Finding Aid to the Rosborough Family Papers
Lara Michels
The Bancroft Library
2023
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Rosborough family papers
Creator:
Rosborough family
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 022/230
Physical Description:
1.25 linear feet
(1 carton)
Date (inclusive): 1850-1930
Date (bulk): 1850-1900
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from William Reese in 2022.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in roughly chronological order.
Biographical / Historical
The Rosborough brothers were born in South Carolina but relocated to Tennessee in the 1820s. Alexander M. Rosborough enlisted
in the military and fought in various wars before becoming a newspaper editor and eventually joining a mining company in California.
Joseph B. Rosborough also worked in the newspaper business before joining his brother on the journey to California. Alexander
M. Rosborough spent the remainder of his life in California. was a founder of Crescent City, California, served as an Indian
Agent during the Modoc War, and was a judge. He moved to Oakland around 1880 and died in 1900. J.B. Rosborough, the primary
correspondent, was a lawyer who traveled throughout western mining regions and eventually settled in Texas. Joseph moved to
Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1871 and remained there until 1890 when his deteriorating health took him prompted him to move to
Texas where he continued his business pursuits purchasing with partners more than 36,000 acres of land. He remained in Texas
until 1898 when he moved back to South Caroling. He died there in 1901 (a year after his brother). The collection includes
letters discussing the California Gold Rush, the Modoc War, the Klondike Gold Rush, and early settlement and mining operations
in Idaho Territory, Utah Territory, Nevada, and Texas.
Preferred Citation
Rosborough family papers, BANC MSS 2022/230, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Related Materials
Rosborough family papers, BANC MSS C-B 677 (The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).
[Portrait photographs from the Rosborough family archive], BANC PIC 2023.047 (The Bancroft Library, University of California,
Berkeley).
Content Description
The Rosborough family papers consist primarily of letters documenting the family's experience of various significant events
and settlements in the American West. The letters date from 1850 through 1900 (with a few dating into the 1920s) and were
primarily authored by Alexander M. Rosborough and Joseph B. Rosborough. The collection includes letters discussing the California
Gold Rush, the Modoc War, the Klondike Gold Rush, and early settlement and mining operations in Idaho Territory, Utah Territory,
Nevada, and Texas.
The letters begin in 1850 as the brothers prepare for their voyage to California as part of a mining venture. Three letters
from Alexander M. Rosborough contain details of preparations for their trip. The collection also includes letters of reference
for the brothers, including a letter signed by Andrew Johnson as a US Representative from the state of Tennessee along with
signatures of the rest of the TN delegation. There are no letters detailing the overland journey and the correspondence does
not start again until 1852 (from San Francisco). Joseph B. Rosborough corresponded regularly with his sister Jane "Jinnie"
Patton Rosborough Wilson (1823-1900). One of these letters dates from 1852 and describes his impressions of San Francisco.
Most of this correspondence dates from approximately 1860 through the 1890s. A large volume of the collection's correspondence
details Joseph's business and personal pursuits in Texas prior to moving back to his home state of South Carolina. He died
there in 1901, just one year after his older brother.
In addition to the correspondence of A.M. and J.B. Rosborough, the collection contains some letters written by Alexander M.
Rosborough's son, Alexander Joseph Rosborough, to his family in 1898 from the Yukon Territory (where he went as part of the
Klondike Gold Rush). A.J. Rosborough traveled to from Oakland, CA, to the Klondike via the Chilkoot Trail.
In addition to the correspondence, the collection contains a few folders of family land and financial documents and newspaper
clippings.
Conditions Governing Use
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies.
Processing Information
Collection processed at the folder level by Lara Michels. Processor adapted description received from seller William Reese
in drafting this finding aid.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Rosborough, Joseph Brown, 1821-1901
Rosborough, Alexander Madison, 1815-1900
California -- History -- 1850-1950
Crescent City (Calif.)
Siskiyou County (Calif.)
Happy Camp (Calif.)
Modoc War, 1872-1873
Gold mines and mining--California
carton 1, folder 1
Letters of introduction for Joseph B. Rosborough
February 1850
carton 1, folder 2
Tennessee Delegation letter recommending Joseph B. Rosborough
March 1, 1850
carton 1, folder 3
Alexander M. Rosborough to M.P. Gentry
March 7, 1850
carton 1, folder 4
Alexander M. Rosborough to his brother Joseph B. Rosborough
March 10, 1850
Scope and Contents
In this letter, Alexander M. Rosborough communicates with his brother about preparations for a wagon train journey to California
due to start in April 1850 from St. Louis. Alexander is planning to travel with a mining company. The letter is detailed and
includes lists and biographical details of the men traveling (including one African-American man) as well as extensive details
about the preparation of wagons and other equipment/supplies. The letter also mentions purchasing a steam engine and other
equipment and the plan to ship them to California around the Cape.
carton 1, folder 5
M.P. Gentry to Joseph B. Rosborough
March 17, 1850
carton 1, folder 6
Alexander M. Rosborough to Samuel S. Coin
March 21, 1850
carton 1, folder 7
Joseph B. Rosborough to Jane Wilson
April 4, 1852
carton 1, folder 8
William H. Farr to Joseph Farr (son)
April 9, 1860
carton 1, folder 9
W.B. Oney to A. Donoho
April 13, 1860
carton 1, folder 10
A.J. Donoho (Happy Camp) to J. Berry (Yreka)
May 21, 1860
carton 1, folder 11
William H. Farr to Joseph B. Rosborough
June 1, 1860
carton 1, folder 12
J.A. Donoho and J.H. Farr (Happy Camp) to unknown recipient
July 10, 1860
carton 1, folder 13
J.B. Rosborough to David D. Rosborough
May 28, 1861
carton 1, folder 14
Alexander M. Rosborough to Jane Wilson
1866
carton 1, folder 15
Joseph B. Rosborough to Jane Wilson
September 22, 1866-December 7, 1867
carton 1, folder 16
Joseph B. Rosborough to Sallie Wilson
April 17, 1869
carton 1, folder 17
Joseph B. Rosborough to John S. Wilson
July 13, 1869
carton 1, folder 18
W.A.R. Wilson to father (J.P. Wilson)
April 27, 1870
carton 1, folder 19
Joseph B. Rosborough to Jane Wilson
June 28, 1868-November 16, 1870
Scope and Contents
Written from Silver City, Nevada. Includes a carte de visite with a portrait of Joseph B. Rosborough.
carton 1, folder 20
J.P. Wilson to son
August 29, 1870
carton 1, folder 21
To "mother" from S.J. W[ilson]
approximately 1870
carton 1, folder 22-36
Joseph B. Rosborough to Jane Wilson
February 18, 1871-April 30, 1899
carton 1, folder 37
Alexander J. Rosborough to Aunt Jane
April 2, 1894
carton 1, folder 38
Alexander J. Rosborough to Uncle Joe
January 27, 1897
carton 1, folder 39
J. Sub Johnson (tax collector) to Alexander J. Rosborough
June 5, 1897
carton 1, folder 40
Alexander J. Rosborough to Uncle Joe
June 21, 1897
carton 1, folder 41
Joseph B. Rosborough to Alexander M. Rosborough
March 31, 1898
carton 1, folder 42
David D. Rosborough to Alexander M. Rosborough
April 18, 1898
carton 1, folder 43
David D. Rosborough to Alexander M. Rosborough
April 19, 1898
carton 1, folder 44
Alexander J. Rosborough to parents
May 11, 1898
carton 1, folder 45
Alexander J. Rosborough to parents
May 29, 1898
carton 1, folder 46
Alexander J. Rosborough to J.J. Rosborough
April 20, 1898
carton 1, folder 47
Letter to Mrs. R.K. Gardiner
June 10, 1898
carton 1, folder 48
Memo to J.M. Rosborough from Bennet, Bradley, Howat, Bradley and Richards
July 8, 1898
carton 1, folder 49
Alexander J. Rosborough to J.J. Rosborough
June 13, 1898
carton 1, folder 50
Alexander J. Rosborough to his parents
June 20, 1898
carton 1, folder 51
Alexander J. Rosborough to his parents
June 24, 1898
carton 1, folder 52
Alexander M. Rosborough to Joseph B. Rosborough
August 2, 1898
carton 1, folder 53
Alexander J. Rosborough to Uncle Joe (Joseph B. Rosborough)
February 1, 1899
carton 1, folder 54
Joseph B. Rosborugh and Rane McMillan to Sallie Wilson
1882-1900
carton 1, folder 55
W.E Rosborough to the Honorable J.S. Wilson
May 2, 1900
carton 1, folder 56
Telegram to J.B. Rosborough
November 6, 1900
Scope and Contents
Informing of the death of A.M. Rosborough.
carton 1, folder 57
Alexander J. Rosborough to Joseph B. Rosborough
November 18, 1900
carton 1, folder 58
Joseph B. Rosborough to William H. Rosborough
December 1900
carton 1, folder 59
Alexander J. Rosborough to Joseph B. Rosborough
December 16, 1900
carton 1, folder 60
Alexander J. Rosborough to Sallie Wilson
March 13, 1920
carton 1, folder 61-62
Joseph B. Rosborough, assorted incoming
1890-1900
1930
carton 1, folder 63
Joseph B. Rosborough to William H. Rosborough
December 24, 1900
carton 1, folder 64
Alexander J. Rosborough fragment of letter
undated
carton 1, folder 65-75
Other family documents
1865-1890
Physical Description:
7 folders
Scope and Contents
Document regarding sale of land in Arkansas (1890); Joseph B. Rosborough's notes regading Arkansas Pass and southwest coast
of Texas; newspaper article on Joseph J. Rosborough; booklet entitled The Mountie and the Sourdough by Alexander J. Rosborough;
"library account" documents (1865); assorted Joseph B. Rosborough financial records (1890-1900); Texas Land and Investment
Company letterhead; newspaper clippings relating to the death of Alexander M. Rosborough (1900) and Alexander J. Rosborough.
