Guide to the Thomas Vincent Cator Papers M0032
Processed by Susan McLaughlin; machine-readable finding aid created by Patricia White
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
1997; revised 2020
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Thomas Vincent Cator Papers
Creator:
Cator, Thomas Vincent
Identifier/Call Number: M0032
Identifier/Call Number: 189
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1881-1941
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials
are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Harold F. Taggart, 1960, 1962, and 1963.
Biographical Note
Thomas Vincent Cator was born in Roxbury, New York on July 18, 1851. He spent his early years on a farm, attending the local
academy when possible. After having taught school at the age of seventeen, Cator attended Cornell University. Upon graduation
he entered a New York law firm and soon developed political interests. In 1880 Cator established residence in Jersey City
and held an alderman's office for two years.
Having been bothered with malaria fever for some time, Cator journeyed to San Francisco, California in 1887. It was not long
until he was involved in politics again, and in 1889, Cator married Miss Ethel Chapman.
Politically, Cator was at one time or another an Anti-Monopolist, a Republican, a Democrat, a Prohibitionist, a Nationalist,
and a Populist. His most significant political contribution was as the leader of the Populist Party in California from 1890
until its dissolution in 1898. Cator ran for the U.S. Senate on the Populist ticket in 1892, 1894, and 1896, unsuccessfully
in each effort. In 1901 he was appointed to the Elections Commission of the city of San Francisco and he served until his
death, most of the time as president of the commission. He died on Sept. [19], 1920 of a heart attack.
Paging
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item] Thomas Vincent Cator Papers, M032, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
The Cator Papers are largely the correspondence received by Vincent Cator at the time of his involvement in the People's Party
and afterwards, 1883-1915. Included in the collection are 16 letters written by Cator on various political subjects from 1894-1915.
In addition, there are several papers of a legal nature and a biography written by Harold F. Taggart. There are also newspaper
clippings of Cator's activities.
Of primary interest is the correspondence concerning Cator's relationship with the Populist Movement in California and New
Jersey, and Cator's position on such issues as government ownership of railroads, free silver, anti-monopoly, and women's
sufferage.
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. When required,
it is the researcher's responsibility to obtain such permissions.
Correspondence I115113
1882-1941
Outgoing 115151
1893-1915
box 1, folder 1
115153
1893 Dec 1-1915 Dec 27
Incoming 115119
1882-1918
box 1, folder 2
Abbott, Leon - Barbee, J.S. 115149
1885-1897
box 1, folder 3
Barlow, C.A. 115147
1892-1898
box 1, folder 4
Barry, Irwin - Butler, Marion 115145
1883-1912
box 1, folder 5
Cain, Dr. J.H. - Cook 115143
1883-1896
box 1, folder 6
Cornell, Burdette - Donnelly, Ignatius 115141
1892-1910
box 1, folder 7
Dore, John S. 115139
1892 Aug 7 - 1892 Dec 31
box 1, folder 8
Dore, John S. 115137
1893 January 2 - 1896 Apr 12
box 1, folder 9
Drake, Herbert A. - Gilbert, J.L. 115135
1881-1898
box 1, folder 10
Gillespie, George D. - Landrum, Mark 115133
1886-1917
box 1, folder 11
Lawlor, William D. - Norman, W.D. 115131
1882-1911
box 1, folder 12
Perkins, George - Southern Pacific Co. [William Sproule] 115129
1883-1918
box 1, folder 13
Standish, William - U'Ren, Milton 115127
1883-1912
box 2, folder 1
Van Dervoort, Paul - Vogelsarge, Charles A. 115125
1883-1913
box 2, folder 2
Wardall, E.M. 115123
1893-1898
box 2, folder 3
Wayland, James A. - World, The 115121
1884-1898
box 2, folder 4
Baker, G.W. - Wilson, [H.C.?] 115117
1892-1941
Secondary Sources Materials II115091
1881 - circa 1941
box 2, folder 5
Legal documents 115111
1892-1898
box 2, folder 6
Newsclippings 115109
Sept 22, 1874-Apr 22, 1887
box 2, folder 7
Newsclippings 115107
1889 - Dec 17, 1893
box 2, folder 8
Newsclippings 115105
Feb, 1894 - Dec 8, 1895
box 2, folder 9
Newsclippings 115103
Dec 14, 1895 - Oct 29, 1896
box 2, folder 10
Newsclippings 115101
Jan 7, 1897 - Jan 11, 1934
box 2, folder 11
Newsclippings 115099
undated
box 2, folder 12
Printed matter on which Cator's name appears as author or participant 115097
1881-1897, undated
box 2, folder 13
Other printed matter 115095
1881-1896, undated
box 2, folder 14
Biography of Thomas Vincent Cator, by Harold Taggart 115093
circa 1941
