Judson Welliver
Encyclopedia
Judson Churchill Welliver (1870–1943) was a "literary clerk" to President Warren G. Harding
and is usually credited as being the first presidential speechwriter
.
.
He married his wife, Jane Douglas Hutchins, on July 3, 1899. They had four children—Edward M., Allan J., Sarah H., and Jane Douglas.
By 1909, Welliver had earned a reputation as "one of the most able journalists in the country". He worked variously at the Fort Dodge Messenger
, the Sioux City Journal
, and the Des Moines Leader before becoming the editor of the Sioux City Tribune
, a position which he held until 1904. That year, Wellington joined the staff of the Washington Times, where he was noted for his support of the Progressives
. He wrote articles for McClure's Magazine and Hampton's during the muckraker
period.
He was sent to Europe by President Roosevelt in 1907 to report on the waterway and railroad systems of Europe and Great Britain. (The report was published in 1908.) He managed London correspondence and European news for the New York Sun
from 1917 until 1918.
Welliver handled publicity for Harding during his 1920 presidential campaign
, and began working as a "literary clerk" to President Harding on March 4, 1921. Welliver left his speech-writing position at the White House on November 1, 1925 (under the presidency of Calvin Coolidge
), accepting a position at the American Petroleum Institute
for a better salary. After he resigned from the American Petroleum job in 1927, Welliver went on to become editor of the Washington Herald
in 1928. He was also assistant to the president of the Pullman Company
from 1928 to 1931.
Welliver died of cancer
in Philadelphia on April 14, 1943, at the age of 72.
The Judson Welliver Society
, a bipartisan social club composed of former presidential speechwriters, is named in his honor.
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
and is usually credited as being the first presidential speechwriter
Speechwriter
A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches that will be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are used by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors.-Skills and training:...
.
Biography
Judson Welliver was born on August 13, 1870 in Aledo, IllinoisAledo, Illinois
Aledo is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,613 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mercer County.-Geography:Aledo is located at ....
.
He married his wife, Jane Douglas Hutchins, on July 3, 1899. They had four children—Edward M., Allan J., Sarah H., and Jane Douglas.
By 1909, Welliver had earned a reputation as "one of the most able journalists in the country". He worked variously at the Fort Dodge Messenger
Fort Dodge Messenger
The Messenger is a newspaper that is printed and delivered to the Fort Dodge, Iowa area. That area covers Buena Vista, Calhoun, Green, Hamilton, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster, and Wright counties. It was founded on July 31, 1856. It is printed 7 days a week. The Messenger's...
, the Sioux City Journal
Sioux City Journal
The Sioux City Journal is the daily newspaper of Sioux City, Iowa. The publication covers western Iowa and portions of Nebraska and South Dakota.It is owned by Lee Enterprises Inc....
, and the Des Moines Leader before becoming the editor of the Sioux City Tribune
Sioux City Tribune
The Sioux City Tribune was a newspaper serving Sioux City, Iowa from the late nineteenth into the mid-twentieth century.-History:The Tribune was formed out of the Sioux City Daily and Weekly Times, a paper which had been founded in May 1869 by a stock company. In 1874, a Mr...
, a position which he held until 1904. That year, Wellington joined the staff of the Washington Times, where he was noted for his support of the Progressives
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
. He wrote articles for McClure's Magazine and Hampton's during the muckraker
Muckraker
The term muckraker is closely associated with reform-oriented journalists who wrote largely for popular magazines, continued a tradition of investigative journalism reporting, and emerged in the United States after 1900 and continued to be influential until World War I, when through a combination...
period.
He was sent to Europe by President Roosevelt in 1907 to report on the waterway and railroad systems of Europe and Great Britain. (The report was published in 1908.) He managed London correspondence and European news for the New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
from 1917 until 1918.
Welliver handled publicity for Harding during his 1920 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1920
The United States presidential election of 1920 was dominated by the aftermath of World War I and a hostile response to certain policies of Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic president. The wartime economic boom had collapsed. Politicians were arguing over peace treaties and the question of America's...
, and began working as a "literary clerk" to President Harding on March 4, 1921. Welliver left his speech-writing position at the White House on November 1, 1925 (under the presidency of Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
), accepting a position at the American Petroleum Institute
American Petroleum Institute
The American Petroleum Institute, commonly referred to as API, is the largest U.S trade association for the oil and natural gas industry...
for a better salary. After he resigned from the American Petroleum job in 1927, Welliver went on to become editor of the Washington Herald
Washington Herald
The Washington Herald was an American daily newspaper in Washington, D.C., from October 8, 1906, to January 31, 1939. The Herald merged with the Washington Times on February 1, 1939, to become the Washington Times-Herald, which was purchased and merged with The Washington Post in 1954....
in 1928. He was also assistant to the president of the Pullman Company
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
from 1928 to 1931.
Welliver died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in Philadelphia on April 14, 1943, at the age of 72.
The Judson Welliver Society
Judson Welliver Society
The Judson Welliver Society is a bipartisan social club composed exclusively of former presidential speechwriters in the United States. The group is named after Judson C. Welliver, the "literary clerk" to President Warren Harding, usually credited as being the first presidential speechwriter...
, a bipartisan social club composed of former presidential speechwriters, is named in his honor.