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Title: John M. Battée Letters
Dates: 1853-1866
Collection Number: 1991-157
Creator/Collector:
Battee, John M.
Extent: .25 linear feet
Repository:
History San Jose Research Library
San Jose, California 95112
Abstract: Letters of John Marion Battée, California pioneer, written to his family between 1853 and 1866, documenting his life in San
Jose.
Language of Material: English
Letters are available to researchers by appointment with the Curator of Library & Archives. A transcript of the letters is
attached to this record.
Contact the Curator of Library & Archives regarding reproduction and publication.
John M. Battée Letters. History San Jose Research Library
The letters and the transcript were donated to the San Jose Historical Museum in 1991 by Elliot G. Baum, who also transcribed
the letters. He was given the letters by Dore and Carolyn Battée of San Francisco, descendants of John Battée.
Biography/Administrative History
John Marion Battée was born in Maryland on November 3, 1827. He came to California via Panama in the early 1850s, and married
Clarissa McKean of Ohio. Battée took office as a Santa Clara County supervisor on March 7, 1870, and continued as a member
and chairman of the board until March 4, 1878. During this time he championed the road to Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton.
Battée was a grain farmer who owned large ranches in Santa Clara County as well as the Salinas Valley, and was one of the
founders of the Farmers' Union in San Jose. In his later years he developed a prune orchard in Los Gatos. He died in San Jose
on October 30, 1921.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection comprises eighteen letters written by John Marion Battée, originally of Maryland, as he made his way to San
Jose, California, in the mid-19th century.
Frontier and pioneer life--California
Pioneers--California
Letters
Agriculture
San Jose (Calif.)
Santa Clara County (Calif.)
letters