James Howard Collection
Finding aid prepared by Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, California, 92093-0175
858-534-2533
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Copyright 2016
Descriptive Summary
Title: James Howard Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0698
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, California, 92093-0175
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
1.4 Linear feet
(1 archives box and 5 oversize folders)
Date: circa 1882-1939
Abstract: Photographs and documents from the collection of James Howard, a mining foreman with the Amparo Mining Company who lived in
Guadalajara, Mexico and worked in the Bolaños region starting in 1889.
Creator:
Howard, James, 1868-
Biography
James H. Howard was born in England on January 20, 1868. In 1883 he emigrated from England and came to New York; he then moved
to Texas in 1885, where he worked for the International Mining Company as a timberman. In 1889 Howard moved to Guadalajara,
Mexico, where he settled in the American Colony of Colonia Seattle. Howard took a job working at the Amparo Mining Company
in Bolaños, a mining district north of Guadalajara.
In Guadalajara, Howard met and married Maria Ignacia Martínez. In order to marry Martínez, he had to prove to the Mexican
government that we was indeed single, and that he had never married before in England or America. As proof, Howard obtained
three letters from his former employers as documentation to contest to his unmarried status. Howard and Martínez had their
first child, Katherine Eleanor Howard on March 6, 1911.
Scope and Content of Collection
Photographs and documents from the collection of James Howard, a mining foreman with the Amparo Mining Company who lived in
Guadalajara, Mexico and worked in the Bolaños region starting in 1889. The papers include a few blueprints and plans for mining
equipment; photographs of the regional landscape, towns, mine operations, and people; and a personal journal from Howard.
The collection also includes a small amount of biographical material about Howard, including personal correspondence and a
genealogical chart for the Howard family. Three documents are written in Spanish.
The papers are arranged in four series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) GUADALAJARA HOUSING AND MINING DOCUMENTS, 3) PHOTOGRAPHS, and
4) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS.
Preferred Citation
James Howard Collection. MSS 698. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Publication Information
Digital copies of this material are intended to support research, teaching, and private study. This work may be used without
prior permission. The original manuscripts for this collection are held by Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.
Digital Content
This collection has been digitized and can be viewed through links in the container list, or by clicking the link below.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Amparo Mining Company.
British -- Mexico -- Jalisco -- Guadalajara
Mines and mineral resources -- Mexico -- Jalisco
Mining corporations -- Mexico -- Jalisco
Portrait photographs -- 19th century
Portrait photographs -- 20th century
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series is comprised of letters pertaining to Howard's personal life, including a personal letter from his
sister and a postcard. The majority of the correspondence is written in English, with the exception of one letter from H.
Winninghoff that is written in both English and Spanish. These letters are organized in alphabetical order.
Box 1, Folder 1
Postcard of the Pueblo, Colorado post office
1906 September 8
General note
Inscription reads: "We are on the way home again. Were you ever here? I forget. F. E. H."
Postcard of the Pueblo, Colorado post office, 1906 September 8
Box 1, Folder 2
Letter from H. Graham to James Howard
1900 May 24
Letter from H. Graham to James Howard, 1900 May 24
Box 1, Folder 3
Letter from O. J. Noble to James Howard
1900 May 16
Letter from O. J. Noble to James Howard, 1900 May 16
Box 1, Folder 4
Letter to James Howard from his sister
1917 February 17
General note
Letter in English.
Letter to James Howard from his sister, 1917 February 17
Box 1, Folder 5
Testimonial regarding marital status of James Howard while in the employ of the International Mining Co. in San Miguel del
Mezquital
1900 May 14
General note
Statement by H. Winninghoff. One copy in Spanish, and another in English.
Testimonial regarding marital status of James Howard while in the employ of the International Mining Co. in San Miguel del
Mezquital, 1900 May 14
GUADALAJARA HOUSING AND MINING DOCUMENTS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 2: GUADALAJARA HOUSING AND MINING DOCUMENTS
The GUADALAJARA HOUSING AND MINING DOCUMENTS series includes blueprints and plans for mining equipment and operations in central
Mexico. These plans include a blueprint for the installation of three boilers for the Amparo Mining Company, as well as a
pen and ink drawing from the San Nicolas del Monte mines in Guanajuato. Most of these documents are in Spanish. This series
also contains two pamphlets, published in 1913, from
Colonia Seattle, the American Colony in Guadalajara where Howard and his family resided.
Oversize FB-483, Folder 6
Colonia Seattle: the Pasadena of Mexico, the most attractive suburb of the finest city in Mexico, Guadalajara
1913
General note
Promotional brochure for land and home-building.
Colonia Seattle: the Pasadena of Mexico, the most attractive suburb of the finest city in Mexico, Guadalajara, 1913
Oversize FB-483, Folder 7
Fraccionamiento de la Hacienda de la Esperanza
1915 August
General note
Stock certificate. In Spanish.
Fraccionamiento de la Hacienda de la Esperanza, 1915 August
Oversize FB-483, Folder 8
Instalación de 3 calideras
1905 October 20
General note
In Spanish. Blueprint for the installation of three boilers for the Amparo Mining Company.
Instalación de 3 calideras, 1905 October 20
Box 1, Folder 9
Elevation profile of La Asunción to El Durazno, Mexico
circa 1914
General note
m698b01f09i001. In English.
Elevation profile of La Asunción to El Durazno, Mexico, circa 1914
Box 1, Folder 10
Proyecto sistema de beneficio de para la mina San Nicolas Del Monte
1932 September
General note
m698b01f10i001. Pen and ink drawing depicting equipment details from the San Nicolas del Monte mines in Guanajuato. In Spanish.
Proyecto sistema de beneficio de para la mina San Nicolas Del Monte, 1932 September
PHOTOGRAPHS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS
The PHOTOGRAPHS series is made up of black-and-white photographs of the Bolaños area mines. This is the largest portion of
the collection, and includes three photo albums and loose prints. The photographs portray daily life in Bolaños, including
images of the mill and mines, as well as photographs of Howard working at the mill or riding his horse around the settlement.
One important thing to note regarding these photographs is the photo album Howard created in 1921. This photo album, which
contains thirty black-and-white prints of the Bolaños township, were labeled by Howard and are a good reference to the layout
of the town and its settlements. Another photo album, which contains twelve black-and-white prints from Hacienda de Nueva,
was given to Howard as a gift from F. K. Boyd, and has photographs that capture the working mill. Loose prints include a cyanotype
of Howard and a companion taken in Bolaños in front of steps which appear to lead into one of the silver mines.
Box 1, Folder 11
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco
undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Village near Bolaños, Jalisco, undated
Box 1, Folder 12
Bolaños mountains and canyons
undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Bolaños mountains and canyons, undated
Box 1, Folder 13
Couchiño Mill, Chihuahua, Mexico
undated
Couchiño Mill, Chihuahua, Mexico, undated
Box 1, Folder 14
Christmas greeting from the British Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico
1900 December
Christmas greeting from the British Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, 1900 December
Box 1, Folder 15
House in Hacienda de Nueva
undated
House in Hacienda de Nueva, undated
Box 1, Folder 16
James Howard and companion in Bolaños, Guadalajara
undated
James Howard and companion in Bolaños, Guadalajara, undated
Box 1, Folder 17
Howard family portrait
1882
General note
Albumen print. Photo taken in King Stanley, Gloucestershire, England.
Howard family portrait, 1882
Box 1, Folder 18
James Howard and mine workers at the Amparo Mines, Guadalajara, Mexico
undated
James Howard and mine workers at the Amparo Mines, Guadalajara, Mexico, undated
Oversize FB-483, Folder 9
James Howard and others on horseback, Guadalajara, Mexico
James Howard and others on horseback, Guadalajara, Mexico
Box 1, Folder 20
James Howard portrait
between 1885 and 1890
General note
Albumen cabinet card portrait by Callaway portraits, San Antonio.
James Howard portrait, between 1885 and 1890
Box 1, Folder 21
Plaza in Mexico
between 1907 and 1919
General note
Photographic postcard.
Plaza in Mexico, between 1907 and 1919
Box 1, Folder 22
Prescúa Mill, Parral, Mexico
circa 1900
Prescúa Mill, Parral, Mexico, circa 1900
Box 1, Folder 23
Photo Album - A few views of the Hacienda de Nueva
circa 1890-1910
General note
Twelve black and white prints.
Photo Album - A few views of the Hacienda de Nueva, circa 1890-1910
Box 1, Folder 24
Photo Album - Bolaños and San Pedro Analco
1921 December
General note
Thirty black and white prints. Includes images of San Pedro Analco, Bolaños, the ruins of La Playa, the Guadalupe shaft, the
San Jose shaft, and the Purisima mines.
Photo Album - Bolaños and San Pedro Analco, 1921 December
Box 1, Folder 25
Photo Album - Mine and village near Bolaños, Jalisco
circa 1889-1921
General note
Thirty-two black and white prints.
Photo Album - Mine and village near Bolaños, Jalisco, circa 1889-1921
BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 4: BIOGRAPHICALS MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series contains documents pertaining to James Howard and his family, which include a baptism announcement
for Howard's first born daughter, Katherine Eleanor, dated March 16, 1911, as well as an official listing of her birth in
the publication
Diario Oficial, dated April 22, 1911. This series also includes James Howard's diary from 1919, which gives a daily account of Howard's
personal life and business dealings.
Box 1, Folder 26
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers membership cards
1928 and 1939
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers membership cards, 1928 and 1939
Oversize FB-483, Folder 10
Diario Oficial, Tomo CXIII, Número 46
1911 April 22
Diario Oficial, Tomo CXIII, Número 46, 1911 April 22
Box 1, Folder 28
Genealogical account of the Howard family
circa 1867
Genealogical account of the Howard family, circa 1867
Box 1, Folder 29
La hora santa
1887
General note
Published in Guadalajara. Imprenta y libreria de ancira y hno. In Spanish.
Box 1, Folder 30
Card wallet
between 1883 and 1919
Card wallet, between 1883 and 1919
Box 1, Folder 31
Diary
1919 January 1-July 18
General note
James Howard's diary, with brief daily entries. In English.
Diary, 1919 January 1-July 18
Box 1, Folder 32
Baptism announcement for Katherine Eleanor Howard
1911 March 16
Baptism announcement for Katherine Eleanor Howard, 1911 March 16