John Tonkin, son of Grace and John Tonkin, was born in England (probably Cornwall) and immigrated with his family to Carbondale, Pa., where he worked in the coal mines as a young man. He married Mary Jane Sampson and the couple had at least three children: William Henry Tonkin (b. ca. 1892), Maurice Bradley Tonkin (1899-1977), and Mary Elizabeth Tonkin (1906-1999). Elizabeth's autobiographical notes and travel diary from a European trip in 1930 are included in this collection. From 1925 to 1927, she attended Dickinson Summer School, Wilson Normal School, and the Washington School for Secretaries. In early 1928, she received an appointment at the Interstate Commerce Commission. She later married Burton E. Burnett.
From the description of John Tonkin papers, 1903-1930. (Historical Society of Washington, Dc). WorldCat record id: 71014344
