Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
About monkeys in trees : African folk legend
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Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
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Manuscripts
Letters and receipts either relating to or sent by Wells, Fargo & Company from 1854-1892. Consists of four letters, including a letter to Nat Stein from Marshall Cushing through D.S. Richardson requesting Stein's reminiscences of Wells Fargo for a book project (1892) and a letter to Stein from Joseph S. Roberson telling him of Indian troubles with the Overland Stage Line near Julenburg and $30,000 in losses recently sustained in lost mail. Also includes 15 money order receipts sent by J.L. Martel, L.A. Garnett, H.R. Linderman, E.W. Worsham, and Elizabeth Menzies, on letterheads from Wells Fargo, Adams and Co., and Swamp Land District No.160.
mssHM 73224-73228
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Manuscripts
The collection includes correspondence between three generations of the Michel and Bartholomew families, ranging from 1847-1913. Both families were highly educated, literate, and interested in politics, which is apparent in many of their writings. The earliest letters were written by Mary Eletra Loveridge to Robert B. Michel during their courtship in 1847. Mary specifically writes of her interest in Emanuel Swedenborg, her religious disagreements with her mother, her loneliness and lack of female friends, of her love of books, and of multiple local deaths from cholera. Other courtship letters include those between Mary M. Michel and James Bartholomew in the early 1880s. James writes of Ben Butler (1884 Presidential nominee for the Greenback-Labor Party), his political disagreements with his father, his anxiousness to get married, and the need for him to travel to California as soon as possible. Later letters written to Mary after their marriage recount his 1893 travels through London, Paris, Vienna, and parts of Germany, as well as his return to the United States aboard the ship Alaska. Mary writes of her love of books, her thoughts on the 1884 election, and notes on a variety of friends and family members. In letters written from California to her sisters Annie and Elizabeth from 1884, Mary writes of her first impressions of California, reminiscences of their childhood, her first experience with an earthquake on April 19, 1885, the hardships of being a doctor's wife, and candid descriptions of neighbors and acquaintances. Later letters to her daughter Eleanor Bartholomew focus on family and community activities and the experiences of her son Robert. The collection also includes a long series of letters written from Eleanor Bartholomew to her brother Robert, both while she was at school in Brooklyn and when she was attending Bryn Mawr. In addition to notes on family and school acquaintances, Eleanor's letters cover a wide variety of topics, including descriptions of Brooklyn and her busy college schedule. Other notable items in the collection include a letter from William A. Michel to his brother Robert written in 1853 when William was traveling through Council Bluffs and Jefferson City aboard the Polar Star steamship on his way to California; a few photographs of Mary Michel Bartholomew, Mary Eleanor Bartholomew, and an unidentified Michel man; a cookbook kept by Robert Michel's sister Elizabeth Michel Blair probably in the 1830s and 1840s; and some Confederate printed money collected by Robert Michel in Mississippi.
HM 75509
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Manuscripts
Letter sent from Jonas and Hannah Bardsley in Cincinnati, Ohio, to relatives in England shortly after the Bardsleys had arrived in the United States in 1844. Jonas writes to his parents that after landing in Philadelphia and failing to find work in New England or Cleveland, the family traveled to the "western country" and settled in Cincinnati. They had previously worked on a steamboat (Jonas as a fireman, Hannah as a chambermaid, and their son George as a cabin boy) and had traveled up the Red River "three hundred miles higher than any boat ever went before." They passed through the settlements of Choctaw, Cherokee, and other Indian tribes before their steamship was wrecked "2,500 miles above New Orleans." They traveled back down the river in canoes, and camped out along the river among "thousands of...crocodiles, alligators, bloodsuckers, vampires, and other dangerous water reptiles" and in the woods with bears and wolves, although Jonas chiefly complains about the mosquitoes and sand flies. At one point George came down with bilious fever, and Jonas writes that they ultimately spent most of their steamboat wages in getting home. Following the steamboat incident, Jonas determined that "I will be my own master as long as I stay in this country." He writes to his brother John of trying to repay a debt he owes him, although "it is desperate hard to work to get hold of money in this part of the country." Still, Jonas wrote to his brother George that provisions are cheap and "a man with a family is much better off here than in England," although the lack of "amusement" made it less appealing to single men. In a section to his sister Esther, Jonas notes that Hannah "has got many of the Yankee ways" and has become restless since "she has never been able to muster a baby since she left England." He concludes that his son George is sending them a walking stick and tea ground he got in trade from the Choctaw Indians in Texas. The letter is on a printed letterhead with an engraved image of Cincinnati.
mssHM 80135
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Manuscripts
The collection consists of the personal, estate, legal, and business correspondence of a Herefordshire gentry family with strong ties to the London legal world and with some slight connection to their more important relative James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. The first letter in the collection (26 Oct 1719) is written by William Brydges (1663-1736) to his brother Francis Brydges with regards to setting up a meeting between the two. The next forty letters are written by William Brydges (1681-1764) to his father Francis Brydges. In these letters, William displays traits of a member of the British upper-class. Whether it's by entertaining guests with a harp, mentioning an inclination to be "gentlemen-like", receiving invitations to dine and socialize with local lords, or being the second cousin of James Brydges 1st Duke of Chandos, William is not ashamed of his gentility. His title, Esquire of Tibberton (or Tyberton) in Herefordshire, reflects that as well. Although his work as a lawyer requires him to live in London during this time, he is still obligated to settle matters in Tibberton. The issue that is mentioned the most within this set of letters centers on the tithe dispute of Tibberton Parish. In the early 1700s, there were serious difficulties faced by the established church as the failure of the Anglican Church to meet the needs of its constituents all throughout Britain laid the groundwork for the rise of Methodism and other non-conformist sects- particularly associated with towns. In Tibberton, William and Francis Brydges have a difficult time getting the local citizens to pay for the repair of the collapsed chancel and tower of Tibberton Parish Church. In the case of the Tibberton church, neither the Dean and Chapter of the diocese nor the townspeople agreed to repair these damaged areas. According to William in one of his letters to Francis (17 Oct 1719), he states that the Dean and Chapter want parishioners to pay for the repair of the chancel but nobody is willing to pay. This disorganization leads to William and Francis demanding money from the person who collects the tithes of Tibberton parish, Mr. Tom Jones, in order to pay for the repairs themselves. Seeing as Francis and his father Marshall were both clerks of the church, their involvement in this case appears fitting. A further example of William's dedication to the church lies in his search for records indicating the administrative status of Tibberton and its adjoining church with the name "Madley". When the ownership of the church comes into question, William travels to the augmentation office at Westminster to prove that Tibberton is its own distinct parish. It is not known whether these issues get resolved, but what can be told from these letters is that William found documents proving Tibberton's distinct existence from Madley; the damaged chancel was removed by the end of 1719 (though not yet replaced with a new one); and due to both Tom Jones' refusal to pay his share and inaction from others involved with the church, William and Francis do not resolve the ecclesiastical conflict of law among all sides of this affair. Along with Tibberton, real estate matters are the most mentioned subject within William's letters to his father. These matters deal with William, his father-in-law Andrew Card (1653-1732) who served the Duke of Chandos as a lawyer, and Francis purchasing and selling estates within the towns of Bosbury, Hereford, Bristol, Moreton, Shirkway, and Upleadon. Some of William's cousins play a role in these affairs as well; including Will Vaughn who informs William of his intention to purchase the Brampton estate in Hereford, and Tom Brydges who is selling the Brampton estate in the first place. Another involvement of Tom brought up in these letters involves a complex and strenuous financial affair wherein Tom purchases the life annuity of Andrew Card's widowed sister "Aunt Holmes". The next sixteen letters are written from Joseph Hardwick (fourteen letters) and Stephen Reeves (two letters) to Francis Brydges from 1719 to 1720. Hardwick and Reeves are separate tradesmen hired by Francis to assist in the repairing of the church at Tibberton, but Hardwick also discusses land prices and other business affairs in his writings to Francis. The last three letters are written from notable architect John Wood (1705?-1754) from 1729 to 1731 to William Brydges concerning his estate purchase in Bristol. They consist of architectural suggestions for the estate- thus proving Wood's loyalty to the Brydges family after designing the Duke of Chandos' estate in Bath a few years earlier. From the day to day occurrences illustrated in these primary sources, the Brydges' way of life can be deciphered. The first thing to notice is that business for William, Francis, and Andrew Card is essentially localized. All of the estate affairs (except for Bristol being 40 miles from Hereford) occur in locations that are not only in Herefordshire but also extremely close within the county as well. The fact that there was no effective transport due to poorly maintained roads and a lack of modernized technology in this pre-Industrial Revolution era meant that business could be handled more easily when it was close by. Another thing to note is how often William talked about his family to his father. Seeing as how there was no other means of communication except for talking in person, William felt obligated to inform his father in every single letter that he wrote during this time how his immediate family fared. He constantly mentioned his daughter Elizabeth and nieces Mary and Elizabeth Unett because he shared a close relationship with all of them. Unfortunately, sickness was prevalent among this time due to the instances of Elizabeth "Betty" Unett contracting smallpox, Francis acquiring gout for a brief stint, and Andrew Card suffering from an illness that prevented him from traveling for a whole year and forced him to resign his post as treasurer of Gray's Inn in London in June 1719. William also wrote about politics- mentioning that his uncle William Brydges (1663-1736) lost a by-election at Wells, Somerset on December 14th, 1719; and also giving an account (letter of 26 Sept 1719) of working out a deal with Lord Chandos regarding the British East India Company and an outside agent, meanwhile providing hints towards a warm relationship he shared with his second cousin. The relationship between William, his father-in-law, and his biological father Francis is built on tremendous interaction and trust. Though other family members and various affiliates come to William for legal and financial advice, William constantly mentions throughout his letters to Francis that he relies on Card's counsel before he follows through with these affairs as well. William also trusts Francis enough to let him know everything that is occurring in his life during this time- so much so that the most repeated statement among these letters is: "I entirely submit my thoughts to you [Francis]". This statement demonstrates that people actually come to both William and Francis for legal and financial advice, and at the end of the day the father decides what is best. Thus we observe the family dynamic of the Brydges family in this collection.
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Manuscripts
The collection consists of primary and secondary source material on the Johnson County War of 1892, focusing on and around the town of Buffalo, Wyoming. It includes manuscripts related to the Johnson County invasion, alleged cattle rustling, the death of George Wellman and the case against Thomas Hathaway, the 1892 fire at Fort McKinney, and various financial and social issues facing Johnson County in the 1890s. The original material includes correspondence, legal papers, Pinkerton's National Detective Agency reports, newspaper clippings, and some photographs. The secondary material consists of essays, articles, and ephemera relating to Wyoming history. Charles H. Burritt Correspondence Box 1 contains the correspondence of Charles H. Burritt, including 47 letters to Fred G.S. Hesse dated January 1892 to February 1893; 6 letters to attorneys John Lacey and Willis Van Devanter dated June 1892; 11 letters to Van Devanter dated July 1892; 2 letters to W.R. Stoll (1892); and a 79-page typescript of letters to various correspondents including C.N. Potter, H.R. Mann, M.C. Brown, J.W. Blake, S.M. Allen, and Henry B. Blair (1892). The letters focus on the Johnson County invasion and subsequent trial; the fire and alleged theft of weapons by rustlers at Fort McKinney; the death of George Wellman and the investigation of Thomas Hathaway; the financial situation in Buffalo; the elections of 1892; and various criminal trials, including those for cattle theft. Some of the letters are facsimiles (see the container list for more information). Some notable items include: A letter to Hesse mentioning the illness of Frank M. Canton's wife and the death of his daughter (1892, Jan.26). Photocopies of letters to Hesse describing the boycott of Burritt's businesses and his fear of assassination (1892, May). A letter describing the upcoming trial of Frank Canton and other Johnson County defendants, including an "attempt made to avoid the provisions of the constitution of the State of Wyoming" in illegally calling in debts and a certificate of indebtedness for $12,000.00 that was to be transferred to Robert Foote "as security for expenses incurred in the case" as soon as "it shall be decided what Co. the case of the State against Canton and the others is to be tried in" (1892, July 18) A letter describing the trial of Robert C. Dalton and Moise Ganyon, who were accused of killing a T.A. Ranch steer. Burritt writes that "I never wanted to go into the trial of a case so badly in my life," but as an election was approached he was advised to "stay in the background and instruct the officers…as to what they should do…In the circle of parties where the knowledge as to the real author of the case will do the most good, the facts are sufficiently known." He writes that the "plan worked better than I anticipated" because of the "bungling" of the prosecution and the defense, and that "it made [Sheriff William "Red"] Angus so mad to see the poor work that [Johnson County attorney Alvin] Bennett was doing" that he vowed to work against him in the next election. "I have had hard work to keep Angus in line," concludes Burritt, "and I believe that the money I have expended in this case has been well spent" (1892, Nov.2). A letter to Hesse in which Burritt laments his circumstances, wondering "what I shall do to be saved." He writes that he can no longer live in Buffalo "unless there is a change," and that the "blasted jury are now going in the opposite extreme – are convicting everyone whether there is evidence or not." The recent elections had caused Burritt to be appointed as a criminal defense attorney, which he said he would not do except in the case of "a soldier for shooting a nigger Barney" and Ira E. Walker for killing the desperado Hank Lovett (1892, Nov.17). A letter to Hesse in which Burritt records that he has almost "gone broke," and that "it is enough to break a man's heart to see the places of so many good men filled by the 'scum of the Earth' and pure 'dead-beats' after the election. "We must have a 'snich' when we go down after a man for stealing cattle," Burritt writes, "a case where the jury are obliged to convict even against their will" (1892, Dec.22). A letter to Hesse in which he describes discussions with John Nolan, who wished to bring charges against the "stock men" for the "destruction" of the T.A. Ranch during the Johnson County invasion. Burritt refused to take the case and hoped that with Hesse "some steps might be taken to prevent the bringing of this suit." He warned Hesse to "head Nolan off" as soon as possible since some in Johnson County were willing to support the suit "for the purpose of keeping alive the recent troubles in this vicinity" (1893, Feb.25). A letter to John Lacey and Willis Van Devanter noting that a mass meeting did not materialize and that any resolutions supposedly coming from Johnson County citizens were "Bogus" (1892, June 24). A letter to Lacey and Van Devanter noting that indictments had been brought against Dr. Charles Penrose for first degree murder and against Frederick W. Coats for burglary with intent to commit a felony, although "there are no informations against any of the stockmen for arson" (1892, June 27). A letter to W.R. Stoll reporting that Burritt had been receiving death threats (1892, Sep.14). A series of letters to Willis Van Devanter describing the fire and alleged weapon theft at Fort McKinney, beginning with Burritt sending Lieutenant Gray to Fort Russell to report the fire at Fort McKinney (1892, July 22). Burritt writes of getting a confession from Private Andrew Keiser, a blacksmith in Troop H, 6th Cavalry, "which implicates a large number of soldiers and also a large number of citizens" in the alleged theft of weapons from the Fort (1892, July 23). After visiting Fort McKinney, Burritt writes "it looks now as if we had unearthed the most diabolical plot that was ever conceived by mortals," and that he hoped to convict Robert Foote and Henry Smith for supposedly engineering a plot to "blow up a building at Fort McKinney," and "in that way make away with all the stockmen at once." Burritt claims Smith paid Keiser $500 to blow up the Fort's bath house with dynamite (1892, July 24). Further investigations into the incident yielded "disclosures" that "bring out some irregularities also in the Q.M. Department and place the A.A.G.M. in a rather critical light and incidentally involves some of our best friends. There is nothing so far actually criminal but they are very unpleasant irregularities and I am mich afraid that these things are helping to shield Robert Foote so that we can not make a case against the old scamp" (1892, July 26). A 79-page typescript of letters to W.R. Stoll and others include frequent references to Burritt's desire to "start an undercurrent of opposition to cattle thieves and so far as possible…divert public opinion from the recent invasion" (1892, May 8). General CorrespondenceBox 2 contains general correspondence related to the Johnson County invasion, the death of George Wellman, the financial situation in Buffalo, and various political and social events. There are also several threatening notes allegedly sent by cattle rustlers, as well as 20th century correspondence regarding Wyoming history. Correspondents include Frank Canton, Joseph M. Carey, Fred G.S. Hesse, Frank A. Kemp, G.W. Munkres, and O.P. Witt. Some notable items include: 8 letters from Senator Joseph M. Carey to Louis Kirk dated 1892, and which include questions on the origins of the Johnson County invasion ("Nobody understands the purpose and object of the Cattlemen…Why did they go to Buffalo or start there?....What were they trying to do?...How could the people of Johnson County feel otherwise than they did?...Everybody got crazy. Such conditions always suit men like Angus and Kimball. They prefer anarchy to law and order"); the potential implementation of martial law ("I had made it as plain as I possibly could in my previous letters. The government of the United States has nothing to do with martial law in the State…"); and his annoyance that his suggestions were not being carried out in Wyoming and that he was being blamed for the lack of action ("I understand…that I receive lots of abuse from [the cattlemen] confined at Ft. Russell, as if it were in my power to do anything except upon an actual statement of facts"). A letter from W.H. Haynes to Fred G.S. Hesse in which in write of Buffalo: "I tell you…that this country is in a hell of a fix. A man is not safe to spit" (May 20, 1892). 7 letters from Fred W. Hesse (son of Fred G.S. Hesse) to Jena Carey (widow of Joseph M. Carey) dated 1965-1967, in which Hesse criticizes the books on Johnson County written by Marie Sandoz and Helen Huntington Smith, which he describes as "disgusting to me because I put in so much time trying to get a little sense into her ignorant idea of what this country was like" (June 1, 1966). 7 letters from Frank A. Kemp to Fred G.S. Hesse dated 1892. Kemp laments the lack of action in Buffalo ("I don't see how the hell we can do anything, as…the opinion is so strong against violent measures…I don't see the…use in declaring martial law, or calling out the troops, without they are willing to do what the late expedition failed in doing…exterminate the rusters" (May 24, 1892) and the handling of the cattle situation ("we have been fooled by a lot of politicians…I have been furious at the way in which this cattle trouble has been handled. The childishness and duplicity displayed by our great men makes me so mad that I hate to speak, think, or write about it…" (June 30, 1892). Notes from alleged cattle rustlers, including those to William Irvine ("We will give you 30 days to leave this country and if you don't we will get you") and the "hired girl at Whitcomb's place" ("You are warned and will not be notified again…warn them at your peril!"). A letter from Frank M. Canton from his father-in-law W.H. Wilkerson, in which he writes of "the indignities the people that have taken no part in this affair have been subjected to [for being related to the invaders]. Women have been insulted [and] men have been slapped in the face…" (Apr.17, 1892). A letter from an unknown correspondent to Frank Canton informing him of the death of George Wellman and the story of Tom Hathaway (May 10, 1892). Legal Statements and Documents Box 3 consists of witness statements, legal documents, and other papers related to events in Johnson County in 1892. Notable items include statements made by Henry E. Johnson and Andrew Keiser at Fort McKinney regarding their participation in the alleged dynamite plot (1892); various statements made by invasion participants Ben Jones and William Walker, including affidavits taken after their arrival in Rhode Island (1892); statements in the death of George Wellman made by Mary Linville, William Linville, Austin B. Read, Ed Morse, and W.P. Ricketts, as well as maps and testimony by Thomas Hathaway; and various witness lists for the prosecution in the dynamite plot, Wellman murder trial, and cases vs. Robert Foote, John Hill, and Frank Smith. Pinkerton Reports Box 4 contains reports from Pinkerton National Detective Agency field agents sent to W.R. Stoll between June and November of 1892. All of the reports are signed by William A. Pinkerton. The reports include: 38 reports from agent M.E. Cox, who posed as a physician in Buffalo while gathering information on the cattle invasion. Cox noted that "my bearing served as a guarantee of friendship to rustlers," while his position as a physician made him privy to a variety of personal information on the private lives of Buffalo's citizens. He reports on public opinion (including a great deal of information gleaned from local prostitutes), summarizes newspaper reports, reports on a recent railroad survey, and writes of the uneasiness in Buffalo caused by the presence of U.S. Marshals. Cox also reports from Portland, Custer, and Sheridan, Wyoming. 5 reports from agent J.C. Frazer, who gathered information on various individuals and proceedings regarding Johnson County in Denver, Las Vegas, and Clayton, New Mexico. 51 reports from agent T.H. Hale, a deputy U.S. Marshal working in Buffalo and Suggs, Wyoming. Hale reports on getting acquainted with alleged rustlers at roundups, staking out John A. Tisdale's ranch for "armed men," and tracking outlaws Frank Smith, Charles Taylor, and Ed Starr (who were suspects in the murder of Marshal George Wellman), including a near shootout with Long and Starr and the capture of their accomplice Jack Long, who escaped from jail a few days later (July 23, 1892). Hale writes that despite such setbacks the Marshals would "devise some means of getting at the men we want," and to "try and not get murdered" in the process. Notes, Essays, and Miscellaneous Manuscripts Box 5 contains miscellaneous notes and essays on Fred G.S. Hesse, John A. Tisdale, the Fetterman Massacre, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Hole-in-the-Wall, and general Wyoming history; a bound copy of Asa Mercer's "The Banditti of the Plains" (1894); a resolution in the Wyoming Derrick Extra (May 3, 1892) by the people of Natrona County condemning the invasion of Johnson County and calling Governor Amos W. Barber's apparent knowledge of the act "treasonous;" a photograph of Fred W. Hesse at a rodeo in Buffalo (1913) and a reproduction of a photograph of the T.A. Ranch; and various research notes, ephemera, and photographs of "Uncle Jim" and Johnson County in a binder belonging to Jena Carey, among other items. Publications and Printed Ephemera Box 6 contains copies of various Western history and news magazines (c.1960s-1970s), 14 copies of The Westerners Brand Book (1948-1952), pamphlets by Herbert O. Brayer and Charles B. Penrose, and various other pamphlets related to Wyoming travel and history. Newspapers and Newspaper ClippingsBox 7 contains newspapers and newspaper clippings on Johnson County history, and primarily date from the 1940s-1960s. Included is a 1960s series of articles on 1890s Buffalo from the Buffalo Bulletin. Photocopies of Articles Box 8 contains photocopies of essays and articles on Johnson County and Wyoming history by Herbert O. Brayer, J. Elmer Brock, Frank Canton, Arthur Chapman, Jack Flagg, and others. Subjects include the death of George Wellman, the Johnson County war, and cattleman Moreton Frewen. Tape Recordings Box 9 contains cassette and reel to reel tapes recordings of interviews with Garvin Taylor, Fred Hesse, Bill Brock, Kay Hibdon, and J.L. Night. These items may be inaccessible. Please contact the appropriate curator. Oversize The collection includes one oversize roll containing photostats of the Cheyenne Weekly Sun from 1892.
mssHM 75705-75763
mssJohnsonCountyWar