Justin George Turner Papers: Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Staff, 1979 and updated by Brooke M. Black,
November 19, 2012.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical
Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2012
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Justin George Turner Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1953-1969
Collection Number: mssTurner, Justin papers
Creator:
Turner, Justin G.
Extent: 928 pieces. 2 boxes.
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This small collection of Lincolniana collector Justin George Turner (1898-1976) chiefly relates to the Civil War Centennial
Commission
and all of its related activities especially in California.
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Justin George Turner Papers, The Huntington Library,
San Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Justin George Turner, December 1969 and July 1974.
Biographical Note
Justin George Turner (1898-1976), attorney, investment executive, historian, author,
and collector of Lincolniana. Turner moved to Los Angeles from Chicago in 1943. He
was involved in many educational and historical institutions and associations. In
1961-1965, he was president of the California Civil War Centennial Commission. He
was also president emeritus of the University of Judaism. He co-authored a book
entitled
Mary Todd Lincoln: Her life and letters.
Scope and Content
This small collection chiefly relates to the Civil War Centennial Commission and all
of its related activities especially in California. There are also pieces related to
the Civil War Round Table, a national organization; the California Heritage
Preservation Association; the Confederate Research Club; and the Pen Club, an
organization headed by Allan Nevins and which celebrated both George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln with annual luncheons attended by prominent historians such as
Nevins and Ray Billington.
There are seven letters from Edmund Gerald Brown, former
governor of California, addressed to Justin Turner and other letters from
historians. All are related to the Civil War Centennial. There are 624 letters of
which 339 of these letters are written by Turner. In addition to this there is a
group of form letters, printed announcements, memos, and drafts that number 217
pieces. There are 23 copies of speeches and memos and 56 pieces of ephemera. There
are nine items regarding the Washington/Lincoln luncheons. There are several items
that pertain to the history of Jewish people in the United States and the American
Jewish Historical Society.
Prominent participants include: Ronald Reagan, Robert F.
Kennedy, Gage Merrell, Bruce Catton, and Moshe Davis. The subjects include: George
Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, the Civil War, American history, the
Huntington Library and the American Jewish Historical Society.
The great majority of
letters are carbon copies. There is a photograph of Merrell Gage, sculpture famous
for his "Face of Lincoln," and a photograph of William L. Shaw, a chairman of the
Civil War Centennial Commission of California.
Arrangement
The papers are organized in the following manner: Organized in the following manner: 1. Letters and other papers written by
Justin G. Turner (Box 1), and 2. Letters by authors other than Turner, photographs, and ephemera. (Box 2). The Turner letters
are arranged alphabetically by addressee; the letters by other are alphabetically by author.
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Lincoln, Abraham,
1809-1865.
Lincoln, Mary Todd,
1818-1882.
Turner, Justin G. --
Archives.
Washington, George,
1732-1799.
American Jewish
Historical Society.
California Civil War
Centennial Commission -- Archives.
California Heritage
Preservation Association.
Civil War Round Table
(Chicago, Ill.)
Confederate Research
Club.
Henry E. Huntington
Library and Art Gallery.
United States. Civil
War Centennial Commission.
Historians -- California -- Los Angeles
-- Archives.
Jews -- United States --
History.
United States --
History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Centennial celebrations, etc.
United States --
History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Societies, etc.
Forms/Genres
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States -- 20th century.
Professional papers -- California --
Los Angeles -- 20th century.
Additional Contributors
Billington, Ray Allen, 1903-1981.
Brown, Edmund G. (Edmund Gerald),
1905-1996.
Catton, Bruce, 1899-1978, recipient.
Davis, Moshe.
Gage, Merrell, 1892-1981.
Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968,
recipient.
Nevins, Allan, 1890-1971, recipient.
Reagan, Ronald, recipient.
California Civil War Centennial
Commission.
Box 1
Turner Letters and Addresses, Washington/Lincoln Luncheons (1954-1968)
Folder 1
Turner, Justin G. Letters to A – D (1954-1968). 88 items.
Folder 2
Turner, Justin G. Letters to F – H (1953-1968). 92 items.
Folder 3
Turner, Justin G. Letters to J – R (1956-1968). 80 items.
Folder 4
Turner, Justin G. Letters to S – Z (1956-1968). 81 items.
Folder 5
Turner, Justin G. Memorandum re: Laminating Machine (1959-1964). 2 items.
Folder 6
Turner, Justin G. Miscellaneous Addresses (1962-1965). 8 items.
Folder 7
Turner, Justin G. Miscellaneous Memos (1968). 13 items.
Folder 8
Turner, Justin G. Miscellaneous Items re: Washington/Lincoln Luncheons (1964-1967). 9 items.
Box 2
Letters to Turner, Civil War Centennial Material (1953-1969)
Folder 1
A – D. Letters to Justin G. Turner (1953-1969). 59 items.
Folder 2
E – H. Letters to Justin G. Turner (1953-1965). 60 items.
Folder 3
I – M. Letters to Justin G. Turner (1953-1963). 49 items.
Folder 4
N – S. Letters to Justin G. Turner (1956-1967). 71 items.
Folder 5
T – Z. Letters to Justin G. Turner (1953-1969). 9 items.
Folder 6
Letters to and from various persons (1956-1964). 37 items.
Folder 7
California Civil War Centennial Commission (1962-1963). 10 items.
Folder 8
California Heritage Preservation Committee (1965). 12 items.
Folder 9
Civil War Centennial Commission (1959). 2 items.
Folder 10
Civil War Centennial Commission Letters (1960-1963). 24 items.
Folder 11
Civil War Round Table Association: Quizzes (1959). 10 items.
Folder 12
Civil War Round Table Association: Ephemera (1956-1968). 59 items.
Folder 13
Civil War Round Table Association: Newspaper Clippings and Other Printed Material (1956-1969). 31 items.
Folder 14
Civil War Round Table Association: Northern California Chapter Printed Material (1961, Apr. 25). 1 item.
Folder 15
Confederate Research Club: Printed Material (1957-1960). 17 items.
Folder 16
“City and Community” by Moshe Davis (1969, October). 1 item.
Folder 17
Historical Society of Southern California (1961, Dec.). 1 item.
Folder 18
Jewish Civil War (1968). 2 items.
Folder 19
Lincoln Memorabilia (1969). 3 items.
Folder 20
Miscellaneous Memos and Drafts (1953-1962). 12 items.
Folder 21
Newspaper Clippings (1952-1956). 5 items.
Folder 22
Photographs (1957). 2 items. Also: Two notes.
Folder 23
Printed Notices, etc. (1952-1961). 25 items.
Folder 24
Ephemera and Printed Material (1953-1967). 55 items.
