Jump to Content

> Home > Huntington Library > Manuscript Collections
Collection Guide
∞ https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8xd16d8/
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Don B. Skinner Papers: Finding Aid
mssSkinner papers  
No online items No online items       Request items ↗
Collection location Contact Huntington Library::Manuscript Collections
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Entire Collection Guide
Online Items
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Overview of the Collection
  • Access
  • Administrative Information
  • Biographical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement
  • Indexing Terms
  • Indexing: Subjects

    • Overview of the Collection

    Title: Don B. Skinner Papers
    Dates (inclusive): 1933-1969
    Collection Number: mssSkinner papers
    Creator: Skinner, Don B.
    Extent: 96 pieces in 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 collection primarily consists of letters to Don B. Skinner (1899-1975) and his wife, Murray Skinner (1889-1976), from other botanists in California and Washington, D.C., predominantly reflecting their interest in cacti and succulents.
    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]. Don B. Skinner Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Provenance

    Gift of Estate of Don B. Skinner, May 12, 1977.

    Biographical Note

    Don B. Skinner (1899-1975) was the recreational director for Los Angeles from 1933-1939. He entered the Los Angeles City School District as a gardener in 1939 and then was transferred to the Secondary Agriculture Department in 1947. Don, along with his wife Murray (1889-1976), were founding members of The Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society. Murray was also on the editorial staff of Desert the official publication of the American Succulent Societies. An avid botanizer, Don spent a year at the University of California, Berkeley working with H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield (born 1887) on his botany research and was active in the research and classification of cacti and succulents from all over the world.

    Scope and Content

    This collection primarily consists of letters to Don B. and Murray Skinner from other botanists in California and Washington, D.C. The Skinner’s were predominantly interested in cacti and succulents and this is reflected in the letters to them, which cover such subjects as botany nomenclature, dudleya, and echeveria. As a result of their expertise in succulents and their involvement in various societies, the Skinner’s received correspondence from various botanists of note such as J. R. Brown, H. M. Butterfield, Thomas Harper Goodpseed (1887-), Reid Moran, and B. Y. (Benjamin Yoe) Morrison (1891-1966).
    Note: B. Y. Morrison letters can be found in Box 2, Folders 27-30, 32, and 35, where the author is listed as United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction.

    Arrangement

    This collection is arranged in two boxes alphabetically by author.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

    Subjects

    Skinner, Don B. -- Archives.
    Botanists -- California.
    Botanizers -- California.
    Plants -- Nomenclature.
    Cactus -- Research -- United States.
    Dudleya.
    Echeveria.
    Succulent plants -- Research -- United States.
    California -- Intellectual life -- 20th century -- Sources.

    Forms/Genres

    Letters (correspondence) -- California.

    Additional Contributors

    Brown, J. R.
    Butterfield, H. M. (Harry Morton), b. 1887.
    Goodspeed, T. H. (Thomas Harper), 1887-1966.
    Moran, Reid.
    Morrison, B. Y. (Benjamin Yoe), 1891-1966.

    Indexing: Subjects

    Botanists – California – Correspondence
    • 1953, Sept. 23. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 29.
    • 1960, Aug. 7. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 31.
    • 1960, Oct. 19. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 32.
    • 1938, Aug. 8. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 37.
    • 1933, Apr. 19. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 2.
    • 1933, May 15. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 4.
    • 1933, June 19. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 5.
    • 1933, July 5. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 6.
    • 1935, Mar. 2. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 9.
    • 1958, Oct. 27. Reid Moran, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 12.
    • 1960, May 30. Reid Moran, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 15.
    • 1962, July 18. Reid Moran, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 18.
    • 1935, Apr. 1. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 27.
    • 1938, Nov. 21. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 31.
    • 1938, Nov. 22. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 32.
    • 1935, June 22. Eric Walther, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 39.
    • 1958, July 14. Eric Walther, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 43.
    • 1935, Mar. 25. Eric Walther, letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 44.
    • 1940, Oct. 28. Jack Whitehead, letter to Don b. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 46.
    Botany – Nomenclature
    • 1962, Nov. 12. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 1, Folder 26.
    • 1965, July 8. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 1, Folder 28.
    • 1960, Oct. 19. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 32.
    • 1938, Aug. 8. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 37.
    • 1933, Apr. 19. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 2.
    • 1933, May 15. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 4.
    • 1933, June 19. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 5.
    • 1935, Mar. 2. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 9.
    • 1960, May 30. Reid Moran, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 15.
    • 1935, Apr. 1. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 27.
    • 1938, Nov. 21. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 31.
    • 1938, Nov. 22. United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction., letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 32.
    • 1935, Mar. 25. Eric Walther, letter to Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 44.
    Dudleya
    • 1933, June 19. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 5.
    • 1933, July 5. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 2, Folder 6.
    • 1935, Mar. 2. Donald A. Johansen, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 2, Folder 9.
    Echeveria
    • 1965, July 8. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. Skinner. Box 1, Folder 28.
    • 1953, Sept. 23. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 29.
    • 1960, Aug. 7. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 31.
    • 1960, Oct. 19. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Don B. and Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 32.
    • 1938, Aug. 8. H. M. (Harry Morton) Butterfield, b. 1887, letter to Murray Skinner. Box 1, Folder 37.
    Collection Contents
    Correspondence
    Home | Contributing Institutions | Collection Guides | Browse Map | About OAC | FAQs | Contact Us | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Accessibility
    The Online Archive of California is a service of the UC Libraries, powered by the California Digital Library.