The Appleton family papers consist of journals, letters, photograph albums, photographs, and printed material documenting the history of the Appleton family in Whitby, England, and Northern California (1873-1919).

The Appleton family originally resided in Whitby, a coastal town in North Yorkshire, England. William Appleton, a miller and farmer, and his wife, Jane, had four children: John (b. 1859), Jane A. (b. 1862), Mary A. (b. 1865), and Francis W. (b. 1867). William Appleton died in 1873 from a heart condition. John Appleton immigrated to the U.S. in 1888, settling in Sacramento, and his mother and siblings joined him in 1889 and settled in Florin, later moving to 1112 D Street in Sacramento. John was employed as a carpenter for many years, while Frank operated a photographic studio in the city. In the summer of 1890, Frank and John temporary moved to Cisco, California, and worked constructing snow sheds along the Central Pacific Railway over Donner Pass. In 1898 John embarked on an mining expedition to the Klondike gold fields in Alaska. By 1900 Frank and John had moved to San Jose, and in 1904 Frank married. Jane Appleton and her daughters returned to England by 1905. Jane A. Appleton died in 1913 in Glaisdale, England. John Appleton died November 30, 1931, in San Jose, California.

1 linear ft. (2 archival boxes)

Use of the described materials may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Sacramento Public Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Collection is open for research.