Description
A collection of the personal and
business papers of Charles Maclay, California State Senator and the founder of the city of
San Fernando, California.
Background
Charles Maclay (1822-1890) was born in Concord, Pennsylvania; he attended Dickinson College
and became a circuit preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church before being sent as a
missionary to California in 1851. Maclay settled in Santa Clara, California, with his wife
Kate Lloyd Maclay, and became one of the first trustees of the University of the Pacific.
Maclay turned to farming and later set up a mill, a tannery, and a store in Saratoga,
California. He served as a member of the state assembly (1861 to 1862) and as a state
senator (1868 to 1873), where he introduced bills encouraging the construction of the
Southern Pacific Railroad and the establishment of the University of California. In 1874,
along with George Keating Porter and Benjamin F. Porter, Maclay purchased a portion of the
Rancho Ex-Mission de San Fernando which had previously belonged to Eulogio F. de Celis. On
his part of the property, Maclay founded and developed the town of San Fernando, and in 1885
he endowed the Maclay College of Theology, which later became a department of the University
of Southern California. Maclay died in July 1890.
Extent
7.59 Linear Feet
(9 boxes, 31 volumes, and 1 expansion folder)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.