Stephen Mallory White papers, 1871-1936, bulk 1881-1901

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Summary

Creators:
White, Stephen Mallory
Abstract:
The collection consists chiefly of materials pertaining to Stephen Mallory White's career as an attorney. Also, there is correspondence between White and his family (in particular with his wife Hortense) and a small amount of material pertaining to his political career.
Extent:
35 boxes
Language:
English and Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Stephen Mallory White papers, CSLA-8, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Background

Scope and content:

The bulk of the Stephen M. White Papers pertains to White's career as an attorney. There is also information about his family (in his letters to his wife Hortense) and a small amount of information pertaining to his political career. The collection consists of correspondence, principally between Stephen Mallory White and his wife Hortense; legal briefs and other legal documents; daybooks; ephemera, such as dinner programs; certificates; financial ledgers; and ledgers of criminal offenses in Los Angeles County.

Biographical / historical:

The son of an Irish immigrant, Stephen Mallory White was born in San Francisco in 1853, received his law degree from Santa Clara College in 1871. In 1874 he moved to Los Angeles, where he practiced law and founded the Los Angeles Bar Association in 1878. He also became involved in Democratic party politics.

White married Hortense Sacriste in 1883 and, that same year, started a one-year term as District Attorney. Three years later, White became a state senator representing the district in and around Los Angeles. In 1893, as a Free-Silver Democrat, White won a seat in the United States Senate--the first native Californian to represent the state--and saw his term through to 1899. He became well known for his opposition to the Southern Pacific Railroad's plan to have Santa Monica designated as Los Angeles' harbor. Instead, White stood up to Collis P. Huntington and his Southern Pacific Railroad by helping steer a huge federal subsidy to the building of a harbor at San Pedro. White died in 1902, at the age of 48.

Date Event
1853 Stephen Mallory White is born in San Francisco
1871 Graduates from Santa Clara College
1874 Moves to Los Angeles
1874 Admitted to the California bar
1883-1884 District Attorney for Los Angeles County
1887-1891 Member, California State Senate
1888-1890 Acting Lieutenant Governor of California
1893-1899 United States Senator from California
February 21, 1901 Died in Los Angeles

Date Event
1853
Stephen Mallory White is born in San Francisco
1871
Graduates from Santa Clara College
1874
Moves to Los Angeles
1874
Admitted to the California bar
1883-1884
District Attorney for Los Angeles County
1887-1891
Member, California State Senate
1888-1890
Acting Lieutenant Governor of California
1893-1899
United States Senator from California
February 21, 1901
Died in Los Angeles
Acquisition information:
Loyola Law School transferred the White papers to the Loyola Marymount University campus circa 1988 and in 1994. The provenance of the papers before this is unknown.
Custodial history:

Before coming to the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University, circa 1988 and in 1994, Loyola Law School held the papers.

Arrangement:

The Stephen Mallory White Papers are organized into eight series, each arranged chronologically with undated materials at the end: 1. Letters, 1884-1900. 2. Court records, 1850-1897: Subseries A: Court Notes, etc., 1850-1895; Subseries B: Transcripts of Court Cases, 1887-1897 . 3. Abstracts of Title, ca. 1876-ca. 1898. 4. Financial records, 1875-1896. 5. Political materials, 1887-1899: Subseries A: Records, 1887-1896; Subseries B: Subseries B: Ephemera, 1889-1899 . 6. Miscellaneous, 1872-1899. 7. Memorials and expressions of sympathy, 1901; 1909-1936. 8. Artifacts, 1888-1908

Physical location:
William H. Hannon Library
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Terms of access:

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Stephen Mallory White papers, CSLA-8, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Location of this collection:
1 LMU Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659, US
Contact:
(310) 338-5710
Special.Collections@lmu.edu
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