Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Mailliard, William Somers, 1917-1992.
- Abstract:
- The Mailliard Family Papers contain correspondence to and from various members of a socially and politically prominent San Francisco family. In addition, the collection contains family records, journals and diaries, newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, and various publications and memorabilia. The bulk of the collection is focused on the life and career of William S. Mailliard, who was most notably a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's Fourth District, serving from 1953 to 1974. The collection also includes the correspondence of William S. Mailliard's parents, John Ward Mailliard, Jr. and Kate Peterson Mailliard, as well as that of other family members.
- Extent:
- Number of containers: 10 cartons, 3 boxes, 2 oversize folders Linear feet: 14
- Language:
- Collection materials are in English
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Mailliard Family Papers contain correspondence to and from various members of a socially and politically prominent San Francisco family. In addition, the collection contains family records, journals and diaries, newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, and various publications and memorabilia. The bulk of the collection is focused on the life and career of William S. Mailliard, who was most notably a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's Fourth District, serving from 1953 to 1974. The collection also includes the correspondence of William S. Mailliard's parents, John Ward Mailliard, Jr. and Kate Peterson Mailliard, as well as that of other family members.
A large part of the correspondence in the William S. Mailliard series is comprised of letters to and from each of his parents, spanning the years from his school days in the early thirties through his parents' deaths. This series also contains various personalia related to his careers with both the U.S. Navy, in which he served during World War II, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Mailliard Family series deals with the remainder of the family, primarily, Kate Peterson Mailliard. The Kate Peterson Mailliard subseries contains a wealth of autobiographical material, including numerous address books, school notebooks, and diaries spanning the period from her grammar school days until her death in 1980, as well as a typescript copy of her memoirs. Another subseries deals with the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, which several of the Mailliard men attended, including John Ward Mailliard, Jr. and William S. Mailliard. The series also contains books belonging to Mailliard ancestors and various correspondences between Mailliards and other prominent families to whom they had ties. Hundreds of newspaper clippings referencing various members of the Mailliard family can be found in this series as well, dating back to the late 1800s.
The collection is a unique chronicle of American political and social history, specifically California and San Francisco history, in the 20th century. The primary source material regarding the U.S. Navy as well as Congress is of particular interest, as are William S. Mailliard's journals and letters written as World War II broke out while he was a Naval Ensign in Europe.
- Acquisition information:
- The Mailliard Family Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by William S. Mailliard in 1980.
- Physical location:
- Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
-
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft LibraryBerkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
- Contact:
- 510-642-6481