Spangler, Harrison E. (Harrison Earl), 1879-1965

Born in Iowa in 1879, Harrison Spangler was a Spanish-American War veteran. Upon returning from the war, he studied law and was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1905. Active in the Republican Party he served on the National Committee as a member from Iowa from 1932-1952. He served as National Chairman of the party in 1943-1944.

As a conservative member of the party he was known not only for his opposition to liberals such as Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, but also more moderate members of his own party like Thomas Dewey. He was a strong supporter of Robert Taft against Dwight Eisenhower for the 1952 Republican nomination.

After moving to Portland, Oregon following WWII, he became involved in Oregon politics. He was best known for his opposition to Senator Wayne Morse. In 1962 Spangler published a book titled "The Record of Wayne Morse." Democrats claimed that the book was campaign literature and sued to find out where Spangler received his contributions. Spangler was still embroiled in the controversy when he died in 1965.

From the guide to the Harrison Spangler papers, 1946-1964, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)