Guide to the William M. Steger Papers
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Creator |
Collector Steger, William M. |
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Collection Title |
William M. Steger Papers |
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Bulk Dates |
1952-2006 |
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Abstract |
Materials in this collection consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, World War II flight documents, pamphlets, campaign documents, financial and planning documents relating to special occasions from 1983 to 2005, case files and appealed cases, certificates, genealogical information, schedules and calendars from 1971 to 2006, and various memorabilia. Donated by Mrs. Ann Steger, most of these items fall under the years 1952-2006 and mainly reference Judge Steger’s judicial career. |
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Identification |
MS/UASC.MS.003 |
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Physical Description |
11.00 |
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Language of Materials |
English |
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Repository |
The University of Texas at Tyler University Archives and Special Collections Department 3900 University Dr Tyler, TX, URL: http://129.114.242.206/Archon |
William (Bill) M. Steger was born on August 22, 1920 in Dallas, TX. During World War II he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as a fighter pilot, flying 56 missions over Italy. After the war, he served out his enlistment as a test pilot at Elgin Air Force Base. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and returned to Dallas where he enrolled in law school at Southern Methodist University. While working toward his law degree, Steger met Ann Hollandsworth; they were married on February 14, 1948. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1950 and, interested in the oil industry, Steger moved his family to Longview, Texas where he entered private practice.
In 1952, Steger became the Eisenhower-Nixon campaign chair for Gregg County. After Eisenhower won reelection, he appointed Steger to the position of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas in 1953. This appointment won the approval of the powerful Senate majority leader, (then) Senator Lyndon B. Johnson. Steger moved his family (now with a young son, Merritt "Reed" Steger) to Tyler, Texas - the primary seat of the district court. During his time as U.S. Attorney, Steger tried cases before Judge Bill Sheehy, who served as the sole judge for the Eastern District of Texas at that time. Steger spent much of his time prosecuting bank embezzlers, including the First National Bank of Lewisville case that resulted in the conviction of two female bank employees for five years. He resigned from his position as U.S.Attorney in 1959 to return to private practice and to run for Governor of Texas.
In 1960, the race for governor pitted Steger against incumbent Price Daniel. While Texas was, at this point, a state which favored Democratic politicians, Steger performed well in the election. In fact, the support he garnered in the governor's race demonstrated the need for a Republican primary in Texas, something which had been heretofore deemed unnecessary. In 1962, Steger ran for United States Congress and - despite another respectable election performance - lost again to incumbent Congressman Lindley Beckworth. Notwithstanding these losses, Steger remained active and influential in Republican Party politics and was influential in the party's continued development. In 1969, he was elected Chairman of the Texas Republican Party.
President Richard Nixon appointed Steger to the federal bench as a United States District Judge to the Eastern District of Texas on December 1,1970. During his time on the federal bench, Steger presided over 372 cases. Among these were several important RICO cases, the most famous being United States v. Rex Cauble. While he served most of his years at the Tyler location, he did hear cases for a brief time out of the Beaumont court (1971 - 1978). When reaching 65 years of age in 1987, he took senior status and continued to serve the Court on a full time basis. Steger died on June 4, 2006 and, in honor of his service to the community and the judiciary, the United States Congress passed a bill renaming the federal courthouse in Tyler, Texas as the "William M. Steger Courthouse and Federal Building."
Records and ephemera in this collection are divided into four series: Personal Life, Political Career, Legal Career, and Memorabilia. While a few items date back to Steger's childhood in Dallas during the 1920s and his service in World War II, the bulk of materials relates to both his political and legal careers.
Personal materials include his pilot logs (from his service in the Army Air Corps) family photographs, and genealogy records. Also included in this series are correspondence(from prominent political leaders as well as from former law clerks and personal friends), and news clippings (mainly dealing with Steger's fishing hobby). While not collected by Steger per se, his obituary and items from his memorial services (collected by his wife, Ann Steger) are also incorporated within this series.
The political series includes newspaper clippings, photographs, and campaign documents from the time Steger served as Gregg County campaign chair for President Eisenhower in 1952. Also present are materials marking Steger’s bids for Governor and Congress in 1960 and 1962 respectively, as well as his appointment as Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas in 1969-70. Interesting to note are the many photographs taken with political characters and autographed by them.
In the series of materials concerning his legal career are news clippings and correspondence from his time as a United States Attorney, though the bulk of materials relates to his time as United States District Judge. The latter includes: photographs of Steger with current and former law clerks, case files, appealed cases, calendars, schedules, and statistical reports regarding trials. Ceremonial documents (marking anniversaries, official portrait presentations, etc) are also included. Lastly, the series includes payment and service records for businesses around Tyler, guest lists, signed guest books, and photographs from various events.
The final series of memorabilia is not documentary, but rather contains ephemera relating to Steger's various interests, hobbies, and personal achievements. These include models of World War II Spitfires, bricks from Green Acres Baptist Church’s 50th Anniversary, political campaign buttons, portraits, robes, etc. Some of this material is on permanent display at the William M. Steger Federal Building and United States Courthouse and at the University of Texas at Tyler Archives and Special Collections.
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Arrangement of Materials: |
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The arrangement of the papers is topical, alphabetical, and chronological. The first series encompasses the entirety of Steger's personal life, while the second and third are arranged chronologically, following the natural break of his careers. Materials from the fourth series exist as an itemized inventory that locates individual items. |
Conditions Governing Access:
None
Conditions Governing Use:
Most documents are in the public domain. Copyright restrictions on some published materials may apply.
Physical Characteristics or Technical Requirements:
Scrapbook documents and photographs cannot be released from the pages and a few are glued together. Other documents, many of them newspaper articles, were displaced from the scrapbook, copied, and placed in appropriate files.
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This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms. |
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Corporate Name: |
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American News Women's Club |
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Association for Women in Communications |
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National Federation of Press Women |
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National Press Club (U.S.) |
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National Woman's Party |
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Republican Party. Texas |
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Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi |
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The University of Texas at Tyler |
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Tyler Junior College |
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United States. Army. Women's Army Corps. |
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United States. Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services |
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United States. District Court (Texas : Eastern District) |
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University of Missouri--Columbia. School of Journalism |
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Geographic Name: |
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Texas--Politics and government--1951 |
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Tyler (Tex.) |
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Occupation: |
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Journalists -- Texas -- Biography |
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Journalists--Washington (D.C.)--Biography. |
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Judges--Texas |
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Judges--United States |
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Politicians--Texas |
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Presidents -- United States |
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Women journalists -- United States – Biography |
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Personal Name: |
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McClendon, Sarah |
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Steger, Ann Hollandsworth, Mrs. |
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Topical Term: |
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Courts--Texas |
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Democratic Party. Texas |
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Justice, Administration of--Texas |
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Railroad |
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United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1996 -- Anecdotes |
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Women -- Texas -- Biography |
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Women Veterans |
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Some materials stored at the William M. Steger Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Tyler, Texas. |
[Identification of item], in the William M. Steger Papers, The University Archives and Special Collections Department, Robert R. Muntz Library, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA.
Detailed List of Contents
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ArchonID id135 Personal Life |
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ArchonID id136 Biography |
Folder |
1 |
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ArchonID id140 "Century of Our Lives" 1999 |
Folder |
2 |
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ArchonID id141 Curriculum Vitae and public narrative |
Folder |
3 |
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ArchonID id142 Certificates/Memberships 1965-2006 |
Folder |
4 |
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ArchonID id143 Clippings (Family) 1950-1970 |
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ArchonID id137 Correspondence |
Folder |
5 |
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ArchonID id145 Cards 1969-2001 |
Folder |
6 |
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ArchonID id146 Miscellaneous 1949-2000 |
Folder |
7-8 |
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ArchonID id147 Genealogy (Steger) |
Folder |
9 |
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ArchonID id148 Green Acres |
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ArchonID id149 Interests/Hobbies |
Folder |
10 |
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ArchonID id151 Clippings and Notes |
Folder |
11 |
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ArchonID id152 Photographs |
Folder |
1 |
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ArchonID id367 Sports Afield: Fishing Annual |
Folder |
2 |
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ArchonID id368 Photographs |
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ArchonID id153 World War II |
Folder |
12 |
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ArchonID id155 31st Airborne |
Folder |
13 |
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ArchonID id156 Veterans History Project |
Folder |
14 |
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ArchonID id157 Miscellaneous |
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ArchonID id158 Obituaries/Memorials 2006 |
Folder |
15 |
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ArchonID id160 Clippings and Notes |
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ArchonID id161 Political Career |
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ArchonID id162 Campaign Manager |
Folder |
1 |
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ArchonID id164 Clippings 1952 |
Folder |
2 |
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ArchonID id165 Correspondence 1953 |
Folder |
3 |
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ArchonID id166 Photographs 1952-1953 |
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ArchonID id168 Governor's Race 1960 |
Folder |
4 |
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ArchonID id170 Campaign Documents |
Folder |
5 |
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ArchonID id171 Clippings |
Folder |
6 |
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ArchonID id172 Photographs |
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ArchonID id173 Congressional Race 1962 |
Folder |
7 |
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ArchonID id175 Campaign Documents |
Folder |
8-10 |
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ArchonID id176 Clippings |
Folder |
11 |
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ArchonID id177 Correspondence |
Folder |
12 |
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ArchonID id178 Photographs |
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ArchonID id179 Texas State G.O.P. Chair 1969-1970 |
Folder |
13 |
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ArchonID id181 Campaign Documents |
Folder |
14 |
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ArchonID id182 Certificates/Memberships |
Folder |
15 |
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ArchonID id183 Clippings |
Folder |
16 |
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ArchonID id184 Correspondence |
Folder |
17 |
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ArchonID id185 Photographs |
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ArchonID id186 G.O.P. Publications and Miscellaneous Files |
Folder |
1 |
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ArchonID id188 Miscellanous G.O.P. appointments |
Folder |
2 |
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ArchonID id189 "High Gear 70" 1970 |
Folder |
3 |
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ArchonID id190 Young Voters 1971-1973 |
Folder |
4 |
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ArchonID id191 Miscellaneous 1960-1974 |
Box |
Folder |
18 |
3 |
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ArchonID id377 Graphic Materials |
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ArchonID id192 Legal Career |
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ArchonID id193 Private Practice |
Folder |
5 |
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ArchonID id195 Business Card |
Folder |
6 |
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ArchonID id196 Clippings |
Folder |
7 |
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ArchonID id197 Correspondence 1951 |
Folder |
8 |
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ArchonID id198 C.S. Potts Society directory |
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ArchonID id199 U.S. Attorney |
Folder |
9 |
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ArchonID id201 Certificates/Memberships |
Folder |
10 |
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ArchonID id202 Clippings, Judicial Candidates |
Folder |
11 |
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ArchonID id203 Miscellaneous |
Folder |
12 |
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ArchonID id204 Correspondence 1953-1959 |
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ArchonID id205 Judge |
Box |
Folder |
3 |
13 |
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ArchonID id225 Bench Book, Memos and Precedents |
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14 |
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ArchonID id226 Bench Book, Front Matter |
Box |
Folder |
4 |
1 |
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ArchonID id228 Bench Book, Criminal Felony |
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2 |
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ArchonID id229 Bench Book, Misdemeanor |
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3 |
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ArchonID id230 Bench Book, Conflict |
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4 |
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ArchonID id231 Bench Book, Civil Instruction |
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5 |
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ArchonID id232 Bench Book, Jury Panel |
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6 |
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ArchonID id233 Bench Book, Grand Jury |
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7 |
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ArchonID id234 Bench Book, Civil Contempt |
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8 |
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ArchonID id235 Bench Book, Contempt |
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9 |
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ArchonID id236 Allen |
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10 |
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ArchonID id237 Bench Book, Naturalization |
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11 |
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ArchonID id238 Bench Book, Charge to Jury |
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12 |
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ArchonID id239 Bench Book, Criminal Charge |
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13 |
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ArchonID id240 Calendars/Planners 1978-1981 |
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14 |
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ArchonID id241 Calendars/Planners 1982-1985 |
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15 |
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ArchonID id242 Calendars/Planners 1986-1989 |
Box |
Folder |
5 |
1 |
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ArchonID id244 Calendars/Planners 1990-1993 |
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2 |
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ArchonID id245 Calendars/Planners 1994-1997 |
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3 |
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ArchonID id246 Calendars/Planners 1998-2001 |
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4 |
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ArchonID id247 Calendars/Planners 2002-2005 |
Box |
Folder |
6 |
1 |
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ArchonID id249 Calendars/Planners 2006 |
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2 |
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ArchonID id250 Calendars/Planners 1990-2005 |
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3 |
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ArchonID id251 Case: U.S. vs. Beckham 1975 |
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4-5 |
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ArchonID id252 Case: U.S. vs. Cauble 1981-1984, 1988 |
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Scope and Contents |
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This case appears to have been heard by Judge Steger in two parts. The original charge was tries and disposed during the period from 1981 to 1984 (folder 4). A motion for contempt was heard in judge's chambers in 1988 (folder 5). |
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6-9 |
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ArchonID id253 U.S. vs. DKG Appaloosas, Inc., Case Files |
Box |
Folder |
7 |
1-5 |
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ArchonID id255 U.S. vs. DKG Appaloosas, Inc., Case Files (cont.) 1984 |
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6-10 |
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ArchonID id256 Motions in Limine |
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11-13 |
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ArchonID id257 Case: U.S. vs. Casperone 1987 |
Box |
Folder |
8 |
1 |
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ArchonID id260 Case: U.S. vs. Clark 1987 |
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2 |
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ArchonID id261 Case: U.S. vs. Mason 1987 |
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3-11 |
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ArchonID id262 Case: U.S. vs. Stephenson; folders represent different cases that were eventually tried together under the same cause of action: TY-87-22-Cr-(1-6) 1987-1988 |
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12 |
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ArchonID id263 Case: Merriman vs. Fidelity & Casualty 1988-1990 |
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13 |
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ArchonID id264 Case: U.S. vs. McCoin 1994 |
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14 |
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ArchonID id265 Appealed cases, binder index 1971-2005 |
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15 |
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ArchonID id266 Appealed cases: August - July 1971-1972 |
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16-17 |
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ArchonID id267 Appealed cases: December 1972 - December 1975 |
Box |
Folder |
9 |
1-7 |
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ArchonID id270 Appealed cases: January - July 1976-1985 |
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8 |
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ArchonID id271 Appealed cases: December - May 1985-1987 |
Box |
Folder |
10 |
1-9 |
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ArchonID id273 Appealed cases: September - May 1987-1992 |
Box |
Folder |
11 |
1 |
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ArchonID id276 Appealed cases: July - March 1992-1993 |
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2-6 |
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ArchonID id277 Appealed cases: May - February 1993-1995 |
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7-9 |
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ArchonID id278 Appealed cases: May - November 1995 |
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10 |
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ArchonID id279 Appealed cases: October - February 1995-1996 |
Box |
Folder |
12 |
1-2 |
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ArchonID id281 Appealed cases: March - December 1996-1997 |
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3-7 |
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ArchonID id282 Appealed cases: January - November 1998-2004 |
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8 |
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ArchonID id283 Appealed cases: July 2005 |
Box |
Folder |
13 |
1 |
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ArchonID id285 Certificates/Memberships |
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2-3 |
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ArchonID id286 Clippings |
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4-5 |
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ArchonID id287 Correspondence, Appointment to Bench 1970 |
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6 |
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ArchonID id288 Correspondence, Cases 1999-2005 |
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7 |
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ArchonID id289 Correspondence, Senior Status 1987-2004 |
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8 |
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ArchonID id290 Correspondence, Miscellaneous 1968-2005 |
Box |
Folder |
14 |
1 |
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ArchonID id293 Federal Judiciary Files, background materials |
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2 |
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ArchonID id294 Federal Judiciary Files, Judge Sam Hall |
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3 |
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ArchonID id295 Federal Judiciary Files, photographs circa 1970-2006 |
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4 |
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ArchonID id296 Federal Judiciary Files, pencil sketch |
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5 |
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ArchonID id297 In-chambers and court time 1979-1981 |
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6- |
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ArchonID id298 In-chambers and court time 1990-1999 |
Box |
Folder |
15 |
1-3 |
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ArchonID id300 In-chambers and court time 2000-2005 |
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4-10 |
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ArchonID id301 Special Occassion materials 1980-1995 |
Box |
Folder |
16 |
1-7 |
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ArchonID id303 Special Occassion materials 1995-2004 |
Box |
Folder |
17 |
1 |
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ArchonID id305 Special Occassion materials 2005 |
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2 |
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ArchonID id306 Special Occassion materials n.d. |
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3 |
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ArchonID id307 Statistical Reports, appeals list 1988-1990 |
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4 |
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ArchonID id308 Statistical Reports, closings/filing/monthly statistical reports 1975-2005 |
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5 |
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ArchonID id309 Statistical Reports, closings/filings/monthly statistical reports 1988-2006 |
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6 |
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ArchonID id310 Statistical Reports, Petit Jury |
Box |
Folder |
18 |
4 |
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ArchonID id374 Certificates/MembershipsPrivate oversized materials |
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5 |
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ArchonID id375 PhotographsPrivate oversized materials |
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ArchonID id311 Memorabilia |
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ArchonID id349 Miscellany |
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ArchonID id350 Vinyl recording of Richard Nixon campaign speech, Gregg County Airport 27 October 1952 |
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ArchonID id351 Gavels (3) |
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ArchonID id352 Spitfire model |
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ArchonID id353 Spitfire collector's plate |
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ArchonID id354 Pins and photographs from Reed Steger memorial |
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ArchonID id355 Cross in my Pocket (carried by Judge Steger and kept with his things) |
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ArchonID id356 John Tower lapel tag |
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ArchonID id357 Airplane pins |
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ArchonID id358 Plaque, The First Fifty-State Campaign: with deep appreciation to a fellow campaigner, Pat and Dick Nixon November 1960 |
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ArchonID id312 Contents on display at the William M. Steger Courthouse and Federal Building |
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ArchonID id313 Judicial Robes |
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ArchonID id314 Swearing-in photograph |
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ArchonID id315 Inscribed gavel 1970 |
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ArchonID id316 Official court identification card |
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ArchonID id317 Justinian Award plaque May 2004 |
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ArchonID id318 Bench bookPrivate Bench book (empty--contents in the Legal Career series |
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ArchonID id319 Framed 50-year certificate from State Bar 2001 |
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ArchonID id320 Gavels (2) |
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ArchonID id321 Portrait presentation program 12 May 1983 |
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ArchonID id322 License plate, USA 22 |
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ArchonID id323 Ceremonial badge |
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ArchonID id324 Spitfire MK.V model plane |
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ArchonID id325 Senior Status plaque 31 December 1987 |
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ArchonID id326 Flag flown over U.S. Capitol Building marking 35 years on the bench |
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ArchonID id327 U.S. Marshall's badge (plaque) 1994 |
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ArchonID id328 Tickets and cufflinks, Pres. Richard Nixon's Inauguration 1968 |
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ArchonID id329 House resolution 5606 (changing name of federal courthouse) 2006 |
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ArchonID id330 Nametag and two ceremonial bricks celebrating Steger's charter membership at Green Acres Baptist Church (Tyler, TX) |
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ArchonID id331 Congressional Record 22 July 2004 |
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ArchonID id332 Shadowbox with display of political pins and memorabilia reflecting William M. Steger's political interests and activities |
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ArchonID id333 Framed Materials at the UASC |
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ArchonID id334 Portrait (official, copy) |
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ArchonID id335 Attorney's license |
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ArchonID id336 American Military Aircraft, 1940-1945 |
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ArchonID id337 Head on Attack, Battle of Britian Aces Collection |
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ArchonID id338 Hughes Flying Boat (diagram) |
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ArchonID id339 Steger family at judicial swearing-in ceremony (photo) |
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ArchonID id340 District judges photo n.d. |
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ArchonID id341 Endowed scholarship, Baylor Law School (plaque) |
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ArchonID id342 News article commemorating official portrait, Tyler Morning Telegraph (plaque) |
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ArchonID id343 Judicial staff photo n.d. |
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ArchonID id344 Underwater marine photography (Reed Steger) |
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ArchonID id345 Steger at Beaumont Court (photo) |
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ArchonID id346 Law degree, Southern Methodist University |
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ArchonID id347 Portrait of William Pierce Rogers, signed "To William M. Steger with warm personal regards-William P. Rogers" |
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ArchonID id348 Steger with President Nixon in the Oval Office (photo) |
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