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Philip Ackley Stanton: Finding Aid
mssStanton papers  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Access
  • Administrative Information
  • Biographical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Philip Ackley Stanton Papers
    Dates: 1907-1929
    Collection Number: mssStanton papers
    Creator: Stanton, Philip Ackley, 1868-1945
    Extent: 336 items in 1 box
    Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
    1151 Oxford Road
    San Marino, California 91108
    Phone: (626) 405-2191
    Email: reference@huntington.org
    URL: http://www.huntington.org
    Abstract: The collection consists of papers related to the political, business and personal life of Southern California real estate developer and politician Philip A. Stanton (1868-1945). The majority of the collection concerns Philip Stanton’s political relationships, ambitions, and positions.
    Language of Material: The records are in English.

    Access

    Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

    Administrative Information

    Publication Rights

    The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item]. Philip Ackley Stanton Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Provenance

    Purchased from G. F. Hollingsworth on February 14, 1956, and May 30, 1958.

    Biographical Note

    Philip Ackley Stanton (1868-1929) came to California in 1887, became president of several real estate companies, and was responsible for building the towns of Huntington Beach (originally Pacific City, 1901) and Seal Beach (originally Bay City, 1915). The town of Stanton is named after him and he assisted in its 1911 incorporation. He served in the California assembly (1903-10), including a term as speaker from 1909 to 1910, served as a member of the Republican National Committee for California 1912 to 1916. In 1910, Stanton lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to the progressive Hiram Johnson.

    Scope and Content

    The collection consists of papers related to the political, business and personal life of Philip A. Stanton. The papers span the years from 1909 to 1929. The majority of the collection concerns Philip Stanton’s political relationships, ambitions, and positions. Notable items include letters from William H. Taft, Samuel M. Shortridge, fellow legislators, and exchanges with Charles C. Chapman and Henry M. Wisler about citrus growers’ aid to the suffering civilian populations of Western Europe during World War I.
    One folder contains correspondence related to Stanton’s business interests, almost exclusively in real estate and land development in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. It is organized chronologically. Notable items include a letter from Henry E. Huntington, several from his son Howard Huntington, and fifteen letters from Isaias W. Hellman, the prominent German-Jewish L.A. based businessman.
    The one folder of newspaper clippings concerns Stanton’s political career, specifically the 1910 Republican gubernatorial primary and 1916 Republican senatorial primary. An ornate leather-bound scrapbook, decorated with metal plates, contains eleven telegrams and letters from such notables as David Starr Jordan, Harrison Gray Otis, and Hiram Johnson, congratulating Stanton on his role as California Assembly Speaker in defeating anti-Japanese legislation in 1909.
    Overall, the papers illuminate the tight social networks that linked leading businessmen, land development, and the powerful conservative wing of the California Republican Party. Major subjects include land development in Orange and L.A. Counties and state and national politics in Southern California, including the California Assembly, Republican National Committee, the 1920 Presidential election, the status of Japanese in California, and relief of European civilians affected by World War I. Major participants include Charles C. Chapman, Isaias W. Hellman, Henry E. Huntington, Howard Huntington, Senator Samuel M. Shortridge, President William Taft and Henry M. Wisler.

    Arrangement

    The collection is grouped into folders by document type, the folders are in alphabetical order and files within every folder are arranged chronologically, except for political correspondence. Three folders contain political correspondence, arranged in alphabetical order of the author’s name.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

    Personal Names

    Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
    Johnson, Hiram, 1866-1945.
    Stanton, Philip Ackley, 1868-1945.

    Corporate Names

    California. Legislature. Assembly -- History -- Sources.
    California. Legislature -- Officials and employees -- Archives.
    United States. President -- Elections, 1920.
    Republican National Committee (U.S.)
    Republican Party (Calif.)

    Subjects

    Governors -- California -- Election.
    Japanese -- California.
    Legislators -- California -- Archives.
    Real estate development -- California, Southern.
    World War, 1914-1918.

    Geographic Areas

    California -- Politics and government -- 1850-1950.

    Genre

    Letters (correspondence) -- California 20th century.

    Alternate Authors

    Chapman, Charles C.
    Hellman, Isaias W. (Isaias William), 1842-1920.
    Huntington, Henry Edwards, 1850-1927.
    Otis, Harrison Gray, 1837-1917.
    Shortridge, Samuel Morgan, b. 1861.
    Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930.