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Johns (Vernon E.) Family Papers
SPC.2015.006
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Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Johns (Vernon E.) Family Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2015.006
Physical Description:
16 boxes
Physical Description:
7.26 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1903-2015, undated
Abstract: The Vernon E. Johns Family Papers collection (1903-2015, undated) contains documents from the personal lives and careers of
the Johns family from Southern California. Donated by Cal State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) alumnus Vernon Johns, the
collection concentrates on Johns' parents Harold Johns and Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns, as well as his maternal grandfather
Charles Weiskopf and paternal grandmother Millen Johns. The bulk of the collection pertains to Harold Johns' 35-year long
career in aeronautical engineering. The collection also documents Charles Weiskopf's career as a civil engineer and inventor,
as well as Margaret Weiskopf Johns' career as a kindergarten teacher and Millen Johns' work as an opera singer. Also included
are correspondence, books and periodicals, yearbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs and slides, and film reels pertaining
to the family members' personal lives.
Language of Material:
English
.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Collection donated to CSUDH Archives by Vernon E. Johns.
This collection is organized into four series, each with several subseries:
- Series I: Harold Johns Employment Documents and Material, 1939-2015
- Sub-series i: Work with North American Aviation, 1940s, 1940-1949
- Sub-series ii: Work with North American Aviation, 1950s, 1950-1959
- Sub-series iii: Work with North American Aviation, 1960s, 1960-1969
- Sub-series iv: Work with North American Aviation/ North American Rockwell, 1970s, 1970-1979
- Sub-series v: Work with North American Aviation/ North American Rockwell, undated
- Sub-series vi: Blueprints, 1949-1977
- Sub-series vii: Trade Publications, 1939-1982
- Sub-series viii: Additional Career Documents, 1940-2015
- Series II: Harold Johns Personal Documents and Material, 1963-1965
- Sub-series i: Education, 1928-1953
- Sub-series ii: Correspondence, 1940-1965
- Sub-series iii: Real Estate, 1942-1971
- Sub-series iv: Reels, 1959-1966
- Sub-series v: Photographs, 1936-2013, undated
- Sub-series vi: Other Personal Material, 1920-2019, undated
- Series III: Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns, 1928-1982
- Sub-series i: Education and Career, 1929-1982
- Sub-series ii: Personal Documents and Items, 1928-1946, undated
- Series IV: Charles Weiskopf, Millen Johns, and Vernon Johns, 1903-1996, undated
- Sub-series i: Charles Weiskopf, 1903-1996, undated
- Sub-series ii: Millen Johns, 1910-1982
The Vernon E. Johns family papers collection relates to the family history of CSUDH alumnus Vernon E. Johns, specifically,
his parents Harold Johns and Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns, maternal grandfather Charles Weiskopf, and paternal grandmother
Millen Johns.
Charles Weiskopf was born January 24, 1884 in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to California in 1910 after his graduation from Ohio
Mechanics Institute. He applied for the patent on his "Resilient Wheel," on June 26, 1911, which was issued three years later
on June 16, 1914. The objective of his invention was to provide a cheap, strong, effective wheel that would be non-puncturable
and thus safer for drivers. Charles and Amy Weiskopf were married in Los Angeles on May 14, 1914 and had three daughters,
June, Beatrice, and Margaret. The family moved to the City of Hawthorne in 1921, where they remained deeply involved in the
community until they moved in 1941. Charles received his engineering certificate from the State of California Board of Registration
for Civil Engineers on May 20, 1930, making him the first to receive this certificate in California. He eventually retired
in June of 1954 from the Western Precipitation Corporation.
Vernon E. Johns' mother Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns grew up and attended school in the City of Hawthorne. She graduated
from UCLA, receiving her degree in education on February 2, 1938. After being certified to teach, she taught at Little Lake
School in Santa Fe Springs. Her tenure as the school's first Kindergarten teacher began on July 6, 1939 and lasted many years.
Margaret taught in the demonstration school at UC Berkeley where she soon met and married Harold V. Johns. They were parents
to three sons, David (who passed away in infancy), Gordon, and Vernon.
Harold V. Johns grew up in Berkeley, CA, and graduated from Berkeley High School in 1935. In 1940 he graduated from UC Berkeley
with a bachelor's degree in Geology and a minor in Engineering. After graduation he interviewed with North American Aviation
(NAA) using his drafting skills from college. He was directed to report to the NAA in Los Angeles to start work towards the
war effort on December 11th, 1941. Initially, the NAA placed Harold in wind tunnel and model testing design where his focus
was on various vehicles and materials. He later worked on fighter jet designs such as the XB-70 supersonic bomber, B-24, B-25,
and the F-100. In the 1960s, he transitioned to working for the space effort, working as the lead engineer on the command
module for the Apollo 11 mission. He continued to work on spacecraft development through the 1970s, assisting in the construction
of the International Space Station. Harold Johns retired in 1975 while working on the Space Shuttle Columbia.
For information about citing archival material, see the
Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.
Collection processed by Dante Frye in 2015/2016. Collection reprocessed by Allison Wall in September 2022. Accruals were added
by Karen Clemons, 2023.
For material related to aviation please consult the Northrop Millar Collection, Aviation Magazine, Giacinta Bradley Koontz
Aviation Sheet Music Collection, 1910 Los Angeles International Aviation Meet Research Collection,
1910 Los Angeles International Aviation Meet Research Digital Collection and Mary Nolf Diaries and Correspondence for a diary entry regarding the 1910 airmeet.
The Vernon E. Johns Family Papers collection (1903-2015, undated) contains documents pertaining to the professional and personal
lives of members of the Johns family from Southern California. The collection was donated by Cal State University Dominguez
Hills (CSUDH) alumnus Vernon E. Johns. It focuses on his parents Harold Johns and Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns, an aeronautical
engineer and kindergarten teacher, respectively, as well as his paternal grandmother Millen Johns, an opera singer, and maternal
grandfather Charles Weiskopf, an inventor and civil engineer. The bulk of the documents pertain to Harold John's 35-year career
as an engineer with North American Aviation (later known as North American Rockwell and Rockwell International), where he
helped design airplanes, fighter jets, and space shuttles, including the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Documents relating to Harold's
career include sketches and diagrams, blueprints, personnel paperwork, company policies and procedures, trade publications,
letters and memoranda, reports, and photographs. Also included are Harold Johns' personal documents, relating to his education
(transcripts, assignments, and certificates) and real estate holdings (permits, deeds, and records), as well as correspondence,
photographs, and film reels. Documents pertaining to the life and career of Margaret "Betty" Weiskopf Johns include yearbooks
from high school through college, transcripts, and certificates, as well as classroom exercises, teaching brochures, certificates,
photographs, and correspondence from her time as a kindergarten teacher. Documents focusing on Charles Weiskopf relate to
his career as a civil engineer and inventor, including resumes, diagrams and sketches, letters of recommendation, patent documents,
and correspondence. Finally, documents pertaining to Millen Johns include newspaper clippings and programs from her time as
an opera singer with the San Francisco Opera. Also included are personal documents for both Charles Weiskopf and Millen Johns,
including photographs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings. This collection also features books on education, aviation,
and aeronautical engineering, which are housed separately.
This collection contains eight books regarding aviation, aeronautical engineering, space exploration, youth and adult education,
and homemaking that are housed separately:
- The Student's Hume: A History of England, based on the history of David Hume, 1866
- Practical Housekeeping, H.J. Smith and Company, 1892
- The Silver-Burdett Arithmetics, Book One, Philips & Anderson, circa 1920s
- The Little Lame Prince, Miss Mullock, circa 1920s
- UCLA "Southern Campus" Yearbook, 1937
- Aircraft Layout and Detail Design, Newton H. Anderson, 1941
- Airplane Design Manual, Frederick K. Teichman, 1942
- We Came in Peace: The Story of Man in Space, LeRoi Smith, 1969
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineers
Aerospace planes
F-100 (Jet fighter plane)
B-70 bomber
Technological innovations
Automobiles -- Tires
High schools -- Lawndale (Calif.) -- Leuzinger High School
University of California, Los Angeles -- Alumni and alumnae
University of California, Berkeley -- Alumni and alumnae
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Hawthorne (Calif.)
Weiskopf, Charles H.
Weiskopf Johns, Margaret
Johns, Harold V.
Western Precipitation Corporation
North American Aviation
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Skylab Program
Apollo 12 (Spacecraft)
Apollo Soyuz Test Project
Ohio Mechanics' Institute
Columbia (Spacecraft)