Description
This collection forms part of the John
Haskell Kemble maritime collection compiled by American maritime historian John Haskell
Kemble (1912-1990). The collection contains prints, ephemera, maps, charts, calendars,
objects, and photographs related to maritime and land-based travel, often from Kemble's own
travels.
Background
John Haskell Kemble (1912-1990), Jack to his family and friends, was born June 17, 1912, in
Marshalltown, Iowa. He was the only child of Ira Oscar Kemble and Caroline Haskell Kemble.
His father owned and operated several greenhouses which grew flowers for the florist trade.
In the late teens, Jack's father sold most of his greenhouses and in 1921, the family moved
to California. The Kemble family first lived in Eagle Rock, then Pasadena. Jack graduated
from Pasadena High School in 1930, and went to Pasadena Junior College in 1931, before
transferring to Stanford, where he earned his B.A. in 1933. He then crossed the Bay and
studied under Prof. Herbert Eugene Bolton at the University of California, Berkeley, earning
his M.A. in 1934, and his Ph.D. in 1937. Through the contacts made by Bolton and Henry
Wagner, Kemble joined the Pomona College faculty in 1936 as a Professor of History. He
retired from Pomona 41 years later, in 1977. During World War II Kemble served in the U.S.
Navy, from 1942-1946, in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations and on the Staff of
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas. In October 1945 he received
a Commendation Ribbon from Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz during a ceremony at Pearl
Harbor. Kemble rose from Ensign to Lieutenant Commander during the war, remained active in
the US Naval Reserve after the war, and retired as Commander, USNR, in 1960.
Extent
284 Linear Feet
(170 boxes, 13 albums, 36 flat-file drawers, 7 oversized
folders, 16 objects)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.