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
-
Abel Stearns Papers: Addenda 1, 1821-1879 (bulk
1821-1831)
(Call number: mssHM 48988-49068)
-
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 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