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Finding Aid to the Documentos para la historia de California, 1827-1858
BANC MSS C-B 55
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Table of contents
Collection Title: Documentos para la historia de California,
Date (inclusive): 1827-1858
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 55
Creator: Fitch, Henry Delano, 1799-1849
Extent:
Number of containers: 3 boxes and 5 oversize folders (also 4 volumes of photocopies from
microfilm)
Number of microfilm reels: 3
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: Letters and financial papers such as bills of lading, invoices, statements of
account, etc., relating to Fitch's commercial transactions and business affairs in San Diego; trading
voyages up and down the California coast, to Mexico and to Hawaii; otter hunting and the hide and tallow
trade. A few letters relate to the war with Mexico, the gold discoveries in California and his ranch in
Sonoma County. Included also are some papers of his wife, Josefa (Carrillo) Fitch.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in Spanish
Collection is open for research.
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.
[Identification of item], Documentos para la historia de California, BANC MSS C-B 55, The Bancroft
Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Henry Delano Fitch's papers, collected by Hubert Howe Bancroft for his
History of California,
relate for the most part to his sea voyages, the trade in hides and tallow, the care of his
store in San Diego, and his extensive dealings with other merchants of California, Mexico and the
Hawaiian Islands. The documents, mostly originals, many in Spanish, consist largely of letters and
financial papers-bills of lading, invoices, statements of account, etc.-relating to Fitch's commercial
transactions and business affairs. A few letters relate to the war with Mexico, the gold discoveries in
California and his ranch in Sonoma County. Included also are a few papers of his wife, Josefa (Carrillo)
Fitch, relating to his estate.
The collection has for the most part been kept in the order in which it was originally bound. A few
documents previously separated in the bound volumes have been brought together. and a few documents that
have been repaired are now oversize. A calendar of documents as they appear in the boxes, roughly in
chronological order, is appended. An alphabetical index of names may be consulted at the end of the
report.
Photocopy and microfilm of the collection are available and should be used instead of the originals.
Henry Delano Fitch, born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1799, first came to California in about 1826 as
master of the vessel
Maria Ester,
owned by Henry Edward Virmond of Mexico. Fitch was employed for a number of years by Virmond,
trading along the west coast ports of north and South America. The earliest letters and documents of the
collection deal with these activities.
After his elopement with Josefa Carrillo in 1829, Fitch settled in San Diego, soon becoming the principal
trader of that port, a position he maintained until his death in 1848. Although Fitch took an active
part in local affairs, holding various offices at different times, his deepest interest was in his
commercial enterprises.
Alphabetical list of authors and/or signers of documents
Abrego, José, 1813-1878
Folders 125,
126,
127,
128,
129,
130,
173
Aguirre, José Antonio, 1793-1854
Folders 42,
47,
52,
53,
67-68,
100,
140,
185,
326
Alexander & Mellus, San Pedro
Folder 544
Allan, George T.
Folder 418
Allen, Robert, 1812-1886
Folder 612
Alvarado, Juan Bautista, 1809-1882
Folder 98
Álvarez, Miguel
Folder 603
Anselin, Alfred, d. 1853
Folder 599
Arce, Santiago Diego
Folder 324
Argüello, Jose R.
Folder 438
Argüello, Santiago, 1791-1862
Folders,
30,
135,
194
Argüello, Santiago E., 1813-1857
Folders 94,
439,
523
Armenta, Estanislao
Folders 182,
187
Arther, James P.
Folders 294,
395,
404,
427,
514
Austin & Co., San Francisco
Folder 310
Bandini, Juan, 1800-1857
Folders 61,
78,
96,
263,
377,
385
Barker, John F.
Folder 599
Bartlett, D. H.
Folder 179
Bassham, William R., 1822?-
Folder 475
Beatty, John
Folder 107
Becher, Frederick G.
Folder 17
Beristaín, Máximo
Folder 29
Bidwell, John, 1819-1900
Folder 401
Boardman, E. H.
Folder 440
Boggs, Lilburn W., 1792-1860
Folder 611
Bona, Tomás
Folder 459
Boronda, María Josefa
Folder 140
Brewer, Charles, 1804-
Folders 278,
283,
291,
292,
552
Briggs, Joseph G.
Folder 598
Bull, John C.
Folder 600
Canfield, Cyrus C.
Folder 486
Carrillo, José Antonio Ezequiel, 1796-1862
Folder 271
Carrillo, José Ramón
Folder 219
Carrillo, María Ignacia (López)
Folder 81
Carrillo, Pedro C.
Folder 421
Carson, Moses B., 1805-
Folders 378,
406,
422-423,
604-605
Célis, Eulogio, d. 1868
Folders 93,
97,
103,
104,
105,
106
Chiene, Alexander
Folder 373
Clap, Curtis
Folder 236
Clark, Hiram
Folders 487,
490
Clift, Robert
Folders 442,
443,
496,
468
Cloud, Jeremiah H., d. 1847
Folder 419-420
Cooper, John Bautista Rogers, 1792-1872
Folder 161
Covarrubias, José María, 1801-1870
Folders 358,
371
Curley, William
Folders 255,
498
Dalton, Henry, 1805-
Folders 485,
503-505,
521 bis.
Dana, William Goodwin, 1787-1858
Folder 41
Dare, Robert H.
Folders 90,
144
Davis, John Calvert, 1819-ca. 1848
Folder 276
Davis, William Heath, 1822-1909
Folders 312,
386,
413-414,
463
Delano, William H.
Folder 479-480
DeWitt & Harrison, San Francisco
Folders 539,
550
Don Quixote Company
Folder 308-309
Duarte, Perfecto
Folder 295
Duhugon (T)y Canin, Mazatlán
Folder 407
DuPont, Samuel Francis, 1803-1865
Folder 397
Eaton, Joseph B.
Folder 176
Espinosa, Alejo
Folder 325
Espinosa, José Luciano
Folder 365
Evans, William
Folder 520-521
Everett, John H.
Folders 273,
280,
302,
316
Everett, T. C.
Folder 471
Everett & Co., Honolulu
Folders 520 bis,
551
Falkner, E. R.
Folders 529,
531,
533,
536,
542
Fisher, Charles
Folders 286,
287,
290
Fisher, William, d. 1850
Folders 449 bis,
492
Fitch, Frederic
Folder 527
Fitch, Henry Delano, 1799-1849
Folders 8,
22-24,
40,
85-86,
31,
32,
47,
108,
109,
115-117,
125,
126,
127,
128,
148,
156,
184,
186,
192,
196,
197,
205,
206,
215,
234-235,
238,
249,
255,
296,
304,
305,
317,
338,
342-343,
344,
348,
354-357,
362,
368-369,
374,
384,
419-420,
428-429,
431,
443,
444,
445,
447,
452,
453,
470,
473,
491,
494,
497,
510-511,
520-521,
522,
534,
546,
547,
589 bis,
590,
613,
616
Fitch, Henry Edward, 1830-
Folder 610
Fitch, Josefa (Carrillo) de, 1810-
Folders 602,
612
Fitch, Sarah (Delano), d. 1847
Folders 43,
174,
364
Flügge, Charles William, d. 1852
Folders 225,
284,
318,
320,
322,
328,
330,
330 bis,
332-333,
334,
339,
363,
372,
376,
450,
455,
456-457
Forbes, William
Folders 152,
167,
601
Freeman, Richard
Folder 418-420
Frisbie, John B., 1824-
Folder 611
Fuller, William M.
Folder 453
Garner, William A.
Folder 445
Gastelum, Francisco Xavier
Folders 37,
65
Gillespie, Archibald H., 1813-1873
Folders 400,
402
Gillespie, Charles V.
Folder 548
González, José Rafael
Folders 128,
129
Green, Talbot H., 1810-1889
Folders 379,
523 bis
Guerra, Pablo Andrés Antonio María Saturnino, 1819-1874
Folder 126
Guerra y Noriega, José de la
Folder 41
Hall, Hatevil
Folder 255
Hamley, George W.
Folders 454,
462
Hartnell, William Edward Petty, 1798-1854
Folder 101-102
Hatch, James B.
Folder 446
Hensley, Samuel J., 1817-1866
Folder 419-420
Hewett, George
Folder 255
Higuera, Nicolás
Folder 272
Howard, William Davis Merry, 1819-1856
Folders 303,
316,
340,
390,
393,
464,
594
Hubbard, Eliza (Fitch)
Folder 172
Hubbard, Jenison J.
Folder 172
Hudsons Bay Company
Folder 418
Hüttmann, Francis
Folder 469
Hunnewell, James, 1794-1869
Folders 329,
359
Jarvis, James Jackson
Folders 495,
500
Johnson, Publius R.
Folder 548
Johnson, William
Folder 458
Jordan, Lino
Folder 220
Larkin, Thomas Oliver, 1834-1898
Folder 125
Lascano, V.
Folder 18
Lataillade, Cesáreo, 1819-1849
Folders 232,
326,
588
Leandry, Juan B., 1804-1843
Folder 50
Light, Allen B.
Folder 390
Limantour, José Yves, d. 1885
Folder 327
Little, Milton, 1812-1879
Folder 315
López, José Elias
Folder 434
Lyons, George
Folder 224
Machado, Yeoward y Cia, Mazatlán
Folder 157
MacRay, W. R. Isaacs
Folder 612
McKenzie, Daniel
Folder 275
McKinlay, James, 1803-1875
Folders 38,
79,
80,
84,
90,
144,
156,
238,
344,
346-347,
348,
354-357
Mactavish, Dugald
Folders 396,
477
Mancilla, Agustín
Folders 163,
170,
177,
191,
245
Manríquez, Julián
Folder 434
March, William J.
Folders 452,
453
Marrón, Juan María
Folder 255
Mellus, Henry, 1815-1860
Folders 57,
58,
91-92,
169,
231,
288,
387,
403,
405,
415,
417,
430,
501,
518-519
Mellus & Howard, San Francisco
Folders 532,
596
Menchaca, Ramón
Folder 217
Minor, George
Folders 419-420,
426
Möller (JB) & Co., Mazatlán
Folder 155
Montgomery, John Berrien, 1794-1873
Folders 394,
412
Moreno, José Matías, 1817-1869
Folder 319
Mott, J. Thomas
Folders 432,
482,
553-554
Negociación, Trina
Folders 261-262,
506-508
Norton, R.
Folder 207-214
Nye, Gorham H., 1802-1878
Folder 311
Orbell, James, 1813-
Folders 166,
221,
222,
237
Osio, Antonio María
Folders 141,
189
Osio, José de Jesús
Folders 282,
437
Park, Thomas B., d. ca. 1850
Folders 74,
75,
383,
392
Paty, Henry, d. 1841
Folder 110
Paty, John, 1807-1868
Folders 289,
360,
375,
380,
425,
446,
449,
484,
493,
512,
513,
517,
535,
589
Paty & Co.
Folders 381-382,
524-525
Paty (Henry) & Co., Honolulu
Folder 111
Pedrorena, Miguel F. de, ca. 1808-1850
Folders 48,
49,
59,
99,
150,
247,
265,
279,
285,
419-420,
451,
520,
603
Peirce, Henry Augustus, 1808-1885
Folders 112,
113-114,
197,
204,
264,
146
Peirce & Brewer, Honolulu
Folders 112,
113-114,
118,
119-122,
123-124,
142,
147,
151,
153-154,
159,
175,
180,
190,
197,
198-201,
226,
243-244,
252-253,
258-259,
278,
283,
291,
292
Pelly, George
Folders 260,
418
Phelps, William Dane
Folders 399,
410,
436,
441,
488,
494,
499,
502
Pico, Andrés, 1810-1876
Folder 136
Pico, Pío, 1801-1894
Folders 36,
133,
358,
367,
370,
371,
416
Poncia, Pedro P.
Folders 227,
448,
522 bis
Reid, Perfecto Hugo, 1811-1852
Folders 156,
592
Requena, Manuel, d. 1876
Folders 60,
483
Richardson, Henry P.
Folders 408-409,
411
Robertson, Robert
Folder 267
Robidoux, Antoine, 1794-1860
Folder 461
Robidoux, Louis, 1791-1868
Folder 461
Robinson, Alfred, 1806-
Folders 216,
228,
281,
361,
388
Robinson, William
Folder 612
Roldán, M. R.
Folder 156
Ross, Charles L.
Folders 474,
489
Ruiz, María Salvadora
Folder 33
St. John, William Henry
Folder 481
Salazar, Juan
Folder 127
Scarborough (William) y Cia, Mazatlán
Folders 158,
297-298
Scott, James G., d. 1851
Folders 41,
62,
70,
416
Scott & Wilson, San Diego
Folder 87
Semple, John L.
Folder 620
Sepúlveda, Juan María
Folder 614
Shannon, William Edward, 1822-1850
Folder 522
Shaw, Thomas, d. ca. 1866
Folders 14,
21,
63,
95,
149,
160
Sherman & Ruckel, San Francisco
Folders 526,
528,
541
Snook, Joseph Francisco, d. ca. 1847
Folders 64,
72
Spence, David, 1798-1875
Folders 76,
77,
132,
137,
138,
171
Starkey, Janion & Co., San Francisco
Folders 529,
531,
533,
536,
542
Stearns, Abel, 1798-1871
Folders 26,
27-28,
51,
56,
106,
131,
145,
156,
195,
202,
203,
223,
268,
269,
352-353
Stevens, James
Folder 498
Stokes, Edward
Folders 300,
301,
337
Sutter, John Augustus, 1803-1880
Folders 143,
178,
193,
225,
229,
233,
270,
277,
391
Temple, John, 1796-1866
Folder 20,
106,
134,
156,
165,
190,
246,
249,
250,
251,
509,
617-618
Temple & Alexander, San Pedro
Folder 499
Templeman & Bergman, Lima
Folder 4
Tennant, Archibald
Folder 622
Teschemacher, Henry Frederick
Folders 415,
478,
520,
608-609
Thompson, Alpheus Basil, 1795-1869
Folders 16 (oversize),
39,
55,
69,
242,
460,
617-618,
619
Todd, William L.
Folder 453
Toro, Juan
Folder 472
Vallejo, Francisco
Folder 13
Vallejo, Mariano Guadalupe, 1807-1890
Folders 313,
604-607,
611,
621
Vega, Ramón de la
Folder 325
Verdugo, Marcela (Elizalde)
Folder 319
Vincent, George W., d. 1851
Folders 181,
293
Vioget, Jean Jacques, 1799-1855
Folders 164,
230,
398,
465,
515-516
Virmond, Henry Edward
Folders 1,
2,
3,
10,
11-12
Warner, Jonathan Trumbull, 1807-
Folders 34,
82,
442,
443
Watson, James, 1803-1863
Folder 183
Webber, Samuel
Folder 466-467
Wells (R) & Co., San Francisco
Folder 540
Williams, Isaac, 1799-1856
Folder 25
Wilson, John, 1795-1860
Folders 35,
66,
321,
331,
412
Worth, Calvin G.
Folder 610
Yeoward, Richard
Folder 254
Yorba, Tomás Antonio, 1784-
Folders 54,
71,
83
Zamudio, Máximo
Folders 5,
6,
7,
9