1955 |
6 |
7 |
Homesteaders Life Association – Correspondence |
1919-1943 |
6 |
8 |
Little Sioux Appropriations Hearings (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1958 |
6 |
9 |
Little Sioux Intercounty Drainage District Classification (related maps can be found in map case folder C406 D03) |
1956-1957 |
6 |
10 |
Monona-Harrison Cleanout of Little Sioux River |
1953-1954 |
6 |
11 |
R.W. Perrin – Correspondence re: Monona-Harrison County Line Road |
1939 |
3 |
13 |
Iowa Code Annotated – Sections re: Drainage |
1971 |
Description of series
| Series 6 | Iowa Legislative Research Branch |
1943-1972 |
| extent: | 6 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains information from the Drainage Law Research Committee; claim forms soil survey maps, and plans and specifications for levees and channel alterations on Little Sioux. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
6 |
12 |
Drainage Laws Research Committee |
1965-1970 |
6 |
13 |
Drainage Laws Research Committee |
1943-1972 |
7 |
1 |
Drainage Laws Research Committee |
1968-1969 |
7 |
2 |
Claims Form |
1968-1970 |
7 |
3 |
Soil Survey Maps – Monona County, Iowa |
1959 |
8 |
OVR |
Plans and specifications for levees and channel alterations on Little Sioux. Maps of Little Sioux Drainage Districts. |
1956-1960 |