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Otis J. Baughn Papers 1916-1948, 1983

FM MSS 55

Biographical Note

Otis James Baughn was born in Hanly, Kentucky on April 23, 1877. He attended high school in Lexington and earned his liberal arts degree from Kentucky University (later re-named Transylvania College) in 1903. After a brief residence in South Dakota, he returned to Kentucky and married Mary Holman Fairhurst on June 27, 1906. The couple had two children: Elizabeth and Alfred F. In June of 1909, Baughn was awarded a Bachelor of Law degree from Transylvania College of Law and relocated to Florence, Arizona with his family later that year. Upon admission to the Territory of Arizona Bar in January of 1910, he established a private law practice.

After Baughn moved to Arizona, he became interested in promoting reclamation projects and bringing irrigation to the desert. He was also instrumental in forming the town of Coolidge, located on the west side of the Southern Pacific Railroad, on land for which Baughn and others secured the railroad's right of way. From 1914 to 1922, Baughn served as a Superior Court judge in Pinal County. After completing his second term, he moved to Phoenix and opened a law office in 1923. A prominent Republican, Baughn was that party's nominee for Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1916, 1922, and 1946. He was also a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in 1926 and sought the office of Arizona Attorney General in 1934. On February 11, 1948, Baughn and his wife died in an auto accident near Wittman, Arizona.

Scope and Content Note

The Otis J. Baughn Papers consist primarily of one box of manuscript material dating from 1916 to 1948. Also included is a brief biography of Baughn written by his son in 1983. The collection is arranged in five series.

Series I: Biographical Information houses materials documenting Baughn's life and work. Series II: Correspondence includes items showing Baughn's personal life, Masonic activity, and political work. Series III: San Carlos Project addresses issues related to this project and to the building of the San Carlos Dam. Series IV: Speeches consists of the text of speeches that Baughn delivered to civic groups and other organizations. Series V: Other Papers documents Baughn's membership in the Masonic Lodge.

Arrangement

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Access Terms

Administrative Information

Custodial History

Alfred F. Baughn donated these papers to the Arizona Historical Foundation in 1975.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Otis J. Baughn Papers, FM MSS 55, Arizona State University Library.

Provenance

The Arizona Historical Foundation transferred these materials to the Arizona Collection in 2012.

Container List