Guide to the José Yves Limantour papers, 1842-1885

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

This finding aid has been filmed for the National Inventory of Documentary Sources of the United States (Chadwyck-Healey Inc.)

Note

History --History, California --History, Bay Area

Guide to the José Yves Limantour papers, 1842-1885

Collection number: BANC MSS C-B 460

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
Encoded by:: Charlotte Gerstein

Collection Summary

Collection Title: José Yves Limantour papers,

Date (inclusive): 1842-1885

Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 460

Creator: Limantour, José Yves, d. 1885

Extent: Number of containers: 2 boxes and 2 oversize folders

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: Correspondence, documents (originals, copies and photocopies) and clippings, relating mainly to Limantour's land claims and subsequent litigation. A few papers, 1885-1888, of his son, Jose Yves, are also included.

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], José Yves Limantour papers, BANC MSS C-B 460, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Scope and Content

José Yves Limantour, a French trader, first came to California in 1841. Governor Micheltorena, in return for services offered, gave Limantour various grants of land, including almost half of San Francisco. When Limantour presented his claims before the land commission, they were at first confirmed. Later, however, in 1858, the claims were rejected, being proven a forgery supported by false testimony.

These papers were acquired from various sources: purchased from Gelber Lilienthal, Oct. 1939, and from Valton, in 1940?, and some were formerly cataloged as fm F 862.1 C3. They include photocopies of some documents from the National Archives and from the Henry E. Huntington Library. The documents relate mainly to requests for land, and to the subsequent litigation. There are a few papers also concerning Limantour's efforts to supply the Mexican government with weapons from Europe. Also included are a few papers of his son, José Yves.

The papers have been arranged chronologically and the folders numbered consecutively. A partial list of correspondents follows.

Ahumada, José María

Folder 69

Letter, Feb. 19, 1857.

Arce, Francisco Casimiro, 1821-1878

Folder 8

Signature, as witness, on document of José Antonio Chávez, Feb. 1, 1844.

Arista, Mariano, 1802-1855

Folder 34

Letter of introduction for Limantour, Nov. 2, 1852.

Black, Jeremiah Sullivan, 1810-1883

Folder 82

Letter to E. F. Northam and H. M. Whitmore, June 17, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 102

Letter to Pablo Della Torre, Nov. 2, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 123

Letter to the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Apr. 22, 1858. Photocopy.

Blanding, William

Folder 68

Letter to C. Cushing, Feb. 19, 1857. Photocopy.

Bocanegra, José María, 1787-1862

Folder 4

Marginal reply to document of Micheltorena of Feb. 27, 1843.

Folder 5

Letter, Oct. 7, 1843. Copy.

Folder 166

Letter, Feb. 14, 1862.

Cambuston, Henri

Folder 154.

Letter, Dec. 4, 1859.

Castañares, José María, 1807-

Folder 23

Letter, July 10, 1848, including letters for José Abrego and others. (4 items).

Folder 23a

Letter to James Watson, July 10, 1848, re power of attorney to Limantour.

Folder 166

Letter, Feb. 14, 1862.

Castañares, Manuel

Folder 64

Letter, Jan. 19, 1857.

Castro, Manuel de Jesús, 1821-

Folder 8

Signature, as witness, on document of José Antonio Chávez, Feb. 1, 1844.

Folder 25

Letter of introduction for Limantour to María Antonia Pico, Apr. 26, 1849.

Folder 74

Letter, Mar. 5, 1857.

Folder 76

Letter, Mar. 20, 1857.

Folder 120

Letter, Mar. 5, 1858.

Folder 142

Letter, Feb. 5, 1859.

Folder 201a

Letter, Dec. 28, 1882.

Chávez, José Antonio

Folder 8

Agreement with Limantour re sale of Cienega del Gavilan, Feb. 1, 1844, with signatures of Chávez and Limantour, and as witnesses, Manuel Castro, Francisco Rico and Francisco Arce.

Folder 36

Receipt re purchase of the Cienega del Gavilan, June 2, 1853.

Chittenden, Nathaniel W.

Folder 51

Letter, July 26, 1856.

Crockett, Joseph Bryant, 1808-1884

Folder 40

Letter to James Gadsen, Dec. 30, 1853. Photocopy.

Davidson, Lemuel

Folders 16-22

Letters, Mar. 9-June 14, 1848.

Derbec, Étienne

Folder 111

Letter, Nov. 28, 1857.

Folder 135

Letter, Dec. 19, 1858.

Folder 158

Letter, Feb. 19, 1860.

Folder 165 (oversize portfolio)

Letter, Feb. 1, 1862.

Folder 167

Letter to S. Roullié de Chinol, June 12, 1862.

Folder 168

Letter, June 23, 1862.

Felton, John Brooks, 1827-1877

Folder 71

Letter, Mar. 4, 1857. Incomplete.

Folder 75

Letter, Mar. 20, 1857.

Folder 77

Letter, Apr. 5, 1857, with letter at end from James Wilson.

Folder 78

Letter, May 1, 1857.

Frisbie, John B., 1824-

Folder 196

Letter, Jan. 9, 1880.

Folder 200

Letter, Sept. 14, 1882.

Gómez, Vicente Perfecto, d. 1884

Folder 65

Letter, Feb. 5, 1857.

Greenhow, Rose (O'Neal) ca. 1815-1864 (Mrs. Robert Greenhow)

Folder 124

Letter, May 17, [1858?].

Folder 134

Letter, Dec. 4, [1858?].

Folder 140

Letter, Jan. 25, 1859.

Grellier, S.

Folder 67

Letter, Feb. 17, 1857. Contains information re Letanneur,

Folder 77a.

Letter, April 5, 1857.

Folder 77b.

Letter, April 20, 1857. Comments on Sutter.

Gutiérrez, Bonifacio

Folder 27

Certified copy of an order relating to a claim of Limantour's, July 16, 1849.

Hittell, John Shertzer, 1825-1901

Folder 117

Letter, Feb. 3, 1858.

Inge, Samuel W., d. 1867

Folder 60

Letter to C. Cushing, Dec. 20, 1856. Photocopy.

Jecker, Jean Baptiste, 1810-1871

See also Folders 192 and 199 re the Jecker estate.

Folder 171

Bill from the company, Oct. 16, 1865. Letterpress copy.

Folder 176

Letter, Apr. 15, 1869.

Folder 178

Letter, Sept. 1, 1869.

Folder 180

Letter, Oct. 1, 1869.

Folder 182

Letter, Feb. 14, 1870.

Folder 183

Letter, Feb. 27, 1870.

Folder 185

Letter, Mar. 15, 1870.

Folder 187

Letter, June 1, 1870.

Folder 189.

Letter, Feb. 23, 1871.

Jouan, Agustín

See also Folders 49, 50, 179 and 184, concerning Limantour's suit against Jouan, and folder 85.

Folder 39

Statement, Nov. 24, 1853. Translation.

Jourdain, Étienne

Folder 26

Letter, June 28, 1849, concerning purchase of Segura's house and other business matters.

Folder 28

Letter, Sept. 25, 1849.

Folder 30

Letter, June 15, 1850, concerning business with M. G. Vallejo, and relating to Segura's house and other matters.

Folder 152.

Letter, Nov. 18, 1865.

La Reintrie, Henry

Folder 48

Letter to James William Denver, Mar. 19, 1856. Photocopy.

Le Vasseur, André Nicolas

Folder 54

Power of attorney, Oct. 28, 1856.

Folder 55

Letter, Oct. 30, 1856, re establishment of textile industry in Mexico.

Limantour, José Yves, d. 1885

Folder 2

Petition, requesting islands in the Pacific, Jan. 20, 1843. With marginal reply by Micheltorena.

Folder 3

Request for land near Todos Los Santos, Jan. 20, 1843. With marginal reply by Micheltorena.

Folder 6

Portion of request for Yerba Buena and Tiburon, Dec. 12, 1843. With marginal reply by Micheltorena. Photocopy. With this, transcript of same document. Photocopy.

Folder 7

Account with Vallejo, Dec. 29, 1844. Photocopy.

Folder 8

Signature on agreement with José Antonio Chávez concerning sale of Cienega del Gavilan, Feb. 1, 1844.

Folder 9

Petition for land, Mar. 2, 1844. With marginal reply by Micheltorena.

Folder 11

Copy of request for Rancho de Cahuenga, Feb. 4, 1845, with marginal reply by Micheltorena.

Folder 13

Letter to Capt. Lizvoffe?, June 18, 1847. Photocopy.

Folder 24

Copies of letters, Jan. 13, 1849.

Folder 31

Drafts of letters of introduction for Father Dufour, July 21, 1851.

Folder 37

Letter to James Wilson, Aug. 27, 1853. Draft.

Folder 41

Draft of an agreement concerning the exploitation and the sale of the Islas de Cerros, [1853].

Folder 43

Account, entitled "Affaire Delessert," [June 10, 1854?].

Folders 49-50

Copies of documents in suit against Agustín Jouan, 1855-June 13, 1856.

Folder 52

Draft of statement concerning weapons he has purchased in Europe and wishes to sell to the Mexican government, Sept. 5, 1856.

Folder 58

Letter, Nov. 19, 1856, to E. Dupré.

Folder 59

Receipt, Dec. 9, 1856.

Folder 61

Indenture, Dec. 22, 1856. Copy of deed to James Wilson for land in and around San Francisco.

Folder 62

Copy of an agreement with N. W. Chittenden, Jan. 5, 1857, with signatures of Chittenden, Limantour and Victor Prudon.

Folder 66

Drafts of two letters, [Feb. 1857?].

Folder 81

Agreement for Teofilo Carrasquedo to testify to Limantour's signature in San Francisco, June 6, 1857.

Folder 89

Promissory note, Aug. 1857.

Folder 90

Draft of power of attorney, Aug. 1857.

Folder 93

Indenture, Sept. 1857. Deed to Thomas Oliver Larkin for property in San Francisco, with notation that Mr. Limantour will not sign this deed. 2 copies.

Folder 95

Draft of letter, Oct. 4, 1857, to A. M. Chittenden.

Folder 97

Draft of letter, Oct. 5, 1857, to Adolphe Moreau.

Folder 98

Four documents, relating to power of attorney to dispose of San Francisco property, [Oct. 1857].

Folder 99

Letter to James Wilson, Oct. 5, 1857.

Folder 104

Power of attorney to Étienne Derbec, Nov. 16, 1857.

Folder 106

Draft of petition concerning the entry of 2,000 rifles, destined for the Mexican army, Nov. 2, 1857.

Folder 107

Draft of letter to James Wilson, Nov. 25, [1857].

Folder 108

Letter to John S. Hittell, Nov. 25, 1857.

Folder 109

Draft of letter to John B. Felton, Nov. 25, 1857.

Folder 110

Draft of letter to Adolphe Moreau, Nov. 25, 1857.

Folder 113

Draft of letter to James Wilson, [1857?].

Folder 114

Form for a power of attorney, in English and French, 1857.

Folder 119 (in oversize portfolio)

Drafts of proposed contract with the Mexican government, Feb. 5-12, 1858.

Folder 125

Drafts of power of attorney to Étienne Derbec, June 1858.

Folder 126

Draft of letter, [June 1858].

Folder 127

Draft of letter, [June?, 1858].

Folder 128

Drafts of power of attorney, July 10, 1858.

Folder 133

Drafts of power of attorney, Nov. 27, 1858, in French and English.

Folder 137

Draft of power of attorney to Manuel Castro, 1858.

Folder 138

Draft of letter, [1858?].

Folder 161

Drafts of letters, Sept. 24-25, 1860.

Folder 169

Petition requesting an extension of three years to exploit the Island of San Juan Nepomuceno, Apr. 27, 1864.

Folder 170

Incomplete drafts concerning his claims for payment by the Mexican government, [1864 ?].

Folder 173

Draft and clean copy of letter explaining his claims to lands in California, with copies of documents cited, 1866.

Folder 174

Drafts of letters, Nov. 28-Dec. 9, 1868.

Folder 175 (in oversize portfolio.)

Letter to J. B. Jecker, Feb. 28, 1869.

Folder 177

Letter to J. B. Jecker, May 9, 1869.

Folder 179

Drafts and copies of documents in his lawsuit against A. Jouan, 1867-Sept. 1869.

Folder 186

Drafts of two letters to J. B. Jecker, Apr. 10 and 29, 1870.

Folder 188

Letter to J B. Jecker, June 29, 1870.

Folder 194

Letter to Miss Cantau, May 16, 1877.

Folder 203

Undated letter to Olaguibel.

Folder 204

Draft of undated petition.

Folder 206

Miscellaneous undated accounts.

Limantour, José Yves, 1854-1935

Folder 198

Letter to José María Yribarren, written for his father, Feb. 14, 1880. Copy.

Mexico. Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público

Folder 164

Circulars, Aug. 21, 1861 (6 items), signed by Núñez.

Micheltorena, Manuel, d. 1853

Folder 2

Marginal reply to Limantour's request.

Folder 3

Marginal reply to Limantour's request.

Folder 4

Grant, Feb. 27, 1843.

Folder 6

Marginal reply to Limantour's request.

Folder 9

Marginal reply to Limantour's request.

Folder 10

Copy of document confirming Limantour's title to land sold him by Father Quijas, Dec. 20, 1844.

Folder 11

Marginal reply to Limantour's request. Copy.

Folder 12

Copy of document granting Cahuenga to Limantour. Also photocopy of a transcript of the same document, Feb. 7, 1845.

Moreno, José Matías, 1817-1869

Folder 49

Documents in suit against Jouan.

Folder 50a.

Letter, Jan. 5, 1856.

Folder 53.

Letter, Oct. 22, 1856.

Folder 56

Letter, Nov. 5, 1856.

Folder 161a.

Letter, Feb. 7, 1861. Re letter of credit for Eliza Mugarrieta.

Moreau, Adolphe

Folder 73

Letter, Mar. 5, 1857.

Folder 101. Duplicate copy, 101a.

Letter, Oct. 19, 1857.

Folder 116

Letter, Jan. 4, 1858.

Folder 118

Letter, Feb. 4, 1858, concerning depositions in the Limantour case.

Núñez, José M.

See Mexico. Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público

Ord, Angustias (de la Guerra), 1815- (Mrs. James L. Ord)

Folder 121

Letter to José Puig y Monmany, Oct. 20, 1856.

Folder 122

Letter, Apr. 23, 1858.

Ord, James L., 1820-1898

Folder 131

Letter, Sept. 10, 1858.

Perricaudet, Jean Baptiste

Folder 130

Letter, with variant, Aug. 4, 1858.

Folder 139

Letter, Jan. 19, 1859.

Perricaudet, Julie

Folder 141

Letter, Feb. 4, (1859).

Quijas, José Lorenzo de la Concepción

Folder 1.

Copy of document stating that he has sold a vineyard east of the San Francisco Solano Mission to José Limantour, May 10, 1842.

Renard, Auguste

Folder 148

Letter, June 6, 1859.

Renard, Julie

Folder 144

Letter to Adela Marquet, Mar. 4, 1859.

Folder 147

Letter to her aunt, May 21, 1859.

Folder 151

Letter to her aunt, Oct. 5, 1859.

Folder 153

Letter to her aunt, Nov. 20, [1859].

Folder 155

Letter to her aunt, Dec. 5, 1859.

Folder 156

Letter to her aunt, Dec. 18, [1859].

Renard, Ysabelle

Folder 162

Letter to her godmother, Feb. 4, 1861.

Rico, Francisco, ca. 1820-

Folder 8

Signature as witness to agreement between Chávez and Limantour.

Rivera, M.

Folder 29

Plan of the mine of San Nicolas, Apr. 17, 1850.

Rosny, Léon Ouis Lucien Pruno de, 1837-1914

Folder 197

Letter, Jan. 11, 1880.

Segura, José María

Folder 14

Certified copy of agreement of sale of his house in Los Angeles to Limantour.

Suñol, Antonio María, 1800-1865

Folder 35

Letter, May 2, 1853.

Folder 94

Letter, Sept. ? 5, 1857.

Thornton, William

Folder 70

Letter, Feb. 19, 1857.

Folder 80

Letter, May 5, 1857.

Tibbitts, J. D.

Folder 88

Letter, Aug. 28, 1857, relating to property in San Francisco.

Torre, Pablo della

Folder 83

Letter to J. S. Black?, July 4, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 85

Letter to J. S. Black, July 20, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 91

Letter to J. S. Black, Sept. 4, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 96

Letter to J. S. Black, Oct. 5, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 112

Letter to J. S. Black, Dec. 4, 1857. Photocopy.

Folder 129

Letter to J. S. Black, July 19, 1858. Photocopy.

U.S. Land Commissioners

Folder 47

Translation into French of confirmation of Limantour's claims to land in San Francisco, Jan. 22, 1856.

Whitcomb, Pringle & Felton

Folder 145

Letter, Apr. 4, 1859.

Wilson, James

Folder 72 (in oversize portfolio)

Letter, Mar. 4, 1857.

Folder 79

Letter, May 3, 1857.

Folder 92 (in oversize portfolio)

Letter, Sept. 30, 1857, with statement of account.

Folder 100

Letter, Oct. 5, 1857.

Folder 105

Letter, Nov. 19, 1857.

Diseños and maps

folder Folder 29

Plan of San Nicolas mine.

folder Folder 42

Diseño of Limantour's claim to Yerba Buena and Tiburon. Photocopy.

See also variant of this diseno, also photocopy, in oversize portfolio.

folder Folder 207

Map of El Socorro by G. Henrique Ney, n.d.

Clippings and newspapers

folder Folder 45

Courrier des États Unis, Nov. 18, 1854.

folder Folder 208

Clippings re Limantour litigation.

folder Folder 209

Clippings re Mr. Nolf.

folder Folder 210

Clippings re Sherreback claim.

folder Folder 211

Misc. clippings.

folder Folders 32, 136 and 170

Material concerning the supplying of ships and weapons to Mexico

folder Folders 49, 50, 179 and 184

Material relating to Jouan litigation

Material relating to Letanneur

folder Folder 115

List of questions to be asked of Letanneur.

folder Folder 157

Judgment on Letanneur testimony.