Abel Stearns Papers: Finding Aid mssStearns

Finding aid prepared by Huntington Staff in 1938.
The Huntington Library
2014
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org

Note

Finding aid last updated on October 30, 2023, by Melissa Haley.


Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library
Title: Abel Stearns papers
Creator: Stearns, Abel, 1798-1871
Identifier/Call Number: mssStearns
Physical Description: 61.34 Linear Feet (99 boxes, 1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1821-1935
Abstract: This collection contains the professional and personal papers of Southern California businessman and political Abel Stearns (1798-1871). The materials in the collection deal with life in California during the Mexican and early statehood periods, including the cattle industry, ranching, real estate, political and social life, and the gold discoveries in Southern California in 1842.
Language of Material: The records are in English and Spanish.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Abel Stearns papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Mrs. Margaret Gaffey Kilroy, February 1937.

Biographical / Historical

Abel Stearns (1798-1871) was born in Lunenberg, Massachusetts. As a young man he spent some years at sea, taking part in the trade with South America and China. In about 1826 he reached Mexico and during his residence there became a naturalized citizen. In about 1833, Stearns settled in Los Angeles, joined Juan Bandini in the trading business and married Bandini's daughter Arcadia. He became involved in almost every type of business and held minor political offices. In 1849 he represented the Los Angeles district at the constitutional convention in Monterey, and later was a member of the state assembly. By 1858, he had become the wealthiest man in Los Angeles County. After the drought of 1863-1864, he became bankrupt and had to sell a great deal of his property. He died in San Francisco in 1871.

Scope and Contents

Professional and personal papers of Abel Stearns, including correspondence, business records, legal documents, and other manuscripts. The materials in the collection deal with life in California during the Mexican and early statehood periods, including the cattle industry, ranching, real estate, political and social life, and the gold discoveries in Southern California in 1842. Correspondents include Juan Bandini, Cave Johnson Couts, Tomas Eleuterio Estenaga, John Forster, Thomas Oliver Larkin, Perfecto Hugo Reid, Alfred Robinson, and others. Also included are diaries kept in 1879-1905 by Juan Bautista Bandini, son of Juan Bandini, who lived in the Santa Monica area. The collection also contains a group of papers accumulated by John Tracy Gaffey, third husband of Mrs. Abel Stearns. The Gaffey papers contain correspondence, including letters from Stephen Mallory White, papers relating to San Pedro, California and historical sketches. There are also papers related to María Victoria Bartoloméa Comecrabit Reid.

Related Materials

  1. Abel Stearns Papers: Addenda 1, 1821-1879 (bulk 1821-1831)   (Call number: mssHM 48988-49068)
  2. Abel Stearns Papers: Addenda 2, 1817-1878   (Call number: mssHM 57166-57209)

General

Former call number: mssStearns papers.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Businessmen -- California -- Archives>
Cattle trade -- California
Politicians -- California -- Archives
Ranching -- California
Real property -- California
California -- Gold discoveries -- Sources
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
California, Southern -- History -- Sources
Los Angeles (Calif.)--History -- Sources
Business records -- California -- 19th century
Diaries -- California, Southern
Family papers -- California
Letters (correspondence)--United States
Legal documents -- California
Personal papers -- California
Professional papers -- California
Property records -- California
Bandini, Juan,1800-1859
Bandini, Juan Bautista
Couts, Cave Johnson, 1821-1874
Estenaga, Tomas Eleuterio
Forster, John,1814-1882
Gaffey, John Tracy
Larkin, Thomas Oliver, 1802-1858
Reid, Hugo, 1811?-1853
Reid, María Victoria Bartoloméa Comecrabit
Robinson, Alfred, 1806-1895
White, Stephen Mallory, 1853-1901

Box 1

Abella-Arenas

Scope and Contents

75 folders
Box 2

Argüello, Jose A.-Argüello, Jose R.

Scope and Contents

60 folders
Box 3

Argüello, Luis A.-Avila, Antonio

Scope and Contents

61 folders
Box 4

Avila, Enrique-Banning

Scope and Contents

59 folders
Box 5

Bandini, Juan, Sr. 1837-1842

Scope and Contents

66 folders
Box 6

Bandini, Juan, Sr. 1843-1849

Scope and Contents

53 folders
Box 7

Bandini, Juan, Sr. 1850-1859

Scope and Contents

74 folders
Box 8

Bandini, Juan B. 1858-1862

Scope and Contents

74 folders
Box 9

Bandini, Juan B. 1863-1873

Scope and Contents

44 folders
Box 10

Barron-Booraem

Scope and Contents

60 folders
Box 11

Botello-Brown

Scope and Contents

48 folders
Box 12

Bruce-Butts

Scope and Contents

51 folders
Box 13

Caballero-Carrillo

Scope and Contents

56 folders
Box 14

Carrillo, Estefana-Carrillo, Vicente

Scope and Contents

59 folders
Box 15

Carsley-Celis

Scope and Contents

69 folders
Box 16

Chapin-Colson

Scope and Contents

70 folders
Box 17

Conant-Cullen

Scope and Contents

60 folders
Box 18

Couts, Cave J. 1851-1859

Scope and Contents

48 folders
Box 19

Couts, Cave J. 1861-1870

Scope and Contents

42 folders
Box 20

Dalton-Dent

Scope and Contents

58 folders
Box 21

Dentler-Dent

Scope and Contents

47 folders
Box 22

Edwards-Everett

Scope and Contents

47 folders
Box 23

Estenaga, Thomas E. 1830-1841

Scope and Contents

52 folders
Box 24

Estenaga, Thomas E. 1842-1847

Scope and Contents

55 folders
Box 25

Fairchild-Fisher

Scope and Contents

59 folders
Box 26

Fitch, Henry D.

Scope and Contents

45 folders
Box 27

Fitzgerald-Goller

Scope and Contents

78 folders
Box 28

Forbes, Charles H.

Scope and Contents

83 folders
Box 29

Forster, John

Scope and Contents

83 folders
Box 30

Giraudeau, Marcelin

Scope and Contents

92 folders
Box 31

Gonzalez, Miguel

Scope and Contents

55 folders
Box 32

Gonzalez, Ramon-Green

Scope and Contents

56 folders
Box 33

Greenwade-Hartman

Scope and Contents

73 folders
Box 34

Hartnell-Howard, Volney

Scope and Contents

57 folders
Box 35

Howard, William-Johnson

Scope and Contents

65 folders
Box 36

Johnson, Charles R. 1851, February-1862, September

Scope and Contents

66 folders
Box 37

Johnson, Charles R. 1862, October-1871, February

Scope and Contents

52 folders
Box 38

Jones-Lee

Scope and Contents

72 folders
Box 39

Larkin, Thomas Oliver 1833-1844

Scope and Contents

43 folders
Box 40

Larkin, Thomas Oliver 1845-1858

Scope and Contents

50 folders
Box 41

Leese-Lyon

Scope and Contents

84 folders
Box 42

McAllister-Manning

Scope and Contents

72 folders
Box 43

Manriquez-Mireles

Scope and Contents

66 folders
Box 44

Mix-Moraga

Scope and Contents

88 folders
Box 45

More-Nye

Scope and Contents

79 folders
Box 46

Ocampo-Otis

Scope and Contents

73 folders
Box 47

Pacheco-Parrott

Scope and Contents

84 folders
Box 48

Parsons-Peralta

Scope and Contents

64 folders
Box 49

Perez-Pico

Scope and Contents

80 folders
Box 50

Polhemus-Quintana

Scope and Contents

75 folders
Box 51

Raho-Rogers

Scope and Contents

93 folders
Box 52

Reid, Perfecto H. 1836-1842

Scope and Contents

57 folders
Box 53

Reid, Perfecto H. before 1843-1852

Scope and Contents

59 folders
Box 54

Robinson, Alfred 1833-1858

Scope and Contents

69 folders
Box 55

Robinson, Alfred 1859-1869

Scope and Contents

70 folders
Box 56

Robinson, Alfred 1870-1873

Scope and Contents

81 folders
Box 57

Roldan, Florencio-Roldan, Mariano

Scope and Contents

59 folders
Box 58

Rolfe-Ryerson

Scope and Contents

55 folders
Box 59

Sabichi-Shaw

Scope and Contents

95 folders
Box 60

Shore-Stanley

Scope and Contents

73 folders
Box 61

Stearns, Abel 1830-1845

Scope and Contents

85 folders
Box 62

Stearns, Abel 1846-1871

Scope and Contents

86 folders
Box 63

Stearns, E.-Stribling

Scope and Contents

81 folders
Box 64

Strobel-Teschemacher

Scope and Contents

69 folders
Box 65

Thompson, Alpheus B.

Scope and Contents

73 folders
Box 66

Thompson, Joseph P.

Scope and Contents

57 folders
Box 67

Thompson-Vignes

Scope and Contents

61 folders
Box 68

Villa-Warren

Scope and Contents

63 folders
Box 69

Waters-Yndart

Scope and Contents

63 folders
Box 70

Yorba-Zamorano

Scope and Contents

70 folders
Box 71

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1829-1837

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 72

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1838-1840

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 73

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1841-1847

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 74

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1848-1855

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 75

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1856-1858

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 76

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1859-1860

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 77

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1861-1862

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 78

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1863-1869

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 79

Miscellaneous business and legal papers 1870-1876

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 80

Miscellaneous business and legal papers [undated]

Scope and Contents

Household and personal accounts
Box 81

Papers relating to San Pedro, California 1831-1837

Box 82

Papers relating to San Pedro, California 1838-1840

Box 83

Papers relating to San Pedro, California 1841-1870

Box 84

Rancho Los Alamitos 1839-1865

Box 85

Ranchos-Upper California

Scope and Contents

Azusa (Dalton), Bautista, Boca de Santa Monica, La Bolsa Chica, Las Bolsas, La Brea, La Canada, Canada de Los Vaqueros, Canon De Santa Ana, and Los Coyotes.
Box 86

Rancho La Laguna 1844-1873, 1912

Box 87

Ranchos

Scope and Contents

Jurupa, Mission Dolores-Lands, Palos Verdes, Del Paso, Paso De Bartolo, San Antonio (L.A. Co.), San Jose De Buenos Aires, San Juan Cajon De Santa Ana, San Pedro, Santa Ana Del Chino, Santa Gertrudis, Santa Rosa Island, Santiago De Santa Ana, Sespe, La Sierra, Sobrante De San Jacinto.
Box 88

Various ranchos of Upper California

Scope and Contents

Rancho Temecula, Rancho Temescal, Various Mines, Eagle Mills.
Box 89

Oversize

Scope and Contents

Los Coyotes-Testimony...etc. Ranchos-Lower California: Ensenada De Todos Santos, Guadalupe, San Antonio, Santa Rosa, Tecate, Tijuana, Valle De San Rafael, Los Vallecitos, various ranches...
Box 90

Papers relating to Abel Stearns and Pierre Domec. Papers relating to Abel Stearns and John Parrott. Miscellaneous papers relating to land. Printed matter.

Box 91

Gaffey Papers

Scope and Contents

A-W
Box 92

Gaffey Papers

Scope and Contents

White, S.M.
Box 93

Gaffey Papers

Scope and Contents

San Pedro, California
Box 94

Bandini, Juan Bautista: Diaries 1883-1892

Scope and Contents

Volumes 2-4
Box 94A

Bandini, Juan Bautista: Diary 1879-1883

Scope and Contents

Volume 1
Box 95

Bandini, Juan Bautista: Diaries 1892-1905

Scope and Contents

Volumes 5-7
Box 96

Bandini, Juan Bautista: Diaries 1879-1888

Scope and Contents

Volumes 1-3; English translation
Box 97

Bandini, Juan Bautista: Diaries 1888-1905

Scope and Contents

Volumes 4-7; English translation
Folder 1

Estate documents 1871

Box 98

Photostats

Box 99

Microfilm