Series III. New York Supreme Court, 1938-1965, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series is made up of documents that relate to Edgar J. Nathan, Jr.'s tenure as a New York Supreme Court Justice, which lasted from 1946 until his death in 1965, as well as his failed campaign for the New York Supreme Court in 1939. These include promotional materials, sympathy and congratulatory letters (in response to Nathan's failure in 1939, appointment by Thomas Dewey to fill a vacancy in 1946, official election to the court that November, and his re-election in 1960), information on his cases in the form of clippings, scrapbooks, and correspondence, and general correspondence, including the vast quantity of reference letters that Nathan wrote while in office. The series also contains photographs and other miscellaneous documents, including an interview transcript in which Nathan speaks at length about his genealogy as a descendant of Abraham de Lucena.
Arrangement
The documents remain in their original subject folders, except for those that were relocated by the processing archivist from miscellaneous folders. However, the folders were originally unlabeled and titles were devised by the archivist. The subject files begin with campaign materials and correspondence from Edgar J. Nathan's appointment, election, and re-election to the New York Supreme Court, then advance to correspondence regarding cases that Nathan presided over, followed by reference letters that he wrote during his tenure. The series ends with clippings and seven scrapbooks, which are filled with clippings from law journals on Nathan's cases.
Election Materials (3 folders), 1939-1960, inclusive
Congratulations on Nomination to NY Supreme Court (2 folders), 1939, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes endorsement from The New York Post, notes from family (including sons at college, Emily and Solomon Solis Cohen), congratulatory note from Charles C. Burlingham, and some enclosed four-leaf clovers. Includes letters from some New York politcians, including Edward Corsi and contemporary Manhattan Borough President Stanley M. Issacs. Some notes are addressed to Nathan's wife, Mabel.
Sympathy Letters on Election Defeat, 1939, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Like Folders 19-20, contains letters from New York politicians, including Stanley M. Isaacs. Contains many references to the political machine of Tammany Hall and political polarization.
Congratulations on Appointment to NY Supreme Court (6 folders), 1946, inclusive
Congratulations on Election to NY Supreme Court (6 folders), 1946-1947, inclusive
Supreme Court Cases and Correspondence (4 folders), 1946-1964, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Folder 15 contains a letter from Governor Thomas E. Dewey and correspondence related to injuries Edgar J. Nathan, Jr. sustained in an automobile accident. Also contains rosters of certified psychologists and members of the National Republican Club. Folder 16 contains a clothing catalogue for robes.
Reference Letters (3 folders), 1946-1963, inclusive
Oversize Supreme Court Campaign Poster, Undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Endorses Edgar J. Nathan, Jr., Macdonald Dewitt, and Michael R. Matteo for Supreme Court.
Oversize Supreme Court Campaign Poster, Undated, inclusive
Misc. Print Matter, 1954-1964, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Contains book of court cases that Nathan presided over (corresponds to "Volume 4" of Supreme Court scrapbooks), address book of New York Supreme Court justices in 1958, a bound interview transcript of Nathan explaining his genealogy back to Abraham de Lucena, and Nathan's certificate of service as a retired Supreme Court justice.
Photographs, 1946-1964, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Nathan being sworn in as New York Supreme Court Justice by New York Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran, photographs of Nathan with Governor Thomas E. Dewey, and photographs of New York Supreme Court events.
Typescripts of Campaign Clippings (Folder 1 of 3), 1939, inclusive
Campaign Clippings (2 folders of 3), 1939, inclusive
Clippings (3 folders), 1946-1965, inclusive
Yiddish Newspaper Clippings, 1939, inclusive
Clippings Scrapbook of Nathan Cases (4 volumes of 7), 1938-1960, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Volume 1 contains some unrelated material, including some clippings about the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Constitutional Convention of 1938.