From an architect to a zoologist…a churchman to a playboy…the tennis court to the Supreme Court. A brief look at 6 writers of notes and letters to Stephen Mather.

Attempting to learn about the men and women who wrote to Stephen Mather in the late 1920s, we find that his circle of friends and acquaintances was both large and diverse.  As example…

The Architect:  GILBERT STANLEY UNDERWOOD 1890-1861

Known for his National Park lodges, Underwood received his B.A. from Yale in 1920 and a M.A. from Harvard in 1923. Underwood designed lodges for Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. In addition, Underwood was contracted to design Yosemite National Park's The Ahwahnee, probably his greatest triumph in the Rustic style. Underwood also designed stations for the Union Pacific, and went on to design more than 20 post offices, two major federal buildings, and the U.S. State Department Building. From 1947 to 1949, he was appointed as federal supervisory architect.

The Zoologist:  THEODORE SHERMAN PALMER  1868-1955

American zoologist.  1889, he joined the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agriculture. He was a member of the 1891 Death Valley Expedition and its leader for its first 3 months. He was Assistant Chief of the Department from 1896 to 1902, and then from 1910 to 1914. He became interested in the legislation affecting wildlife, leading a branch of the organization to deal with it from 1902 to 1910 and from 1914 to 1916. He wrote the preliminary draft of the treaty for protection of birds migrating between Canada and the United States (1916), and was Chairman of the Committee which prepared the first regulations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The Churchman:  JAMES EDWARD FREEMAN 1866-1943

 Third bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, serving from 1923 to 1943. During his episcopacy, he led a national campaign to raise funds for the construction of the Washington National Cathedral. He also officiated at memorial services for Warren G. Harding, Woodrow Wilson, and William Howard Taft.

The Playboy:  LORILLARD SUFFERN TAILER 1897-1979

Son of Lord Lorillard of the British-American tobacco family.  The New York Times, in reporting his first marriage wrote: “He is a well-known polo player and is a member of various clubs, including the Union and the Newport Country Club…”  On reporting of his impending divorce The Times added, “millionaire society leader on two continents.”  He did take a post as assistant deputy administrator of the NRA (National Recovery Administration.  

The Tennis Court:    WOLMAR FILIP BOSTROM 1878-1956

Swedish diplomat and tennis player.  He competed at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics in singles and men's doubles and won a bronze medal in the doubles in 1908, finishing fifth in three other events.  Bostrom served as the Swedish

Minister in Washington for nineteen years 1928-1947.

The Supreme Court: HARLAN FISKE STONE 1872-1946

American attorney and jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1925 to 1941 and then as the 12th chief justice of the United States from 1941 until his death in 1946. He also served as the U.S. Attorney General from 1924 to 1925 under President Calvin Coolidge,