Austin H. Merrill Papers MSS.314

Finding aid prepared by Leilani Silver, Pamela Nett Kruger
Processing of this collection was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives program.
California State University, Chico, Special Collections, Meriam Library
400 West First Street
Chico, CA, 95929-0295
(530) 898-6342
SpecialCollections@csuchico.edu
7/7/2010


Title: Austin H. Merrill Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.314
Contributing Institution: California State University, Chico, Special Collections, Meriam Library
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 1.0 Linear feet 1 Box with 15 Folders
Date (inclusive): 1881-1948
Abstract: The Austin H. Merrill Papers consist of correspondence, reports, diagrams, and photographs (some with accompanying negatives) related to mines and mining in Shasta County, Butte County, Mexico, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada.
Language of Materials note: English
Alternate Form of Material: No other forms of material.
creator: Merrill, Austin H.

Biographical/Historical note

Austin H. Merrill became a mining engineer and lived in the West, in Nevada, Alaska, and San Francisco, California. He was born March 13, 1893 in Nashville, Tennessee. His father was Austin H. (Heaton) Merrill (1859-1900), a “beloved” elocution professor at Vanderbilt University. His mother was Pearl (Daniel) Merrill (1869-1953), of Harrisonville, Missouri. Austin H. Merrill also had a sister, Elizabeth (Merrill) Everett. He was the grandchild of Henry Clay Daniel and Elizabeth Gillenwaters Brown. Austin H. Merrill married Livinia Shinn (Levine Merrill), and they had three children, Patricia Ann Merrill, born April 5, 1918, in Goldfield, Nevada, Peter Merrill, born Aug. 7, 1928, in San Francisco, California, and Austin Jr.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research without restriction.

Usage Restrictions

No restrictions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Eric Ritter, Bureau of Land Management in Redding, California.

Preferred Citation note

Austin H. Merrill Papers, MSS 314, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

Related Collections

Tennessee State Library and Archives finding aid for the Merrill, Austin Heaton (1859-1900) Papers.
Sutherland, Jasper. Letter from French Gulch, 1888 Nov. 24. California State Library. Collection # MANUSCRIPT SMCII Box 14 Folder 8 California Manuscripts.
David J. Rogers letters, from French Gulch, Calif. to T. S. and Sarah J. McFarland, 1855-1857. UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library. Collection # BANC MSS 87/32 c
Arnold (Ralph) Collection 1836-1961. Box 148, Folder 156: Niagara Summit Mine, no location, 1932. Box 148, Folder 147: Milk Maid Mine, Shasta County, California 1931-1932. Box 151, Folder 225: Silver King Mine, Pinal County, Arizona, 1934-1937. Huntington Library, Manuscripts Department.

Scope and Contents note

The Austin H. Merrill Papers consist of correspondence, reports, diagrams, and photographs (some with accompanying negatives) related to mines and mining in Shasta County, Butte County, Mexico, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada. Contained within the collection is information pertaining to the following mines: Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, American Mine, Silver King Mine, Niagara Summit, Riverside Mine (Alaska), Golden Treasure Mine (Mexico), Rainbow Mine (Oregon), and Goldfield (Nevada).
Many of the reports include geological surveys and assessments of the mines, which consist of estimates and recommendations for development, operation, and cost. Some of the reports include drawings or diagrams illustrating mining developments and operations, such as the six diagrams depicting the mine shafts of Yankee John Mine. Also included in the collection is an owner’s statement for the Silver King Mine by L. C. Parker, dated March 9, 1915, a handwritten history of the Yankee John Mine by John F. Reese, dated January 3, 1939, Assay Certificates by James A. Leslie, a record of accounts from the Washington Mine October 14, 1937 through February 18, 1938, and mining claims from French Gulch, including Halcyon Gold Quartz Claim, Midway Gold Quartz Mine, Ruby Pearl Quartz Mine, Lone Pine Gold Quartz Mine, and Globe Gold Quartz Mine. The photographs contained within the collection were taken of several different mines, including Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, American Mine, French Gulch, Riverside Mine, Golden Treasure Mine, Rainbow Mine, and Goldfield.
Besides Austin H. Merrill there are other names included in some of the correspondence and reports, such as Richard L. Smith, W. L. Clark, W. Y. Humphreys, W. L. Hill, J. H. Scott, John F. Reese, L. T. Pockman, John A. Kruse, Lutellus Smith, W. M. Johnston, and H. A. Houser. Also included are Assay Certificates by James A. Leslie.

Publication Rights

The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary property.

Arrangement note

The collection is arranged by mine, in this order: Silver Mines, Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, Mining Claims (which include Halcyon Gold Quartz Claim, Midway Gold Quartz Mine, Lone Pine Gold Quartz Mine, and Globe Gold Quartz Mine), American Mine, Silver King Mine, Niagara Summit Mining Property, Riverside Mine (Alaska), Golden Treasure Mine (Mexico), Rainbow Mine (Oregon), and Goldfield (Nevada).

Processing Information note

Processing of the Austin H. Merrill Papers was generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The [ABC repository] was awarded a Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant from 2010-2012, "Uncovering California's Environmental Collections," in collaboration with eight additional special collections and archival repositories throughout the state and the California Digital Library (CDL). Grant objectives included processing of over 33 hidden collections related to the state's environment and environmental history. The collections document an array of important sub-topics such as irrigation, mining, forestry, agriculture, industry, land use, activism, and research. Together they form a multifaceted picture of the natural world and the way it was probed, altered, exploited and protected in California over the twentieth century. Finding aids are made available through the Online Archive of California (OAC).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Merrill, Austin H.
French Gulch (Calif.)--Gold discoveries
Gold mines and mining -- California -- History.
Gold mines and mining--California--French Gulch
Gold mines and mining--California--Shasta County
Gold mines and mining--Nevada--Esmeralda County--History
Gold ores--Nevada
Goldfield (Nev.)--Gold discoveries
Goldfield (Nev.)--History
Mines and mineral resouces--Alaska
Mines and mineral resources--California, Northern--History
Mines and mineral resources--Mexico
Mines and mineral resources--Nevada
Mines and mineral resources--Oregon
Shasta County (Calif.) -- Gold discoveries.
Uncovering California's Environmental Collections Project
Box 1

Papers and Photographs

 

Folder 1: Silver Mines, Nevada, 1880s

 

Notes from newspaper articles

 

Folder 2: Yankee John Mine, 1923-1948

 

Correspondence, from Richard L. Smith, Pittsburgh to W. L. Clark, Pittsburgh (original + 1 copy), July 9, 1923

 

Diagrams of mine shafts; scale 1 inch = 40 feet (6 drawings),

 

Correspondence, from W. Y. Humphreys (prior stockholder) Pittsburg to W. L. Hill, Redding, CA, February 17, 1938

 

Correspondence, from A. H. Merrill, French Gulch CA to J. H. Scott, San Francisco, CA, March 20, 1939

 

Report on Yankee John Mine by Austin H. Merrill, with history by previous owners John Reese and W. L. Hill; drawing of mine, October 14, 1948

 

Correspondence, from A. H. Merrill to L. T. Pockman, San Francisco, CA, December 13, 1939

 

Handwritten history of the mine by John F. Reese, January 3, 1939

 

Correspondence, from A. H. Merrill to H. A. Houser, Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 1945

 

Assay Certificates by James A. Leslie, Redding, July-August 1946

 

Folder 3: Yankee John Mine

 

Photographs, 1945

 

Folder 4: Milkmaid Mine

 

Photographs, 1938

 

Folder 5: Washington Mine

 

Excerpts from “Economic Geology of the French Gulch Quadrangle Shasta and Trinity Counties, California” by John P. Albers, prepared cooperatively by the United States Geological Survey

 

Correspondence, Laboratory Certificate of Smith, Emery & Company, San Francisco, CA, May 10, 1938

 

Accounts, October 14, 1937 through February 18, 1938

 

Folder 6: Washington Mine and Mill, French Gulch

 

Photographs and negatives, 1939

 

Folder 7: Washington Mine, French Gulch

 

Photographs, 1939

 

Folder 8: Mining Claims

 

Halcyon Gold Quartz Claim, locator C. C. Fox, Shasta County Recorder, Miscellaneous Records, Book 44, p. 162, July 5, 1921

 

Midway Gold Quartz Mine, locators W. C. Blagrave and C. C. Fox, Shasta County Recorder, Miscellaneous Records, Volume 41, p. 369, March 6, 1926

 

Ruby Pearl Quartz Mine, locator William C. Blagrave, Shasta County Recorder, Miscellaneous Records, Volume 41, p. 401, November 2, 1926

 

Lone Pine Gold Quartz Mine, locators W. C. Blagrave and C. C. Fox, Shasta County Recorder, Miscellaneous Records, Volume 41, p. 402, October 14, 1926

 

Globe Gold Quartz Mine, locators W. C. Blagrave and C. C. Fox, Shasta County Recorder, Miscellaneous Records, Volume 41, p. 403, October 14, 1926

 

Folder 9: American Mine, French Gulch, 1941

 

Photographs

 

Folder 10: Silver King Mine

 

Owner’s Statement (L. C. Parker) March 9, 1915

 

Folder 11: Niagara Summit Mining Property

 

Report by John A. Kruse to Lutellus Smith, Black Tom Mines Company, May 17, 1910

 

Report by W. M. Johnston, Glendale to Niagara-Summit Mining Company, Chicago, September 9, 1912

 

Folder 12: Riverside Mine, Hyder, Alaska

 

Photographs, 1940s

 

Folder 13: Golden Treasure Mine

 

Photographs, 1926

 

Folder 14: Rainbow Mine, Oregon

 

Photographs

 

Folder 15: Goldfield, Nevada

 

Photographs