California: Grass Valley; Nevada City

Collector Carl Mautz acquired some photographs from the William S. May family album in Grass Valley, California around 1990. There are portraits of a young white couple, May and his wife Anna (Conaway) May, and four African Americans - a man, Boz Harrison; a woman, Hannah Harrison; and two girls, Minnie and Fannie Harrison. Anna's father, Carville Conaway, arrived in California from Baltimore in 1851, settling in Grass Valley with his family, who arrived later. The 1850 U.S. Federal Census shows that Carville Conaway had three enslaved people in his household in Baltimore. It is unclear if these are the same people. The tintype of Minnie Harrison has an imprint indicating it was taken in Baltimore. Research information regarding these photographs is in the collection information file. Please see Reader Services for more information.

This binder also contains a street view of the Nevada City Courthouse; a group portrait of four men and two horses in Nevada City; and two men in military uniforms.