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Kenneth L. Bowen, 1912-

RG1077.AM:  Kenneth L. Bowen, 1912-

Papers:  1959-1966
Red Cloud, Webster County, Neb.:  State Senator
Size:  12.5 cu.ft.; 25 boxes

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Kenneth L. Bowen was born in Red Cloud, Webster County, Nebraska on January 25, 1912. He received his early education in the Kansas Public schools. On May 31, 1942, Bowen married Kathryn V. Kirkebride. Their marriage produced four children, a daughter and three sons. Bowen was active in the agricultural and business activities of the Red Cloud community, formerly operating the Red Cloud Sale Barn, and the Amboy Milling Company, in addition to owning two farms in the area. He later operated an automobile dealership prior to the establishment of a real estate and insurance business in Red Cloud.

Bowen was also active in civic affairs, serving on the city hospital board and the Board of Education. He was a former president of the Chamber of Commerce, and a former mayor of the city of Red Cloud. On November 4, 1958, Bowen was elected to the Nebraska legislature from the 32nd District, which included the counties of Franklin, Webster and Nuckolls. He gained election to a second term in November of 1960, and was again re-elected in November of 1962. In November of 1964, Bowen was elected to a four-year term from the 37th district which included Webster, Nuckolls, Franklin and Kearney counties. While in the legislature, Bowen served on many committees and was active in attempts to expand and reform the state tax structure by means of a state income tax. He resigned from the legislature on January 5, 1967, to become Executive Secretary of the League of Nebraska Municipalities.

Note: Photographs have been transferred to the photo component [RG1077.PH]. Please ask a reference staff member for assistance.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of 25 manuscript boxes of material arranged topically in five series: (1) Legislative files, 1959-1965; (2) Correspondence, 1963-1966; (3) Legislative bills and journals, 1961-1963; (4) Committee reports and minutes, 1961-1963; and (5) Printed Matter.

The bulk of the papers are legislative files, 1959-1966, relating to Senator Bowen's service in the Nebraska Legislature, 1959-1967. These files include correspondence from constituents, materials relating to specific bills, reports and studies, speeches and newsletters, and miscellaneous publications. Senator Bowen's filing arrangement was retained in the processing of this collection.

DESCRIPTION

Series 1 - Legislative files, 1959-1965

Box 1
Folder
  1. Agriculture
  2. Assessment of Mineral Rights Reservations
  3. Bottle Club Bill
  4. Bond Issues
  5. Council of State Government
  6. Credit Card Bill
  7. County Officers Board of Equalization - Assessor
  8. Committee Assignments
  9. Doves
  10. Education - County Superintendents Redistrict (Free High School Tuition)
  11. Educational T.V.
  12. Education
Box 2
Folder
  1. Education - Free Junior High
  2. Franklin County, 1961
  3. Game, Parks and Recreation; Mill Levy
  4. Indians
  5. Insurance - County Mutual
  6. Insurance
  7. Insurance Qualification Laws
  8. LB 82 - Lottery
  9. Lottery on T.V. programs
  10. Grade A Milk
  11. Miscellaneous A-Z
  12. Nuckolls County, 1961
  13. Outdoor Advertising - Interstate Highway
  14. Personal File
  15. Public Power
  16. Pharmacy
  17. Reapportionment
Box 3
Folder
  1. Redistricting Congressional Districts
  2. LB 351, Government and Military affairs
  3. School Taxes
  4. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Judges Retirement System, June 30, 1960
  5. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Safety Patrol Retirement System, June 30, 1960
  6. 14th Annual Report, Nebraska School Retirement System, June 30, 1960
  7. Redistricting
  8. LB 83, Raise Limitation
  9. Tourist Study Interim Committee
  10. Tourism
  11. Sale Barn
  12. Sales and Income Tax Data
  13. School land and funds distribution
  14. Stand-by Officials
  15. Telephone Distribution of fees
  16. Webster County, 1961
Box 4
Folder
  1. Republican River - Willow
  2. Expenses
  3. Bankers Life - opinions of Julian Hopkins
  4. GOP John Cooper, Humboldt, Nebraska
  5. Carl Curtis Contributions
  6. GOP Correspondence
  7. Information (three counties)
  8. Webster County Correspondence
  9. Nuckolls County - Jackson Bernard
  10. Congressional redistricting, 1961 (undecided)
  11. Congressional Redistricting, 1961
  12. East-West Division, 1961
  13. North-South Division
  14. Medical Care
  15. LB 354: Government and Military Affairs
  16. Letters for signature
  17. Interstate government
Box 5
Folder
  1. McClelland Reports
  2. Personal
  3. Military
  4. Franklin County Address
  5. Webster County Addresses
  6. Highway 78 Improvement
  7. Nuckolls County Addresses
  8. Highways and Country Roads
  9. Tax Study Interim Committee
  10. Actuarial Report: The Nebraska Judges Retirement System, June 30, 1962
  11. Actuarial Report, Nebraska Safety Patrol Retirement System, June 30, 1962
  12. Actuarial Report: The Nebraska School Retirement System, June 30, 1962
  13. Comparison of the Economy of NE to the Economic records of the US
Box 6
Folder
  1. Ag. Statistics
  2. Correspondence
  3. Budget
  4. Centennial
  5. Correspondence (Special Session)
  6. Senator Bowen
  7. Primary Candidates
  8. Education
  9. Government and Military affairs, Senator Bowen Chairman
  10. Government and Military affairs Committee
  11. Intangible Taxes
Box 7
Folder
  1. Legislative Studies
  2. Lobbyist Letters
  3. Mentally and Physically Handicapped
  4. Marvel (news)
  5. Medical Care
  6. NFO
  7. Petitions (Names)
  8. LB 745, Increasing the size of the Centennial Commission from 10 to 15.
  9. Republican Party
  10. Miscellaneous Correspondence
  11. Taxes
  12. Civil Defense
  13. Correspondence Files
  14. Income Tax
  15. Income (Also included are: LB 563, LB 797, Revenue and tax information, 1961, "My reasons for supporting a Partisan Legislature" by Senator Bowen, and "Government and Acquisitions" Nebraska edition, 1964.)
Box 8
Folder
  1. LB 342
  2. LB 641
  3. Annual irrigation meeting in Nelson, Nebraska
  4. LB 118 (correspondence)
  5. Intergovernmental
  6. Activities
  7. Legislative District #37, Nuckolls County
  8. Legislative District #37, Franklin County
  9. Legislative District #37, Webster County
  10. Legislative District #37, Kearney County
  11. Political Letters, Statewide
  12. Political Letters, Unicameral
  13. Speeches
  14. Senator Bowen, Legislative District #32
  15. Franklin County, District 32
  16. Kearney County, District 32
  17. Nuckolls County, District 32
  18. Senators Carpenter, Mahoney and Skarda; Legislature Organization
  19. Constitutional Amendment LB 9, Interest Regulations
  20. Reports, National Committee Woman
  21. Correspondence, National Committee
  22. Intangible Tax Study
  23. Teacher Retirement
  24. Legislative Bills and constituent correspondence
Box 9
Folder
  1. LB 612
  2. LB 59, Texas
  3. Time Sale Legislation
  4. Facts, LB 612
  5. Senator Bowen, Chapter #3
  6. Dr. Harold McClelland
  7. Taxes
Box 10
Folder
  1. LB 631 (Nebraska State Historical Society, relationship)
  2. Abstractors, LB 133
  3. Agriculture
  4. LB 30 and LB 78
  5. LB 229
  6. LB 301
  7. Budget
  8. Beatrice State Home
  9. Congratulatory Letters
  10. Centennial Commission
  11. Consumer Credit
  12. 527 deeds
  13. Doves
  14. Education
  15. Franklin County
  16. Game Commission
  17. Grain Storage
  18. Income Tax
  19. Invitations
  20. KFOR Editorials
Box 11
Folder
  1. Liberty Amendment
  2. Lobbyists
  3. Legislative Council
  4. Governor Frank Morrison
  5. Miscellaneous
  6. Bills, Miscellaneous
  7. Nuckolls County
  8. News Clippings
  9. NSIA
  10. LB 515 (Obscene Literature)
  11. Parochial Schools
  12. Public Power
  13. Republican Party
  14. Reapportionment
  15. Roads
  16. Free High School Tuition Education (313, 448, 215)
  17. Campaign Speeches
  18. Statements of interest
  19. State
  20. Six-Year Public Schools
  21. Speeches
  22. South Central Public Power District (Also included: Statement of Nebraska Railroads in support of LB 336, 1965)
Box 12
Folder
  1. Tax
  2. Tires, LB 51
  3. Trade Schools
  4. Time Sales in Nebraska
  5. Vocational Training
  6. Webster County
  7. Income Tax Poll Letters
  8. Duane Doyle, 1964
  9. Sprague Bernard, Red Cloud
  10. Precinct committee, women and men delegates to 1962
  11. County Representatives

Series 2 - Correspondence, 1963-1966

Box 13
Folder
  1. Automobile Assessing Method New Car Dealer's Assoc.
  2. A
  3. B
  4. 1964 Campaign Exp.
  5. C
  6. D
  7. E
  8. Eye Bank
  9. F
  10. G
  11. H
  12. I
  13. J
  14. K
  15. Kerr-Mills Bill
  16. L
  17. Med. Care
Box 14
Folder
  1. M
  2. Mc
  3. N
  4. O
  5. P
  6. Q
  7. R
  8. S
  9. Seat Belts Safety - New Motor Vehicles
  10. 6 Year High School - K-12
  11. Tax Recommendations - 1966
  12. Taxes
  13. T
  14. Tax Study
  15. LB 370 Relating to reserve Teachers - to increase compensation
  16. U
  17. V
  18. W
  19. Y
  20. Z
Box 15
Folder
  1. Correspondence A-Z, 1965
  2. Miscellaneous, 1966

Series 3 - Legislative bills and journals, 1961-1963

Box 16   Bills, 1961
Folder
  1. Ft. Robinson
  2. Historical Society
  3. Instructions - 1961
  4. Invitations
  5. National Guard - 1961
  6. Notices of Committee Hearings - Government & Military Affairs
  7. LB 58
  8. LB 59
  9. LB 60
  10. LB 81
  11. LB 82
  12. LB 83
  13. LB 84
  14. LB 86
  15. LB 87
  16. LB 89
  17. LB 90
  18. LB 93
  19. LB 94
  20. LB 96
  21. LB 97
  22. LB 101
  23. LB 105
  24. LB 108
  25. LB 109
  26. LB 111
  27. LB 122
  28. LB 132
  29. LB 137
  30. LB 140
  31. LB 152
  32. LB 153
  33. LB 154
  34. LB 155
  35. LB 157
  36. LB 159
  37. LB 162
  38. LB 167
  39. LB 168
  40. LB 169
  41. LB 170
  42. LB 201
  43. LB 204
  44. LB 221
  45. LB 224
  46. LB 233
  47. LB 269
  48. LB 270
  49. LB 277
  50. LB 279
  51. LB 296
  52. LB 312
  53. LB 344
  54. LB 352
  55. LB 360
  56. LB 369
  57. LB 371
  58. LB 375
  59. LB 377
  60. LB 403
  61. LB 419
  62. LB 430
  63. LB 433
  64. LB 455
  65. LB 466
  66. LB 470
  67. LB 476
  68. LB 491
  69. LB 497
  70. LB 499
  71. LB 538
Box 17   Bills, 1961 and 1963
Folder
  1. LB 539
  2. LB 540
  3. LB 541
  4. LB 548
  5. LB 592
  6. LB 607
  7. LB 614
  8. LB 624
  9. LB 630
  10. LB 638
  11. LB 644
  12. LB 647
  13. LB 662
  14. LB 667
  15. LB 710
  16. LB 714
  17. LB 716
  18. LB 107
  19. LB 111
  20. LB 253
  21. LB 254
  22. LB 345
  23. LB 346
  24. LB 347
  25. LB 486
  26. LB 487
  27. LB 689
  28. LB 702
  29. LB 713
  30. LB 717
  31. LB 718
  32. LB 100
  33. LB 298
  34. LB 299
  35. LB 300
  36. LB 301
  37. LB 302
  38. LB 373
  39. LB 374
  40. LB 375
  41. LB 376
  42. LB 377
  43. LB 378
  44. LB 379
  45. LB 380
  46. LB 381
  47. LB 382
  48. LB 383
  49. LB 384
  50. LB 385
  51. LB 386
  52. LB 387
  53. LB 388
  54. LB 612
  55. LB 613
  56. LB 614
  57. LB 615
  58. LB 741
  59. LB 742
  60. LB 743
  61. LB 744
  62. LB 798
  63. LB 59
  64. LB 174
  65. LB 268
  66. LB 288
  67. LB 313
  68. LB 397
Box 18   Bills, 1963
Folder
  1. LR 4
  2. LR 5
  3. LR 6
  4. LB 1
  5. LB 4
  6. LB 7
  7. LB 11
  8. LB 12
  9. LB 13
  10. LB 14
  11. LB 21
  12. LB 29
  13. LB 42
  14. LB 47
  15. LB 52
  16. LB 78
  17. LB 86
  18. LB 87
  19. LB 88
  20. LB 103
  21. LB 112
  22. LB 114
  23. LB 118
  24. LB 132
  25. LB 174
  26. LB 175
  27. LB 176
  28. LB 196
  29. LB 203
  30. LB 204
  31. LB 213
  32. LB 218
  33. LB 219
  34. LB 228
  35. LB 230
  36. LB 233
  37. LB 236
  38. LB 239
  39. LB 244
  40. LB 249
  41. LB 254
  42. LB 255
  43. LB 258
Box 19   Bills, 1963
Folder
  1. LB 259
  2. LB 298
  3. LB 312
  4. LB 314
  5. LB 320
  6. LB 338
  7. LB 341
  8. LB 345
  9. LB 358
  10. LB 365
  11. LB 374
  12. LB 375
  13. LB 381
  14. LB 382
  15. LB 383
  16. LB 387
  17. LB 393
  18. LB 406
  19. LB 432
  20. LB 461
  21. LB 467
  22. LB 474
  23. LB 482
  24. LB 505
  25. LB 509
  26. LB 520
  27. LB 531
  28. LB 533
  29. LB 557
  30. LB 578
  31. LB 582
  32. LB 586
  33. LB 608
  34. LB 609
  35. LB 625
  36. LB 629
  37. LB 654
  38. LB 657
  39. LB 662
  40. LB 730
  41. LB 731
  42. LB 748
  43. LB 756
  44. LB 767
  45. LB 776
  46. LB 777
  47. LB 781
  48. LB 782
  49. LB 783
  50. LB 785
  51. LB 796
  52. LB 802
Box 20
Folder
  1. Legislative Bills, 74th session
  2. Index to bills, 73rd session
  3. Legislative Journals, 74th and 76th sessions
  4. Session Law, 1963
  5. Bills introduced by Senator Bowen
  6. Pocket Dockets, 1959, 1961 and 1963

Series 4 - Committee reports and minutes, 1961-1963

Box 21
Folder
  1. Government and Military Affairs committee, 1963
  2. Redistricting minutes, Government and Military Affairs committee, 1961
  3. Public Welfare Committee, 1961
  4. Education Committee, 1961

Series 5 - Printed matter

Box 22
Folder
  1. Reports - Nebraska State Tax Commissioner, 1961 and 1963
  2. Nebraska Public Power Commission, 1962
  3. "Study of accounting and Financial organization, systems and proceedings, report on remedial legislation, 1963"
  4. "State and Local Finance" by Harold F. McClelland, for the committee on taxation
Box 23
Folder
  1. Press releases and "Bowen Report" newsletter (1-22)
  2. Miscellaneous publications including issues of "State Government," "Nebraska Farmer," and Dept of Health Education and Welfare publications
Box 24
Folder
  1. Newspaper Clippings
  2. Scrapbook - news clippings
Box 25
Folder
  1. Campaign poster
  2. Texas Public Safety Information and state map
  3. Day Planners
  4. Bumper Stickers
  5. Certificates of Election
  6. Other Miscellany

 

ADDED ENTRIES:

Bowen, Kenneth L., 1912-
Income tax -- Nebraska
Legislation -- Nebraska
Legislators -- Nebraska
Nebraska -- Politics and government
Nebraska. Legislature, 1958-1967

 

Revised 11-08-2007   TMM

 

For additional information about this collection, please contact our Library Staff.

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