Finding Aid to the George Henry Cabaniss Papers,
1849-1967
MS 282
Finding aid prepared by Dr. Otto Pflueger; revised by Marie Dunlap in 2010.
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA, 94105
415-357-1848
reference@calhist.org
2001, revised 2010
Title: George Henry Cabaniss papers
Date (inclusive): 1849-1967
Collection Number: MS 282
Creator:
Cabaniss, George H. (George Henry), 1861-1934
Extent:
7 boxes and 1 volume
(4.0 Linear feet)
Contributing Institution:
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA, 94105
415-357-1848
reference@calhist.org
URL: http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/
Physical Location: Collection is stored onsite.
Abstract: Consists of papers pertaining to Cabaniss's naval career during World War II and to his law practice. The bulk of the papers
pertain to execution of the estates of Sarah Elizabeth Chandler, Katherine M. Ball, Louise A. Sorbier and her daughters, Cecile
and Marie, and Sara M. Boyd. Includes family papers of his uncle, Archibald A. Cabaniss, and his second cousin, Raymond Duncan.
Among these are newspaper and passport photographs, and a sketch of Isadora Duncan.
With these is a scrapbook in remembrance of Cabaniss's father, George Henry Cabaniss, Sr., containing letters of sympathy,
newspaper clippings, obituaries, and a letter of sympathy and poem by Ina Coolbrith.
Language of Materials: Collection material is mostly in English. Some material relating to Raymond Duncan is in French.
Access
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the California Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the California Historical Society 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 reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], George Henry Cabaniss Papers, MS 282, California Historical Society.
Separated Materials
Photographs have been transferred to the California Historical Society's Photograph Collection, shelved as MSP 282. Oversize
certificates have been transferred to Certificates Collection.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Ball, Katherine M., 1858?-1952
Boyd, Sara Megilligan
Cabaniss, Archibald A. ( Archibald Atkinson)
Cabaniss, George H. (George Henry), 1861-1934
Chandler, Sarah Elizabeth, 1863-1947
Coolbrith, Ina D. (Ina Donna), 1842?-1928
Duncan, Raymond, 1874-1966
Sorbier, Cecile Marie, 1875-1952
Sorbier, Louise, 1847-1929
Sorbier, Marie, 1873-1947
Lawyers--California--San Francisco.
Scrapbooks.
Donor
Gift of George Henry Cabaniss, Jr., circa 1952.
Biographical Information
Attorney George Henry Cabaniss was born in 1900 to a prominent San Francisco family. He earned bachelor's and juris doctor
degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1922 and 1924, respectively. In the 1940s, Cabaniss served as a legal
specialist with the rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Naval Reserve. He also served as a San Francisco appeals
agent for the Selective Service System from 1940 to 1942. As a private attorney in San Francisco, Cabaniss administered the
estates of Sarah E. Chandler, Katherine M. Ball, Louise A. Sorbier, Marie Sorbier, Cecile M. Sorbier, and Sara M. Boyd.
Other notable members of the Cabaniss family include George Henry Cabaniss's father, George Cabaniss, Sr.; uncle, Archibald
Cabaniss; and second cousin, Raymond Duncan. Cabaniss, Sr., served as a San Francisco Superior Court judge from 1908 until
his death in 1934. Archibald Duncan was a United States Army officer and friend of San Francisco poet and librarian Ina Coolbrith.
Raymond Duncan (1874-1966) was an artist, dramatist, poet, and journalist. He was also Isadora Duncan's brother. In 1912,
he moved to Paris, where he opened the Akademia Raymond Duncan and edited the bilingual journal
Exangelos.
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises correspondence, certificates, legal records, newspaper clippings, and other papers and ephemera
documenting the history of the Cabaniss family. The bulk of the material pertains to George H. Cabaniss in his roles as legal
specialist for the United States naval reserve (circa 1941-1949); San Francisco appeals agent (1940-1942); attorney for various
federal work agencies (circa 1938-1942); and private attorney in San Francisco. These papers include extensive legal records
concerning the estates of Sarah E. Chandler, Katherine M. Ball, Louise A. Sorbier, Marie Sorbier, Cecile M. Sorbier, and Sara
M. Boyd, all of which Cabaniss administered.
The collection also contains scattered papers of or about other members of the Cabaniss family, notably George Cabaniss Sr.,
Archibald Cabaniss, and Raymond Duncan. These include records of San Francisco superior court proceedings that Cabaniss, Sr.,
adjudicated (1933-1934); a scrapbook of obituaries and condolences commemorating Cabaniss, Sr., on his death (1934); military
certificates awarded to Archibald Cabaniss by the United States Army (circa 1849-1911); a poem and letter written by Ina Coolbrith
on the death of the infant Lucile (1899); and miscellaneous papers documenting the literary and dramatic career of Raymond
Duncan.
Arrangement
This collection has not been arranged into series. In general, materials have been arranged topically as follows: Box I: Miscellany
and family papers; Box 2: Correspondence and district legal office logs; Box 3: Military, civil service, and legal papers,
particularly for the Chandler estate; Boxes 4-6: Legal papers for the Ball, Sorbier, and Boyd estates. Box 7: Boyd estate
papers and miscellany.
Box 1, Folder 1-3
General Miscellany
1873-1966
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence, diplomas, military certificates, legal documents, newspaper clippings, and other papers documenting
the history of the Cabaniss family and, especially, of George Henry Cabaniss, Jr.
Box 1, Folder 4
Archibald A. Cabaniss
circa 1849-1911
Scope and Contents
Mostly consists of military certificates awarded to Archibald A. Cabaniss.
Box 1, Folder 4a
Archibald A. Cabaniss
1899
Scope and Contents
Includes an 1899 letter and poem by Ina Coolbrith commemorating the death of Archibald Cabaniss' infant daughter, Lucile.
Box 1, Folder 5-6
Raymond Duncan
1946-1967
Scope and Contents
Includes poems by Raymond Duncan; programs for dramatic performances by Duncan in France and the United States; correspondence
from Duncan to his cousin, George H. Cabaniss, Jr.; and incomplete copies of
Exangelos, a bilingual newspaper edited by Duncan and published in Paris, from the years 1946-1945, 1949-1950, 1952, 1957, and 1960-1962.
Also includes the second and third editions of
Etincelles de mon Enclume, or
Pages from my Press, by Raymond Duncan, published in 1939 and 1947, respectively, by the Akademia Raymond Duncan in Paris.
Box 2, Folder 7-10
Correspondence
1940-1943
Scope and Contents
Contains letters addressed to and from George Henry Cabaniss, Jr.
Box 2, Folder 11
Orders, Naval Reserve
1941 April-1943 June
Box 2, Folder 12-13
Naval Correspondence
1944-1949
Box 2, Folder 14
Speeches and Publications
1941-1942
Box 2, Folder 15
Logs, Legal Section, District Morale Office, United States Navy
1943-1944
Box 3, Folder 16
Military Law Course
1940-1941
Box 3, Folder 17-18
Selective Service Memoranda
1940 December-1942 March
Box 3, Folder 19
San Francisco Appeal Agents (Selective Service), Minutes
1940 November-1942 October
Box 3, Folder 20
Civil Service
1938-1942
Scope and Contents
Includes letters to and from George Henry Cabaniss, Jr., the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, the Federal
Works Agency, and the United States Civil Service Commission regarding employment.
Box 3, Folder 21-23
Sarah E. Chandler Estate
1947-1949
Box 4, Folder 24-25
Katherine M. Ball Estate
1952-1953
Box 4, Folder 26-29
Louise A. Sorbier Estate
1929-1954
Box 4, Folder 30
Marie Sorbier Estate
1937-1950
Box 4-5, Folder 31-37
Cecile M. Sorbier Estate
1952-1956
Box 6-7, Folder 38-53
Sara M. Boyd Estate
1939-1941
Box 7, Folder 54
George H. Cabaniss, Sr., Court Proceedings
1933-1934
Volume 1
Scrapbook
1934
Scope and Contents
Includes newspaper clippings and sympathy letters regarding the death of George H. Cabaniss, Sr.