Allen Henry Wright Collection

Title: Allen Henry Wright Collection

Dates: 1889-1935

Collection Number: MS.032

Creator/Collector:

Extent: 4 boxes, 3 ½ linear ft.

Repository: San Diego Public Library

Abstract: The Allen Henry Wright Collection was donated to the San Diego Public Library Special Collections as a gift from Mr. Wright’s granddaughter Marilyn Mitchell Shaw. The collection contains materials related to the personal and professional life of Allen Henry Wright. It is divided into three series: Series I) Personal material, including correspondence and a collection of photographs of his family; Series II) Professional work, which includes a small amount of material from his career as the City Clerk for San Diego; his writings and correspondents as a professional correspondent; and a collection of photographs all relating to San Diego from approximately 1910 – 1920; Series III) Various publications, while not attributed to Wright, these publications accompanied the collection when received.

Language of Material: English

Collection is open for research.

San Diego Public Library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claims of the copyright holder. Permission to copy or publish any portion of San Diego Public Library's collection must be given by the San Diego Public Library.

Allen Henry Wright Collection. San Diego Public Library

The Allen Henry Wright Collection was donated to the San Diego Public Library Special Collections as a gift from Mr. Wright’s granddaughter Marilyn Mitchell Shaw. It was mailed to the library from Ms. Shaw’s residence in Altoona, Pennsylvania in ten installments from September 2012 to June 2013. The collection contains materials related to the personal and professional life of Allen Henry Wright. It is divided into three series: Series I) Personal material, including correspondence and a collection of photographs of his family; Series II) Professional work, which includes a small amount of material from his career as the City Clerk for San Diego; his writings and correspondents as a professional correspondent; and a collection of photographs all relating to San Diego from approximately 1910 – 1920; Series III) Various publications, while not attributed to Wright, these publications accompanied the collection when received. Allen Henry Wright was born to Samuel Allen Wright and Ann Eliza Brower in Rome, New York, April 20, 1873. During the 1890s, Mr. Wright graduated from the Rome Free Academy of New York, married Florence May Bangs of Waterville, New York and worked as a reporter for both the Rome Daily Sentinel (Rome, N.Y.) and The Sheron Telegraph (Sheron, Pennsylvania). The Wright family moved to San Diego in 1903 where Wright initially worked as a journalist. In 1906 he was hired to work in the city clerk’s office as a deputy clerk. In 1910 Wright was elected City Clerk, a position he held until his untimely death of a heart attack on April 23, 1938. While working in the city clerk’s office Mr. Wright continued as a freelance press correspondent, writing feature articles, descriptive sketches, obituaries, and “News Notes” for trade papers and specialized magazines. As an enthusiast for his community, genealogy, and history, Mr. Wright served as a state officer of the California Historical Society, state president of the California League of Municipalities, and Director of the Cabrillo Club (1917-1918).