Biographical / Historical
Scope and Contents
Preferred Citation
Conditions Governing Use
Contributing Institution:
Sacramento Public Library
email: sacroom@saclibrary.org
phone: (916) 264-2795
Title: Robert S. Boyns Letters
Identifier/Call Number: MC 115
Physical Description:
.1 Linear Feet
Date: 1900
Abstract: Collection is comprised of two paper letters created by Robert S. Boyns, dated October 29, 1900 and November 26, 1900. They
were created during Sacramento's Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Board of Directors meetings.
Language of Material:
English
.
Biographical / Historical
The letters were created by Robert S. Boyns (1867-1935), an employee of the Sacramento YMCA and Prudential Life Insurance
Company in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, circa 1880s through 1910. Boyns was likely born in 1867 in Cornwall,
England. He immigrated to the United States circa 1883-1884 and settled in Northern California. San Francisco and Sacramento
area newspapers from 1888-1900 occasionally advertised lectures by Boyns at various YMCA locations. It's at Sacramento's YMCA
branch where he served as secretary pro temp for approximately three years with a total of sixteen years dedicated to the
organization. Boyns evidently changed professions in 1902 to pursue a more lucrative career in the insurance field, working
for Prudential Life Insurance Company (Prudential's New Pacific Coast Division, 453). He married Grace Miller in 1909 and,
in circa 1911, they moved to Seattle, Washington. While in Seattle, Boyns continued to work for Prudential and served as president
of Seattle's Chamber of Commerce in 1921. He died in 1935 in Seattle.
The Sacramento YMCA was founded in approximately 1865 to create a social community group for the growing Sacramento population.
It changed locations various times in its early years before moving to its current location at W and Twenty-First streets
in 1954.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of two paper letters written by Boyns regarding YMCA meeting details. Each letter is three pages long
for a total of six pages. The first letter was written in November 1900 and the second written in December 1900. Boyns lists
the names of several members of the Sacramento YMCA Board of Directors in attendance for each meeting.
The letter dated November 26, 1900 notes rumors of dissent among members who allegedly were dissatisfied with Boyns various
absences and neglect due to his presence at various lectures. Based on Boyns notes, the Board of Directors denied this rumor.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Robert S. Boyns Letters, MC 115, Sacramento Room, Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento, California.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Sacramento Public Library must be submitted in writing
to sacroom@saclibrary.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Sacramento Public Library as the owner of
the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained
by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.