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Finding Aid to the James Rolph, Jr. Papers
MS 1818
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Collection Title: James Rolph, Jr. papers
Dates: 1904-1934,
Date (bulk): bulk 1911-1930
Collection Number: MS 1818
Creator:
Rolph, James, 1869-1934
Repository:
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA, 94105
415-357-1848
reference@calhist.org
Physical Description:
Extent: 97 boxes, 4 oversize boxes, 34 volumes
(circa 69.0 linear feet)
Abstract: The papers of James Rolph, Jr. include material
from his five consecutive terms as San Francisco mayor from 1912-1931. Issues and
events affecting the city that are reflected in the papers include: the Panama
Pacific International Exposition (PPIE); World War I; the 1918 influenza epidemic;
and business and labor relations. Also well represented are the citywide efforts,
headed by Rolph, to rebuild the city's infrastructure following the 1906 earthquake
and fire, including the establishment of municipal railway and water systems;
construction projects including City Hall and the Civic Center; and regional
transportation, including streets, highways, transbay crossings and the airport. The
bulk of the collection consists of routine mayoral correspondence, including
requests for letters of reference, permits, licenses, appointments, and employment
as well as correspondence with city departments, state and federal agencies.
Included are eight mayoral appointment books, a record book of election workers, and
scrapbooks of clippings. Also contains campaign material from his mayoral elections
and scrapbooks from Rolph's term as governor; minutes and financial records
(1914-1927) from his companies, James Rolph and Company and Rolph Navigation and
Coal Company; and family correspondence.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.
CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates:
https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection
materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Library and
Archives, North Baker Research Library, California Historical Society, 678
Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Consent is given on behalf of the
California Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not
intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such
permission must be obtained from the copyright owner.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use
of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
[Identification of item], James Rolph, Jr. Papers, MS 1818, California Historical
Society.
Alternative Forms of Material Available
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Additional Notes on Collection
Some materials may be moldy. Researchers should use caution when handling these
materials.
James Rolph, Jr. Papers, MS 1380
Photograph album containing photographs of San Francisco City Hall and Civic
Center, circa 1913-1916, has been transferred to the Photography Collection,
shelved as PC-PA 036.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Rolph, James, 1869-1934--Archives
San Francisco (Calif.). Mayor (1912-1931 :
Rolph)
Water-supply--California--San Francisco
Water-supply--California--Hetch Hetchy Valley
Public works--California--San Francisco
Street-railroads--California--San Francisco
World War, 1914-1918--California--San Francisco
Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919--California--San
Francisco
Labor disputes--California--San Francisco
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Calif.)
San Francisco
(Calif.)--History--Sources
American Red Cross. San Francisco
Chapter
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 :
San Francisco, Calif.)
Scrapbooks
Addresses
There is no verifiable custodial history for the papers of James Rolph. They are
believed to have been recovered from a bin outside City Hall circa 1950 and
transferred to the California Historical Society.
Fourteen scrapbooks were given to the CHS by the Bancroft Library in 1973.
Six gubernatorial scrapbooks and one unprocessed carton, donated to the Bancroft
Library on November 29, 1966 by Rolph's son, James, were added to the collection
in 1989.
No additions are expected.
Processed by Laurie Skophammer in 2008.
James Rolph, Jr., known as "Sunny Jim", served as mayor of San Francisco from 1912 to
1931, resigning only to become governor of California for one term before his death
in 1934. Born on August 23, 1869, in a home on Minna Street "South of the Slot,"
Rolph was the oldest of seven children. His father was from London and his mother
from Edinburgh; they met on board ship coming to America and married when they
reached San Francisco. Rolph attended public primary schools in San Francisco and
graduated from Trinity School in 1888. The family lived near the intersection of
21st and Guerrero Streets in the Mission district during this time; an older
neighbor, Matt I. Sullivan, befriended the young man and became his life-long
advisor. Rolph started working while a still a student, selling newspapers and
performing various odd jobs. After graduation he was employed by De Witt, Kittle
& Co. for 12 years, where he learned the shipping business. Rolph's mother died
when he was 20, and he helped raise his brothers and sisters (William, George,
Ronald, Mildred, Elizabeth Jane, and Thomas) prior to marrying Miss Annie Marshall
Reid, the daughter of a Mission district businessman, on June 26, 1900. Daughter
Annette was born in 1901, followed by a son, James, in 1904, and daughter Georgina
in 1905. Their home at 25th and San Jose served as the family headquarters until
Rolph's death, although he also famously spent many nights in his office at City
Hall.
In 1900, Rolph formed a shipping company, Hind & Rolph, with a former classmate
from Trinity, George Hind, also a life-long friend, and in 1903 helped found the
Mission Bank. His other, subsequent companies included Rolph Shipbuilding Company
and Rolph Navigation and Coal. He served as president of the Shipowners Association
of the Pacific Coast for three terms, president of the Merchant's Exchange for three
years, and a trustee of the Chamber of Commerce. Following the 1906 earthquake and
fire, Rolph was instrumental in establishing the Mission Relief Agency of the Red
Cross. His barn at 25th and Guerrero Streets became the headquarters for
distributing food and supplies unloaded at the Southern Pacific station on nearby
Valencia Street. He used his personal funds to feed thousands of displaced citizens
there for a number of months.
Rolph was first urged to run for mayor in 1909 but declined. In 1911, he was
persuaded to enter the race by Matt I. Sullivan and Gavin McNab, head of the
Democratic Party in San Francisco. An advocate of the union shop, which he employed
in his own businesses, Rolph drew a great deal of support away from incumbent P.H.
McCarthy, the Union Labor party candidate. In the September 26 primary Rolph
received 47,417 votes to McCarthy's 27,048. Campaigning on a platform of clean
government in the aftermath of the graft trials in San Francisco, his personal and
professional reputation already well established throughout the community, Rolph
promised not only an honest administration but to be "mayor of all the people." He
took office at the age of 42 on January 8, 1912, for the first of his five
terms.
Rolph's initial years as mayor were a whirlwind of activity, culminating in the
astonishing Panama Pacific International Exposition in 1915. The fair brought
world-wide attention to the rebirth of the city, which had been virtually destroyed
less than 10 years earlier. Rolph's first re-election campaign occurred during the
midst of the fair, and there was never any doubt that he would prevail over his
major opponent, former mayor Eugene Schmitz. Although his second term was equally
eventful, Rolph was also diligently pursuing his private interests. With the
impending involvement of the U.S. in World War I, Rolph focused on shipbuilding.
Already a millionaire prior to becoming mayor, his wealth significantly increased as
he provided ships and tugs for ocean towing. These were built both in San Francisco
and in Oakland at the Moore & Scott yards owned by Rolph's sister Mildred's
husband, Joseph P. Moore. He formed the Rolph
Shipbuilding Company, and in 1917 bought the Bendixsen shipyards in
Humboldt, California.
In February 1918 he went to Washington, D.C. to meet with the US Shipping Board for
the necessary approval to build wooden ships for the French government. That year
Rolph also announced his candidacy for governor of California, seeking the
nomination of both the Republican and Democratic parties, which was permitted at
that time. Rolph won the Democratic nomination but not the Republican, and
ultimately his candidacy was challenged since by law he could not be the candidate
of another party unless he had also won the nomination of his own. At the same time,
the U.S. Shipping Board retracted their authorization to build ships for the French
government and would not permit him to sell the ships to any other countries, for
diplomatic reasons. Rolph returned to Washington to protest this decision, which he
viewed as politically motivated, but his appeal was unsuccessful. When World War I
ended in November 1918, Rolph was left with no opportunity to recoup the significant
investments he had made in this venture, and he was faced with growing debt. Despite
his personal difficulties, Rolph went to New York to welcome the troops home,
followed by a big parade in San Francisco in the spring of 1919, and was quite
involved with efforts to find employment and housing for the returning San
Franciscans. In the fall of that year, Rolph again faced Eugene Schmitz in his
re-election and won.
During the 1920s, Rolph became less involved in city affairs, and focused on his
ceremonial role. With his charisma and dapper appearance, including a boutonniere
and his handmade boots, as well as his exceptional memory and genuine affection for
people, Rolph was the consummate host throughout his years in office. Requiring
little sleep, he maintained a punishing schedule of public appearancescutting
ribbons, laying cornerstones, and inaugurating streetcar lines, often garbed in the
appropriate costumes. He belonged to a multitude of organizations, among them the
Masons, Elks, Odd Fellows, and Improved Order of Redmen. He was a member of the
exclusive Pacific Union and Bohemian Clubs, as well as the Olympic, Commonwealth and
Press Clubs. He also joined the NAACP in the 1920s and was an honorary member of
several labor unions, and was a lifelong Republican.
Rolph was known for his personal generosity, approachability and friendliness,
offering rides to people on his way to City Hall and sharing lunch with the workers
on the docks. He attended the Church of St. John the Evangelist
at 15th Street and Julian, although he also supported many other religious groups as
well. For relaxation, he spent vacations and any free time at his ranch off Skyline
Boulevard down the peninsula, where he enjoyed swimming, riding horses and hunting
deer, as well as entertaining. During the 1920s, his health began to suffer from the
effects of his rich diet and perpetual activity, although the full effects were not
apparent until he became governor following a campaign where he visited all of the
58 counties in California personally.
Rolph's success as mayor of San Francisco did not carry over when he moved to the
Capitol and was confronted with the enormous challenges that accompanied the
Depression years. His personal popularity suffered when he refused to pardon Tom
Mooney in 1931, and the final blow was his infamous approval of the 1933 mob
lynching of the two men held responsible for the kidnap and murder of the son of a
well-known San Jose businessman. At the beginning of 1934 Rolph suffered a stroke as
he began his campaign for the next term; he was kept at Saint Francis Hospital in
San Francisco for a month, but did not recover and soon afterward announced that he
would not continue his campaign. He went to recuperate at the Riverside Ranch in
Santa Clara, owned by his friend, Walter Linforth, and died there on June 2, 1934.
The people of San Francisco turned out in the rain by the thousands to pay tribute
to Mayor Rolph in City Hall for the last time. He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial
Park in Colma.
Flamm, Jerry.
Hometown San
Francisco: Sunny Jim, Phat Willie, and Dave
.
Issel, William and Cherny, Robert.
San Francisco 1865-1932: Politics, Power and Urban
Development
.
Worthen, James.
Governor James Rolph
and the Great Depression in California
.
Biography/Organization History
Scope and Contents of Collection
The papers of James Rolph, Jr. include material from his five consecutive terms as
San Francisco mayor from 1912-1931. Issues and events affecting the city that are
reflected in the papers include: the Panama Pacific International
Exposition(PPIE); World War I; the 1918 influenza epidemic; and
business and labor relations. Also well represented are the citywide efforts, headed
by Rolph, to rebuild the city's infrastructure following the 1906 earthquake and
fire, including the establishment of municipal railway and water systems;
construction projects including City Hall and the Civic Center; and regional
transportation, including streets, highways, transbay crossings and the airport. The
bulk of the collection consists of routine mayoral correspondence, including
requests for letters of reference, permits, licenses, appointments, and employment
as well as correspondence with city departments, state and federal agencies.
Included are eight mayoral appointment books, a record book of election workers, and
scrapbooks of clippings. Also contains campaign material from his mayoral elections
and scrapbooks from Rolph's term as governor; minutes and financial records
(1914-1927) from his companies, James Rolph and Company and
Rolph Navigation and Coal Company; and family
correspondence.
Mayor Rolph's papers, the product of his unprecedented 22 years in office, encompass
the enormous changes in the city of San Francisco during two extremely eventful
decades. The collection documents the many tangible accomplishments of his
administration, and reflects the processes through which they were achieved,
including committee work to promote bond measures and contributions of the business
community and labor organizations. His papers not only illuminate the alliances
between elected and/or appointed officials and the many active civic and business
organizations in San Francisco, they also provide a window into the everyday lives
of city residents along with the public service of its more prominent citizens.
The Mayor's Office files (Series 1) contain incoming and outgoing correspondence
handled by the Mayor's Office secretarial staff, including his long-time secretary
and assistant, Edward Rainey. Correspondents include:
individuals, writing on a wide variety of topics, often requesting help with jobs,
introductions, and all manner of personal problems; civic and neighborhood
improvement groups communicating their opinions and platforms; mayors of other
cities as well as representatives of state and national organizations on a range of
issues; and leaders of nations around the world, largely the result of the PPIE.
Also included in Series 1 are Rolph's numerous proclamations and statements for the
press; scrapbooks documenting his years in office; invitations; appointment books;
notes and organizational material on events the city hosted in honor of various
holidays or visiting dignitaries; requests for permits for a wide range of
activities; general materials related to running the mayor's office; and
miscellaneous file material, record books and correspondence inherited from Rolph's
predecessor, P. H. McCarthy.
The City Agency Files (Series 2) consist of correspondence, reports, memos and other
documents generated in the course of the Mayor's interaction with the various city
departments. Correspondence from city residents or local organizations regarding
specific topics, complaints, and concerns were forwarded to the appropriate agency,
and can be found here. In general, these files contain information about personnel
and agency management, including departmental reports, staffing issues and
vacancies, and the implementation of civil service guidelines, which became more
uniform during Rolph's administration.
Civic Projects and Issues (Series 3) contains material related to projects and
recurring issues that were not the exclusive domain of any particular city agency.
These include the Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE), the city's water
supply, including the Hetch Hetchy project and the Spring Valley Water Company
purchase, labor strikes and efforts to solve the problem of unemployment, city-wide
relief efforts in response to disasters in other parts of the country and the world,
as well as the work of local agencies concerned with the welfare of city residents.
Records relating to the Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE), for which
Rolph served on the Board of Directors, include correspondence throughout the
planning stages, as well as general requests for information about the fair and its
events, and material related to its closure and the disposition of pavilions.
Political Papers (Series 4) contains material related to state, local and national
politics as well as Rolph's own re-election campaigns. It also includes
correspondence regarding the Democratic convention held in San Francisco in 1920,
and a portfolio containing ephemera from Rolph's term as governor.
Business and Personal Papers (Series 5) contains correspondence regarding Rolph's
various business enterprises, documenting his mounting financial difficulties
following World War I. His personal papers include correspondence from family and
friends as well as material related to interests such as dog breeding and management
of his ranch in San Mateo County.
These materials, lacking original order, were reordered chronologically sometime in
the 1970s. A subsequent attempt to arrange the files was begun in the 1980s but
abandoned. The material has now been organized using the file code designations of
Rolph's office staff, the key to which was supplied by the available correspondence
logs, and arranged on the same principles.
The papers of James Rolph, Jr. are organized into five series: Series 1: Mayor's
Office; Series 2: City Agency Files; Series 3: Civic Projects and Issues; Series 4:
Political Papers; Series 5: Business and Personal Papers.
Series 1, Mayor's Office, is divided into four subseries: Correspondence; Speeches
and Publicity; Financial; and Office Files. Correspondence is further divided into
nine sub-subseries: General Correspondence; Correspondence with Civic Organizations;
Ceremonial Correspondence; Correspondence Regarding Permits; "Bug File"; State of
California Correspondence; National and Federal Correspondence; Correspondence with
International Consuls; and Correspondence of P.H. McCarthy. Speeches and Publicity
is further divided four sub-subseries: Speeches, Proclamations, and Statements for
Press; Correspondence with Press; Clippings; and Scrapbooks. Office Files are
further divided into four sub-subseries: Administrative Records and Correspondence;
Appointment Books; Invitations; and Public Events.
Series 2, City Agency Files, is divided into 20 subseries, based on the governmental
structure of the City and County of San Francisco throughout Rolph's terms in
office. These are: Board of Censorship; Board of Education; Board of Fire
Commissioners; Board of Police Commissioners; Board of Supervisors; Bureau of
Efficiency; Bureau of Public Works; City and County Offices; City Planning
Commission; Civil Service Commission; Department of Elections/Registrar; Department
of Electricity; Department of Public Health; Judicial; Park Commissioners;
Playground Commission; Public Library Trustees; Public Pound/SPCA; Sealer of Weights
and Measures; and Miscellaneous Agencies. Bureau of Public Works is further divided
into three sub-subseries: General Files; Bureau of Architecture; Municipal
Railway.
Series 3, Civic Projects and Issues, is divided into seven subseries: Panama Pacific
International Exposition (PPIE); City Services; Transportation and Communication;
Charter Amendments and Consolidation; Relief Efforts; Water; Labor and Unemployment.
Relief Efforts is further divided into two sub-subseries: Relief Committees,
Including Red Cross and Associated Charities.
Series 4, Political Papers, is divided into three subseries: Mayoral Campaign
Materials; Gubernatorial Papers and Scrapbooks; Miscellaneous Political Papers.
Series 5, Business and Personal Papers, is divided into two subseries: Business
Papers and Personal Papers.