Bartlett, Edward Lewis, 1904-1968

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1904-04-20

Death 1968-12-11

Biographical notes:

Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett, journalist, miner and prominent democratic politician, was a reporter and associate editor of the Fairbanks "News-Miner," secretary to congressional delegate Anthony J. Dimond, gold miner in the Circle District, Secretary of Alaska, Delegate to Congress and one of Alaska's first U.S. Senators.

From the description of E. L. "Bob" Bartlett papers, 1938-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 42065229

Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett, journalist, miner and prominent Democratic politician, was a reporter and associate editor of the Fairbanks "News-Miner," secretary to congressional delegate Anthony J. Dimond, gold miner in the Circle District, Secretary of Alaska, Delegate to Congress and Alaska's first U.S. Senator.

From the description of E. L. "Bob" Bartlett Papers, 1924-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 309412788

1904 Born Edward Lewis on April 20 in Seattle, Washington to Edward and Ida (Doverspike) Bartlett. 1922 Graduated from Fairbanks High School. 1922 1925 Attended University of Washington, Seattle; University of California, Los Angeles, and Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, Fairbanks (Which later became the University of Alaska Fairbanks). 1924 38 Intermittently a reporter and associate editor, Fairbanks Daily News- Miner. 1930 Married Vide Marie Gaustad, August 14 in Valdez, Alaska 1933 1934 Hired as secretary to Alaska's Delegate to Congress, Anthony J. Dimond, Washington, D.C. 1934 Daughter, Doris Ann, born February 7 in Washington, D.C. 1934 1938 Intermittently spent summers as a gold miner at Independence Creek in the Circle Mining District, Alaska 1935 1936 Assistant Territorial Director, Federal Housing Administration, Juneau, Alaska. 1937 Public Director, Social Security Board, Juneau, Alaska. 1937 Information Service Representative, Social Security System, Juneau, Alaska. 1937 1939 Appointed Chairman Alaska's Unemployment Compensation Commission, Juneau, Alaska. 1939 1944 Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as secretary of Alaska under Governors John W. Troy and Ernest Gruening, Juneau, Alaska. 1940 Daughter, Susie Bernice, born December 9 in Juneau, Alaska. 1942 Officiated at ribbon cutting ceremony for opening of Alaska/Canada Highway November 20, Soldier's Summit above Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory. 1943 Declined Selective Service offer of captaincy because of low pay. His contribution to the war effort was in the form of political service. 1944 1959 Elected as Alaska's non-voting Delegate to Congress, Washington, D.C. 1947 Introduced his first statehood bill to Congress January 3. 1949 Appointed ex-officio member of newly formed Alaska Statehood Committee. This committee responsible for preparation of constitutional convention and the transition from territory to statehood. 1959 President Eisenhower signed the proclamation officially admitting Alaska as the forty-ninth state of the Union. Bartlett acknowledged as "architect of Alaska statehood." 1960 Awarded honorary L.L.D. from University of Alaska 1968 Honored "Alaskan of the Year" March 29. Died December 11 in Cleveland, Ohio hospital. Funeral service December 14 in Fairbanks, Alaska. 1969 Statue unveiled in Statuary Hall, Capital Rotunda, Washington, D.C., May 6.

From the guide to the E.L. "Bob" Bartlett Papers, 1924-1970, (University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Polar Regions Collections & Archives)