Arthur Joseph Funk papers Descriptive Summary Repository: Georgia Historical Society Creator: Funk, Arthur Joseph, 1898-1975. Title: Arthur Joseph Funk papers Dates: 1903-1975 Extent: 2.55 cubic feet (5 boxes, 8 oversize folders) Identification: MS 1304 Biographical/Historical Note Arthur Joseph Funk (1898-1975), educator and politician was born in Savannah, the son of Sebastian Funk (d. 1925) and Jane (Wilson) Funk (1868-1937). Mr. Funk taught at Savannah High School (1920-1938), and was the principal of Commercial High School (1939-1953). In 1960 he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives where, until his retirement in 1970, he fought against needless spending of tax money. Alongside these careers, Mr. Funk's pursued a long term interest in radio technology, Georgia history, and camellia culture. Scope and Content Note This collection consists of his papers spanning his lifetime. There are few that relate to his family, but rather most relate to his careers in education and politics. Included are correspondence, personal research notes, newspaper clippings, and original printed programs and documents relating to both education and politics. Of special interest are his papers regarding the search and verification of Button Gwinnett's grave. Also included are Mr. Funk's original commissions to the Georgia General Assembly and the 1953 edition of the Ship of Commerce, the Commercial High School yearbook that was dedicated to Mr. Funk. The collection also contains photographs, slides and x-rays spanning Mr. Funk's lifetime. There are several photographs of him as a child as well as those of him during his education and political careers. Also included are photographs of Mr. Funk engaged in other interests such as camellia culture, travel, and fishing. There are several photographs of Mr. Funk's Commercial High School students and of the school building. Also included are photographs of Mr. Funk with Georgia politicians Senator Herman Talmadge and Governor Lester Maddox. There are also a variety of camellia photographs in this collection. Of special interest are photographs of the excavation of Button Gwinnett's burial place and of various bones, teeth, and hair samples of Button Gwinnett. The collection contains 4 series: correspondence, 1918-1973; careers, 1920-1970; research and other interest, 1925-1973; and visual materials, 1903-1974. These papers are arranged in accordance with Mr. Funk's correspondence, his education and political careers, and his research interests such as the Button Gwinnett burial place and camellia culture. The folders and boxes containing the visual materials are noted as "VM" in the collection inventory. Index Terms Amateur radio stations. Camellias. Clippings (information artifacts) Funk, Arthur Joseph, 1898-1975. Georgia. General Assembly. Gwinnett, Button, approximately 1735-1777. Letters (correspondence) Maddox, Lester, 1915-2003. Photographs. Programs (documents) Radiographs. Research notes. Slides (photographs) Talmadge, Herman E., (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002. Administrative Information Custodial History Most material was acquired from creator. Preferred Citation [item identification], Arthur Joseph Funk papers, MS 1304, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia. Acquisition Information Gift of the estate of A.J. Funk, 1975; Charles H. Sullinger, 1975 (photographs of Button Gwinnett excavation and lab research). Restrictions Access Restrictions Collection is open for research. Negatives are restricted from patron use. Publication Rights Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher. Separated Material Artifacts were separated and cataloged with the Georgia Historical Society Artifacts Collection. View digital images of artifacts at the end of this collection inventory or search the Digital Image Catalog for further information. Sponsorship Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Container List Series 1: Correspondence, 1918-1973 This series, arranged chronologically, contains letters from friends, former students, politicians, such as Governor Lester Maddox, and Savannah businessmen. Also included are congratulatory telegrams Mr. Funk received upon his election and re-election to the Georgia House of Representatives. There is additional correspondence in Series 3 related to his Button Gwinnett research. Box Fldr 1 1 1918-1939 2 1940-1949 3 1953-1959 4 1960-1969 5 1970-1973 6 Undated 7 Shigeyuki Usui, 1950-1952 Series 2: Careers, 1920-1970 This series contains original reports, programs, and clippings related to Mr. Funk's career as principal at Savannah High School. Also included are original documents, such as his business card, and original copy of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clippings pertaining to his membership in the Georgia House of Representatives. Additionally there are documents related to his efforts to remove W. A. Early as Superintendent of Chatham County Public Schools. Box Fldr 2 1 Schools. Autograph book of student signatures 2 Schools. Clippings, circa 1940-1960 3 Schools. Programs and reports, circa 1936-1955 4 Schools. Retirement, circa 1953-1957 5 Schools. Ship of Commerce Yearbook, 1953 6 Politics. Clippings, circa 1960-1973 Oversize_box Fldr 1 14- Politics. Commissions, 1961, 1966, 1967, 1967 17 Box Fldr 2 7 Politics. House of Representatives material, 1960-1970 8 Politics. Rules of the House of Representatives, 1969-1970 9 W. A. Early, superintendent material, circa 1954-1957 Series 3: Research and other interests, 1925-1973 This series contains correspondence with government agencies, such as the F.B.I., forensic scientists, historians, and medical experts as well as research documents regarding Mr. Funk's efforts to locate the grave of Button Gwinnett. Also included are clippings and reports regarding his radio transmitter and amateur station and his involvement with the Batson Flying Boat. Additional items included are Mr. Funk's passport and programs from historical event exhibitions that he attended, and a copy of Wedding at Wormsloe. His research and correspondence concerning saltwater contamination of Savannah's water supply are included. Box Fldr 3 1 Button Gwinnett research. Clippings, circa 1957-1967 2 Button Gwinnett research. Correspondence, 1957-1958 3 Button Gwinnett research. Correspondence, 1959-1960 4 Button Gwinnett research. Correspondence, 1961-1971 5 Button Gwinnett research. Notes 6 Button Gwinnett research. Programs and printed reports 7 Button Gwinnett research. Research material 8 Savannah water supply, circa 1968-1972 9 Other interests. Clippings, circa 1958-1975 10 Other interests. Printed reports and certificates Series 4: Visual materials, 1903-1974 This series contains photographs, slides and x-rays spanning Mr. Funk's lifetime. There are several photographs of him as a child as well as those of him during his education and political careers. Also included are photographs of Mr. Funk engaged in other interests such as camellia culture, travel, and fishing. There are several photographs of Mr. Funk's Commercial High School students and of the school building. Also included are photographs of Mr. Funk with Georgia politicians Senator Herman Talmadge and Governor Lester Maddox. There are also a variety of camellia photographs in this collection. Of special interest are photographs of the excavation of Button Gwinnett's burial place and of various bones, teeth, and hair samples of Button Gwinnett. vm_box Fldr 1 1 Arthur J. Funk. Portraits and snapshots, circa 1903-1966 View online. Online Inventory Contains Digitized Items vm_box Fldr 1 2 Arthur J. Funk. Photographs with politicians, circa 1953-1960 vm_box Fldr 1 3 Family and friends, circa 1870-1974 vm_box Fldr 1 4 Commercial High School building and students, circa 1921-1957 vm_box Fldr 1 5 Button Gwinnett research. Artifacts and excavation, circa 1957 View online. Online Inventory Contains Digitized Items vm_box Fldr 1 6 Button Gwinnett research. Artifacts, circa 1957 View online. Online Inventory Contains Digitized Items vm_oversize_box 2 Button Gwinnett research. Excavation of burial site drawing, circa 1960 vm_box Fldr 1 7 Button Gwinnett research. Excavation slides, circa 1957 vm_box Fldr 1 8 Button Gwinnett research. X-rays, circa 1957 vm_oversize_box 4 Button Gwinnett research. X-rays, circa 1957 vm_box Fldr 1 9 Batson's Flying Boat, circa 1913 vm_box Fldr 1 10- Camellia blooms, undated 11 vm_box Fldr 1 12 House of Arthur J. Funk, undated vm_box Fldr 1 13 Japan photographs, undated vm_box Fldr 1 14 Travelaire airplane and car, undated vm_box 2 Negatives RESTRICTED. Artifacts A-1304-001 Lock of hair from the alleged grave of Button Gwinnett View online. A-1304-002 Bone splinters, fragments, and dust from alleged grave of Button Gwinnett View online. A-1304-003 Wood fibers from the alleged grave of Button Gwinnett View online. A-1304-004 Hair mixed with wood fibers from alleged grave of Button Gwinnett View online. A-1304-005 Wood fragments from the alleged grave of Button Gwinnett View online. A-1304-006 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show first prize blue ribbon View online. A-1304-007 Savannah Camellia Show, first prize blue ribbon View online. A-1304-008 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show first prize blue ribbon View online. A-1304-009 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show third place white ribbon View online. A-1304-010 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show second place red ribbon View online. A-1304-011 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show second place red ribbon View online. A-1304-012 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show second place red ribbon View online. A-1304-013 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show yellow Court of Honor ribbon View online. A-1304-014 Arthur J. Funk’s Savannah Camellia Show first prize blue ribbon View online.