Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

VERA SHIVVERS (1897-1990)

PAPERS, 1914-1990
2.3 linear feet

Collection Overview

Biography

Laura Vera Hollowell Shivvers, farm woman, wife, mother, teacher, and state senator, was born on June 16, 1897 to Emma Etta Mason Hollowell and William Aaron Hollowell on Prairie View Stock Farm near Dallas, Iowa. She attended the Dallas public schools and graduated from Indianola High School in 1916. She continued her education at Simpson College where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and editor of the school newspaper. She graduated with honors in 1920. The daughter of two rural Iowa school teachers, Vera Hollowell taught high school English in Indianola and Bedford, Iowa, for three years. On September 17, 1924 she married L.C. (John) Shivvers and moved to Fair Acres, the Shivvers family farm near Knoxville, Iowa. The couple had three daughters: Marietta, Martha, and Charlotte. Vera Shivvers was active in community life, teaching Sunday school, serving as a school board member, 4-H leader, and church pianist. In 1953, Shivvers’ contributions to her community were recognized when she was named an Iowa Master Farm Homemaker.

In 1962, John Shivvers was a Republican nominee for the Iowa Senate. Vera Shivvers actively campaigned with her husband in Marion and Monroe counties. He was elected, but died before he could serve his term. Through a special election, Vera Shivvers was elected to fill her husband’s vacancy in the Senate, making her only the third woman to serve in the Iowa Senate. During her term as a state senator, Shivvers was a leader in legislating Iowa’s first Fair Employment Practices Act.

She was not re-elected in the Democratic landslide of 1964 and renewed her high level of involvement in community service and volunteer organizations including the Simpson Alumni Council, the Republican Party, the American Association for University Women (AAUW), the Knoxville Women’s Club, and her church. She also helped to create the Marion County Historical Park, establish the Shivvers Memorial Lectureship at Iowa State University, and served on the Marion County Extension Council and Planning Commission.

In 1978, Vera Shivvers married high school classmate Wallace McKee and moved to the McKee family farm near Indianola, Iowa. After Wallace McKee’s death in 1988, Vera Shivvers moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1989, where she lived with her daughter Marietta until her death on March 10, 1990.

Scope and Content Note

The Vera Shivvers papers date from 1914 to 1990 and measure 2.3 linear feet. The papers are arranged in 6 series: Personal, Legislative, Speeches, Journals, Photographs and Scrapbooks.

The Personal series (1914-1990) contains a wide range of biographical information on Vera Shivvers including personal correspondence spanning nearly seventy-five years and various newspaper clippings regarding Vera from her numerous community activities over several decades.

The Legislative series (1963-1964) mainly holds correspondence Vera Shivvers received from constituents during her Iowa Senate term. Speeches and newspaper clippings from this time are also included. A prominent topic of the speeches and constituent mail is “liquor by the drink.”

The Speeches series (1963-1983) contains the speeches Vera Shivvers gave throughout her lifetime at various community and club gatherings.

The Journals series (1973-1990) holds the calendars and journals Vera Shivvers kept later in life concerning her daily activities.

The Photographs series (1915-1986) ranges from her high school days up until the last years of her life. A few pictures are included of Vera Shivvers at the statehouse during her Senate term as well as a photo of Vera and L. C. Shivvers at their daughter’s wedding and photos of Vera and second husband Wallace McKee at the VEISHEA parade in Ames, Iowa. Also included are photos of all of the houses Vera Shivvers lived in.

The Scrapbooks series (1957-1964) contains two scrapbooks covering Shivvers’ service in the Iowa State Senate.

Box List

Box 1

Personal Information

Biographical

Personal sketch, undated

Obituary, 1990

Certificates, undated

Correspondence

1914-1924

1953-1980

Business, 1952-1984

Christmas letters, 1957-1989

Legislative, 1963-1977

Letters to the Editor, 1966-1976

Indianola High School Yearbook, 1916

Newspaper clippings

1953-1990

Prose and quotes, undated

Organizations

Christian Rural Overseas Program, 1953

Pella Rural Women’s Day, 1972

Simpson College Alumni Association, 1924-1989

Prenuptial Agreement, 1978

Vacation brochures, 1958-1982

Legislative

Address book, 1963

Calendar, 1963

Box 2

Constituent Correspondence, 1963-1964

By subject

Liquor by the Drink

Sunday Closing

Taxes

Alphabetical

A-D

E-G

H-I

J-M

N-R

S-T

U-Z

Newspaper clippings

Special election, 1963

Re-election campaign, 1964

Box 3

Pamphlets, 1961-1964

Political sketch, undated

Speeches, 1963

Acceptance speech

HF 4

“Liquor by the Drink”

Preamble

“So Politics is for Men”

Miscellaneous, 1963-1964

Speeches

Folder 1

“Adventure in Learning” 1963

Livestock group, undated

Farm Bureau, 1964

Folder 2

Future Teachers of America, 1969

Gambling Hearing, 1965

Zoning, 1966

Folder 3

Population Control, 1970

Living History Farms, 1973

Lena Jordan, undated

Harlan and Helen Chandler

Fairview Church

“My Church” 1969

“Spiritual Havens” 1970

Presentation on church history, 1976

Fairview Guest Day, 1976

Christmas, 1976

Simpson College

Brief Reminiscence, 1980

Alumni Achievement Award Committee, 1980

Ruth Sayre Day, 1983

Notes, 1963-1983

Journals

Datebooks

1973-1974

1975-1977

1984-1985

1986

Box 4

Journals

February 2, 1987-August 8, 1987

November 23, 1987-May 2, 1988

September 24, 1988-February 21, 1989

February 22, 1989-December 21, 1989

December 22, 1989-March 5, 1990

Photographs, 1915-1986

Box 5

Scrapbooks

State Senator, 1957-1963

Box 6

State Senator, 1963-1964

 

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