Guide to the Junipero Land and Water Company Records MS 237

Finding aid prepared by Samantha Mills
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
July 30, 2012


Title: Junipero Land and Water Company Records
Identifier/Call Number: MS 237
Contributing Institution: San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 0.5 Linear feet (1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1887 March 1-1910 January 17
Abstract: The collection contains business ledgers and records for the Junipero Land and Water Company from March 1, 1887 to January 17, 1910.
creator: Junipero Land and Water Company.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Charles J. Fox was born in Massachusetts in 1835. He came to San Diego in 1868, already a highly respected civil engineer. Within three years, he helped lay out the new town of San Diego. He was also engaged by Texas Pacific and other railway surveys to locate suitable passages through the Southern California mountains. He organized the Junipero Land and Water Company in 1887, and remained president of the company till his death in 1898.
The purpose of the Junipero Land and Water Company was “to purchase, own, hold, cultivate, improve, subdivide and sell real property in the County of San Diego.” The original directors of the company included John G. Capron, C.C. Seaman, E.S. Chase, and O.S. Hubbell. Their first planned projects included the establishment of a stagecoach line between San Diego and Grantville, the establishment of a Soldier’s Home on land owned by the Grant Army of the Republic in Grantville, and the subdivision of their Mission Valley property into 5-acre tracts for resale.
After the death of Charles J. Fox in 1898, the company was engaged in a lawsuit by the estates of Artia A. Fox and Charles J. Fox over unpaid interest on a $10,000 note. The president after Fox, David Seaman, quickly resigned. In 1907, after the original directors stopped appearing for meetings, the remaining stockholders elected a new set of directors with Frederick J. Proctor as president. The new directors handled all delinquent bills and taxes, and sold off the Mission Valley and Grantville properties in 1909.

Scope and Content

The collection contains business ledgers and records for the Junipero Land and Water Company. Ledgers contain the company’s articles of incorporation, meeting minutes, and records of stocks sold, cancelled, and stocks transferred between individuals. Also included are financial notes and receipts.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Spine of ledger (Box 1 folder 1) is damaged and the front cover is partially deattached. (July 30, 2012)

Arrangement

Collection is arranged by subject.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Samantha Mills on July 30, 2012.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.

Preferred Citation

Junipero Land and Water Company Records, MS 237, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Capron, John G.
Chase, E. S.
Fox, Artia A.
Fox, Charles J.
Grand Army of the Republic.
Hall, M.
Harrison, George R.
Hubbell, O. S.
Ingle, Heber
Ingle, Jerauld
Ingle, Leda J.
Junipero Land and Water Company.
Proctor, Frederick J.
San Diego Flume Company.
Seaman, C. C.
Seaman, David
Steinmetz, A.
Stewart, F. W.
Strickland, E. F.
Account books
Grantville (San Diego, Calif.)
Land companies
Land subdivision
Mission Valley (Calif.)
Real property
San Diego (Calif.)

Box-folder 1:1

Articles of Incorporation and Minutes Ledger, 1887 March 1-1895 March 4

Scope and Content

Ledger contains lined pages and is dated May 1, 1887 to March 4, 1895. Only the first 44 pages are used. The ledger contains the Junipero Land and Water Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Directors meeting minutes from 1887 to 1895.

Entries of interest:

Undated, Articles of Incorporation. (backside of title page to page 21)
March 1, 1887: Certification of Incorporation is received, and Charles J. Fox voted president. Charles J. Fox, John G. Capron, C.C. Seaman, E.S. Chase, and O.S. Hubbell are voted directors. (page 27)
May 14, 1887: President and Secretary are authorized to sign an agreement with the San Diego Flume Company for “a supply of water for irrigation and other uses.” (page 29)
January 13, 1888: The following projects are approved: to establish a stage line between San Diego and Grantville; to establish a Soldier’s Home on land owned by the Grand Army of the Republic in Grantville; and to subdivide their Mission Valley property into 5-acre tracts, to be sold at $400 per acre. (page 30)
March 14, 1891: The President is authorized to sell the Mission Valley tracts at lower rates, according to market value. Members of the Grand Army of the Republic are declared noncompliant with terms of their agreement, and the company is absolved from any obligation to them. The President is directed to sell or dispose of the Soldier’s Home in Grantville in whatever way best for the company. (page 38)
Box-folder 1:2

“Minutes of Stock Holders and Directors Meetings of the Junipero Land & Water Co.” (ledger), 1899 January 16-1909 June 1

Scope and Content

Ledger is dated January 16, 1899 to June 1, 1909. Pages 1-8 were previously torn out. Page 9 is a handwritten title page reading: “Minutes of Stock Holders and Directors Meetings of the Junipero Land & Water Co.” The remainderst of the ledger, pages 10 to 96, contains meeting minutes.

Entries of interest:

January 16, 1899: Meeting minutes note that the original book of by-laws and minute book are missing. A new code of by-laws is prepared and adopted. The President is David Seaman. (page 11)
May 10, 1899: A notice is sent out for a Special Meeting regarding a lawsuit by the estate of Artia A. Fox for interest due on a $10,000 note. (page 26)
May 16, 1899: David Seaman tenders his resignation as president. C.C. Seaman is elected to finish his term as president. (page 28)
May 16, 1899: Special Meeting: Board drafts a compromise on the Artia A. Fox suit. If accepted, the $10,000 principal would be due to the estate of Artia A. Fox, and a sum of $6,000 in unpaid interest would be due to the estate of Charles J. Fox. Board takes out a mortgage on all of their San Diego County property except that in Grantville. (pages 29-34)
May 21, 1907: First entry since May 19, 1900. Board failed to elect officers in January. David Seaman, C.C. Seaman, F.W. Stewart, and O.S Hubbell are all absent, so the rest of the stockholders appoint Frederick J. Proctor, Heber Ingle, Leda J. Ingle, Jerauld Ingle, and A. Steinmetz as Directors for the rest of the term. (pages 52-61)
Box-folder 1:3

“Minutes of Stock Holders and Directors Meetings of the Junipero Land & Water Co.” (ledger), loose materials, 1900-1909

Box-folder 1:4

Minutes Ledger, 1909 July 6-1910 January 17

Scope and Content

Ledger contains meeting minutes dated July 6, 1909 to January 17, 1910. The cover is embossed with “Record.” Only the first 11 pages are used of the 152 pages.

Entry of interest:

July 20, 1909: Board authorizes the sale of the company’s real estate in Ex Mission lots 65, 66, 67, and 68, and all town lots and acre lots in Grantville to M. Hall and Geo R. Harrison at $10 an acre. (pages 2-4)
Box-folder 1:5

Minutes Ledger, loose materials, 1909-1910

Box-folder 1:6

"Stock Ledger," 1888 May 23-1909 May 20

Scope and Content

Ledger is dated May 23, 1888 to May 20, 1909. The cover is embossed with “Stock Ledger.” There are six unnumbered pages with alphabet tabs at the front: “ABCD,” “EFGH,” “JKLM,” “NOPQ,” “RSTU,” and “VWYZ.” A few names are written on these pages and numbered 1 to 19. The remainder of the ledger pages are ruled with two columns titled “Certificate Cancelled” and “Certificate Issued,” and each column is ruled with four sub-columns: “Date,” “Journal Folio,” “Certificate Number,” and “Number of Shares.” Only the first 19 pages are used of the 144 pages. Each of those pages has the name of a stockholder written at the top, with account details filled in below.
Box-folder 1:7

"Transfer Journal," 1888 May 23-1907 May 9

Scope and Content

Ledger covers May 23, 1888 to May 9, 1907. The cover is embossed with “Transfer Journal.” Left side pages are ruled into five columns: “Date,” a signature line to surrender one’s shares, “Ledger Folio,” “No. certificate surrendered,” and “No. shares transferred.” Right side pages are ruled into six columns: “Favor of,” “Ledger Folio,” “No. certificate issues,” “No. shares,” “Total No. shares,” and a signature line to receive shares. Only the first seven pages are used of the 160 pages. Ledger contains records of stocks transferred between individuals.

Entry of interest:

May 17, 1900: E.S. Chase, Mrs. Whitney, and E.F. Strickland transfer their shares “to Jerauld Ingle for delinquent asst. of March 20, 1900.” (Page 4)
Box-folder 1:8

Financial Notes and Telephone Rental Receipts, 1888 November 1-1909 November 1

Box-folder 1:9

Miscellanea, 1895 May 14-1905 August 1 and undated

Includes:

Fire insurance premium
Letter from The Pennsylvania Casualty Company regarding coverage for an underage employee