Guide to the Blake Family Papers, 1881-1962

Processed by The Bancroft Library staff

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

Note

History --History, California --History, Bay Area Biological and Medical Sciences --Agriculture --Plant Culture Biological and Medical Sciences --Biological Sciences --Plant Biology Social Sciences --Area and Interdisciplinary Studies --Women's Studies

Guide to the Blake Family Papers, 1881-1962

Collection number: BANC MSS C-B 903

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California

Contact Information:

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

Processed by:: The Bancroft Library staff
Date Completed:: ca. 1965
Encoded by:: Xiuzhi Zhou

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Blake Family Papers,

Date (inclusive): 1881-1962

Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 903

Extent: Number of containers: 4 boxes, 1 carton, and 1 portfolio

Repository: The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, California 94720-6000

Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Abstract: Mainly correspondence of Anita Day (Symmes) Blake relating to the family ranch in Napa County and to her interest in horticulture. A few letters, mss. of writings, notebooks and clippings also concern Anson S. Blake, her husband, Edwin T. Blake and other members of the Blake, Stiles and Symmes families.

Languages Represented: English

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft 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], Blake Family papers, BANC MSS C-B 903, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Brief Family History

Anson Blake was born in San Francisco in 1870. In 1891 he was graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and became secretary of the Oakland Paving Company owned by his father Charles T. Blake. From 1897, the year of his father's death, to 1913 he was president of the company and from 1904 until his retirement, he also served as president of Blake Brothers Company. In 1894 he married Anita Day Symmes, daughter of a prominent San Francisco merchant and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, class of 1894. Their first home, located on Piedmont near Bancroft, was razed in the early 1920's in order to build the California Memorial Stadium. They then built a home on Rincon Road which they deeded to the University of California in 1957 and which is now the residence of the University president. The Blakes were interested in the University all of their lives. Mr. Blake's association with Stiles Hall (a gift from his grandmother) spanned more than fifty years. He received an honorary LL.D. degree in 1958, the year before his death. Anita Blake died in 1962.

Scope and Content

The Blake Family papers were a gift to The Bancroft Library in 1963 and 1964 from the Blake estate with additions in 1965 from Sherman D. Thacher. They relate mainly to Mrs. Blake and to her interest in horticulture. Some concern Anson Blake and other members of the Blake, Stiles and Symmes families. Anson Blake's Papers were given to the California Historical Society. Photographs have been removed to the library's pictorial collection.

A key to arrangement and partial list of correspondents follows.

Boxes 1-2

Letters written by Anita Blake, 1881-1962 and n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Originals, arranged chronologically, written mainly to her husband, relating to family activities. Letters, 1911-1920 and n.d., were written from their ranch on Howell Mountain near St. Helena (Napa County).

Boxes 2-4

Letters written to Anita Blake

Scope and Content Note

Arranged alphabetically by name of person or organization preceded by a miscellany of unlisted letters. A few are written to Anson Blake and others. A partial list of correspondents follows the key to arrangement.

Congratulatory letters re marriage of Anita Symmes and Anson Blake, May 17, 1894.

Arrangement

Unarranged

Miscellaneous family correspondence, primarily from unidentified relatives.

Arrangement

Unarranged

Ctn. 1

Manuscript of article about Henry Correvon by Anita Blake

Diary kept by Anita Blake, Dec. 7-29, 1941

Personalia - Anita Blake

Scope and Content Note

Membership cards; award from Berkeley Floral Society, 1898; Poems written about her

Miscellany - Anita Blake

Scope and Content Note

Certificate of cattle brand registration, results of a phrenologist examination, records of summer session courses taken, 1917, etc.

Personalia - Anson Blake

Scope and Content Note

Membership card, resolution by Society of California Pioneers upon his death, etc.

Notebook kept by Edwin T. Blake, [brother] 1903-1905.

Scope and Content Note

Notes re engineering projects in Mariposa and Calaveras counties (Calif.); notes re paving contracts in Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda

Diary kept by Edwin T. Blake, 1917-1919.

Scope and Content Note

Written while serving in the engineer corps in France. A few entries are dated 1920-1927.

Diary kept by Charles H. Richardson, Feb.-Apr., 1853.

Scope and Content Note

Written while in Boston, Kingston and Cape Cod. Includes also: poetry and letter (copy) to C. H. Richardson, Oct. 2, 1855. Many pages torn out.

Genealogy

Scope and Content Note

Symmes, Stiles and Blake families

Invoices, receipts, etc.

Scope and Content Note

Many are for purchase of plants for the Blake garden

Photographs

Scope and Content Note

Relatives and unidentified

Invitations, announcements, etc.

Address books

See also address book in portfolio

Miscellany

Scope and Content Note

Typescript of a play written by a relative, miscellaneous data about gardens, plants, etc., several items written in Welsh.

Clippings

Scope and Content Note

Relating to the Blake and Symmes families (2 folders) and California history (5 folders)

portfolio Portfolio

Manuscripts (typescripts) of articles [by Anson Blake?]

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically

David Douglas, A Pioneer Botanist in Action

Edward Fitzgerald Beale, A Pioneer in the Path of Empire

The Great Frontier

The Land on Which You Live

Salt Water Barriers For San Francisco Bay

The Water Problem in California

Address book kept by Anita Blake, 1898-

See also Carton 1

(Letters are written to Mrs. Blake unless indicated otherwise)

Altrocchi, Julia (Cooley), 1893-1972

4 letters, 1939-1959 & n.d.

American Friends of Vietnam

Letter, Oct. 2, 1959.

Additional Note

Written by John W. O'Daniel, Chairman.

American Humane Association

Letter (copy), Nov. 10, 1961.

Additional Note

Written to the City Council of Palo Alto, Calif.

Arboretum Foundation

5 letters, 1940-1962.

Bartlett, Louis, 1872-1960

Letter, Aug. 19, 1959.

Biggs, Donald C.

See California Historical Society

Blake, Charles Thompson, 1826-1897

6 letters, 1875-1897 & n.d.

Additional Note

Written mainly to Anson Blake and others. Letter, Aug. 8, 1875, contains account of journey from San Francisco to Lake County.

Blake, Edwin Tyler, 1875-1948

3 letters, 1886 & n.d.

Additional Note

Written to Anson Blake.

Blake, Harriet Waters (Stiles), 1840-

7 letters, 1887 & n.d.

Additional Note

Written mainly to Anson Blake.

Blake, Robert Pierpont, 1886-1950

Letter, Apr. 16, 1909.

Bracelin, Nina Floy

2 letters, 1959-1962.

Bray, Absalom Francis, 1889-

Letter, Aug. 21, 1959.

California. Legislature. Senate

See Miller, George

California. University. Agricultural Extension Service

2 letters, 1916.

California. University. College of Agriculture. Division of Agricultural Education

3 letters, 1914-1918.

California. University, Berkeley. Robert H. Lowie Museum of Anthropology

Letter, May 3, 1961.

California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco

5 letters, 1934-1959 & n.d.

Additional Note

Letter, Feb. 28, 1934, written by Alice Eastwood. Letters, July 11, 1944 & Sept. 24, 1959, written by R. C. Miller, Director.

California Historical Society

4 letters, 1959-1962.

Additional Note

Written mainly by Donald C. Biggs, Director.

California Horticultural Society

7 letters, 1941-1959 & n.d.

California Palace of the Legion of Honor

Letter, Oct. 12, 1959.

Carmelite Monastery, Berkeley, Calif.

7 letters, 1950-1962.

Chaney, Ralph Works, 1890-

2 letters, 1959-1962.

Additional Note

Included also: 3 letters, 1959-1961, from Mrs. Chaney.

Colman, Jesse C.

Letter, Nov. 20, 1961.

Additional Note

Written while member of a sponsoring committee to help finance lobbying activities of Harry and Ruth Kingman.

Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco

See Meyer, Theodore Robert

Cornelius Fidelis, Brother, 1877-1962

2 letters, 1944.

Correvon, Henry, 1854-1939

12 letters, 1926-1938.

Day, Clive

23 letters, 1897-1901 & n.d.

Deane, Ruthven, 1851-1934

Letter, May 3, 1910.

Drury, Newton Bishop, 1889-

See Save-The-Redwoods League

Eastwood, Alice, 1859-1953

See California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco

Engineers' Club. San Francisco

Letter, Aug. 19, 1959.

Fischer, Martin Henry, 1879-

Letter, June 28, 1922.

Giffin, Helen (Smith), 1893-

Letter, Aug. 21, 1959.

Goodspeed, Thomas Harper, 1887-1966

2 letters, 1941.

Grant, Charles H.

34 letters, 1917-1962 & n.d.

Additional Note

Written mainly from France during World War I.

Grosvenor, Gilbert Hovey, 1875-

Letter, Oct. 23, 1914.

Additional Note

Written to Anson Blake.

Harvard University. Arnold Arboretum

5 letters, 1927-1955 & n.d.

Additional Note

Written mainly by Elmer D. Merrill and Richard A. Howard.

Howard, Richard Alden, 1917-

See Harvard University. Arnold Arboretum

Huggins, Dorothy Harriet

Letter, [Nov. 24, 1959].

Hutchinson, James Sather, 1868?-1959

Letter, Nov. 20, 1946.

Additional Note

Written to Anson Blake.

Hyde, Charles Gilman, 1874-

See Young Men's Christian Associations. California. University. Berkeley

Jepson, Willis Linn, 1867-1946

5 letters, 1926-1941.

Kerr, Catherine (Spaulding) [Mrs. Clark Kerr]

Letter, Aug. 23, 1959.

Kingman, Harry Lees, 1892-

3 letters, 1959-1960.

Additional Note