Guide to the John Downey Works Papers,
1911-1928
Processed by Thompson Tombaugh; machine-readable finding aid created by Patricia White
Department of Special Collections
Green Library
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, CA 94305-6004
Phone: (650) 725-1022
Email: speccollref@stanford.edu
URL: http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/spc/
© 1997
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the John Downey Works Papers,
1911-1928
Collection number: M031
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- Green Library
- Stanford University Libraries
- Stanford, CA 94305-6004
- Phone: (650) 725-1022
- Email: speccoll@sulmail.stanford.edu
- URL: http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/spc/
- Processed by:
- Thompson Tombaugh
- Date Completed:
- June 1961
- Encoded by:
- Patricia White
© 1997 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: John Downey Works Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1911-1928
Collection number: Special Collections M031
Creator:
Works, John Downey
Extent:
2 linear ft.
Repository:
Stanford University. Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions:
None.
Publication Rights:
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.
Provenance:
Gift of Lewis R. Works, 1930-31.
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item] John Downey Works Papers, M031, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford,
Calif.
BIOGRAPHY
John Downey Works was born March 29, 1847 on a farm in Ohio County, Indiana. Educated in the common schools of the state until
1861, he then served eighteen months with the U. S. Volunteers in the Civil War. In 1868, he married Alice Banta, was admitted
to the bar, and began a law practice in Vevay, Indiana which lasted for fifteen years. In 1879, he was elected to the Indiana
House of Representatives for one term. Forced to leave Indiana in l883 due to ill health, Works and his family journeyed West
and settled in southern California where, from 1886-87, he served as Judge of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Los
Angeles. In 1888, he was appointed to fill a vacancy as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of California
and shortly thereafter, was elected to fill out the term. Works returned to a private legal partnership in 1891 and remained
so engaged until 1910 when he served for a brief time as President of the City Council of Los Angeles. In 1911, he was nominated
by the Progressive Republicans of the Lincoln-Roosevelt League for the position of U. S. Senator, was subsequently elected,
and served in Congress until 1917 when he returned once again to private life and practice. Works died on June 6, 1928.
Among Works' publications are:
Indiana Pleading and Practice (1883)
Water and Water Rights (1890)
Courts and their Jurisdiction (1894)
What's Wrong With the World (1922)
Man's Duty to Man (1923)
Juridical Reform (1924)
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Works Papers include the correspondence of John Downey Works dated from 1911 to 1928, the bulk of which was written between
1916 and 1926. In addition, the collection contains a typescript copy of Works' memoirs concerning, especially, his years
in the U. S. Senate, several typescripts of articles and speeches, and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings by or about Works
from 1906-1911. Also included are printed copies of many of Works' Senate speeches.
Of primary interest in the Papers is the correspondence concerning Works' election to the U. S. Senate in 1911, publication
of his several books, and his relationship with the Church of Christ Scientist.
For additional information consult the Works Collection in the Bancroft Library, University of California (see correspondence
to Works from J. C. Rowell, Librarian). Also helpful for general reference is Irene Lucile Way's
The Political Career of John Downey Works, a thesis written 1929-30 at Stanford University for the degree of Master of Arts.
MAJOR CORRESPONDENTS
Blight, Reynold E.
Christian Science Monitor
Hargraves, John W.
La Follette., Robert M.
Neale Publishing Co.
Patton, Charles 0.
Stratford Co.
Taft, William H.
Rowell, Chester H.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
Box 1
Correspondence: Letters of John Downey Works,
Jan. 1911 to May 1928
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically
Box 2
Correspondence: Letters to John Downey Works.
Scope and Content Note
Also includes letters about Works and extensive cross-references.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by signer or author and chronologically under each signer
Box 3
Miscellany
Scope and Content Note
Memoirs of John Downey Works, typescripts of some speeches and articles, formal photographs, and scrapbook of newspaper clippings
by or about Works.
Box 4
Speeches,
1911-1919
Scope and Content Note
Printed copies of U. S. Senate and miscellaneous speeches by John Downey Works.
CONTAINER LIST
Correspondence: Letters of John Downey Works
Box 1, Folder 1
Jan. 14, 1911-Jan. 17, 1911
Box 1, Folder 2
Jan. 18, 1911-Feb. 1, 1911
Box 1, Folder 3
July 5, 1916-Nov. 13, 1916
Box 1, Folder 4
March 5. 1917-Nov. 19, 1917
Box 1, Folder 5:
Feb. 6. l9l8-Dec. 27, 1918
Box 1, Folder 6
Jan. 8, 1919-Dec. 30, 1919
Box 1, Folder 7
Jan. 15, 1920-Dec. 27., 1920
Box 1, Folder 8
March 24, 1921-Dec. 30., 1921
Box 1, Folder 9
Jan. 16, 1922-Dec. 19, 1922
Box 1, Folder 10
Jan. 2, 1923-Dec. 19, 1923
Box 1, Folder 11
Jan. 3, 1924-Nov. 7, 1924
Box 1, Folder 12
Jan. 8, 1925-Nov. 13, 1925
Box 1, Folder 13
Feb. 8, 1926-Dec. 10, 1926
Box 1, Folder 14
Jan. 31, 1927-Dec. 7, 1927
Box 1, Folder 15
Jan. 27, 1928-May 31, 1928
Correspondence: Letters to John Downey Works
Box 2, Folder 23
National-Neale
(Dec. 1918)
Box 2, Folder 24
Neale
(Jan. 1919-Dec. 1919)
Box 2, Folder 30
Miscellaneous unidentified-
1911
Correspondence: Letters about Works
Box 3, Folder 32:
Some of my Experiences in Political and Official Life - the memoirs of John Downey Works.
Box 3, Folder 33:
Typescript copies of several speeches and articles by John Downey Works.
Box 3, Folder 34:
26 formal photographs of John Downey Works as U. S. Senator.
shelf On shelf
Scrapbook (labeled) of newspaper clippings by or about John Downey Works,
1906-11.
Box 4
Printed copies of Senate Speeches (U.S.) by John Downey Works
Initiative, Referendum and Recall,
April 20, 1911
Physical Description: 5 copies
Proposed Department of Health,
July 6, 1911
Physical Description: 8 copies
To Establish an Independent Health Service,
April 29, 30, 1912
Physical Description: 2 copies
The Presidential Term,
Dec. 9, 10, 1912
Physical Description: 13 copies
Clean and Reliable Journalism,
Apr. 17, 1913
Physical Description: 5 copies
Trusts and Combinations,
May 5, 1913
Physical Description: 8 copies
An Amendment ot the Constitution Prohibiting the Sale, Manufacture and Importation of Distilled Liquor,
June 21, 1913
Physical Description: 5 copies
Tariff on California Products,
July 24, 25, 1913
Physical Description: 4 copies
San Francisco Water Supply,
Dec. 2, 3, 1913
Physical Description: 4 copies
Bill to Repeal Hetch Hetchy Grant,
Dec. 20, 1913
Physical Description: 3 copies
Patronage,
Jan. 26, 914
Physical Description: 5 copies
Cooperative Agricultural Extension Work,
Jan. 30, 1914
Physical Description: 5 copies
One Year of Democratic Rule,
Mar. 6, 1914
Physical Description: 8 copies
Treaty Relations with Great Britain and Panama Canal Tolls,
Apr. 7, 8, 1914
Physical Description: 1 copy
Affairs in Mexico,
Apr. 21, 1914
Physical Description: 5 copies
Trust Legislation,
July 17, 1914
Physical Description: 5 copies
Development of Water Power,
Feb. 2, 1915
Physical Description: 2 copies
Preparedness for National Defense,
Dec. 16, 1915
Physical Description: 5 copies
Preparedness for Peace,
Mar. 23, 1916
Physical Description: 5 copies
National Preparedness - Judges in Politics,
Apr. 12, 1916
Physical Description: 5 copies
Good Roads - Misappropriation of Public Funds,
Apr. 21, 1916
Physical Description: 5 copies
Americanism and Preparedness for National Defense,
Jun. 26, 1916
Physical Description: 5 copies
The Asiatic Problem,
July 14, 1916
Physical Description: 4 copies
Naval Appropriations,
July 17, 1916
Physical Description: 5 copies
Downward Tendencies of Government and Citizenship,
Jan. 4,5, 1917
Physical Description: 7 copies
Our Relations with Germany,
Feb. 7, 1917
Physical Description: 5 copies
On Authorizing the President to Arm Merchant Ships,
Mar. 4, 1917
Physical Description: 1 copy
Miscellaneous speeches and articles
Health address of Works to the National League for Medical Freedom,
Nov. 24, 1911
Physical Description: 3 copies
Expense of Public Health and Medical Service - letter from secretary of Treasury,
Jan. 6, 1913
Physical Description: 1 copy
"War, Business and Peace," - Address to Commercial Law League of America,
Aug. 5, 1915
Physical Description: 1 copy
"Works defends war stand," - article in
The New American Woman, July 1917
Physical Description: 2 copies
Review of Work's book on Juridical Reform - by Roscoe Pound in
Harvard Law Review, Dec. 1919
Physical Description: 1 copy
