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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Jess E. Stephens papers
Identifier/Call Number: MVC058
Physical Description:
0.57 Cubic Feet
(1 half-size box and 1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): 1928-1977, 1999
Abstract: The Saint Francis Dam disaster took place in the late night and early morning hours of March 12-13, 1928. The concrete gravity
dam collapsed and sent a tide of water through the Santa Clara River Valley and out to the coastal plains of Ventura and Oxnard.
The death toll was estimated at 431. Jess E. Stephens was a Los Angeles city attorney known for his work on behalf of the
city regarding property and injury claims filed by Ventura County residents. This collection contains Stephens' papers relating
to his handling of the claims against the City of Los Angeles following the Saint Francis Dam Disaster. Materials include
correspondence, handwritten speeches and manuscripts, notes, newspaper clippings, copies of official reports.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior
to your visit.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. Collection has been minimally processed. All requests to access materials must
be made in advance by contacting the Research Library staff via email: library@venturamuseum.org
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, have
not been determined. Contact the Research Library for further information: library@venturamuseum.org
[Identification of item], Jess E. Stephens papers, (MVC058), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Sally Stephens Reeder; gift; 2020.
Processed by Krystell Jimenez, 2020.
The Saint Francis Dam disaster took place in the late night and early morning hours of March 12-13, 1928. The concrete gravity
dam collapsed and sent a tide of water through the Santa Clara River Valley and out to the coastal plains of Ventura and Oxnard.
The death toll was estimated at 431; however, this may not include migrant workers and the death toll may have been higher.
Jess E. Stephens, born May 4, 1882 in State Line, Indiana, was a Los Angeles city attorney known for his work on behalf of
the city regarding property and injury claims filed by Ventura County residents. He was also a judge for the Los Angeles County
Superior Court. Stephens graduated from Stanford University and practiced law in Los Angeles. In handling the city's legal
response to claims following the disaster he obtained settlements from all the claimants but one and the city won the single
suit that was filed against it. He was also known to have represented Oscar T. Conklin, a Ventura resident who challenged
the legality of Ventura's city charter. Stephens retired in October 1953, and died at the age of 71 on December 2, 1953, in
his home in West Hollywood.
This collection contains the papers of Jess E. Stephens in relation to his handling of the claims against the City of Los
Angeles following the Saint Francis Dam Disaster. Materials include correspondence, handwritten speeches and manuscripts,
notes, newspaper clippings, copies of the report on the dam failure, and official reports on the failure of the dam and building
restoration afterwards. The official reports include: "Citizens' Restoration Committee Death and Injury Claims: Detailed Reports
and Lists", "Report on Building Restoration: St. Francis Dam Disaster", and "Report to Mr. Asa Keyes, District Attorney, Los
Angeles County, California, on the Failure of the St. Francis Dam".
Original order has been maintained. Folders are labelled.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Saint Francis Dam (Calif.)
Dam failures -- California -- Los Angeles County
Floods -- California -- Santa Clara River
Stephens, Jess E., 1882-1953