Finding aid of the Walter C. Allen Papers, 1943-1944
Kris Casler
The Society of California Pioneers
© 2009
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107-1272
Phone: (415) 957-1849
Fax: (415) 957-9858
Email: shaas@californiapioneers.org
URL: http://www.californiapioneers.org
The Society of California Pioneers. All rights reserved.
Finding aid of the Walter C. Allen Papers, 1943-1944
Collection number:
The Society of California PioneersSan Francisco, California
- Processed by:
- Kris Casler
- Date Completed:
- September 30, 2009
- Encoded by:
- Kris Casler
© 2009 The Society of California Pioneers. All rights reserved.
Title: Walter C. Allen Papers, 1943-1944
Dates: 1943-1944
Collection Size:
6 folders
Repository: The
Society of California Pioneers.
San Francisco, California 94107-1272
Abstract: Documents related to the writing and publication of an article by Walter C. Allen about the creation of the original San Francisco
City Directory and its two reprints published by Charles P. Kimball in 1850.
Physical location: Stored on-site at the Society of California Pioneers
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open by appointment for research.
Property rights reside with The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to reproduce or publish must be
submitted in writing to the Librarian.
Walter C. Allen Papers, 1943-1944. The Society of California Pioneers.
Biography / Administrative History
Walter C. Allen (Walter Cummings Allen) was born in San Francisco on October 27, 1867 and died March 18, 1948. Mr. Allen
became a member of the Society of California Pioneers on September 3, 1929 tracing his pioneer roots through his father Henry
Monroe Allen. Mr. Allen graduated from the University of California with a degree in civil engineering in 1891 and worked
as an electrical engineer for his entire career. He held positions in Schenectady, NY (1893-1894), the District of Columbia
(1894-1924), and Philadelphia, PA (1924-1933). Mr. Allen also served in public office as the Executive Secretary of the Public
Utilities Commission for the District of Columbia from 1916 to 1924. He was married Alice Margaret Allen on February 19,
1902.
(Institutional Archives, Society of California Pioneers, vol. 7)
1943/1944 | Walter C. Allen Papers, 1943-1944 |
Scope and Content of Collection
Six folders which include handwritten notes, original draft and publication proof for an article written in 1943-1944 by Walter
C. Allen about the publication of the original San Francisco City Directory by Charles P. Kimball in 1850. Also included
in this collection are the correspondence between Allen and various librarians about the original City Directory and its publication,
photographic reproductions of some pages from the directory, its cover and a photo of Charles P. Kimball, and an undated newspaper
clipping of an article about the city directories.
Folder 1: Proofs of Publication of The Society of California Pioneers For the Year 1943, containing Allen's article "San Francisco's
First City Directory and Its Two Reprints." Also separate proof of the first two pages of the article.
Folder 2: Article draft.
Folder 3: Reproductions for the article. Contains negative image of Kimball, 6 photos and photocopies of the original City
Directory, and 4 negative images of pages of the original City Directory.
Folder 4: 40 letters from Allen and various librarians about the original City Directory and its two reprints.
Folder 5: 6 pages of Allen's handwritten notes for the article.
Folder 6: Undated newspaper clipping: "Olden S. F. Relives in Directories" by Douglas S. Watson.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Allen, Walter C.
Kimball, Charles P.
San Francisco
Van Sicklen, H. P., ed. Publication of The Society of California Pioneers For the Year 1943. San Francisco: The Society
of California Pioneers, 1943.
Allen, Walter C., ed. The Society of California Pioneers: Centennial Roster. San Francisco: The Society of California Pioneers,
1948.
Kimball, Charles P. The San Francisco City Directory. San Francisco: self-published, 1850.
"Kimball, Chas. P." Biography File
Charles P. Kimball Papers, 1876-1908, 3-18C; B001394
Photos of Kimball, located at P-11B B001960, C018368-94
Diary in Special Inventory; Vol V deals specifically with publication of the directory.