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DUNKLEE FAMILY PAPERS ***collection in process**

 Collection
Identifier: WH1282

Scope and Contents

The Dunklee Family Papers consists of correspondence, business, political, and organizational files, reports, scrapbooks, and photographs, spanning the years 1864 - 2002. Documents primarily cover the careers of Edward V. Dunklee and David V. Dunklee. In addition, the collection contains the papers of George F. Dunklee, Mary Vaughan Dunklee, Thomas Pulliam, George Vaughan, and other related family members. The collection is organized into sections according to the family members. The sections include George F. Dunklee, Edward Vaughan Dunklee, David Vaughan Dunklee, and Related Family Papers.

The collection includes papers documenting the lives of additional family members. Since the quantity of material is limited on each person, the documents are combined to create the fourth series. Family members included in the series are Lillian and David Pulliam, George Curtis Vaughan, Curtis Vaughan, David's siblings Dorcas, Donald, and Edward F., David and Virginia's children, Obie Sue, Katherine, and Virginia.

The collection is organized in file folders according to the original order. The only rearranging occurred with the chronological order of the family members. Occasionally some materials were mixed together or loose papers had to be distributed. One file (FF17) on donor evaluations from box 29 is in a sealed envelope and is labeled restricted. It can be accessed in 2019. Many scrapbooks included in the collection document the first and second world wars, and life in Denver from 1890-1945. One scrapbook dating from the 1960’s was returned to the family after being copied on microfilm. The microfilm (Dunklee manuscript mflm 98) can be accessed in the Western History and Genealogy Department.

SERIES 1 GEORGE F. DUNKLEE BUSINESS PAPERS 1867-1949 BOX 1

Series includes two journals of court case records that contain notes and newspaper clippings. Materials include correspondence, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and legal documents from his appointment as district judge. Included in the series are a few documents from his work as a lawyer.

SERIES 2 GEORGE F. DUNKLEE PERSONAL PAPERS 1917-1947 BOX 1

Series includes four scrapbooks of newspaper clippings documenting WWI and WWII. Material comprises correspondence, financial papers, and newsletters. Mary Vaughan Dunklee’s papers consist of correspondence, and poetry.

SERIES 3 EDWARD V. DUNKLEE BUSINESS PAPERS 1914-1963 BOX 2-3

Papers in the series span his career as Senator and lawyer. Documents include correspondence, newspaper clippings, articles, transcripts, pamphlets, and campaign cards. The materials on his activities as the chairman of United Nations Committee of Colorado consists of correspondence, brochures, reports, and newsletters. Papers from his involvement in the Denver Bar Association, and the Democratic Club include programs, transcripts, agendas, and flyers.

SERIES 4 EDWARD V. DUNKLEE PERSONAL PAPERS 1894-1977 BOX 3-9

Materials in the series record Edwards' life from high school to his death in 1963. Edward kept an extensive collection of scrapbooks that document his life, Denver, and the national activities from 1905-1954. The scrapbooks include newspaper clippings, programs, correspondence, photographs, brochures, and newsletters. His activities as a member of St. John's Cathedral and involvement with the national Council of Churches, the Lions Club, and Army Reserve Officers Association are represented in the collection with correspondence, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and invitations.

Obie Sue Pulliam Dunklee's papers are included in the series. Materials consist of newspaper clippings, correspondence, and programs from her work in the Adult Education Council of Denver, and the Central City Opera House Association. Both Edward's and Obie Sue's papers contain extensive correspondence from family, and friends.

SERIES 5 DAVID V. DUNKLEE BUSINESS PAPERS 1935-1991 BOX 9-16

Series contains material from his work at Dunklee and Dunklee, and as Mayor of Bow Mar. While serving as Mayor, he participated on numerous committees. The committees include Urban Mayors' Association, Colorado Municipal League, Inter-County Regional Planning Commission, Metropolitan Cooperative Commission, and the Colorado Committee for United Nations Day. Material from these committees and his extensive involvement with other associations are included. Papers from these organizations consist of reports, agendas, meeting minutes, memos, correspondence, and brochures.

SERIES 6 DAVID V. DUNKLEE PERSONAL PAPERS 1928-1993 BOX 17-30

The series contains personal correspondence and an extensive amount of material from the various organizations David was involved in, including the Lions Club, Board of Trustees at Colorado Women's College, Board of Governors at the University of Denver, Rocky Mountain Division of the Arthritis Foundation, and committees affiliated with St. John’s Cathedral. Materials include correspondence, newspaper clippings, programs, reports, newsletters, and meeting minutes. David's papers contain education material from East High School, Columbia University, and the University of Denver. His papers also contain air force records, and genealogical charts.

Obie Sue Pulliam Dunklee's personal papers are included in the series. Materials from organizations she participated in such as the Colorado Symphony Association, Debutante Ball Committee, and Monday Literary Club include correspondence, newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, agendas, and programs.

SERIES 7 RELATED FAMILY MATERIALS - FAMILY PAPERS 1907-1995 BOX 30-31

Papers in the series consist of a small quantity of materials from several family members. Family members included in the series are Lillian and David Pulliam, George Curtis Vaughan, Curtis Vaughan, Norman Ballantine, Dorcas Dunklee Durkee, Donald Dunklee, Edward F. Dunklee, David and Virginia's children, Obie Sue, Katherine, and Virginia. Material comprises correspondence, deeds, programs, newspaper clippings, testimonial, manuscript, and newsletters.

SERIES 8 RELATED FAMILY MATERIALS - OVERSIZE 1923-1968 OVBOX 1-2, OVFOLIO 1-4

Materials in the series consist of scrapbooks, and programs. The scrapbooks document court cases, involvement in organizations, and personal interests. Contents in the scrapbooks includes newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, and correspondence that George and Edward compiled.

SERIES 9 PHOTOGRAPHS 1910-1980 PHOTOBOX 1

The series contains photographs from the generations of the Dunklee family represented in the collection. The material is arranged in chronological order that corresponds with the document arrangement. Material consists of photographs of the family members, at work, involved with committees such as the United Nations Day, Board of Trustees at Colorado Women's College, and the Lions Club, and at home.

SERIES 10 MICROFILM 1960-1992 MFLM98 RL1

Microfilm copy of a scrapbook, containing photos, clippings, awards about Virginia B. Dunklee and David Dunklee and their children Obie Sue, Kathryn and Vivi.

UNPROCESSED MATERIALS

The collection contains unprocessed materials ranging in date from 1864 to 2002. Materials primarily include correspondence, photographs, certificates, and clippings.

Dates

  • 1864-2002

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Copyright

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

Biographical / Historical

George F. Dunklee established the law firm of Dunklee and Dunklee in 1913. Later he became a judge in the District Courts. He married Mary Vaughan in 1883 and they adopted Edward Vaughan Dunklee around 1888. Mary was a published poet and two of her books, Candle and Star (CA811 D923ca), and The Large Room: Prose Sketches and Verse (CA818 D923La) are available by request in the Western History/Genealogy Department.

Edward V. Dunklee, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, came to Denver as a child. Educated in Colorado schools, he received his masters' degree from the University of Denver and law degree from the University of Colorado. Edward served with the Colorado National Guard in Troop D Boulder from 1909-1912. In 1913, he became a partner in the law firm Dunklee and Dunklee, established by his father. Edward was elected from Denver to the House of Representatives in Colorado, 1915-1917, and elected to the state Senate 1917-1921. He served at three regular, and three extra sessions from 1915-1921. During his tenure he authored and sponsored the House Joint Resolution No. 1. (1915) for establishment of the Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Loan Shark Rate of Interest Bill; a Bill that protected the small borrowers from loan sharks. Edward served as Deputy District Attorney.

Prominent in civic affairs, Edward was the founder of the Colorado Association for the United Nations. He officiated 13 straight terms as president of the United Nations Committee for Colorado. A diligent member of St. John's Episcopal Church, he served on the boards of the United Churchmen and the Denver Area Council of Churches. Active in the Lions Club, Edward was a Key Member in the Denver Den and served on the Board of Directors. Edward married Obie Sue Pulliam in 1915. They had four children, David, Donald, Dorcas, and Edward. He passed away in 1963 at the age of 74. Obie Sue served on committees with her husband and after his death remained actively involved in the American Red Cross, Central City Opera House Association, and the Adult Education Council of Denver. She served on the board at the Colorado Women's College where she graduated in 1913. Obie Sue passed away in 1977.

David Dunklee grew up in Denver and attended East Denver High School. He graduated from Columbia University in New York, and received a law degree from the University of Denver. Following graduation, he served four years in the Army Air Force. David became a partner in the law firm Dunklee and Dunklee in 1946, and counseled in the Denver City's Attorney Office for three years during Quigg Newton's administration. As Bow Mar Mayor from 1958-1964, he was a leader in municipal affairs and planning throughout the region. David was actively involved on the board of directors of Metro Capital Improvement District, and the executive board of the Urban Mayor's Association. He served as chairman of the Metropolitan Cooperative Commission at the Denver Chamber of Commerce, and the Inter-County Regional Planning Commission. David Dunklee was awarded Honorary Life membership in the Colorado Municipal League in 1965.

Following in his father's footsteps, David served as board chairman of the Colorado United Nations Association from 1958-1962. He was the state chairman of the US Committee for the United Nations, and coordinated UN Day Observations. From 1970-1972, he contributed as a member of the Colorado Bar Association Board of Governors, and the County Court Judicial Nominating Commission from 1977-1996. He served on the board of trustees at Colorado Women's College for 17 years, was appointed senior vice president of Mile High United Way in 1965, and was president of the Rocky Mountain Arthritis Foundation from 1976-1977. He received their National Volunteer Service Citation in 1979.

Active in the church, David was president of the United Churchmen of Denver, chairman of the Laymen's Division of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado in 1963, and senior warden and chairman at the St. John's Cathedral in 1964. David was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He married Virginia Ballatine in 1945 and they had three daughters, Katherine Thomason, Obie Sue Thomas, and Virginia Duke. Virginia and David were active in the Colorado Symphony Association. Virginia chaired on the Debutante's Committee, and the Central City Opera House Association. Virginia passed away in 1992 and David in 1998.

Extent

40 Boxes (39.5 linear feet)

9 oversize boxes

4 oversize folios

1 microfilm reel

4 PhotoBoxes

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, Virginia Dunklee Duke, 1998.

Gift, Vaughan McTernan, 2020.

Gift, Virginia Duke, 2022.

Title
DUNKLEE FAMILY PAPERS
Date
Revised 2009
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository

Contact:
10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy
Denver CO 80204 United States