Gerald John Kane Collection mssKane
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
May 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Gerald John Kane collection
Creator:
Kane, Gerald John, 1901-1957
Identifier/Call Number: mssKane
Physical Description:
16 Linear Feet
(9 boxes,12 cartons, 3 volumes)
Date (inclusive): 1839-1952
Abstract: A collection of business
correspondence, land and mining papers, documents, and volumes dealing with Nevada, Arizona,
and California; the material was collected by Gerald John Kane.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Gerald John Kane collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from William P. Wreden, January 1961.
Biographical / Historical
Gerald John Kane (1901-1957) was an American collector of autographs and western lore. Kane
was born in Chicago but spent most of his life in Nevada. He was interested in the history
and development of Nevada and the American West and amassed a large collection of
miscellaneous papers, from various sources, dealing with the business, industry, and daily
life of its people. Kane was also interested in collecting autographs of famous people; to
further his interests, he established and operated a small shop in San Francisco called "The
Trading Post." He later moved to Reno, Nevada, and died there in 1957.
Scope and Contents
A collection which consists of approximately 12,500 items; it includes letters, documents,
account books, and business records collected by Gerald John Kane related to the history of
Nevada (1839-1952). The collection includes material about mining companies, business firms,
land, railroads, stage lines, and politics, centering around Austin, Virginia City, Nye
County, Ormsby County, Goldfield, Dayton, and Lander County, Nevada. Additionally, there is
material about Adolph Sutro and the Sutro Tunnel Company; miscellaneous papers related to
land and mining in California and Arizona; Army records of Archie W. Barrie and photographs
from the Philippine Islands; and volumes related to taxation in Utah.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1965. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy in-house summary report.
Arrangement
Arranged in the following manner: 1. Correspondence; 2. Nevada mining and land material; 3.
Account books; 4. Arizona, California, and Philippines material; 5. Volumes.
Related Materials
The Gerald John Kane collection (mssKane) is part of a larger collection acquired from
William Wreden that was separated into three distinct collections. The other two collections
are: Gerald John Kane literary collection (mssKAL) and Gerald John Kane autograph collection
(mssHM 29330-30299). The three collections are now cataloged separately with linked
provenance.
General
Former call number: mssKane collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Business enterprises -- Nevada
Coaching (Transportation) -- Nevada
Land use -- Arizona
Land use -- California
Land use -- Nevada
Mines and mineral resources --
Arizona
Mines and mineral resources -- California
Mining corporations -- Nevada
Railroads -- Nevada
Taxation -- Utah
Transportation -- Nevada
Austin (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Dayton (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Goldfield (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Lander County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Nevada -- History -- Sources
Nye County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Ormsby County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Philippines -- Photographs
Virginia City (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
Account books -- West (U.S.)
Business records -- West (U.S.)
Letters (correspondence) -- West (U.S.)
Photographs -- Philippines
Sutro, Adolph,
1830-1898
Sutro Tunnel
Company
Box 9, Folder 1-36
Dinsmore family correspondence
Box 10, Folder 1-4
Nevada Mining companies: A-M
Box 11, Folder 1-6
Nevada Mining companies: N-R
Box 12, Folder 1-11
Nevada Mining companies: S-Z
Box 13, Folder 1-5
Nevada Miscellaneous land papers
Scope and Contents
Includes material on politics and government, Shoshone Indian affairs, transportation
(railroads, stagecoach lines, roads, etc.).
Box 14, Folder 1-7
Nevada: Virginia City, Goldfield, Dayton
1852-1907
Box 15, Folder 1-8
Nevada: Nye County, Ormsby County, Lander County
1862-1937
Box 16, Folder 1-6
Austin: Municipal business, banks, churches, schools, hotels, etc.
1864-1946
Box 17, Folder 1-53
Austin: Miscellaneous business firms, bills, receipts, accounts,
etc.
undated
Box 18, Folder 1-22
Austin: Business firms - Cresenzo and Son, Dinsmore Bros.
1868-1906
Box 19, Folder 1-6
Austin: Business firms - Dinsmore Bros.
Box 20, Volume 1-11
Miscellaneous account books
1887-1925
Scope and Contents
Includes General store - Hamilton (1887); Henry Heidenreich - Carson City (1890);
Lactine Company - Carson City and San Francisco (1915, 1925); Muir and Muniletti -
Hamilton (1915-1917); John and William Pardy - Eureka (1887-1917); and unsigned ledgers,
etc.
Box 21, Folder 1-8
Arizona mining and land papers, etc.
1865-1920
Scope and Contents
Also includes Kane's indexes and information about Nevada people; California - Sutro
Tunnel Company, mining; Philippine Islands.
Volume 1
Utah: Assistant Assessor's Record- U.S. Internal Revenue tax records of:
Distilled spirits
1866-1867
Volume 2
Cigar and Tobacco Manufacturers
1872
Volume 3
Records of Special Taxes
1872