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Ahern (James) Papers
MS-0058
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & University Archives
Title: James Ahern Papers
Creator:
Ahern, James Thomas
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0058
Physical Description:
3.42 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1975-1988
Language of Material:
English
.
The
James Ahern Papers document James Ahern's research and writing process as he worked on a book about John Bankhead Magruder (1807-1871), a lieutenant-colonel
in the Mexican-American War, general in the Provisional Confederate Army during the US Civil War, and general in the Imperial
Mexican Army. Ahern's research covered the full span of Magruder's life including his birth and early life in Virginia, his
years fighting in the Mexican-American War in Florida, his years on frontier duty in California and Kansas, his role in the
Battle of Yorktown, the Seven Days Battles, and the Battle of Galveston as a Confederate general during the US Civil War,
and his later years in Mexico. The collection consists of research material including photocopies of manuscripts on deposit
in numerous repositories as well as notes and index cards compiled by Ahern throughout his research. Also included is Ahern's
unpublished manuscript about Macgruder, which is broken into chapters and filed with supporting research material.
This collection is open for research.
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Linda Ahern
Identification of item, folder title, box number, James Ahern Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, San Diego
State University Library.
James Ahern was a criminal investigator for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. While researching the background
of the District Attorney's Office, he ran across some information about John B. Magruder, a Confederate general during the
US Civil War. Magruder fascinated Ahern, who was initially interested in his exploits around San Diego, where he served on
frontier duty prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Ahern ultimately decided to write a biography for Magruder which covered his entire life, from his birth in Port Royal, Virginia
in 1807 to his death in Houston, Texas in 1871. He completed his notes and planned to write the biography following his retirement
in January of 1988. He passed away on February 9th of that year, and so the book was never completed.
1988-001
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Mexican-American War, 1846-1848
Seven Days' Battles, 1862
Organizational Records
Personal Papers
Confederate States of America. Army. Trans-Mississippi Dept.
Magruder, John Bankhead, 1807-1871
Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, 1832-1867