Herbert C. Jones Collection, 1902-1969 | Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History

The Herbert C. Jones Collection documents the home files of Senator Herbert C. Jones. This collection is divided into eleven series, and a total of nine linear feet, in eight manuscript boxes (1-8), two pamphlet boxes (9 and 11), and one flat box (10). All attempts have been made to keep these files in their original order. There is also an extensive newspaper clippings collection which has been left in its original order within the collection.

The first series, Church Papers (36 folders), is divided into two subseries: the First  Congregational Church of San Jose and the Church of the Valley. These papers consist of the  financial records and administrative records of both churches, the building fund papers and correspondence for the First Congregational Church of San Jose, general correspondence, newsletters, photographs, legal papers, and general papers. Folder 18 documents the history of the First Congregational Church of San Jose.  Folder 1 documents the Basis of the Union, which is the merger between First Congregational Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.  Folder  16 is the Gertrude Freitag Estate. The monies from this estate were apparently distributed to the First Congregational Church of San Jose. Three church properties are documented; the Leigh Avenue site, the Third and San Antonio site, and the Winchester Road site.

The second series, Government (10 folders), documents the local and state government interests of  Herbert C. Jones. There is the Agnew Sanitary District correspondence; general papers and letters on the California State Chamber of Commerce (2 folders); the Santa Clara County Charter; Senate Bill  No. 720-H.C. Jones and No. 33-Senator Lyon; general papers pertaining to the San Jose Chamber of Commerce; the San Jose Zoning Ordinance; the 1921 California State Budget; and extracts from the State of California Health and Safety Code; and various newspaper clippings on many of these themes.

The third series, Historical Interests (19 folders), is divided into three subseries; Associations, State and Local History, and Personages. Associations documents Herbert C. Jones’ activities with the California Historical Society (4 folders); Pioneers of Santa Clara County (5 folders); and general papers about other historical societies in California. These papers consist of membership lists, correspondence, newsletters, administrative papers, pamphlets and general papers. Also found in this subseries is the Stockton House Historic Landmarks Report (folder 55).  State and Local History documents the California First Legislature 1849, an address given by Herbert C. Jones December 10, 1949 (Folder 61). There is also a list of senators for the  first 100 years.  "The Story of California in Mural Paintings" by Arthur F. Matthews dated 1915  is also in this subseries. Folder 63, San Jose Centennial Celebration 1949, consists of the souvenir program, Governor Warren’s radio address of 1949, and memorandum and newspaper clippings. Personages documents General Armstrong Custer and the United States Presidents.

The fourth series, Legal Issues (11 folders), is divided into two subseries: Associations and Judiciary. Associations documents Herbert C. Jones activities with the California State Bar Association (2 folders). Judiciary documents correspondence on judgeship, juvenile delinquency, loyalty oaths and probation cases. The Herbert C. Jones case for O. P. Mills Water Company is documented consisting of the court papers, letters, other legal papers, and the Annual Report of the O.P. Water Company for the years 19221-1927.  The Thomas J. Mooney case is documented with a pamphlet, correspondence, general papers and newspaper clippings.

The fifth series, Legislation (39 folders), is divided into 5 subseries: Agriculture,  Commissions, Legislative Issues, Law, and Papers, which documents the legislative activities of Herbert C. Jones.  Agriculture documents the Braceros with the Tod Potter letter and newspaper clippings. It also documents farming issues with the Quartz Creek Dredging Company stock certificate of 1932, the newsletter "The Rural Observer," and correspondence. For lack of a better place to house two personal papers, a Power of Attorney dated 1948 and the cemetery deed for Mrs. Margaret Jones dated 1897, these papers have been kept in their original order.  Commissions documents two commissions; the meeting of Governor Culbert L. Olsen’s Commission on Reemployment dated June 28, 1939 and the Legislative Tax Commission, with letters, reports, and memorandum. Legislative Issues documents nine issues: California Park Bond Issue, finance, gambling, liquor, lobbying, narcotics, oil, public ownership and taxation.  There is the news release on the appointment of Herbert C. Jones as the Chairman for the Santa Clara County "Californians for Beaches and Parks" by Governor Brown. There are numerous articles and an interview by Franklin Hichborn on finance, gambling, and liquor.  Herbert C. Jones maintained a large abundance of correspondence, pamphlets, newsletters, general papers and newspapers clippings on these issues. Law documents the 1946-1962  Initiatives and Referendums, liquor regulation, the State Liquor Control Act of 1933, and the 1931 Legislative Session on Prohibition, with the Herbert C. Jones address on Prohibition of 1930. Papers documents Herbert C. Jones’ legislative papers from 1918- 1961 with correspondence and general papers.

The sixth series, Individuals (9 folders), documents the men Herbert C. Jones had contact with.  These men were: Franklin Hichborn, Hiram W. Johnson, William F. Knowland, Leon L. Loafbourow, George W. Lyle, Professor George E. Mowry and C. C. Young. In this series there are numerous articles, letters, general papers and newspaper clippings about these men. The researcher will find "The Hichborn Papers"; "The Twelve Apostles of California" by Rev. Leon L. Loafbourow; extracts from William F. Knowland’s speech before the National Association of Manufacturers’ Annual Dinner of December 9, 1955; and campaign material for C. C. Young.

The seventh series, Parks (19 folders), is divided. Folder 125 on California Parks stands alone in this series and contains letters, general papers and newspaper clippings on state parks.  Sempervirens (subseries) documents Herbert C. Jones’ activities with the Sempervirens Club of California with, correspondence (5 folders), legal papers, administrative papers, financial papers, the history of the club (folder 133), maps, newspaper clippings (4 folders), pamphlets (box 9), general papers and ephemera (box10).

The eighth series, Personal Papers (4 folders), documents Herbert C. Jones’ campaign for the 28th Congressional District; the 40th and 50th Stanford University Class of 1902 Reunions; and the Citizen Soldier training program of 1916 at Camp Monterey, California.

The ninth series, Political Papers (24 folders), documents various political campaigns from 1928 through 1964. Herbert C. Jones kept several directories in this file and also complete constituency lists. The report "Cross-filling and Its Background Struggles for Majority Representation" is found in folder 160. Senator Jones kept files on the Progressives, the Speakership for 1937, cross-filing and newspaper clippings on various political campaigns and political issues dating from 1928 to 1965. This file also contains two congressional publications: "The California Liberator" and "The Searchlight on Congress."

The tenth series, Additional Interests (27 folders), documents 21 different topics and civic interests. These topics are: bridges, disarmament, Hester School, Japanese, Mount Whitney, peace, Port of San Jose, power utilities, propaganda, rainmaking, recreation, religion, Salvation Army, the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906, San Jose State College, Save the Redwoods League, smog, strikes, tuberculosis, war, YWCA and the YMCA. These folders contain letters, general papers, legal papers, pamphlets, photographs and newspaper clippings.

Series eleven is comprised of 1915 newspaper clippings. The topics covered are: Agnew State Hospital, California State Legislature, education, Franklin Hichborn, the Jitney bus, judiciary issues, labor, political cartoons, the Redwood Park Commission, taxation, tuberculosis, World War II, and the Y.W.C.A. Most of these clippings are alright for researchers to handle but many are extremely brittle and damaged. Photocopies have been made of the brittle and damaged clippings so the information will be accessible by researchers.