Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Points
Biography
Scope and Content
Descriptive Summary
Title: Title of collection: Stuart (Reginald R.) Papers,
Date (inclusive): Unit date:
1904-1975
Collection number: Call number: Mss6
Creator: Origination: Reginald R. Stuart & Winifred
Bendel Stuart
Extent: Size: 16 linear ft.
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of
Special Collections
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Title of collection: Stuart (Reginald R.)
Papers, Call number: Mss6, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections,
University of the Pacific Library
Access Points
personal name
Stuart, Reginald Ray (1882-1975)
Stuart, Esta Ross
Stuart, Grace Dell Harris (1890-1966)
corporate name
Jedediah Smith Society
Westerners Foundation, Inc.
California History Foundation
Pacific Historian
University of the Pacific (Stockton, Calif.)
Oakland Technical High School (Oakland, Calif.)
San Jose High School (San Jose, Calif.)
Merritt Business School (Oakland, Calif.)
subjects
Educators -California -Correspondence
Educators -California -Diaries
Historians -California -Correspondence
Historians -California -Diaries
Genealogists -California -Correspondence
Genealogists -California -Diaries
Real estate agents -California -Oakland
Santa Clara County (Calif.) -History
Alameda County (Calif.) -History
Education -California -Oakland
Historical libraries -California -Stockton
History -Societies, etc.
Stuart family
McMillen family
Biography
A historian, educator, businessman and collector, Reginald R. Stuart
(1882-1975) enjoyed a long, varied and productive life. Raised on an Iowa farm,
Stuart received business training at Iowa State Teachers College (1900-1904)
and first taught at a commercial school in his home state (1904-1908). During
this time he met and married shorthand teacher, Esta Ross (1906). Following the
lead of other members of his family, Stuart moved west, first becoming head of
the commercial department at Vancouver [Wash.] High School (1908-1910) and, a
short time later, at San Jose [Calif.] High School (1910-1914). Here was born
the Stuart's only child, "Red" (Reginald Ross Stuart, 1910-1946). In pursuit of
a better salary, Stuart left San Jose to become head of Adult Education at
Oakland (Calif.) Technical High School (1914-1929). Stuart also formed an
Oakland real estate company and acquired through this enterprise a considerable
fortune (1922-1929). Mrs. Stuart meanwhile taught shorthand in the Berkeley
school system. During these years Reginald and Esta Stuart purchased several
Oakland houses and commercial buildings as well as a Santa Cruz Mountains ranch
known as the "John Brown Ranch" because the great Abolitionist's widow had
owned the property during the 1860s. This remote acreage caused the busy
Stuarts considerable difficulty, since they were obliged frequently to seek
caretaker tenants for the property and were often disappointed in their
choices. During the 1920s Stuart's interest in California family and local
history also began to develop. In 1929 he became Principal of the Adult
Division at Oakland's Merritt Business School (1929-1932), and shortly
afterward the Stuarts were divorced (1932). That same year Reginald Stuart
moved to Castlemont High School where he remained until retirement. In 1934 he
married another fellow teacher, Grace Dell Harris (1890-1966), and together
they embarked on a life dedicated to "exploration," research, writing, and
collection of local history materials. From 1935 through 1940 Reginald Stuart
published genealogical periodicals dedicated to news and information about
clans Stuart and McMillen. He subsequently published numerous articles on East
Bay history in the Oakland Tribune and the San Leandro Reporter (1942-1952) and
gradually acquired a 10,000 volume library of Western Americana, as well as a
substantial collection of manuscripts. When Reginald and Grace Stuart retired
from teaching (1947) they turned eagerly to writing. Within a decade the
Stuarts had published six books, including: The Burrell Letters (1950); San
Leandro, A History (1951); How Firm a Foundation; a centennial history of the
San Leandro Methodist Church (1953); The Fred Finch Children's Home (1955);
and, Tully Knoles of Pacific (1956). In 1953 Reginald Stuart gave his library
and manuscript collections to the College of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
Shortly thereafter he became Director of the California History Foundation at
the College and Grace Stuart became Curator of the Stuart Collection
(1955-1964). During his years as Director of the Foundation Stuart participated
in the establishment of the Jedediah Smith Society and the quarterly Pacific
Historian. The Stuarts completed two more volumes: Calvin B. West of the Umpqua
(1961) and Corridor Country [a history of the Amador-Livermore Valley] (1966)
before Grace Stuart's death (1966). From the early 1960s Reginald and Grace
Stuart also fostered an annual conference on world and national problems at
Lynnewood, their Pleasanton, Calif. estate, and, following Grace Stuart's
death, Stuart gave this property to the University of the Pacific. He
subsequently married Winifred Bendel of Fremont, an amateur historian and
long-time family friend (1967).
Scope and Content
The Stuart Collection is arranged in eight series. Series I contains
family pedigrees, genealogy correspondence and narrative accounts of the lives
of members of Stuart's extended family. This series also contains a complete
run of Reginald Stuart's "Clan Stuart Dial" (1935) and "Clan McMillen Memories"
(1935-1940). Series II contains Reginald Stuart's diaries and datebooks
(1922-1975) as well as Grace Dell Harris' early diaries (1911-1913); Series III
contains Reginald, Esta Ross and Grace Dell Stuart's personal and business
correspondence (1904-1970). Series IV consists of the business papers of
Reginald Stuart and his first two wives. This series is subdivided into three
categories: property and financial records; realtor's papers; and, educator's
papers. Series V contains Reginald Stuart's writings, including a five volume
autobiography and typescript drafts of his various published articles and books
on local history topics. Series VI consists of Stuart family wills, memorabilia
and audio tapes. Series VII contains writings by others, including family
friends and other local historians. Topics include 19th c. family and travel
narratives, as well as essays on various aspects of Western American history.
Series VIII consists chiefly of framed plaques, certificates and other oversize
materials.