Wilkinson (Webster) immigration legal archive, circa 1920s-1930s

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Summary

Title:
Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive
Dates:
circa 1920s-1930s
Creators:
Wilkinson, Webster H.
Abstract:
The papers of Webster Wilkinson chronicle his years as an immigration attorney specializing in Chinese immigration and emigration from 1919 to 1941.
Extent:
18 Linear Feet (36 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive (M1973). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection covers the years of Wilkinson's law practice from 1919 to 1941, and includes documents, photographs, business cards, case files, and more related to Webster Wilkinson's work as an immigration lawyer, such as Wilkinson's correspondence with clients, partnership lists, research and interview notes, bills to clients, and correspondence from Attorney Roger O'Donnell. The collection primarily contains correspondence between Wilkinson, his clients, supporters of immigrants, fellow lawyers, immigration officials, and others. His relationship with attorney Roger O'Donnell in particular sheds light on both the Immigration service and its policies at the time. In addition to these are handwritten notes from his research into, and interviews with, clients, as well as commentaries on the official testimonies (many including detailed information on everyday life in Chinese villages). The collection also contains bills to clients and completed paperwork that he submitted on their behalf, including partnership lists necessary to prove an applicant's status as a merchant. These are all distributed among the various individual files of the archive, numbering more than 1600 and ordered alphabetically by surname. Though Wilkinson primarily served Chinese clients, the archive also contains cases concerning one Japanese, one German, one Bulgarian, one Portuguese, one Austrian, one Filipino, and 11 Korean travelers and immigrants, as well as two Chinese coming up from Mexico.

Biographical / historical:

Webster Wilkinson (1878-1942) was a San Francisco-based attorney whose practice focused on immigration law primarily relating to Chinese clients. During this time he served as secretary for the short-lived Immigration Bar Association of San Francisco (1924-1930), for which some related papers are included in this archive. Prior to working in the private sphere, he worked for over 15 years in the federal government as an immigration inspector.

Acquisition information:
Purchase; 2013. Accession MSS 2013-123.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Alyssa Tou
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-06-06 07:40:06 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive (M1973). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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