Judson Welliver

Judson Welliver was born on August 13, 1870, in Aledo, Illinois.^[2][3]

He married his wife, Jane Douglas Hutchins, on July 3, 1899. They had four children—Edward M., Allan J., Sarah H., and Jane Douglas.^[4]

By 1909, Welliver had earned a reputation as "one of the most able journalists in the country".^[3] 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.^[3] That year, Wellington joined the staff of the Washington Times, where he was noted for his support of the Progressives.^[3] He wrote articles for McClure's Magazine and Hampton's during the muckraker period.^[5]

He was sent to Europe by President Roosevelt in 1907 to report on the waterway and railroad systems of Europe and Great Britain.^[4] (The report was published in 1908.) He managed London correspondence and European news for the New York Sun from 1917 until 1918.^[4]

Welliver handled publicity for Harding during his 1920 presidential campaign, and began working as a "literary clerk" to President Harding on March 4, 1921.^[1][4] 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.^[4][6] After he resigned from the American Petroleum job in 1927, Welliver went on to become editor of the Washington Herald in 1928.^[4] He was also assistant to the president of the Pullman Company from 1928 to 1931.^[4]

Welliver died of cancer in Philadelphia on April 14, 1943,^[4] at the age of 72.^[7]

The Judson Welliver Society, a bipartisan social club composed of former presidential speechwriters, is named in his honor.^[2]

Notes

References

• The Judson Welliver Project