Guide to the Webster Wilkinson Immigration Legal Archive M1973
Alyssa Tou
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
2018
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive
creator:
Wilkinson, Webster H.
Identifier/Call Number: M1973
Physical Description:
18 Linear Feet
(36 boxes)
Date (inclusive): circa 1920s-1930s
Abstract: The papers of Webster Wilkinson chronicle his years as an immigration attorney specializing in Chinese immigration and emigration
from 1919 to 1941.
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Webster Wilkinson immigration legal archive (M1973). Department of Special Collections and University
Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase; 2013. Accession MSS 2013-123.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Chinese -- California.
Chinese Americans -- California.
Immigration -- United States
Emigration and immigration law -- United States
United States -- Emigration and immigration.
Wilkinson, Webster H.
Series 1: Chinese immigration files by surname
Box 1, Folder 1-46, Box 16, Folder 1
Box 2, Folder 1-19, Box 5, Folder 21-36
Chang, Chong, Cheong, Cheung, Chung
Box 2, Folder 28-38, Box 3, Folder 1-21
Box 3, Folder 22-35, Box 4, Folder 1-43, Box 5, Folder 1-11
Box 5, Folder 37-39, Box 6, Folder 18-19
Box 5, Folder 40-45, Box 6, Folder 1-10
Box 6, Folder 22-26, 28-40
Box 6, Folder 41-42, Box 7, Folder 13-16
Box 6, Folder 43-48, Box 7, Folder 1-12
Box 8, Folder 1-63, box 9, folder 1-14, Box 16, Folder 2
Box 9, Folder 25-53, Box 10, Folder 1-47, Box 13, Folder 49-50, Box 14, Folder 5961
box 11, folder 45, Box 15, Folder 46
Box 12, Folder 36-53, Box 13, Folder 1-6, 9-10, 12-36
Huey, Hoey, Hui, Huie, Huei, Hue
box 13, folder 51-55, Box 14, Folder 1-18
Box 14, Folder 19-60, Box 15, Folder 9-10
Box 16, Folder 11-17, Box 19, Folder 1-3, Box 25, Folder 10
Box 16, Folder 26-36, Box 17-18, Box 23, Folder 5
Box 19, Folder 4-16, Box 25, Folder 9
Box 19, Folder 17-44, Box 20, Folder 1-39
Box 20, Folder 40-53, Box 21, Folder 1-34
Box 21, Folder 35-55, Box 22, Folder 1-59
box 23, folder 10-15, 47, 49
box 23, folder 16-46, 50-57, 59-60, Box 24, Folder 1-22
Louie, Luei, Luey, Loui, Loi, Lui
box 24, folder 46-63, Box 25, Folder 1-8, 11-14
box 25, folder 37-52, Box 26, Folder 1-12, 23
Box 15, Folder 42, Box 27, Folder 1-41, Box 28, Folder 1-49
Quan, Quon, Kwan, Kwon, Quen, Gwan
box 29, folder 37-51, Box 30, Folder 1-64, Box 31, Folder 1-60, Box 32, Folder 1-2
Box 32, Folder 4-18, 25-31
Box 32, Folder 19-24, 32-54
Box 33, Folder 1-53, Box 34, Folder 1-57
Series 2: Non-Chinese individuals and other files relating to immigration
Box 36, Folder 19
Partnership lists of companies in San Francisco, CA
Box 36, Folder 20
Incomplete, unattributed, and other papers relating to immigration
Box 36, Folder 22
Papers of the Immigration Bar Association of San Francisco
1924-1930
