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Charles F. Potter and Isaac B. Potter Papers: Finding Aid
mssPotter papers
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Title: Charles F. Potter and Isaac B. Potter
Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1887-1940
Bulk dates: 1905-1925
Collection Number: mssPotter papers
Creator:
Potter, Charles F. (Charles Franklin), 1861-
Extent: 3,974 pieces in 10 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains the business and legal papers of
legal and financial counselors Charles F. Potter (1861-1949) and his brother Isaac
B. Potter (1856-1940), concentrating on several water and power companies in
California, Arizona, and Nevada, with the bulk dating from 1905-1925.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
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.
[Identification of item]. Charles F. Potter and Isaac B. Potter Papers, The
Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Purchased from N. A. Kovach, February 8, 1945.
Biographical Note on Isaac B. Potter
Isaac B. Potter (1856-1940) was born in 1856 in Watervliet, New York, son of Oscar
Fitzallen and Antoinette Bucklin Potter. Having graduated from Cornell University,
he was admitted to the New York bar in 1880. He practiced law in New York, being
member of firm of Potter & Alexander (1880-1883), Potter & Potter
(1884-1886), Potter, Caldwin & Miner (1889-1893), and Potter & Miner
(1903-1908). In 1888-1896, he served as chairman of Road Improvement Committee,
League of American Municipalities, and wrote first pamphlet advocating road
improvements (Gospel of Good Roads, 1890-1891). He was the founder of the Good Roads
Magazine. In 1907, he was president of the League of American Wheelmen. In
1907-1910, he served as legal counsel for American Union Life Insurance Co. and
other corporations.
In 1908, he opened offices in Denver and Los Angeles and practiced as a partner in
Potter, West & Potter until 1911 when he formed a partnership with his brother
Charles F. Potter.
Biographical Note on Charles F. Potter
Charles Franklin Potter (born 1861-1949) was born on September 25, 1861, in
Watervliet, New York. He studied civil engineering and law under private tutors, as
apprentice in law office, and through aid of Columbia University law lectures. For
two years he was employed by the New York State Department of Public Works as civil
engineer in design and construction of bridges, water works, sewers, and highways.
In 1883, Charles F. Potter was admitted to New York State bar and practiced law in
New York. Later he was associated with large interests in Texas and was legal
counsel for many mining corporations in Colorado and Nevada, including Nevada Power
Mining & Milling Co. (1904), the Nevada-California Power Co. (1907), the
Southern Sierras Power Company and the Interstate Telegraph Co. (1911), the Nevada
California Electrical Corporation, the Cain Irrigation Co., Pacific Power
Corporation, and other companies in the Southwest. Charles F. Potter was director of
the Mono Power Company in 1920. He formed a partnership with his brother Isaac B. Potter in 1911.
The collection contains the business papers of lawyers Charles F. and Isaac B. Potter, brothers who were
legal and financial counselors with extensive business interests in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, and California.
The papers concentrate on several water and power companies in California, Arizona, and
Nevada. Although more than half of the collection contains daily business
correspondence, there are also various reports on geothermal power resources and
water rights issues in California and in the Owens River Valley in particular. The
collection also includes agreements, deeds, incorporation papers, mortgages,
organizational records, property and title holdings, and surveys.
Several water and power companies represented in the collection include: Cain
Irrigation Company, California-Nevada Canal, Water and Power Company, Deseret Water,
Oil and Irrigation Company, Goleta Consolidated Mining Company, Hillside Water
Company, Hydro Electric Company, Mono Power Company, Nevada-California Electric
Corporation, Pacific Power Company, and Southern Sierras Power Company.
Arranged in 10 boxes in alphabetical order by company name with a few reports filed at the end.
Several of the folders were assigned an identification number, and in order to preserve the original filing system,
these numbers are included in parentheses following each folder title.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Potter, Charles F.
(Charles Franklin), 1861- -- Archives.
Potter, Isaac B. --
Archives.
Cain Irrigation
Company.
California-Nevada
Canal, Water and Power Company.
Deseret Water, Oil and
Irrigation Company.
Goleta Consolidated
Mining Company.
Hillside Water
Company.
Hydro Electric
Company.
Mono Power
Company.
Nevada-California
Electric Corporation.
Pacific Power
Company.
Southern Sierras Power
Company.
Corporate lawyers -- United States --
Archives.
Energy development --
California.
Energy development -- West
(U.S.)
Geothermal resources --
California.
Geothermal resources -- West
(U.S.)
Land titles -- California.
Land titles -- West (U.S.)
Lawyers -- California --
Archives.
Power resources --
California.
Power resources -- West
(U.S.)
Water resources development --
California.
Water resources development --
California -- Owens Valley.
Water rights -- California -- Owens
Valley.
Water-supply -- California -- History
-- Sources.
Arizona -- Economic
conditions.
California -- Economic
conditions.
Nevada -- Economic
conditions.
West (U.S.) --
Economic conditions.
Business records -- West (U.S.)
Deeds -- West (U.S.)
Legal files -- West (U.S.)
Letters (correspondence) (West U.S.)
Professional papers -- California.
Property records -- West (U.S.)
Reports -- West (U.S.)
Surveys -- West (U.S.)
Potter, Isaac B.