Finding Aid to the Bolton Family Papers, 1828-2000, bulk 1885-1980

Finding Aid written by Alison E. Bridger
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
© 2007
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Finding Aid to the Bolton Family Papers, 1828-2000, bulk 1885-1980

Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 841

The Bancroft Library



University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California
Finding Aid Written By:
Alison E. Bridger
Date Completed:
June 2009
© 2009 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Bolton Family papers
Date (inclusive): 1828-2000,
Date (bulk): bulk 1885-1980
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 841
Creators : Bolton family
Extent: Number of containers: 3 cartons, 4 boxes and 2 oversize folders Linear feet: 4.7
Repository: The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: Contains correspondence, Bolton family history, materials by and about Herbert Eugene Bolton and Frederick Elmer Bolton, and personal papers of Frances Appleton, and Jane Adams. Correspondents include Herbert E. Bolton, Frederick E. Bolton, Frances Appleton, and Jane Adams as well as other members of the Bolton family. Letters discuss education, finances, career, family, and genealogical history. Included with Bolton family history are biographies of Bolton family women, many written by Meredith Bolton Smith. Herbert E. Bolton materials include galleys and a Spanish translation of his Padre on Horseback, and other publications, speeches and biographical material. Frederick E. Bolton materials include his unpublished manuscript of the History of the University of Washington, 1855-1961.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Bolton Family Papers, BANC MSS C-B 841, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Alternate Forms Available

There are no alternate forms of this collection.

Related Collections

Herbert Eugene Bolton papers, 1890-1953. BANC MSS C-B 840
Bolton-Wilder-Brower family papers, 1838-1989. BANC MSS 2003/104 cz

Separated Material

Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 1905.14590-14596--PIC).

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Bolton family
Bolton, Herbert Eugene, 1870-1953
Bolton, Frederick Elmer, 1866
Appleton, Frances, 1897-1978
Adams, Jane, 1909-1993
University of California, Berkeley.Dept. of History--Faculty
Bancroft Library.Director
University of Washington--History
Education--Texas
Education--California--Berkeley
Texas--Social life and customs
California--Social life and customs
Clippings.
Genealogies.
Galley proofs (Printing)
Bolton, Herbert Eugene, 1870-1953
Bolton, Herbert Eugene, 1870-1953. Padre on horseback
Bolton, Frederick Elmer, 1866
Appleton, Frances, 1897-1978
Adams, Jane, 1909-1993
Smith, Meredith Bolton

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The Bolton Family Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by the family of Herbert Eugene Bolton between the years of 1959 and 1963. Additions were made in 2000 by Gale B. Johnson and Bob Brower and in 2003 by Russ Magnaghi of letters given to him by Jane Bolton Adams. Further additions came in 2009 from the Herbert Eugene Bolton Papers after the processing of that collection.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

System of Arrangement

Arranged to the folder level.

Processing Information

Processed by Alison E. Bridger in 2003-2004; revised by Anastasia Karel in 2009.

Biographical Information

Edwin Bolton

Edwin Bolton emigrated from England to the United States around 1850 with his parents John and Harriet Latham Bolton, eventually settling as farmers near Wilton, Wisconsin in 1856. In the early 1860's Edwin Bolton married Rosaline Cady, the daughter of James Cady, a Methodist pastor in Tomah, Wisconsin and Mary Dolbear. The Cady family can trace their ancestors to the Mayflower family of Richard Warren. In 1863 after his first son was born, Edwin Latham joined a Wisconsin regiment in the Civil War. After the war, in 1866 a second son, Frederick Elmer was born. Herbert Eugene, the fourth son was born July 20, 1870. After a short time in Nebraska in 1873, the Edwin Bolton family settled on La Grange Farm near Tomah, Wisconsin. On March 30, 1885, while Rosaline Bolton was pregnant with their last child, Edwin Bolton died suddenly.

Herbert Eugene Bolton

At the time of his father's death, Herbert was ready to enter high school in Tomah. This is where he met Gertrude Janes, his future wife. During the years that followed the death of their father, Frederick and Herbert helped to put each other through school, taking turns teaching and studying. In 1895 Herbert Eugene Bolton received a Bachelor of Letters from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he studied under Frederick Jackson Turner. In that same year Herbert married Gertrude Janes. Their first child, Frances Latham Bolton, was born in Jan. 1897, during Herbert's first year in graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin. He finished his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania in 1899. The family returned to Wisconsin where Herbert taught and where the next two Bolton daughters were born. Herbert Bolton landed a position at the University of Texas in 1901.
While in Texas, Herbert began his study of Spanish America, spending summers researching in Mexican archives. His first book, With the Makers of Texas, was published in 1904. In 1909 he accepted a position at Stanford, and the following year accepted a professorship at the University of California, Berkeley to begin in 1911. By 1913 Herbert and Gertrude Bolton had their first son, their seventh and last child.
Herbert E. Bolton spent the rest of his career at Berkeley, becoming the head of the Department of History in 1919. He would serve as department head until 1940, with the exception of a 2-year hiatus. Bolton was the Director of The Bancroft Library from 1920 until his retirement in 1940. He came out of retirement in 1942 for two years to lecture in History and to be Director of The Bancroft Library. After a series of strokes, Herbert Eugene Bolton passed away in Berkeley, California on January 30, 1953.

Frederick Elmer Bolton

Frederick E. Bolton became interested in teaching early on in his education. Many of his writings involved education and he worked towards establishing more junior colleges in Washington State. He was dean of the College of Education at the University of Iowa and then at the University of Washington. He spent ten years researching and writing a history on the University of Washington in anticipation of their centennial celebration. Frederick E. Bolton died on March 10, 1963 in Seattle, Washington.

Frances Appleton

Frances Latham Bolton was the eldest daughter of Herbert and Gertrude Bolton, born in Madison, Wisconsin on January 21, 1897. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, Frances met Ted Appleton, who was in Army training at the campus for World War I. They married in April 1920 and moved to Boston, Mass. to live with his parents. They lived in different locations throughout the United States settling in southern California. Frances worked principally in the medical social service field. During World War II, she worked two years at the Tule Lake Relocation Center, a Japanese internment camp. Before her death on August 27, 1978, she moved in with her youngest sister Jane Adams. A bequest was made by Frances, leaving a redwood grove dedicated to her parents at Portola State Park, in La Honda, California.

Jane Adams

Jane Gale Bolton was born December 5, 1909 in Palo Alto, California while her father was a professor at Stanford. Jane went to college at UC Berkeley, as did most of her siblings, majoring in History with minors in English and Spanish, graduating in 1931. While working in the UC Berkeley alumni office she met Francis Adams, whom she eventually married. After their son David was old enough Jane returned to teaching. Jane Bolton Adams died in January 1993.
Please refer to the paper copy of the finding aid for the Bolton family genealogy.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Bolton Family Papers, 1828-2000 (bulk 1885-1980), consist primarily of correspondence of the extended families of Herbert Eugene Bolton and wife Gertrude Janes Bolton, including their daughters Frances Bolton Appleton and Jane Bolton Adams.
The correspondence between brothers Herbert and Frederick Bolton consist of letters from Herbert with a few copies of replies from Frederick. These letters start in 1885 while Frederick was schoolmaster in Glendale, Wisconsin and Herbert was beginning High School. The letters continue until 1947, discussing their education, finances, careers and families. These papers were saved by Frederick Bolton and donated to The Bancroft Library after his brother's death, along with a copy of Frederick Bolton's manuscript on the History of the University of Washington. These letters were used in the research of Father John Francis Bannon in his biography "Herbert Eugene Bolton: The Historian and the Man, 1870-1953." Frederick's letters to Herbert can be found in the Herbert Eugene Bolton Papers, Part II (BANC MSS C-B 840).
Remaining correspondence covers family activities, family history, and current events, from the American Civil War to the Kennedy assassination. H.E. Bolton wrote many letters to his wife and family while he traveled for research. Also includes letters written around the time of Herbert and Gertrude Bolton's deaths. Some correspondence may have been lost in several fires the family suffered through including the Great Fire of 1923 in Berkeley, California when the Bolton family home was burned to the ground and all of Herbert E. Bolton's manuscripts were destroyed.
The Bolton family history includes genealogical tables, some going back to the American Revolution and the Mayflower, biographies written by younger generations about the generations before them, including Herbert E. Bolton's children. Biographical material on Herbert E. Bolton, written by family and colleagues, can be found in Series 3. Material also included with Herbert E. Bolton's papers are a galley of Padre on Horseback, and a speech given while receiving an Honorary Diploma from the University of Wisconsin--Madison.
The Bolton family designated the Bancroft Library as the repository for their family papers and both Frances Appleton and Jane Adams donated their personal papers, which include correspondence, professional activities, as well as their continuing interest in California History.

 

Series 1 Correspondence 1828-2000

Physical Description: Boxes 1-4, Carton 1

Scope and Content Note

Divided into 5 subseries: Herbert Eugene Bolton, Bolton family, Frances Appleton, Jane Adams and Janes family.
 

Subseries 1.1 Herbert Eugene Bolton 1885-1987

Physical Description: Box 1-2, Box 3, folders 1-14, Box 4

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains letters from Herbert E. Bolton to his brother Frederick E. Bolton with a few responses over a fifty year period, discussing education, finances, career, and family; letters between Herbert E. Bolton and his wife and family while on research trips including to Mexico. Also includes some business correspondence as well as correspondence concerning H.E. Bolton's death, memorial, and book royalties.
 

Bolton, Frederick Elmer

Box 1, Folder 1-12

1885-1895

Box 2, Folder 1-14

1896-1904

Box 3, Folder 1-10

1905-1947

 

Bolton, Gertrude Janes and family

 

Outgoing

Box 4, Folder 1-2

1926-1927

Box 4, Folder 3-5

1929-1932

Box 4, Folder 6-7

1934-1935

Box 4, Folder 8

1938

Box 4, Folder 9-12

1941-1950

Carton 4, Folder 12a

Postcards 1911, undated

Note

from Herbert Eugene Bolton papers
 

Incoming

Box 4, Folder 13

1906-1909

Box 4, Folder 14

1919, 1931, 1945

Box 3, Folder 11

Bolton, Herbert Eugene, [Jr.] and daughters 1922-1953

Box 3, Folder 12

Business 1943-1944, undated

Box 3, Folder 13

About death and memorial 1953

Box 3, Folder 14

About book royalties 1978, 1987

 

Subseries 1.2 Bolton family 1850-2000

Physical Description: Box 3, folders 15-24 and Carton 1, folders 1-7

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence between various family members including Laura Bell, Gertrude Bolton, Grace Bolton, Olive Bolton, Rosaline Abigail Bolton, Robert "Bob" Weldon Brower, Genie Bolton Johnson, Dorothy Morrison, and Winnie Nafus. Also includes correspondence between the Bolton family and the University of California, Berkeley.
Box 3, Folder 15

Bell, Laura and family 1912-1970

Box 3, Folder 16

Bolton, Edwin Latham family 1850-1886

Box 3, Folder 17

Bolton, Frederick Elmer family 1896-1912

Box 3, Folder 18

Bolton, Gertrude Janes to Olive Bolton 1896-1905

Box 3, Folder 19

Bolton, Gertrude Janes Circa 1912; 1954-1955

 

Bolton, Grace

Box 3, Folder 20-22

Outgoing 1928-1972

Box 3, Folder 23

Incoming 1938-1957

Box 3, Folder 24

Bolton, Rosaline Abigail 1903-1911

 

Brower, Robert Weldon

Carton 1, Folder 1

About Padre on Horseback 1972

Carton 1, Folder 2

Smith, Meredith Bolton 1996-2000

Carton 1, Folder 3

Johnson, Genie Bolton 1953-1971

Carton 1, Folder 4

Morrison, Dorothy 1973, 2000

Carton 1, Folder 5

Nafus, Edwinna "Winnie" Bolton 1943, 1953

Carton 1, Folder 6

University of California, Berkeley 1952-1981

Carton 1, Folder 7

Miscellaneous 1906-1987

 

Subseries 1.3 Frances Appleton 1937-1978

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 8-22

Arrangement

Divided into incoming and outgoing, then arranged alphabetically and chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence between Frances and her mother Gertrude Bolton concerning a coat and her father Herbert E. Bolton, between Frances and her husband Ted Appleton, mostly during Ted's time in Virginia in 1954, and with sister Gertrude Coleman concerning their parent's estate.
 

Incoming

Carton 1, Folder 8-12

Bolton, Gertrude Janes 1951-1954

Carton 1, Folder 13-19

Appleton, Francis "Ted" 1943-1959

Carton 1, Folder 20

Coleman, Gertrude 1954-1955

Carton 1, Folder 21

Miscellaneous 1945-1978

Carton 1, Folder 22

Outgoing 1937, 1960

 

Subseries 1.4 Jane Adams 1924-1993

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 23-51

Arrangement

Divided into incoming and outgoing, then arranged alphabetically and chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence with sister Frances Appleton concerning family matters including their father's works, letters written to her family as a young women while away from home, including a trip to the Midwest to visit relatives, and correspondence with various family members discussing family issues.
 

Incoming

Carton 1, Folder 23-27

Appleton, Frances 1960-1978

Carton 1, Folder 28

Bolton, Gertrude Janes 1940, 1947

Note

includes photograph
Carton 1, Folder 29-30

Bolton, Frederick Elmer 1942-1962

Carton 1, Folder 31

Bolton, Harold 1964-1976

Carton 1, Folder 32

Bolton, Maude 1964

Carton 1, Folder 33

Coleman, Gertrude 1954

Carton 1, Folder 34-36

Finn, Margaret 1954-1974

Carton 1, Folder 37

Treutlein, Charlotte 1939-1941

Carton 1, Folder 38

Miscellaneous 1938-1989

 

Outgoing

Carton 1, Folder 39

Adams, Francis "Fran" 1945, undated

Carton 1, Folder 40-41

Appleton, Frances 1954, 1971

Carton 1, Folder 42

About Frances Appleton 1978-1979

Carton 1, Folder 43-48

Bolton, Herbert Eugene family 1924-1929

Carton 1, Folder 49

Brower, Robert Weldon 1987, 1993

Carton 1, Folder 50

Finn, Margaret 1960

Carton 1, Folder 51

Miscellaneous 1964, undated

 

Subseries 1.5 Janes family 1828-1978

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 52-56

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence between the Herbert Eugene Bolton family and his wife's family especially her sister Lula Janes Abercrombie, an opera singer, and niece Gertrude Abercrombie. Also includes early family correspondence dating from 1828 between various Janes family members.
Carton 1, Folder 52

Early family correspondence 1828-1917

Carton 1, Folder 53

Bolton family 1909-1963

Carton 1, Folder 54

Abercrombie, Lula Janes with Jane Adams 1952-1960

Carton 1, Folder 54a

Abercrombie, Lula Janes 1909-1954, undated

Note

from Herbert Eugene Bolton papers
Carton 1, Folder 55-56

Abercrombie, Gertrude to Jane Adams 1961-1978

 

Series 2 Bolton Family History 1934-1997

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 57-73

Scope and Content Note

Divided into 3 subseries containing genealogies of Bolton and Janes families, biographies of Bolton family members, writings of various family members and clippings.
 

Subseries 2.1 Genealogies undated

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 57-60

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains genealogical information on the Bolton, Latham, Cady, and Janes families, some submitted as forms to the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Bolton-Latham-Cady papers include transcripts of correspondence from the 19th century with relatives still living in England and during the American Civil War.
Carton 1, Folder 57

Bolton family histories undated

Carton 1, Folder 58-59

Bolton-Latham-Cady papers undated

Oversize Drawer A, Folder 1

Cady family tree undated

Carton 1, Folder 60

Janes family undated

 

Subseries 2.2 Biographies 1934-1997

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 61-68

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically

Scope and Content Note

Contains Bolton family biographies gathered or written by Meredith Bolton Smith.
Carton 1, Folder 61

Appleton, Frances 1977-1978

Carton 1, Folder 62

Adams, Jane 1983, undated

Carton 1, Folder 63

"Night Vigil" by Eugenie Bolton 1934

Carton 1, Folder 64-66

"Oh Womankind" by Meredith Bolton Smith 1997

Carton 1, Folder 67

Miscellaneous Biographies by Meredith Bolton Smith 1997

Carton 1, Folder 68

"Los Gatos of Bygone Days" by Nancy Sawyer Taylor and Meredith Bolton Smith 1997

 

Subseries 2.3 Miscellaneous 1930-1972

Physical Description: Carton 1, folders 69-73

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains family writings, including a small book of poetry by Martha Gertrude Bolton published after her death, and clippings about family members.
Carton 1, Folder 69

Bolton, Gertrude Janes 1936, 1954

Carton 1, Folder 70

Johnson, Eugenie Bolton Circa 1930-1953

Carton 1, Folder 71

Bolton, Martha Gertrude "Bambi" 1959

Carton 1, Folder 72

Bolton family clippings 1936-1972

Carton 1, Folder 73

Janes-Abercrombie clippings undated

 

Series 3 Herbert Eugene Bolton 1909-1987

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 1-31; Oversize folder 2

Scope and Content Note

Divided into 4 subseries: biographical, publications, speeches and miscellaneous items.
 

Subseries 3.1 Biographical 1909-1987

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 1-14

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains biographies written by family members including Frederick E. Bolton, Herbert E. Bolton, Jr. and Martha Bolton, and by colleagues, articles, and clippings. Also includes material concerning his death and a bibliography of essays written about Herbert E. Bolton.
Carton 2, Folder 1

by Frederick E. Bolton 1953, 1962

Carton 2, Folder 2-4

by Herbert E. Bolton Jr. 1953, 1969

Carton 2, Folder 5

by Martha Bolton [Smith] 1958

Carton 2, Folder 6

by Helene Bolton Herbert undated

Carton 2, Folder 7

by unknown Bolton relatives undated

Carton 2, Folder 8

In Memoriam 1953

Carton 2, Folder 9-11

Articles 1928-1969

Carton 2, Folder 12

Clippings-general 1909-1987

Carton 2, Folder 13

Clippings-about death 1953

Carton 2, Folder 14

Bibliography of essays about Herbert Eugene Bolton 1953

 

Subseries 3.2 Publications 1932-1933

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 15-21

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically

Scope and Content Note

Contains article "The Epic of Greater America," and galley proofs of Padre on Horseback, published by son-in-law Ted Brower, as well as a Spanish translation. Also includes bibliographies of Herbert E. Bolton's published works.
Carton 2, Folder 15

The Epic of Greater America 1933

 

Padre on Horseback

Carton 2, Folder 16-19

Galley proofs 1932

Carton 2, Folder 20

Spanish translation undated

Carton 2, Folder 21

Bibliographies 1932, undated

 

Subseries 3.3 Speeches 1925-1939

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 22-24

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically

Scope and Content Note

Contains speeches, "The Mission as a Frontier Institution in the Spanish-American Colonies," "The Mormons in the Opening of the Great West," and "Some Cultural Assets of Latin Americirca"
Carton 2, Folder 22

The Mission as a Frontier Institution in the Spanish-American Colonies undated

Carton 2, Folder 23

The Mormons in the Opening of the Great West 1925

Carton 2, Folder 24

Some Cultural Assets of Latin America 1939

 

Subseries 3.4 Miscellaneous 1880s-1977

Physical Description: Carton 2, folders 25-31; Oversize folder 2

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains honors, awards and degrees, a scrapbook and clippings
Box 4, Folder 15

Autograph book 1880s

Note

from Herbert Eugene Bolton papers
Carton 2, Folder 25

Honors, Awards, Degrees 1945-1974

Oversize Drawer A, Folder 2

California Historical Survey Commission 1916

Carton 2, Folder 26

Scrapbook undated

Carton 2, Folder 27-30

Clippings 1937-1977

Carton 2, Folder 31

Ephemera undated

 

Series 4 Frederick Elmer Bolton 1958-1963

Physical Description: Carton 3, folders 1-34

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically

Scope and Content Note

Contains a bibliography of Frederick E. Bolton's works, clippings and a copy of his manuscript, History of the University of Washington, 1855-1961.
Carton 3, Folder 1

Bibliography undated

Carton 3, Folder 2

Clippings 1958-1963

Carton 3, Folder 3-34

History of the University of Washington, 1855-1961 1961

 

Series 5 Frances Appleton 1897-1979

Physical Description: Carton 3, folders 35-45, and 1 oversize folder

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and then chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Contains employment history in social work, degrees and awards, estate issues and miscellaneous material of husband Francis "Ted" Appleton.
Carton 3, Folder 35

Degrees and Awards 1919-1962

Oversize Drawer A, Folder 1

University of California, Berkeley diploma 1920

Carton 3, Folder 36-39

Employment history 1935-1971

Carton 3, Folder 40

Social work essay undated

Carton 3, Folder 41-43

Estate 1978-1979

Carton 3, Folder 44

Ted Appleton miscellaneous 1969-1970, undated

Carton 3, Folder 45

Ted and Frances Appleton miscellaneous 1897-1972

 

Series 6 Jane Adams 1916-1985

Physical Description: Carton3, folders 46-49

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically

Scope and Content Note

Contains information concerning Portola Expedition Bicentennial Foundation and other miscellaneous papers.
Carton 3, Folder 46-47

Portola Expedition Bicentennial Foundation 1975-1984

Carton 3, Folder 48

Personal business correspondence 1960-circa1985

Carton 3, Folder 49

Miscellaneous 1929-1982

Carton 3, Folder 50

School-age work 1916-1917

Note

from Herbert Eugene Bolton papers