William I. Foley Papers: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Go Oyagi, September 21, 2009.
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
© 2009
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Overview of the Collection

Title: William I. Foley Papers
Dates (inclusive): Approximately 1903-1920
Collection Number: mssFoley papers
Creator: Foley, William I.
Extent: 84 items in 2 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 papers of Los Angeles attorney William I. Folley (1861-1921), who was a partner in a law firm with California governor Henry T. Gage. Includes both personal and business correspondence and legal documents related to several court cases.
Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

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]. William I. Foley Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from Dawson's, March 5, 1970.

Biographical Note

William I. Foley (1861-1921) was an attorney in a law firm in Los Angeles, California, with Henry T. Gage, who served as Governor of California between 1899 and 1903. Foley died in 1921 at the age of 60.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of 84 items including legal documents and correspondence. The collection is composed of three series in accordance with the types of sources: Manuscripts (Box 1), Correspondence, and Ephemera (Box 2). The items in each series are placed in chronological order.
The Manuscripts contain legal documents related to several court cases including Miguel Aguirre, et al. vs. Patrick William Riordan (Archbishop of San Francisco), et al., where Foley was an attorney for the plaintiffs, and Jonathan S. Dodge vs. John C. Cline, where he served for the defendant. The first case was taken to court by the Aguirres, who believed that the Catholic Church owed to the family an interest in the Pious Fund of California, which has its origin in the 17th century. As for this case, the collection includes the notes prepared by him and/or someone else for the case. The second case was fought by a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the sheriff of the county. As Foley was also involved as an attorney for R. S. McKenzie in the financial contracts between M. Levinson, Jean R. Patterson, Newton Evans, and McKenzie, there are manuscripts related to that case as well. Related to the case, there is also a bill from the Mortgage Company of Canada to R. S. McKenzie as well as a certificate created by R. S. McKenzie. In addition, the collection includes some sources related to the business of Richard Phelan since Foley was a stockholder of the Esmeralda Quicksilver Mining Company ran by Phelan.
The Correspondence includes both personal and business letters written and received by Foley. He received letters from Fred S. McGahan, Richard Phelan, Grant Cordrey, Marie Phelan, James H. Barry, S. I. Mossawir, Dolores Aguirre de Pico, Minnie Foley, and Chas G. Halpin. Other participants include: Pedro Bot, F. M. McAuliffe, Mortgage Company of Canada, Motor Vehicle Department (California), Stewart McKenzie, and Newton Evans.
Finally, the ephemera includes a memo pad of Foley’s, business envelopes of F. M. McAuliffe and the law offices of Gage and Foley, business cards of Gage and Foley and Bernard Morrow, and two photographs of two different men.

Arrangement

The collection is composed of three series: Manuscripts (Box 1), Correspondence, and Ephemera (Box 2). The items in each series are placed in chronological order.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

Subjects

Dodge, Jonathan S., b. 1867.
Foley, William I.
Riordan, Patrick William, 1841-1914.
Los Angeles County (Calif.). Board of Supervisors.
Pious Fund of the Californias.
Courts -- California -- Los Angeles.
Lawyers -- California.
California -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.

Forms/Genres

Depositions -- California -- 20th century.
Legal documents -- California -- 20th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 20th century.


Box 1

Manuscripts

Folder 1

ca. 1903. Notes regarding Miguel Aguirre, et al. vs. Patrick William Riordan, et al. 10 items.

Folder 2

ca. 1903. Legal documents regarding Miguel Aguirre, et al. vs. Patrick William Riordan, et al. 3 items.

Folder 3

1905, Oct. 20. Deposition of Jose G. Estudillo. 1 item.

Folder 4

1905, Oct. 21. Deposition of Manuel A. Ferrer. 1 item.

Folder 5

1905, Oct. 25. Deposition of Dolores Aguirre de Pico. 1 item.

Folder 6

1905, Oct. 25. Deposition of Miguel Antonio Aguirre. 1 item.

Folder 7

1905, Oct. 26. Deposition of Martin Aguirre. 1 item.

Folder 8

ca. 1913-1920. Documents related to Richard Phelan’s business. 3 items.

Folder 9

1916, Oct. 21. Bill from Mortgage Company of Canada to R.S. McKenzie. 1 item.

Folder 10

1918. Documents regarding contracts between M. Levinson, Newton Evans, R. S. McKenzie, and Jean R. Patterson. 11 items.

Folder 11

1918, May 4. Certificate from R. S. Mckenzie to Newton Evans. 1 item.

Folder 12

ca. 1920. Legal document regarding Jonathan S. Dodge vs. John C. Cline. 1 item.

Box 2

Correspondence and Ephemera

Folder 1

1905-1910. Bot, Pedro. 2 letters to Felix Barrueta. 2 items.

Folder 2

1910, Dec. 17. Foley, William I.? 1 letter to James H. Barry. Includes a draft of the letter. 2 items.

Folder 3

1911, May 1 and 9. “Frank.” 2 letters to William I. Foley. 2 items.

Folder 4

1913, Mar. 17. Foley, William I. 1 letter to Richard Phelan. 1 item.

Folder 5

1913, Mar. 17. McGahan, Fred S. 1 letter to William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 6

1913, May 15. Aguirre, Dolores. 1 letter to Henry T. Gage and William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 7

1913, May 19. Mossawir, S. I. 1 letter to William I. Foley. item.

Folder 8

1913, May 19. McAuliffe, F. M. 1 letter to Minnie Foley. 1 item.

Folder 9

1913, Aug. 18. Barry, James H. 1 letter to William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 10

1913, Aug. 19. Unidentified author. 1 letter to “Dory.” 1 item.

Folder 11

ca. 1913. Foley, Minnie. 2 letters to William I. Foley. 2 items.

Folder 12

1913-1919. Phelan, Richard. 9 letters to William I. Foley. 9 items.

Folder 13

1914, Jan. 2. Phelan, Richard. 1 letter to “Stockholders of the Esmeralda Quicksilver Mining Company.” 2 copies of the same letter. 2 items.

Folder 14

1917, Sep. 22. Motor Vehicle Department (California). 1 letter to M. McNaughton. 1 item.

Folder 15

1918, Apr. 12. McKenzie, Stewart. 1 letter to R. S. McKenzie. 1 item.

Folder 16

1918-1919. Evans, Newton. 5 letters to R. S. McKenzie. 5 items.

Folder 17

1919, Sep. 3. Foley, William I. 1 letter to Newton Evans. 1 item.

Folder 18

1919, Oct. 31. Cordrey, Grant. 1 letter to William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 19

1919, Nov. 4. Phelan, Marie E. 1 letter to William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 20

1920, May. Halpine, Chas G. 1 letter to William I. Foley. 1 item.

Folder 21

ca. 1920. Unidentified author. 2 letters to William I. Foley. 2 items.

Folder 22

[undated]. Foley, Minnie. 1 letter to “My Dearest Little Niece.” 1 item.

Folder 23

[undated].Edgar, D. 1 letter to John Gibbon? 1 item.

Folder 24

Foley, William I. Memo pad [undated]. 1 item.

Folder 25

Envelopes (1913). 2 items.

Folder 26

Photographs [undated]. 2 items.

Folder 27

Business cards [undated]. 2 items.