Don B. Skinner Papers: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Mitchell W. K. Toda, June 6, 2003.
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
© 2003
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


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.

 

Correspondence

Box 1

B-G

Folder  1

Brown, J. R. To Don B. Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1953, Nov. 20

Folder  2

Brown, J. R. To Don B. Skinner. [Pasadena, Calif.]. 1955, July 3

Folder  3

Brown, J. R. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1953, Nov. 2

Folder  4

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1933, Aug. 3

Folder  5

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena. Calif. 1933, Aug. 12

Folder  6

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1933, Aug. 17

Folder  7

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1933, Aug. 22

Folder  8

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1933, Sept. 20

Folder  9

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1933, Dec. 13

Folder  10

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1934, Mar. 16

Folder  11

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1934, June 21

Folder  12

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1934, Oct. 16

Folder  13

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1934, Nov. 13

Folder  14

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1935, Feb. 25

Folder  15

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1935, Mar. 26

Folder  16

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1935, June 3

Folder  17

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1935, July 25

Folder  18

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1935, Aug. 11

Folder  19

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1936, Apr. 6

Folder  20

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1936, Mar. 20

Folder  21

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1936, May 31

Folder  22

Brown, J. R. To Murray Skinner. Pasadena, Calif. 1936, July 12

Folder  23

Burchard, Dr. O. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. La Orotava, Canary Islands. 1937, Nov. 18

Folder  24

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1955, Aug. 17

Folder  25

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1956, Aug. 15

Folder  26

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1962, Nov. 12

Folder  27

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1964, Oct. 19

Folder  28

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1965, July 8

Folder  29

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1953, Sept. 23

Folder  30

Butterfield, H. M. To [Don B. and Murray Skinner]. Berkeley, Calif. 1957, Feb. 21

Folder  31

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1960, Aug.7

Folder  32

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1960, Oct. 19

Folder  33

Butterfield, H. M. To [Don B. and Murray Skinner]. Berkeley, Calif. 1960, Nov. 12

Folder  34

Butterfield, H. M. To Don. B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1962, Jan. 9

Folder  35

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1962, Nov. 26

Folder  36

Butterfield, H. M. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1969, Jan. 13

Folder  37

Butterfield, H. M. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1938, Aug. 8

Folder  38

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Jan. 31

Folder  39

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Feb. 9

Folder  40

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Mar. 7

Folder  41

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Mar. 17

Folder  42

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Apr. 10

Folder  43

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1933, Dec. 6

Folder  44

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1936, Apr. 8

Folder  45

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1935, July 15

Folder  46

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1934, May 7

Folder  47

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1934, Nov. 5

Folder  48

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1936, May 27

Folder  49

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1936, Sept. 1

Folder  50

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper. To Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1936, Oct. 19

Box 2

J-W

Folder  1

Jacobsen, H. To Murray Skinner. Kiel, Germany 1938, Feb. 24

Folder  2

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, Apr. 19

Folder  3

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, Mar. 25

Folder  4

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, May 15

Folder  5

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, June 19

Folder  6

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, July 5

Folder  7

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1933, July 7

Folder  8

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1935, Jan. 21

Folder  9

Johansen, Donald A. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1935, Mar. 2

Folder  10

Johansen, Donald A. To Murray Skinner. Stanford, Calif. 1935, Mar. 12

Folder  11

Moran, Reid. To Don B. Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1960, Feb. 20

Folder  12

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1958, Oct. 27

Folder  13

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1960, Feb. 9

Folder  14

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1960, Apr. 13

Folder  15

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1960, May 30

Folder  16

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1962, June 13

Folder  17

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1962, July 4

Folder  18

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1962, July 18

Folder  19

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1962, Aug. 17

Folder  20

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1963, Jan. 16

Folder  21

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1963, Mar. 26

Folder  22

Moran, Reid. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Diego, Calif. 1963, Aug. 15

Folder  23

Poellnitz, Karl von. To [Don B. Skinner]. 1937, July 23

Folder  24

[Skinner, Don B.]. To [Reid Moran]. [Los Angeles, Calif.]. 1960, Oct.

Folder  25

[Skinner, Don B. and Murray]. To Reid Moran. Los Angeles, Calif. 1960, Feb. 29

Folder  26

Skinner, Don B. and Murray. To Reid Moran. Los Angeles, Calif. 1960, Mar. 14

Folder  27

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Don B. Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1935, Apr. 1

Folder  28

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1937, Aug. 19

Folder  29

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1937, Oct. 5

Folder  30

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1937, Dec. 8

Folder  31

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1938, Nov. 21

Folder  32

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1938, Nov. 22

Folder  33

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1938, Dec. 15

Folder  34

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1939, Jan. 29

Folder  35

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. To Murray Skinner. Washington, D.C. 1939, July 12

Folder  36

Walther, Eric. To Don B. Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1958, Oct. 29

Folder  37

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1935, May 20

Folder  38

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1935, June 18

Folder  39

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1935, June 22

Folder  40

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1937, Aug. 9

Folder  41

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1954, Mar. 4

Folder  42

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1958, Mar. 10

Folder  43

Walther, Eric. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1958, July 14

Folder  44

Walther, Eric. To Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1935, Mar. 25

Folder  45

Walther, Eric. To Murray Skinner. San Francisco, Calif. 1959, Jan. 20

Folder  46

Whitehead, Jack. To Don B. and Murray Skinner. Berkeley, Calif. 1940, Oct. 28