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John S. Hellenthal papers

Guide to the John S. Hellenthal papers
1917-1989

Collection number: HMC-0447.
Creator: Hellenthal, John S.
Title: John S. Hellenthal papers.
Dates: 1917-1988.
Volume of collection: 2.25 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Materials in this collection are in English.
Collection summary: Papers of an Alaskan legislator.

Biographical note:
John Simon Hellenthal was born in Juneau, Alaska, in 1915. In 1939, he received his law degree and began practicing with his father in Anchorage at Hellenthal, Hellenthal and Son. He was elected as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in Fairbanks in 1955. Hellenthal served as Anchorage city attorney from 1947-1952 and was a member of the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955. After statehood was announced, Hellenthal was elected to the State House of Representatives and served from 1959-1962. He served as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during his terms as state legislator. From 1960-1961 he chaired the state Democratic Party and was campaign chairman for William E. Egan’s 1966 gubernatorial campaign. Hellenthal continued to be an active member of the community until his death in 1989.

Collection description:
This collection consists of papers relating to John Hellenthal’s personal and political activities, as well as his work as a member of the State House of Representatives. The collection includes: correspondence, records on the Alaska statehood movement, Egan campaign materials, maps, and photographs. The collection also includes legislative reference files, 1960 legislative session files, Judiciary Committee bill and report files, Administrative Procedures Act files, Judiciary Act files, and pending bills.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged into 13 different series. The records relating to Hellenthal’s two terms as legislator were arranged by type of record and separated into their own series. Series 13: Pending bill files contains copies of bills which were pending in the House or Senate during Hellenthal’s term in the legislature, and therefore correspond to Series 9 and 10.

Series 1: Correspondence; 1950-1988
Series 2: Alaska Statehood files; 1955
Series 3. Bill Egan Gubernatorial Campaign records; 1955-1966
Series 4: Maps; 1917-1980
Series 5: Photographs; undated, 1935-1989
Series 6: John F. Kennedy campaign files; 1960-1961
Series 7: Alaska Legislative reference files; 1958-1984
Series 8: 1960 Legislative Session files; 1956-1960
Series 9: Judiciary Committee bill files; 1958-1961
Series 10: Judiciary Committee bill reports; 1959
Series 11: Administrative Procedures Act files; 1959-1962
Series 12: Judiciary Act files; 1958-1961, 1970-1973
Series 13: Pending bill files; 1958-1960, 1971

Digitized copies: Selected photographs have been digitized and are available on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining copies please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Archives does not hold copyright to materials in this collection.

Preferred citation: John S. Hellenthal papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Separated materials: Publications were removed from the collection and some added to Rare Books. Please ask an archivist for further information.

Acquisition note: The collection was given to Archives and Special Collections in 1996 by LaRue Hellenthal, John Hellenthal’s wife. Additions were made in 1998 and 1999.

Processing information: This collection was described by Kathy Hertel in 2001. The guide to the collection was revised by Veronica Denison in 2015.

Container list:
Series 1. Correspondence; 1950-1988. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains correspondence between Hellenthal and a variety of writers including politicians, investors, as well as friends and relatives. Arranged chronologically.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/1 Correspondence 1950-1955
1/2 Correspondence 1956
1/3 Correspondence 1958-1959
1/4 Correspondence 1960
1/5 Correspondence: Alaska Legislative Council 1961
1/6 Correspondence 1967-1988

Series 2. Alaska Statehood files; 1955. 0.10 cubic feet.
This series contains items relating to Hellenthal’s work with the State Constitutional Convention and transition into statehood. The series includes copies of speeches, as well as brochures promoting statehood.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/7 Copies of speeches, instructions for candidates, flyers, brochures, clippings and blank forms, Alaska Airlines tickets 1955
1/8 Constitutional Convention stationary 1955

 Series 3. Bill Egan Gubernatorial Campaign papers; 1955-1966. 0.25 cubic feet.
This series contains papers from Hellenthal’s work as chairman of Bill Egan’s 1966 gubernatorial campaign. Items in this series include correspondence, lists of campaign workers, as well as advertising and promotional materials.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/9 Correspondence 1955-1966 July
1/10 Correspondence 1966 August-1966 November
1/11 Lists of campaign workers and contributors  1966
1/12 Campaign speeches and press releases, drafts, notes, and transcripts  1966
1/13 Campaign itineraries for Bill Egan 1966
1/14 Advertisements, “third term” explanatory and promotional materials, drafts 1966
1/15 Advertisements, radio and television, drafts, schedules, scripts 1966
1/16 Advertisements, print, drafts, samples, orders, invoices, bumper sticker, flyers 1966
1/17 Jaycees Newsletters, with campaign ads 1966
1/18 Poll by Ptarmigan Business and Professional Women’s Club by Ernst & Ernst, poll, correspondence 1966
1/19 Notes, reprints, and copies 1966
1/20 Clippings 1966
Box 4 Egan Campaign, posters 1966

Series 4. Maps; 1917-1980. 0.10 cubic feet.
This series contains maps related to industries and property in which Hellenthal invested.

Folder Description Dates
OS 1 “Road Constructed by Union Ohio” near the Kenai undated
Map Roll “Plat of Anchorage Townsite with South, East, and Third Additions” 1917
OS 1 “Plat of U.S. Survey No. 1456, Fourth Addition to Anchorage Townsite” 1923 February 14
OS 1 “Supplemental Plat of East Addition to Anchorage, Alaska” 1941 February 13
OS 2 “Portion Swanson River and Soldotna Creek Units, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, Showing Route of Auto Trip Through Swanson River Field” 1961 January 13
OS 1 “Route of Air Trip over Kenai Oil and Gas Areas” 1961 January 13
OS 1 “Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, December 2, 1980” USGS 1980

Series 5. Photographs; circa 1935-1989. 0.05 cubic feet.
This series contains photographs of Alaskan scenery, buildings, and people.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/21 Personal photographs: Juneau, Valdez, Alaska scenery, Hellenthal; copied photograph of Robert Kennedy, Hellenthal, and a King Crab circa 1934-1989
Box 4 “Arctic Brotherhood” meeting room, Skagway undated
Box 4 “Greek Church, Sitka, Alaska” by Winter and Pond undated

Series 6. John F. Kennedy campaign files; 1960-1961. 0.05 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/22 Press releases, Inauguration Ceremony 1960-1961
1/23 Fundraising telegrams 1960

 Series 7. Alaska Legislative reference files; 1958-1984. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains legislative reference files created and collected by Hellenthal during his involvement in state government. Included are articles written by Hellenthal, related reports, congressional newsletters, and files on mental health planning, Native claims, reapportionment, mining, geese management, and news clippings.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/24 Third Division Democratic Convention, Party Platform 1953 December 16
1/25 “Alaska’s Heralded Constitution: The Forty-Ninth State Sets and Example” by Hellenthal 1958 December
1/26 State capitol move, reports, correspondence 1962
1/27 Newsletters from Washington: Sen. Bob Bartlett, Sen. Ernest Gruening, Rep. Ralph Rivers 1964
1/28 “Mental Illness, Incompetency, ‘Insanity’, and Alaska Law” by Hellenthal, Alaska Law Journal 1965 June
1/29 Congressional Record, reports on earthquake and Native Claims Settlement Act 1964, 1971
1/30 Report: Mental Health Planning for Alaska by Hellenthal 1965
1/31 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 1971
1/32 Reapportionment report, Supreme Court 1972
1/33 Status of Mining Claims, draft of report 1980
1/34 Geese Management, fund raising materials 1980
1/35 Clippings and sample ballots 1955-1975
1/36 Political Cartoon about Juneau undated
1/37 Newspaper clippings 1961-1985

Series 8. 1960 Legislative Session files; 1956-1960. 0.10 cubic feet.
This series contains Legislative Session files created by Hellenthal during the 1960 State Legislative session. Included are correspondence, lists of bills carried over from previous sessions, and several bills under consideration or in committee. The series also includes copies of the bills and related notes.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/38 Correspondence 1956, 1959-1960
1/39 Alaska Legislative Council, “Status of Senate Bills Carried over to Second Session” 1959 December
1/40 Alaska Legislative Council, “Status of House Bills Carried over to Second Session” 1959 December
1/41 Bills in Committee, effective January 1960 1960 January
1/42 House Bill #127 1960
1/43 House Bill #188 1960
1/44 House Bill #227 1960
1/45 “Uniform Rules” 1959

Series 9. Judiciary Committee bill files; 1958-1961. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains copies of bills under consideration in the house Judiciary Committee while Hellenthal was its chairman. Many files include notes, annotations, and related correspondence. The House, Senate, and Amendments files were divided into separate folders.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/46 Correspondence 1958
1/47 House Bill #31 1959
1/48 House Bill #52 1959
1/49 House Bill #69 1959
1/50 House Bill #72 1959
1/51 House Bill #93 1959
1/52 House Bill #94 1959
1/53 House Bill #107 1959
1/54 House Bill #112 1959
1/55 House Bill #130 1959
1/56 House Bill #133 1959
1/57 House Bill #144 1959
1/58 House Bill #149 1959
1/59 House Bill #169 1959
1/60 House Bill #170 1959
2/1 House Bill #188 1959
2/2 House Bill #189 1959
2/3 House Bill #192 1959
2/4 House Bill #193 1959
2/5 House Bill #194 1959
2/6 House Bill #195 1959
2/7 House Bill #196 1959
2/8 House Bill #197 1959
2/9 House Bill #203 1959
2/10 House Bill #205 1959
2/11 House Bill #206 1959
2/12 House Bill #211 1959
2/13 House Bill #215 1959
2/14 House Bill #216 1959
2/15 House Bill #227 1959
2/16 House Bill #237 1959
2/17 House Bill #241 1959
2/18 House Bill #243 1959
2/19 House Bill #247 1959
2/20 House Bill #249 1959
2/21 House Bill #250 1959
2/22 House Bill #254 1959
2/23 House Bill #256 1959
2/24 House Bill #265 1959
2/25 House Bill #268 1959
2/26 House Bill #321 1959
2/27 Senate Bill #25 1959
2/28 Senate Bill #66 1959
2/29 Senate Bill #105 1959
2/30 Amendments to Senate Bill #105 1959
2/31 Amendments to Senate Bill #119 1961
2/32 Senate Bill #120 1959
2/33 Senate Bill #136 1959
2/34 House Concurrent Resolution #5 1959
2/35 House Joint Resolution #8 1959
2/36 House Joint Resolution #13 1959

Series 10. Judiciary Committee bill reports; 1959. 0.30 cubic feet.
This series contains reports of the House Judiciary Committee on numerous bills presented in the State House and Senate. A majority of the folders include both the Committee report and a copy of the bill. Many files also contain notes, annotated copies of the bills, memos, and related correspondence. Folders are divided between House and Senate bill files.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/37 “Public Accountancy Act of 1959” draft 1959
2/38 House Joint Memorial #3 1959
2/39 Report, House Bill #5 1959
2/40 Report, House Bill #11 1959
2/41 Report, House Bill #13 1959
2/42 Report, House Bill #20 1959
2/43 Report, House Bill #23 1959
2/44 Report, House Bill #24 1959
2/45 Report, House Bill #26 1959
2/46 Report extract, House Bill #30 1959
2/47 Report, House Bill #33 1959
2/48 Report, House Bill #34 1959
2/49 Report, House Bill #39 1959
2/50 Report, House Bill #40 1959
2/51 Report, House Bill #51 1959
2/52 Report, House Bill #54 1959
2/53 Report, House Bill #56 1959
2/54 Report, House Bill #57 1959
2/55 Report, House Bill #61 1959
2/56 Report, House Bill #89 1959
2/57 Report, House Bill #95 1959
2/58 Report, House Bill #96 1959
2/59 Report, House Bill #99 1959
2/60 Report, House Bill #100 1959
2/61 Report, House Bill #101 1959
2/62 Report, House Bill #102 1959
2/63 Report, House Bill #103 1959
2/64 Report, House Bill #106 1959
2/65 Report, House Bill #109 1959
2/66 Report, House Bill #117 1959
2/67 Report, House Bill #119 1959
2/68 Report, House Bill #123 1959
2/69 Report, House Bill #126 1959
2/70 Report, House Bill #135 1959
2/71 Report, House Bill #151 1959
2/72 Report, House Bill #152 1959
2/73 Report, House Bill #160 1959
2/74 Report, House Bill #165 1959
2/75 Report, House Bill #166 1959
2/76 Report, House Bill #199 1959
2/77 Report, House Bill #229 1959
2/78 Report, Senate Bill #2 1959
2/79 Report, Senate Bill #9 1959
2/80 Report, Senate Bill #25 1959
2/81 Report, Senate Bill #37 1959
2/82 Report, Senate Bill #41 1959
2/83 Report, Senate Bill #42 1959
2/84 Report, Senate Bill #49 1959
2/85 Report, Senate Bill #50 1959
2/86 Report, Senate Bill #56 1959
2/87 Report, Senate Bill #59 1959
2/88 Report, Senate Bill #61 1959
2/89 Report, Senate Bill #79 1959
2/90 Report, Senate Bill #83 1959
2/91 Report, Senate Bill #109 1959
2/92 Report, Senate Bill #111 1959
2/93 Report Senate Bill #116 1959
2/94 Report on Many Bills 1959

Series 11. Administrative Procedures Act files; 1959-1962. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains files related to the development and passage of the state Administrative Procedure Acts. Included in the series are drafts and copies of bills, correspondence with committees and other legislators, and related bills.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/95 Proposed Administrative Procedures Act 1959 January 12
2/96 Administrative Procedures Act, House Bill #13, drafts 1959 January
2/97 Administrative Procedures Act, printed edition 1959 April
2/98 Amendments to House Bill #13 1959
2/99 Instructions to Administrators on preparations of regulations for Alaska Administrative Code 1959
2/100 Correspondence and Memos 1959-1962
2/101 Joint House-Senate Committee Report 1959 January 12
2/102 Report of the Annual Review of Administrative Regulations 1960-1962
2/103 Code of Civil Procedure, Senate Bill #105, House Committee Substitute, Judiciary Committee Report 1959
2/104 Code of Criminal Procedure, Senate Bill #119, House Committee Substitute, Judiciary Committee Report 1959
2/105 Uniform Commercial Code, House Bill #120, Judiciary Committee Report 1959
2/106 Speech to House, handwritten draft 1959
2/107 List of boards with notes 1959
2/108 Related Administrative Procedures legislation from outside states 1961-1962

Series 12. Judiciary Act files; 1958-1961, 1970-1973. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains items relating to the development and passage of the state Judiciary Acts. Included are drafts and copies of the bills, correspondence with committees, and other legislators, committee reports, and related court rulings.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/109 Copies of Senate Bill # 7 1959
2/110 Committee Substitutes for Senate Bill #7 1959
2/111 Proposed amendments to Senate Bill #7 1959
2/112 Section on Territorial Police 1959
2/113 Senate/House Judiciary Committee memo undated
2/114 Memo to Board of Governors 1958 September 4
2/115 Memo to Board of Governors 1958 September 15
2/116 Correspondence 1958
2/117 Correspondence 1959
2/118 Correspondence 1970
2/119 Correspondence 1972
2/120 Correspondence undated, 1973
2/121 Alaska Bar Association Committee report on Comparative Negligence Rule and Majority Verdict Rule undated
2/122 Alaska Bar Association Committee report on Lower Courts undated
2/123 Alaska Bar Association Committee revised report undated
2/124 Alaska Bar Association Committee, “Some Proposals for Alaska Rules Civil Procedure, and an Appraisal of Federal Rules Civil Procedure” 1959
2/125 Salary scale for court reporters, “Court Reporting and Facts for Public Officials” 1956
2/126 “Compensation of Judges of State Appellate Courts and Trial Courts;” 1958-1959
2/127 Copy of House Journal with Committee Substitute for Senate Bill #119 1961 February
2/128 Related Cases: U.S. vs. Everett Starling; U.S. vs. Thomas and Floyd Curnutt; National Labor Relations Board vs. Carpenters’ Union Local 1281; Wolfe’s Department Store vs. Maryland Casualty Co. 1959
2/129 Related Cases: U.S. vs. Frank Marrone 1959

Series 13. Pending bill files; 1958-1960, 1971. 0.30 cubic feet.
This series contains copies of bills which were pending in the House or Senate during Hellenthal’s term in the legislature. Included are drafts and annotated copies of the bills, notes, and correspondence with colleagues and constituents. Items are divided between the House and Senate and arranged by bill number. Many of the bills correspond with Series 9 and 10 in this collection.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/130 Committee Substitute for House Bill #5 1959
2/131 House Resolution #23 1959
2/132 House Resolution #30 1959
2/133 House Bill #63 1959
2/134 House Bill #68 1959
2/135 House Bill #78 1959
2/136 House Bill #90 1959
2/137 House Bill #96 1959
2/138 House Bill #99-100 1959
2/139 House Bill #105 1959
2/140 House Bill #113 1959
2/141 Committee Substitute for House Hill #117 1959
2/142 House Bill #124 1959
2/143 House Bill #140 1959
2/144 House Bill #141 1959
2/145 House Bill #147 1959
2/146 House Bill #158 1959
2/147 House Bill #165 1959
2/148 House Bill #173 1959
2/149 House Bill #177 1959
2/150 Committee Substitute for House Bill #198 1959
2/151 House Bill #199 1959
2/152 House Bill #205 1959
2/153 House Bill #248 1959
2/154 House Bill #255 1959
2/155 House Bill #300 1959
2/156 House Bill #329 1959
2/157 House Bill #332 1959
2/158 House Bill #354 1959
2/159 House Bill #374 1959
2/160 Senate Bill #25 1959
2/161 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill #41 1959
2/162 Senate Bill #57 1959
2/163 Senate Bill #60 1959
2/164 Senate Bill #63 1959
3/1 Senate Bill #68 1959
3/2 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill #83 1959
3/3 Senate Bill #87 1959
3/4 Senate Bill #91 1959
3/5 Senate Bill #92 1959
3/6 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill #104 1959
3/7 Senate Bill #110 1959
3/8 Senate Bill #112 1959
3/9 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill #116 1959
3/10 Senate Bill #164 1959
3/11 Senate Bill #178 1959
3/12 Senate Bill #218 1959
3/13 Senate Bill #224 1959
3/14 Alaska Ferry System 1959
3/15 Appropriations Bill 1958-1959
3/16 Capital Improvements Program 1959
3/17 Civil Air Regulations 1959
3/18 Coal Leasing (in-state) Regulations 1959
3/19 Constitutional issues 1959-1960
3/20 Fish and Game 1959
3/21 Legislative Salaries 1959
3/22 Lending Agencies 1959
3/23 Northwest District 1959
3/24 Organic Act 1959
3/25 Rivers and Valleys Development Authority 1959
3/26 List of Reviewed Bills 1959 April 29
3/27 Memo to legislators limiting bills to one subject undated

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