Title: Virgie Jones Collection

Dates: 1950s-1990s

Collection Number: 1992.58

Creator/Collector: Virgie Jones

Extent: 6 boxes

Repository: Contra Costa County Historical Society

Abstract: The collection consists of research of fraternal organizations; newspaper clippings; historical studies, as well as awards and recognitions.

Language of Material: English

Collection is open for research.

Contact the Contra Costa County Historical Society for publication permission.

Virgie Jones Collection. Contra Costa County Historical Society

Virginia “Virgie” Jones (1917-2010), a writer who lived in Alamo, wrote a column “I Cover Alamo” and wrote several books, Remembering Alamo…and Other Things Along the Way, Be it Ever so Humble, and Historical Persons and Places…in San Ramon Valley. She wrote personal stories and interesting antidotes about residents and visitors to Alamo including history of the area. She wrote for local newspapers (Walnut Kernel, Valley Pioneer). She was also a member of the San Ramon Valley Republican Women, the Alamo Women’s Club, San Ramon Valley Historical Society, the California Writer’s Club, Mount Diablo branch, and a trustee for the Alamo-Lafayette Cemetery District. Her husband, Al Jones’s family was among the original settlers of Alamo.

Box 1 H-11 [A to Co] 1. Calendars, Historic: Twelve Historical calendars 1975- 1987 photographs etchings of Concord, the Delta and Diablo. 2. California Cities—Homes: Out of area newspaper clippings; CCCHS bulletins 3. California Federation of Women’s Clubs, Mt. Diablo District: Six CA Federation of Women’s Club Handbooks, Mt Diablo District, 1986-1992 4. California Writers Club: Two California Writers’ Club Roster 87-88, 91-92 5. Children’s Hospital of the East Bay, Papaya Branch: programs etc. 6. Conference of CA Historical Societies: Roster 78-79 7. Contra Costa County Highway Advisory Committee: Programs 8. Personal Correspondence 9. Contra Costa County: Miscellaneous newspaper clippings from local area Box 2 H-12 [Coar to Hist] 1. Correspondence re books: Personal notes to write books 2. Danville Grange Herald: Miscellaneous newspaper clippings from local area, Danville street map 3. Danville—Lithos: “History of the Glass Family” genealogy by Clement Rolla Glass 4. Danville – Lithos: lithographs of Danville 5. Diablo: Tri-Valley newspaper clipping “Historic Pleasure Resort” 6. Dublin: Tri-Valley Newspaper clippings, and booklet “Dublin Gold” written by Dan Mosier and Page Finney 7. Earthquakes: Newspaper clippings about major California earthquakes 1906-1971 8. Eastern Star: Booklet of San Ramon Valley Chapter #588 Order of Eastern Star 9. Edmonston, Vivian Coats: Memoir written by Vivian Coats Edmonston 10. The Fages-Crespi Expedition of 1772: booklet published by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society 11. Here’s Diablo Living, June 1976 to April 1977: copies of magazine 12. Historic Resources Inventory 13. “Historical Places & Persons”: Newspaper clippings Box 3 H-12 [I to J] 1. Jail study of 1969: Committee report 2. Jones, Abraham Russ Sr.: “History of Descendants of Abraham Russ Jones, Sr. May 30, 1964” 3. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1963: articles from “I Cover Alamo” by Virgie Jones, various topics such as her retirement life, Castlewood Country Club, articles of Alamo’s past history, Thanksgiving, Christmas cards etc. 4. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1964: more of the same 5. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1965: more of the same 6. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1966: more of the same 7. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1967: more of the same 8. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1968: more of the same 9. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1969: more of the same 10. Clippings of “I Cover Alamo” 1970: more of the same 11. The Ina Coolbrith Circle: Roster 1991, poet laureate of California 12. John Muir 1838-1914 by Linnie Marsh Wolfe: booklet of the same name Box 4 H-13 [J to P] 1. Jones, Alfred: newspaper clippings, Board of Realtors, Journal of Armstrong College in Berkeley, “My Fair Agent” a script presented by the Women’s Council of the Contra Costa County Realtors, 2. Jones, Mary A: “The Story of My Life” 3. Jones, Nathaniel & Family: genealogy 4. Lincoln, Abraham: correspondence with P.G.&E. about an article she wrote 5. Mariana, Tomas, Proof of Purchase: Williams Comstock deed 1855; A.W. Stone Tax Receipt 1890 6. Masonic Lodge San Ramon Valley 1988: roster 7. Miscellaneous: newspaper clippings, California Historian, 1977, The Pioneer, 1964 8. Mt. Diablo: newspaper articles, “Mount Diablo Coalfield” in California Geology, “Mount Diablo Dedication” in California Historian. 9. Oakwood Park Stock Farm 1895: map clipping 10. Pacific Historian: The Pacific Historian, University of the Pacific, Summer 1976. 11. Personal Commendations: personal papers, articles naming her 12. Pleasanton: Clippings 13. Memoriam to Joseph P Jones: bound booklet Box 5 H-11 [P to W] 1. Unlabeled: Gift of deed Dec. 5, 1855 2. Post Offices: Information on the Diablo post office; History of Post Offices – Alamo, Diablo, Walnut Creek and Danville 3. Railroads: – articles on Toonerville Trolley, “The Aligator” operated on the Danville branch of the Sacramento Railway; brochure from the California Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction; The Napa Valley Route 4. San Francisco Bay Region: “History of the greater San Francisco Bay Region” from the Clayton Historical Library 5. Rancho San Ramon: maps 6. San Ramon, City of: clippings on San Ramon 7. San Ramon Valley: clippings, handout from Museum of San Ramon Valley 8. San Ramon Families: clippings, articles, typescript histories of early families 9. San Ramon Business Directory: 1976 directory 10. San Ramon Valley Historical Society Newsletter: 1970-80s 11. San Ramon Republican Women: Roster membership 12. Smith, William C: letters & bible record 13. Southern Pacific Railroad: history of railroad abandonment 1983 14. Stone, Laura M: diploma from Mills Seminary 1883 15. Tao House: Eugene O’Neill controversy of the opening as a National Historic monument; letters from the NPS and articles from the neighborhoods that would be impacted by the use of the house. 16. Tassajara: clippings, Bret Harte, schools, etc. 17. University Club of Alameda County 1954: roster 18. Walnut Creek: Walnut Festival brochure 1957, How Walnut Creek got its name, Rossmoor, newspaper clippings 19. Wayne, Jim C: correspondence from Jim C. Wayne 20. Wells Fargo: Historical Highlights, Brief History, brochures 21. Wood, Charles: Contra Costa County Historical Society Tour of Wood Ranch, 1988 Box 6: Items A-Blackhawk are located in a separate box with other collections: 1. Alamo 2. Alamo, History 3. Alamo, Improvement Association 4. Alamo, Incorporation 5. Alamo, Park, Open Space 6. Alamo Women’s Club 7. BART, San Ramon Branchline 8. Blackhawk