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Manuscripts
This collection of letters were written by James T. Colby and his daughters Sarah and Rebecca, to John M. Anderson and Rebecca Anderson of Salem, Massachusetts, whom Sarah and Rebecca address as "Uncle" and "Aunt." The letters are largely concerned with details of the Colby family's life in San Francisco during the years 1859 to 1861. In the first four letters, HMs 4214, 4216, 4218, and 4219, written between January and April, 1859, James Colby is alone in San Francisco, but has encountered such success working in a Navy yard that he wishes his family to join him. Starting with HM 4220, dated June 3, 1859, letters from his daughters begin to appear. HM 4220 also contains lithographs depicting the city of Sonora as well as the town of Springfield in Tuolumne County. In HM 4224 (July 19, 1859), Rebecca Colby, who appears to be the younger Colby sister, reports that she is to have a tooth extracted that afternoon. There is no correspondence from Mrs. Colby directly, though she is mentioned in several letters (HM 4225, dated August 19, 1859). In HM 4226, written 1859, August 19, Colby addresses his son John A. Colby, who has been left at home, to study hard. It can be inferred that John is staying with the Andersons. It appears, to, that Mrs. Colby gave birth in San Francisco, for in HM 4227 and HM 4228 (dated 1859, September 4 and 19), Sarah and Rebecca both refer to "the baby" for the first time. In HM 4231 (1859, November 29), Colby writes that he has been quite sick, and the doctor has recommended that he return home to Massachusetts, but he is reluctant to give up the money he makes at his job. He reports that Rebecca is learning dress-making. HM 4236, written by Sarah on 1860, January 4, is addressed "Dear Brothers" and is directed to John and William, implying that William Colby is also still in Massachusetts. By February (HM 4237), James Colby is still sick, and writes that "I can't eat anything to speak of and I am getting to be Nothing but a skeleton." James Colby writes of the discovery of a silver mine (HM 4236, 1890, March 4), which has caused great excitement. He reports that he is the foreman on a naval steamer, in charge of seventy-five men, and he is feeling better, after his weight dropped from 155 pounds to 127 pounds in six months. By April 1860, Sarah is working in a sewing factory (HM 4241) and her father has fallen sick again. In HM 4247 (1861, May), James Colby writes of the secession of the South, and the "great Union procession" in the streets of the city, where, Colby writes, there were "16,000 American Flags flying in San Francisco." In the final letter of this group (HM 4254, dated 1862, January 26), James Colby writes of a tremendous flood in Sacramento, and how it has devastated business, but he hopes it will pick up soon.
mssHM 4214, 4216, 4218-4220, 4222-4248, 4250
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Manuscripts
Jack London's correspondents included tramps, thieves, housewives, would-be authors and accomplished writers, businessmen and admirers. In short, he received letters from a wide spectrum of humanity. Most of the time, he wrote back or scribbled a note to his secretary, Jack Byrne, who replied for him. There are nearly thirty thousand letters in the collection, including almost four thousand by Jack London, and a lesser number by Jack Byrne and Charmian London. During London's Snark voyage (1907-1909), the job of answering all the correspondence and conducting the business affairs was left to Ninetta Wiley Eames Payne Springer, Charmian's aunt. Her letters are also in the collection. Although the correspondence in the collection is varied and thus may be appealing to many different research foci, some of the correspondents are of especially noteworthy interest. These significant persons are listed below, along with a notation of the number of letters London wrote to them in reply. More detailed information about the number of letters, call numbers, etc. may be found in the manuscripts catalog. ABBOTT, James. Century Company editor who wrote to London about The Night Born. AETNA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. An interesting exchange of letters regarding London's power-of-attorney. 14 letters to and 9 letters from Jack London. AIKEN, Charles Sedgwick. 24 letters from Aiken, who was editor of Sunset Magazine and 26 replies from London. The correspondence is business oriented and includes a number of discussions about transportation on the Southern Pacific Railroad. (London was paid in transportation by Sunset.) ALDEN, Henry Mills. 20 letters from Alden, who was an editor for Harper and Brothers - mostly requests for stories. Also 3 letters from London. APPLEGARTH, Edward M. 2 letters about his family (London was at one time a suitor for Mabel Applegarth. The Collection contains 9 letters from London to Mabel.) ATLANTIC MONTHLY. 10 early letters to London regarding his submissions to the magazine. Mostly rejections for his poetry. Also 1 letter from London. AUSTIN, Mary Hunter. 4 letters requesting London's assistance with The Man Jesus and inquiry regarding London's Christ novel. Also 3 replies from London. (See the Mary Austin Collection Summary Report for further information about Huntington holdings of Mary Austin.) AYRES, Daniel Sydney. 33 letters regarding the motion picture business and screen rights to London's books. Also 16 letters from London. BABCOCK, A.L. A humorous exchange of 8 letters about a man "doubling" as Jack London in Montana. BAMFORD, Frederick Irons. The Librarian at Oakland Free Library, Bamford was an early teacher of Jack London. The collection contains 7 letters from Bamford and nearly 50 letters from Charmian and Jack. The exchange of correspondence deals with new books of interest to the Londons, the Ruskin Club (a socialist club in Oakland founded by Bamford -- London was a member), and London's literature and life. The Franklin Walker Collection at the Huntington Library also contains information about the Bamfords and Jack London. BARBER, Jackson. 2 letters to Charmian about a biography of George Sterling. BARKER, Donald. 16 letters and telegrams to various persons (including London) regarding the Balboa Amusement Company suit. BARTON, Everett. 2 letters about the Stewart River and the Klondike. BENTEL, George R. Over 100 letters to Irving and Eliza Shepard regarding a suit filed in the late 1920's against Columbia Pictures Corporation. Also an equal number of replies by the Shepards. BERKMAN, Alexander. 3 letters to London requesting him to write an introduction to Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist. BERRY, Frederick Forest. 18 letters regarding socialist literary activities. 2 replies from the Londons. BISHOP, Del. 5 letters to London from Bishop, who was an old Alaskan acquaintance from the Klondike days. BLAND, Henry Meade. San Jose poet Henry Meade Bland was a sometime member of London's "crowd" and full-time faculty member at the college in San Jose. He wrote to London 13 times between 1905 and 1916 regarding bay area literary activities. BOHLIN, K.J. 24 letters from Bohlin and 20 replies from London. Bohlin was London's Swedish publisher. BOND, Louis Whitford. 3 1906 letters from the owner of "Jack" the dog, who London immortalized as "Buck" in The Call of the Wild. BOON, Charles. Over 50 letters to London and 2 from him regarding his literary contacts in England. BOSWORTH, Hobart Van Zandt. Over 100 letters to Jack and Charmian London between 1913 and the 1940's. Bosworth was a filmmaker who made a number of London's motion pictures, including the first The Sea-Wolf. Also 31 letters from the Londons in reply. BRANDT, Carl E. The editor for Curtis Brown & Massie, Brandt wrote 20 letters to London regarding his books. BRETT, George Platt. As president of The MacMillan Company, Brett was directly responsible for most of London's published work. The 300 plus letters from Brett and the more than 175 letters from London form the core of London's literary business activities. BROWNE, John A. 18 letters to London (7 replies) regarding London's boat, Roamer. CARRUTH, Fred Hayden. Editor of Women's Home Companion, Carruth sent 33 letters to London between 1906 and 1913 (there are 11 replies) requesting short stories. CENTURY COMPANY. 16 letters from London's publishers in 1912 and 1913. (Also 16 replies.) CHAMPION, H.H. 28 letters regarding Australian literary matters. London also replied with 25 letters between 1909 and 1915. CHAUVET, Henry J. Chauvet was the former owner of a portion of the Jack London Ranch. His 4 letters regard Kohler ranch matters. CONNOR, J. Torrey. 23 letters from a member of the California Writer's Club, mostly requesting permission to publish London's work. Also 3 letters from Jack London. CONRAD, Joseph. Reply to London's letter of admiration after reading Victory. CORLISS, Frank. 1 letter to London about the conditions of the military prison at Alcatraz. COSGRAVE, John O'Hara. 17 letters from New York and Boston concerning literary matters. Also 6 letters from Jack London. DEBS, Eugene Victor. 2 letters regarding socialist party matters. DE CASSERES, Benjamin. 5 letters to London, and 2 from him about sexuality. DIBBLE, Oliver. 6 letters from San Francisco attorney Dibble about formation of the Jack London Grape Juice Company. Also 3 letters from London in reply. DUNN, Robert. 3 letters. Dunn was a correspondent with London in Korea. DUNN, Walter R. 51 letters regarding the Oakland Socialist Party. Also 7 letters from Jack London. DYER, F.E. 7 letters regarding stories for The Black Cat. EMERSON, Edwin. Emerson was a newspaper correspondent who also journeyed to Korea with Jack London. In 1905 he wrote London a letter regarding the case of John W. Finley, a Folsom Prison convict. FERGUSON & GOODNOW (firm). 15 letters to London regarding his suit against Slayton Lyceum Bureau. 8 letters from Jack London. FISKE, Minnie Maddern. 9 letters from the actress regarding The Scorn of Women. 1 letter from Jack London. FORD, Alexander Hume. 15 letters about Hawaii. London replied twice. FRENCH, Pauline. 6 letters from Pauline French, who was an old family friend. FROLICH, Finn Haakon. 12 letters from sculptor Frolich regarding domestic news, thank you's for hospitality, and information regarding his bust of London. FROST, Jens. 27 letters regarding translation rights in German and the Scandinavian languages. Also 21 replies by Jack London. GALVIN, George W. 13 letters from Dr. Galvin (M.D.) who was a prominent Boston socialist. London replied in 1915. GARBUTT, Frank A. 137 letters from Garbutt, mostly regarding Bosworth Inc. matters, copyrights (Garbutt was a lawyer), and the Horkheimer-Noel suit over motion picture rights to The Sea-Wolf. Also 51 letters from Jack London. GARLAND, Hamlin. Telegram supporting Roosevelt for President. GOLDMAN, Emma. 7 letters regarding anarchy and Alexander Berkman's new book. GORHAM, L.H. 6 letters asking for translation rights to London's works into Esperanto. GRAF, Peter. 2 early letters requesting information and assistance with the Intercollegiate Socialist Society. GROWALL, Willard Lawrence. Along with Eliza Shepard, Growall was co executor of the Jack London estate. The 100 plus letters (mostly to Eliza Shepard) concern settlement of the estate and other family matters. HAMILTON, Frank Strawn. Hamilton was one of London's philosophical teachers and mentors. The Collection contains only two short letters from him, however. HAMILTON, Fannie K. 13 letters regarding dramatic versions of London's works. Fannie K. Hamilton was a prominent actress in San Francisco. HARGRAVE, W.B. 4 letters recalling Dawson City days in 1897. Also 1 reply by Jack London. HARRIMAN, Karl Edwin. 24 letters regarding Red Book magazine literary business, and 11 letters to Harriman from Jack London. HARRISON, Ralph D. 11 letters about curios, literary matters, and general news. Harrison's nickname was "Indian." Also 1 letter from Jack London. HEINEMANN, William. 39 letters regarding translation rights and English distribution. The collection also contains 20 letters from Jack London to Heinemann. HOFFMAN, Elwyn Irving. 7 letters to Jack London regarding literary friends and acquaintances and literary activities in the San Francisco area. The Huntington's Elwyn Hoffman Collection contains a number of Jack London's replies. HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. Almost 60 letters, mostly regarding the Son of the Wolf account (London's first book). Also 3 letters from Jack London. HUGHES MASSIE & COMPANY. Almost 400 letters (and 14 replies) to the Londons regarding English rights to Jack London's works. IRVINE, Alexander. 7 letters from Irvine (a minister, author, and Secretary of the Socialist Party of Connecticut), most regarding arrangements for London's "Revolution" speech at Yale University. JAMES, George Wharton. 7 letters regarding literary matters from Southern California writer George Wharton James. Also one letter from London in reply. JOHNS, Cloudesley Tremenhere. 33 letters from writer Johns who was one of the first writers to admire Jack London's work. The 130 letters London wrote to Johns are rich in details of London's early literary development. The Huntington also has John's autobiography, "Who the Hell is Cloudesley Johns." It contains several chapters about Jack London. JOHNSON, Martin Elmer. Approximately 76 letters from the "Cook of the Snark" who later achieved fame as an explorer. The letters in the Collection concern the voyage of the Snark. There are also 7 letters from London to Johnson. KASPER, Ralph H. 43 letters about socialism, cigarettes, tramps, and writing projects. 5 letters in reply from Jack London. KIRSCHNER, Richard H. 46 letters from the Cosmopolitan, mostly on literary or business matters. Also 31 letters from London to Kirschner. KNOWLES, Ed. 15 letters from Stockton-based Knowles about Delta fishing, the Roamer, and Charmian's dog "Possum." LATHAM, Harold Strong. 100 letters to and 10 from the Londons. Latham was a vice-president of the Macmillan Company. LEWIS, Sinclair. 14 letters to Jack London, mostly regarding the business arrangements they made. Lewis supplied London with a number of story plots and summaries. One of the plots was developed by London into The Abysmal Brute. Also 9 letters to Lewis from London. LIVINGSTON, Leon Ray. Also known as "A No. 1" Livingston was a tramp friend of Jack London's and a writer. Livingston wrote 12 letters to the Londons about tramping, general hobo news, his new books, and a report of a Jack London "double." Also 1 letter from Jack London. LOCKLY, Frederick E. 19 letters, mostly literary in nature. Lockly was one-time editor of Sunset and later joined The Pacific Monthly. The collection also contains 4 letters from London to Lockly. LONDON, Elizabeth May Maddern. 15 letters. Bess was London's first wife. With two exceptions, the letters were written after their 1905 divorce and are concerned with the couple's two children, Becky and Joan. LONDON, Flora Wellman. 1 letter to Mr. Colpus (Harry Holden) making arrangements to meet with Jack London. Flora London was Jack London's mother. LYDSTON, G. Frank. 22 letters, mostly sociological subjects such as crime, People of the Abyss, crime and heredity, and implantation of sex organs. 6 letters from London. MADDERN, Merle. Interesting letter about Cornelia Otis Skinner and the death of Minnie Maddern Fiske. MARBURY, Elizabeth. 28 letters to London regarding dramatic rights to his books. 9 letters from Jack London. MARTINEZ, Xavier. 2 letters to London inviting him to join his friends for social occasions. Martinez was an artist and good friend. MASSIE, Hughes. More than 200 letters from the president of Hughes Massie and Company, London's English agents. All the letters are business-oriented. MATTHEWS, Ernest C. Matthews was one of London's close neighbors and friends. The 40-odd letters from Matthews and the 7 from London deal with horses, ranch details, general news, Oakland real estate, and London's children. An intimate, warm correspondence. METSON, DREW & MACKENZIE (firm). Approximately 20 letters regarding the legal matters and claims against the Jack London estate. MILLARD, Bailey. Editor of Cosmopolitan, Millard wrote to London on 15 different occasions regarding stories for the magazine. MILLER, Joan London. Jack London's daughter Joan wrote to him (or Charmian or Eliza) on several occasions. The collection contains 49 letters from her to her father, stepmother, or aunt, most involving a request for clothing or money. There are also 14 letters from Miller to Alfred Shivers, a professor of English, in which Joan talks about her father and mother. MORRELL, Edward H. An interesting series of 10 letters discussing prison life, money matters, mining property, and The Star-Rover. Also 3 letters from London. NETHERSOLE, Olga. 7 letters suggesting a dramatic partnership with Jack London, theme for a play, and The Scorn of Women. Also 9 letters from Jack London. NICHOLS, Walter H. 40 letters to London (18 replies) all regarding a dramatic version of "South of the Slot." NOEL, Joseph J. Over 100 letters on a variety of subjects. Noel (who was author of Footloose in Arcadia, a reminiscence, in part, of Jack London) involved London in a number of schemes including the Millergraph Corporation. He and London quarreled over the motion picture rights to The Sea-Wolf. The important exchange includes 59 letters from London to Noel. O'HARA, John Myers. Poet O'Hara wrote a poem entitled "Atavism." London borrowed it for The Call of the Wild. The 8 letters (1 from London) discuss this and other literary matters. ORFANS, Spiro. 33 letters from Orfans, 7 from London on ethnological and racial heritage. An interesting if controversial exchange. PEASE, Lute. 20 letters from Pacific Monthly editor Lute Pease. The subject is generally Martin Eden. Also 8 letters from Jack London. PHILLIPS, John Sanburn. An early exchange (36 from Phillips) of letters regarding London's first work. Phillips was editor for McClure's. PHILLIPS, Roland. 65 letters. Also 56 letters from Jack London. The correspondence is literary in the beginning, more friendly toward the end. Phillips was an editor for the Cosmopolitan. PINKER, James Brand. 116 letters, mostly dry, business letters from London's first English agent. London's replies are part of Stanford University's Jack London Collection. REYNOLDS, Paul Revere. Over 100 letters. Reynolds was a literary agent. RICHTER, Conrad Michael. 2 letters from Richter before he became famous as a writer. The first asks for a job, the second proposes that he become London's secretary. SCHARFF, Justus. 3 letters concerning the yacht Snark. SHIPMAN, Ernest. 16 letters about "A Piece of Steak," Bosworth Inc., and the motion picture industry. Also 5 letters from London to Shipman. SHURTLEFF, Clarence E. 19 letters regarding the Hollywood scene, motion picture contracts, and the suit with Columbia Pictures. SINCLAIR, Upton Beall. 44 letters to London requesting literary advice, an introduction to The Jungle, contributions for The Cry for Justice, general socialist information, and literary matters. London's replies are at the Lilly Library in Indiana. SLAYTON LYCEUM BUREAU. 35 letters to London regarding bookings for his speaking tour. Also 5 letters from London. Jack London later sued Slayton Lyceum Bureau. STERLING, George. The 32 letters from London's friend "Greek" and 33 letters from "Wolf" (Jack London) form one of the most important, intimate exchanges of correspondence in the collection. The letters are filled with literary advice, gossip, news, and information. The Huntington Library's George Sterling Collection also contains material of interest to Jack London scholars. TRAIN, Arthur Cheney. An important series of more than 100 letters dealing with London's copyright fights, the Authors' League, the motion picture industry, and the suit against Columbia Pictures. TUCK, H.C. An Oakland socialist, Tuck's 15 letters to London are filled with information regarding the Bay Area labor movement and the socialist party. UMBSTAETTER, Herman Daniel. 5 letters to Jack London requesting stories for The Black Cat. Also 2 letters from London to Umbstaetter. UNTERMANN, Ernest. 44 letters, some regarding German translation rights, others filled with family news or literary gossip. London wrote 16 letters to Untermann. WALLING, Anna Strunsky. 6 letters to Jack and Charmian. Anna Walling was one of London's closest friends in 1903. The Huntington Library's Walling Collection contains more than 100 letters from Jack London, most of them written very early in his career. WELCH, Galbraith. Nearly 150 letters from Galbraith Welch, who was American Manager of Curtis, Brown and Massie. All the letters are of business matters. Also 27 letters from London. WHARTON, Joe. 3 amusing letters trying to sell Jack London deer heads. WILSHIRE, Gaylord. 21 letters. Subjects include socialism, literature, Anna Strunsky Walling, the Haywood affair, the Snark, and Upton Sinclair.
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