Finding Aid for the Robert E. Cowan Collection of Early California Manuscripts LSC.2048
Finding aid prepared by UCLA Library Special Collections staff, 2008.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2022 August 18.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
This record is made available under an Universal 1.0 Public Domain Dedication Creative Commons license.
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Robert E. Cowan collection of early California manuscripts
Creator:
Cowan, Robert Ernest
source:
Cowan, Robert Ernest
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2048
Physical Description:
5 Linear Feet
(10 boxes)
Physical Description:
116 Gigabytes
(5,278 Files, 163 Folders)
Files transferred from 1 hard drive.
Date (inclusive): 1551-1932
Abstract: Collection consists of miscellaneous manuscripts pertaining to California history.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are primarily in English, some materials in Spanish, Chinese, and French.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Part purchase, part gift of Robert Cowan, 1936.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Robert E. Cowan collection of early California manuscripts (Collection Number 2048). UCLA Library
Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, Univeristy of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Processing Information
Digital materials were received on 1 hard drive. All digital file naming, organization, and arrangement was retained.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive
processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
We are committed to providing ethical, inclusive, and anti-racist description of the materials we steward, and to remediating
existing description of our materials that contains language that may be offensive or cause harm. We invite you to submit
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Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Fremont Ackerman correspondence, ca. 1888-1895
- Alta California, ca. 1834-1914
- Attorneys, court, and legal records, ca. 1841-1896
- Mexico, ca. 1551-1855
- Newspaper clippings & manuscripts, ca. 1844-1892
- Northern California, ca. 1845-1932
- Pacific Northwest, ca. 1845-1890
- Property records, ca. 1847-1877.
Biographical History
Robert Ernest Cowan was born in Toronto, Canada in 1862. He arrived in San Francisco in 1870 and was best known for the publication
of bibliographies and other works on early California history including:
A bibliography of the history of California, 1510-1930,
Bibliography of the Chinese question in the United States (with Boutwell Dunlap), and
The Spanish press of California, 1833-1845. Robert Ernest Cowan collected a wide-array of materials on early California history that would later form the nucleus of
the UCLA Department of Special Collections's holdings in Californiana. Cowan was a former student at UC Berkeley from 1882-84,
a San Francisco bookseller from 1895-1920, and a librarian for William Andrews Clark, Jr., from 1919-1933. Robert Cowan married
Marie Margaret Fleissner in 1894 and they had one child, Robert Granniss Cowan. Robert Ernest Cowan died in Los Angeles in
May 1942.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of early California manuscripts collected by Robert Ernest Cowan. Researchers on 19th century California
may be especially drawn to the collection's extensive legal documents, property records, San Francisco materials, and documents
relating to Spanish-Mexican California. The collection is comprised of materials mainly written in English, with a fair amount
of documents written in Spanish and a few items written in Chinese and French. A few of the more interesting items in this
collection are two manuscripts from 16th century Mexico, a deposition written in Chinese that was submitted as an exhibit
in a U.S. District Court case, account ledgers showing mercantile transactions involving Spanish-Mexican families, requests
for reimbursements stemming from the Mexican-American War, and property transactions involving women. A majority of the collection
has been digitized and is available for access. All requests to access digital materials must be made in advance using the
request button located on this page.
Related Material
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Manuscripts, Spanish -- Mexico.
California -- History -- Sources.
Cowan, Robert Ernest
Ackerman, Fremont -- Correspondence
Fremont Ackerman correspondence
ca. 1888-1895
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 1, folder 2
Correspondence
1888 January 7 - 1890 January 1
box 1, folder 3
Correspondence
1890 January 5 - December 17
box 1, folder 4
Correspondence
1891 January 6 - February 17
box 1, folder 5
Correspondence
1892 August 15 - December 26
box 1, folder 6
Correspondence
1893 January 7 - December 23
box 1, folder 7
Correspondence
1894 February 10 - 1895 January 6
Alta California
ca. 1834-1914
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 2, folder 1
Alta California -- Settlement Instructions
n.d.
box 2, folder 2
Alvarado, Juan Bautista
1842 June 21 - 1868 January 13
box 2, folder 3
Berreyesa
ca. 1840 May 1 - 1845 July 29
box 2, folder 4
Castro Family Papers -- 1 of 2
ca. 1909 March 23 - 1914 September 16
box 2, folder 5
Castro Family Papers -- 2 of 2
ca. 1836 May 24 - 1864 September 20
box 2, folder 6
Correspondence
1849 April 7 - 1896 July 11
box 2, folder 7
"El Trovador"
1874 August 19
box 2, folder 8
Estudillo
ca. 1838 February 11 - 1860 June 22
box 2, folder 10
Mexican-American War
1846 July 26 - 1855 January 4
box 2, folder 11
Miscellaneous
ca. 1841 October 28
box 2, folder 12
Peralta
1876 September 26
box 2, folder 13
Pico
1845 September 26 - 1854 April 23
box 2, folder 14
Property Documents
ca. 1834 December 24 - 1866 June 13
box 2, folder 15
Vallejo
ca. 1839 January 17 - 1863 April 14
Attorneys, court, and legal records
ca. 1841-1896
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 3, folder 1
Brooks, Benjamin S. (Sherman)
ca. 1841 - 1873 February 18
box 3, folder 2
Clarke, Samuel J.
ca. 1865 January 5 - 1887 March 2
box 3, folder 3
Court/Legal Records -- Alameda County
1859
box 3, folder 4
Court/Legal Records -- Amador County
1863 November 19 - 1867 November 29
box 3, folder 5
Court/Legal Records -- California Supreme Court
ca. 1851 January 10 - 1865 December
box 3, folder 6
Court/Legal Records -- California District Court
1850 May 22 - 1865 November 23
box 3, folder 7
Court/Legal Records -- Foreign Jurisdictions
ca. 1856 November 24 - 28
box 3, folder 8
Court/Legal Records -- Fresno County
1856 November 3 - 1862 October 11
box 3, folder 9
Court/Legal Records -- Miscellaneous
ca. 1846 October 1 - 1866 June 9
box 3, folder 10
Court/Legal Records -- Sacramento County
1866 August 25
box 3, folder 11
Court/Legal Records -- San Bernardino County
1896 January 21 - August 26
box 3, folder 12
Court/Legal Records -- San Diego County
1869 August 25 - 1880 December 2
box 3, folder 13
Court/Legal Records -- San Francisco County
ca. 1850 - 1894 May 12
box 3, folder 14
Court/Legal Records -- Santa Clara County
ca. 1851 November 13 - 1858 January 9
box 3, folder 15
Court/Legal Records -- Sierra County
1867 July 17
box 3, folder 16
Court/Legal Records -- Siskiyou County
ca. 1858 December 7 - 1861 October 26
box 3, folder 17
Court/Legal Records -- Yolo County
1862 July 5
box 3, folder 18
Crockett, Joseph B.
1856 July 28 - 1865 December
box 3, folder 19
Freeman, Eugene M.
ca. 1887 May 4 - 1888 August 16
box 3, folder 20
Lynch, Edward P.
ca. 1881 March 1 - 1888 March 22
box 3, folder 21
Martel, James L.
1848 October 17 - 1887 December 7
box 3, folder 22
Court/Legal Records -- California Supreme Court
ca. 1861 February 6 - 1863 February 16
Mexico
ca. 1551-1855
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 4, folder 1
"History of the Chichimeca Nation" -- 1 of 4
n.d.
box 4, folder 2
"History of the Chichimeca Nation" -- 2 of 4
n.d.
box 4, folder 3
"History of the Chichimeca Nation" -- 3 of 4
n.d
box 4, folder 4
"History of the Chichimeca Nation" -- 4 of 4
n.d
box 4, folder 5
Legal Document
ca. 1551 August 2
box 4, folder 6
Legal Document
1591 September 8
box 4, folder 8
Sonora Colonization
1855 February 15 - March 3
Newspaper clippings & manuscripts
ca. 1844-1892
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 5, folder 1
Daily Alta
ca. 1856 November
box 5, folder 2
Pfieffer, George
ca. 1855 December 20 - 1860 December 30
box 5, folder 3
Scrapbook
ca. 1854 January - 1863 January 9
box 5, folder 4
Shaw, William J. T.
ca. 1844 - 1892 September 6
Northern California
ca. 1845-1932
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 6, folder 1
Account Ledgers
1850 November 21 - 1855 July 17
box 6, folder 2
Adams & Company Express
ca. 1851 December 4 - 1854 September 29
box 6, folder 3
Alcatraz
1864 July 24 - 29
box 6, folder 4
Alvarado Water Company
1861 November 11 - 1895 February 19
box 6, folder 5
Banking Transactions
1850 April 2 - 1867 August 2
box 6, folder 6
Bear River Inn
1852 January 26
box 6, folder 7
Cadiz, Joseph G.
ca. 1882 May 25
box 6, folder 8
California Academy of Sciences
ca. 1885
box 6, folder 9
California State Land Office
ca. 1852 - 1876 March 14
box 6, folder 10
Callahan, D. E.
1855 July 27 - 1860 July 30
box 6, folder 11
Chilean Consulate
1874 June 13
box 6, folder 12
Chinese
ca. 1849 June 7 - 1864 April 11
box 6, folder 13
Churches
ca. 1860 June 11 - 1861
box 6, folder 14
Cole, Dr. R. Beverly
ca. 1856
box 6, folder 15
Contra Costa Water Company
1890 February 18
General Physical Description note: photographs
box 6, folder 16
Correspondence
n.d.
General Physical Description note: photographs
box 6, folder 17
Correspondence
1847 August 4 - 1848 April 10
General Physical Description note: photographs
box 6, folder 18
Correspondence
1850 September 7 - 1859 September 9
General Physical Description note: photographs
box 6, folder 19
Correspondence
1860 July 9 - 1868 October 19
General Physical Description note: photographs
box 6, folder 20
Correspondence
ca. 1872 April 26 - 1879 August 6
box 6, folder 21
Correspondence
ca. 1882 February 5 - 1889 May 10
box 6, folder 22
Correspondence
ca. 1890 October 21 - 1932
box 6, folder 23
Davis, William Heath -- Account Ledgers
ca. 1846 - 1847 December
box 6, folder 24
Davis, illiam Heath -- Correspondence
1845 October 1 - 1854 March 1
box 6, folder 25
Dexter, Henry Stanley
ca. 1851 March 12 - 1877 February 28
box 6, folder 26
Eastman, T. M.
1865 May 22 - 1866 April 5
box 6, folder 27
Edwards, Frank G.
1858 December 13 - 1869 August 12
box 6, folder 28
Field & Co. -- Nevada City
ca. 1851 March 22 - July 25
box 6, folder 29
First National Gold Bank of San Francisco
ca. 1870 - 1871
box 6, folder 30
Fremont, John Charles
ca. 1857 January 1 - 1861 February 26
box 6, folder 31
Gillespie, Charles V.
ca. 1856 March
box 6, folder 32
Insurance
1860 January 19 - 1868 October 14
box 6, folder 33
Langley, Henry G.
1855 October 5 - December 7
box 6, folder 34
Latham, Milton S.
1852 May 20 - December 6
box 6, folder 35
Leese, Jacob Primer
ca. 1846 November 28 - 1849 June 25
box 6, folder 36
Legislature
ca. 1852 May 3 - 1858
box 7, folder 1
Marriage Documents
1850 February 9 - 1870 May 21
box 7, folder 2
Mechanics Institute
1858 September 21 - 1879 January 8
box 7, folder 3
Military
ca. 1847 March 1 - 1880
box 7, folder 4
Mining
ca. 1853 June 26 - 1888 February 7
box 7, folder 5
Miscellaneous
ca. 1855 November 13 - 1892 February 18
box 7, folder 6
Myles, Dr. Henry R.
1860 July 9 - 1865 December 28
box 7, folder 7
Passenger Lists
ca. 1849 March 2 - 1885
box 7, folder 8
Pierce & Company
ca. 1856 June 3 - 1869 July 26
box 7, folder 9
Promissory Notes/Liens
1850 January 19 - 1870 December 16
box 7, folder 10
Purchase Orders/Invoice Receipts
ca. 1847 August 10 - 1869 October 21
box 7, folder 11
Railroad Companies
ca. 1857 March 14 - 1887 August 25
box 7, folder 12
Rents
ca. 1853 November 11 - 1871 October 20
box 7, folder 13
Richardson S. S. [Samuel Stone]
ca. 1853 June - 1868 March 23
box 7, folder 14
San Francisco -- Municipal Records
ca. 1848 April 20 - 1883 March 17
box 7, folder 15
Schools
ca. 1853 September 1 - 1868 April 21
box 7, folder 16
Shipping and Trade Records
ca. 1849 February 5 - 1868 October 14
box 7, folder 17
Society of California Pioneers
1868 July 1
box 7, folder 18
Society of California Volunteers
1854 October 21 - 1890 October 28
box 7, folder 19
Spring Valley Water Co.
1863 November 4 - 1864 February 1
box 7, folder 20
Steamboats/Steamships
ca. 1851 July 22 - 1868 April 25
box 7, folder 21
Stocks
1857 March 18 - 1871 September 4
box 7, folder 22
Tax Receipts and Records
ca. 1852 October - 1894
box 7, folder 23
Telegraph/Telephone
ca. 1861 March - 1882 September 16
box 7, folder 24
Tuolumne County
ca. 1850 June 3 - 1855 October 31
box 7, folder 25
Tuolumne Hydraulic Association
1853 February 9 - October 5
box 7, folder 26
U.S. Treasury -- San Francisco
ca. 1851 March 29 - 1869 September 14
box 7, folder 27
Water Companies
1854 March 4 - 1860 June 1
box 7, folder 28
Williams, A. F. (A. J.)
1871 March 23
box 7, folder 29
Williams, Stephen Hedden
1865 March 17 - March 18
box 7, folder 30
Wilson, Benjamin D.
1856 June 15 - 1886 November 13
box 10
Shipping and Trade Records
n.d.
Pacific Northwest
ca. 1845-1890
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 8, folder 1
British Columbia
1858 July 24
box 8, folder 2
Oregon Cavalry
1864 July 19
box 8, folder 3
Oregon Central Railroad Company
ca. 1867 - 1869 September 7
box 8, folder 4
Oregon -- Correspondence
ca. 1848 February 29 - 1867 July 30
box 8, folder 5
Oregon -- Court Records
ca. 1851 November 13 - 1867 March 29
box 8, folder 6
Oregon -- Miscellaneous
ca. 1851 July 4 - 1890 August 30
box 8, folder 7
Oregon -- Property Records
1850 April 24 - 1865 May 1
box 8, folder 8
Oregon -- Territory Board (Jackson County)
ca. 1856 June 5 - 1866
box 8, folder 9
Washington
ca. 1845 May 5 - 1880 May 18
box 10
Oregon -- Court Records
ca. 1861 July 1
box 10
Oregon -- Property Records
1858 July 12
Property records
ca. 1847-1877.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials
must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
box 8, folder 10
Alameda County
1872 December 20 - 1873 January 20
box 8, folder 11
Amador County
1863 July 22 - August 28
box 8, folder 12
Calaveras County
ca. 1863 March 31 - 1867 January 5
box 8, folder 14
Marin County
ca. 1856 February 9 - 1861 November 1
box 8, folder 15
Mendocino County
1858 April 23 - May 4
box 8, folder 18
Nevada
1861 April 20 - 1870 November 11
box 8, folder 19
Sacramento County
1851 February 11 - 1869 March 27
box 9, folder 1
San Francisco County (1 of 3)
ca. 1847 July 13 - 1858 December 9
box 9, folder 2
San Francisco County (2 of 3)
ca. 1860 May 7 - 1868 June 18
box 9, folder 3
San Francisco County (3 of 3)
1871 June 5 - 1877 August 6
box 9, folder 4
San Mateo County
1863 March 17 - 1869 December 28
box 9, folder 5
Santa Cruz County
1864 October 22 - 1871 April 22
box 9, folder 6
Sierra County
1867 July 9 - 1870 November 26
box 9, folder 7
Siskiyou County
1854 February 9 - 1861 October 26
box 9, folder 8
Solano County
1857 December 23
box 9, folder 9
Sonoma County
1848 September 25 - 1849 December 10
box 9, folder 10
Texas
1854 November 17 - 1858 November 27
box 9, folder 11
Trinity County
1852 April 26
