Biographical note
Historical Note
Scope and Contents
Preferred Citation
Processing History
Acquisition
Conditions Governing Use
Conditions Governing Access
Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Volney E. Howard Biographical Collection
Creator:
Ramsdell, Charles W. (Charles William)
Creator:
Jackson, Grant
Identifier/Call Number: MS.685
Physical Description:
0.1 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1923
Abstract: This file contains correspondence between C. W. Ramsdell of the Department of History at the University of Texas, Austin and
Los Angeles lawyer Grant Jackson from 1923, regarding biographical information on Judge Volney E. Howard (1809-1889) and his
involvement in the Commission to Settle Private Land Claims in California in the 1850s.
Language of Material:
English
.
Biographical note
Volney Erskine Howard (1809 October 22 – 1889 May 14) was an American lawyer, statesman, and jurist.
Born in Mississippi, Howard moved to Texas and was appointed the first Attorney General of the State of Texas in 1846. He
served in that role for only 6 months. He then represented Texas's District 2 in the U.S. Congress from 1849 to 1853. Appointed
attorney to the Land Commission of California by President Franklin Pierce, Howard left Texas to move to California. He resigned
from the Commission after a few months to practice law in San Francisco. In 1856, he was appointed Adjutant General of California.
In 1861 he moved to Los Angeles, where he was the District Attorney of Los Angeles, California from 1864–68, and a superior
court judge beginning in 1879. He served only one term, due to the ill health that also forced him to refuse a potential nomination
to the U.S. Supreme Court. Howard died in Santa Monica, California, May 1889.
Historical Note
The Commission to Settle Private Land Claims was set up in San Francisco by act of Congress, the California Land Act of 1851,
"to ascertain and settle private land claims" which derived from Spanish and Mexican grants in California. The Commission
was active from 1851 to 1856, and there were some 813 such claims brought before the Commission.
Scope and Contents
This file contains correspondence between C. W. Ramsdell of the Department of History at the University of Texas, Austin and
Los Angeles lawyer Grant Jackson from 1923, regarding biographical information on Judge Volney E. Howard (1809-1889) and his
involvement in the Commission to Settle Private Land Claims in California in the 1850s.
Preferred Citation
Volney E. Howard Biographical Collection, 1923, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.685.
Processing History
Processed by Library staff after 1981. Finding aid completed by Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Processing Archivist, 2012 November
8, made possible through grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commissions (NHPRC).
Acquisition
Donated by H. D. Crotty, 1945 July.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Conditions Governing Access
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence
Politicians -- West (U.S.)
Land grants -- California
California -- History
California -- History -- 19th century
Lawyers
Howard, Volney E. (Volney Erskine)
Commission to Settle Private Land Claims