Joseph Button papers, 1897-1934 (bulk 1924-1934).

Creator: Button, Joseph.
Collection number: 4664-z
View finding aid.

Abstract: Joseph Button was Virginia Commisioner of Insurance, 1925-1929. He also served on the Virginia Military Institute’s Board of Visitors and was a member of the Noble Order of the Blue Goose and of the Shriners. He became president of Union Life Insurance Company, Richmond, Va., in 1929. Chiefly correspondence, 1897 and 1924-1934, relating to Joseph Button’s position as Virginia Commissioner of Insurance, activities in national and state Democratic Party politics, service on V.M.I.’s Board of Visitors, community service, and memberships in fraternal organizations. Letters about insurance matters have slight reference to Button’s official activities as Commissioner of Insurance. Many of these letters are requests from associates for help in getting jobs with insurance companies for their sons or other relatives, while others relate to sales of insurance company stock and other financial deals.Political letters are mostly acknowledgements of financial and other support for Democratic candidates, including one in 1925 from Governor-elect Harry F. Byrd. Button’s community service is documented in a letter, dated 5 July 1927, in which he was asked to serve on the White Advisory Committee for the Richmond Colored Community Hospital Campaign.

Repository: Southern Historical Collection

Collection Highlights: Correspondence reflects his involvement with the White Advisory Committee for the Richmond Colored Community Hospital Campaign (1927).