Guide to the Appleton family papers

Amanda Graham

Sacramento Room, Sacramento Public Library

828 I Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 264-2976

Fax: (916) 264-2884

Email: sacroom@saclibrary.org

URL: http://www.saclibrary.org

Guide to the Appleton Family papers

Collection number: MC 7

Sacramento Public Library

Sacramento Room

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Amanda Graham
Date Completed:: 2011
Encoded by:: Amanda Graham

Descriptive Summary

Title: Appleton family papers

Dates: ca. 1873-1948

Bulk Dates: (bulk 1888-1900)

Collection number: MC 7

Creator: Appleton family

Collection Size: 1 linear ft. (2 archival boxes)

Repository: Sacramento Public Library. Sacramento Room

Sacramento, California 95814

Abstract: 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).

Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please contact the Sacramento Room.

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

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.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Appleton family papers, MC 7, Sacramento Room, Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento, California.

Biography

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.

Scope and Content Note

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 (1873-1948). Notable items from the collection include Frank Appleton's diaries documenting his family's immigration to the United States and life in Northern California (1889); a railroad timetable and notes from John Appleton's travel across Canada (1888); excerpts from John Appleton's letters written on his Klondike expedition (1898-1899); photographs of the construction of sheds along the Central Pacific Railroad over Donner Pass (1890); views of San Francisco, Sacramento, and the Northern Sierras (ca. 1900); and an embroidered sample created by Mary Appleton (1877).

This collection is organized into four series:

Series 1. Francis W. Appleton journals
Series 2. John Appleton papers
Series 3. Photographs
Series 4. General

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Railroads--Snow removal and protection.--California--Donner Pass.

Florin (Calif.)

Sacramento (Calif.)--Description and travel.

Canadian Pacific Railway Company.

Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev.)--Description and travel.

Donner Pass (Calif.)

Box/Folder: 1/1

Series 1. Francis W. Appleton journals 1889-1895 (bulk 1889)

Physical Description: 1 folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series is comprised of two diaries written by Francis W. Appleton.

Diary 1. July 3, 1889 - Jul 27, 1889. Describes Frank Appleton's 24-day journey from Whitby, England, to Florin, California. Includes descriptions of his train and carriage travel from Whitby to Liverpool, travel across the Atlantic onboard the Parisian, and overland journey to Florin, California.

Diary 2. September 10, 1889 - May 22, 1895 (bulk 1889). Describes life in the Sacramento area including local weather, John and Frank's work constructing sheds over the Central Pacific Railway at Donner Pass, President Benjamin Harrison's visit to Sacramento in 1891, and a convention of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA).

Box/Folder: 1/2

Series 2. John Appleton papers 1888-1899

Physical Description: 1 folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series is comprised of a Canadian Pacific Railway transcontinental railroad timetable (Montreal, June 1888), which includes many notes documenting John Appleton's travel on Canadian Pacific Railway from Quebec to Vancouver, Canada (1888); Notepad with extracts from John Appleton's letters on his Klondike expedition (Feb. 3, 1898 - July 15, 1899); Copied later by Frank Appleton; Loose card with brief description of Klondike expedition.

Box/Folder: 1/3-6, Box: 2

Series 3. Photographs ca. 1873-1920

Physical Description: 1 box and 4 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains two photographs albums and loose family photographs (ca. 1873-1920). The photographs have been removed from the first album and they include views of the Sierra Nevada foothills, San Fransciso and Sacramento (ca. 1890). The second album includes views of views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Donner Lake, Nevada City, construction of snow sheds and many interior and exterior views of sheds along the Central Pacific Railway (ca. 1890). Loose family photographs include portraits and views of the Appleton family in Northern California.

Box/Folder: 1/7-8

Series 4. General 1877-1948

Physical Description: 2 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series is comprised of clippings, notes, cards and other printed material from the Appleton family (1877-1948). It includes a Christmas card to "Cousin Mabel" from Florin; Clark & Co. note paper with description of travel within England (February 4, 1889); a sketch and description of shanty on "Primrose Camp"; pages of Pitman shorthand entries (n.d.); newspaper clippings (1891-1892); death cards for Jane A. Appleton (1913) and John Appleton (1931); the Last Will and Testament of Mary Hannah Appleton (Nov. 16, 1948); and an embroidered sample created by Mary Appleton (1877).