Guide to the Blair F. Gunther Papers, 1941-42, 1948, 1959 AIS.1967.01

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Blair F. Gunther Papers
Creator
Gunther, Blair F.
Collection Number
AIS.1967.01
Extent
0.625 Linear Feet 73 items
Date
1941-1959
Abstract
Blair Gunther, active in the Pennsylvania legal system, held positions as Deputy Attorney General and Judge of the Superior Court. He actively participated in many fraternal organizations and became the Republican candidate for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1959. This collection contains biographical information, correspondence, telegrams, campaign information from 1959, speeches, and newspaper clippings.
Language
English .
Author
Archives Service Center Staff. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in November, 2001.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Blair F. Gunther was born in Hastings (Cambria County), Pennsylvania on June 20, 1903, the son of John and Amelia Gunther. He attended public and private schools, and obtained an LL. B. from Duquesne University in 1927. In 1928, Gunther was admitted to the county and state bar and engaged in private practice. Gunther served as Deputy Attorney General from 1935 to 1938, and was appointed to the bench of the County Court of Allegheny County in 1942 and elected in 1943.

Appointed Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania on April 17, 1950, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of John S. Fine, Gunther was elected to a full ten-year term. In 1959, Gunther became the Republican candidate for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Gunther was sworn in as Allegheny County Commissioner in 1964.

For twelve years, Gunther headed the Polish National Alliance, one of the largest fraternal and beneficial organizations in the United States with a nationwide membership of over 350,000. Gunther was the organizer and director of the board of the Committee to Stop World Communism. He also served as the national chairman of the American Resettlement Committee for Displaced Persons, president of the National Confederation of American Ethnic Groups, and was a member of the Rotary, Elks, Moose and the Civic Club of Allegheny County.

Scope and Content Notes

This collection includes biographical material, correspondence, telegrams, campaign information from 1959, speeches, and newspaper clippings. Folder 15 contains newspaper clippings from English-language newspapers, while Folder 16 contains clippings from two Polish-language newspapers, Pittsburczanin and Zgoda.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

This collection was a gift of Mrs. Blair F. Gunther on March 15, 1967.

Preferred Citation

Blair F. Gunther Papers, 1941-42, 1948, 1959, AIS.1967.01, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Previous Citation

Blair F. Gunther Papers, 1941-42, 1948, 1959, AIS.1967.01, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Gunther, Blair F., 1903-1967, Papers, 1941-42, 1948, 1959, AIS 67:1, Archives of Industrial Society, University of Pittsburgh

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Archives Service Center Staff in 1967.

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pennsylvania. Supreme Court
    • Republican Party (Pa.)

    Personal Names

    • Gunther, Blair F.

    Other Subjects

    • Electioneering -- Pennsylvania
    • Courts -- Pennsylvania
    • Judges -- Pennsylvania
    • Personal papers
    • Politics

Container List