Title: 1926 TLS by J. Edgar Hoover as Director of the Bureau of Investigation – Early Official Promotion Letter

Description:
Typed Letter Signed (TLS) by J. Edgar Hoover, dated October 14, 1926, on official Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation letterhead, issued from Washington, D.C. The one-page letter is addressed to Mr. C. M. Holmgren of Dallas, Texas, and communicates a formal notice of his salary increase from $3,100 to $3,200 per annum, effective October 1, 1926. The letter is personally signed in blue ink by Hoover at the conclusion as “J. Edgar Hoover”, who was serving as Director at the time. The letter measures approximately 8" x 10.5" and is in very good condition, with minor mailing folds and excellent legibility.

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Transcription:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Investigation
Washington, D.C.
October 14, 1926.

Mr. C. M. Holmgren,
P.O. Box 91,
Dallas, Texas.

Dear Sir:

It is with pleasure that I enclose the letter of the Acting Attorney General advising you of your promotion from $3,100 to $3,200 per annum, effective October 1, 1926.

Very truly yours,
J. Edgar Hoover
Director.

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Historical Context:
This letter comes from a formative period in J. Edgar Hoover’s career. In 1926, Hoover had been Director of the Bureau of Investigation for just two years, having been appointed Acting Director in 1924 and made permanent Director shortly thereafter. At the time, the Bureau was still a relatively small and unremarkable agency within the Department of Justice. Hoover was in the midst of reforming and professionalizing it—implementing rigorous hiring standards, focusing on merit-based promotions, and eliminating political cronyism.

By the late 1920s, Hoover was laying the foundation for what would become the modern Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935. This letter reflects the internal administrative side of that effort—managing staff, recognizing service, and maintaining morale through proper channels of recognition and advancement. A salary increase of $100 was modest in absolute terms but signified upward mobility and institutional recognition within the government ranks of the time.

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Closing Appeal:
This signed 1926 letter offers a rare look into J. Edgar Hoover’s early leadership style, before the Bureau’s transformation into the formidable FBI of the mid-20th century. Letters from this transitional period—personally signed and reflecting internal administrative operations—are scarce and historically valuable. It is an appealing acquisition for collectors of FBI memorabilia, Justice Department history, or early Hoover autographs, capturing the seeds of the Bureau’s bureaucratic modernization under one of America’s most consequential law enforcement figures.