Register of the Frederick Russell Burnham papers
Finding aid prepared by Alistair Tough
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 1999
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Frederick Russell Burnham papers
Date (inclusive): 1879-1979
Collection Number: 78082
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
8 manuscript boxes, 24 envelopes, 1 album box
(4.8 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, speeches and writings, clippings, other printed matter, photographs, and memorabilia, relating to the Matabele
Wars of 1893 and 1896 in Rhodesia, the Boer War, exploration expeditions in Africa, and gold mining in Alaska duing the Klondike
gold rush.
Creator:
Burnham, Frederick Russell, 1861-1947
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Frederick Russell Burnham papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
Born in the USA Burnham was brought up in California. He received a limited formal education but in the course of his early
working life in the Western USA he acquired a knowledge of mining, particularly gold mining. From 1893 to 1897 he was in present-day
Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was he who led the Northern Territories (BSA) Exploration Co. expedition which established for the
outside world that major copper deposits existed in Central Africa.
In 1897 Burnham left Africa to take up gold mining in Alaska and the Klondike but in 1900 he returned to become the chief
scout of the British forces engaged in the Boer War. In 1901, having been wounded, he left South Africa for London. There
he was employed by the Wa Syndicate. For the Wa Syndicate he led an expedition through Ghana and Upper Volta which was concerned
both with mineral occurrences and the possibility of improving the navigability of major rivers. He also served the Wa Syndicate
as their London office manager.
From 1902 to 1904 Burnham was employed by the East Africa Syndicate. For them he led a mineral prospecting expedition which
travelled extensively in the area around Lake Rudolph. Thereafter he was engaged in projects in the Americas for, or in cojunction
with, John Hays Hammond, the mining magnate. During the 1920s and 1930s Burnham was engaged in the management of the Dominguez
oilfield in California.
The papers of Frederick Burnham are not all in one place. One stray item is in the National Archives of Zimbabwe. The remainder
are split between Yale University Library and the Hoover Institution's Archives. The papers at Yale University were gifted
by Major Burnham's widow in 1951. Those at the Hoover Institution she gifted in 1978. Whilst most of those gifted to Yale
are subject to a closure which renders them inaccessible until the year 2000, those at the Hoover Institution are open. The
latter contain a substantial number of transcripts, that is to say copies laboriously made by hand from diaries, letters,
etc. the originals of which are (in most cases, at least) now at Yale. One file of correspondence at the Hoover Institution
Library & Archives contains both transcripts and the originals from which they were copied: the transcripts are highly accurate.
That the same is true of the other transcripts at the Hoover Institution can not, however, be guaranteed. Whilst some papers
are in both repositories (the originals at Yale and the transcipts at the Hoover Institution) this is by no means the whole
picture. Some papers at Yale (on mines in Chile and China, for instance) are not duplicated in the papers at the Hoover Institution.
Vice versa, some materials at the Hoover Institution are not duplicates of papers at Yale.
References mentioned above:
Baxter, T.W. and Burke, E.E.
Guide to the Historical Manuscripts in the National Archives of Rhodesia, 1970, p.67.
Yale University Library, Manuscripts and Archives, New Haven, Connecticut 06520.
A collection of writings about Burnham and working papers for his two books
Scouting on Two Continents (1928) and
Taking Chances (1944) are open for research use.
Folder
Lummis, Charles F., Folder 10 in Box 3.
Chronology
| 1861, May 11 |
Born, Tivoli, Minnesota |
| 1870 |
Family moved to Los Angeles |
| 1878-1882 |
Cowboy, hunter, prospector and scout in Arizona and Texas |
| 1884 |
Marriage to Blanche Blick |
| 1893 |
Trooper in BSA Police, Rhodesia [Zimbabwe] |
| 1895 |
Prospecting in North West Rhodesia [Western Zambia] |
| 1896-1897 |
Scout for British forces in Matabele [Ndebele] wars |
| 1897-1900 |
Gold mining in Alaska and Klondike |
| 1900-1901 |
Chief Scout of British forces in Boer War |
| 1901 |
Awarded Distinguished Service Order |
| 1901-1902 |
Working for Wa Syndicate in Gold Coast [Ghana] and London |
| 1902-1904 |
Working for East Africa Syndicate. Led mineral prospecting expedition to Lake Rudolph |
| [1908-?] |
Engaged in irrigation project in Yacqui River Delta, Mexico |
| 1912-[?] |
Director of Yacqui Delta Land and Water Co. |
| [1917-1918] |
Manager of manganese and tungsten survey of Western USA |
| [?] |
Manager of Burnham Exploration Co. [later Dominguez Oil Fields Co.] |
| 1923 |
Burnham Exploration Co. and Union Oil Co. agreed to develop Dominguez Oilfield on a 50:50 basis |
| 1928 |
Author,
Scouting on Two Continents
|
| [?] |
Director of Union Oil Co. |
| 1939 |
Death of Mrs Blanche Burnham |
| 1943 |
Marriage to Ilo K. Willits [or Ferrce] |
| 1944 |
Author,
Taking Chances
|
| 1947 |
Died, California |
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Zambia -- History
South African War, 1899-1902
Zimbabwe -- History
Africa -- Description and travel
Klondike River Valley (Yukon) -- Gold discoveries
Zimbabwe -- History -- Ndebele War, 1893
Zimbabwe -- History -- Ndebele Revolt, 1896
South Africa -- History
Great Britain. Army
BIOGRAPHICAL FILE
1890-1948
Scope and Contents note
Biographical data and writings, a family tree, correspondence, clippings and publications.
box 1, folder 1-2
Correspondence, notes and clippings re Burnham and Russell family history. Photographic materials were removed from this file
and placed in envelope J, 78082-10.A-V.
box 1, folder 3
Notes and clippings re Frederick R. Burnham
Publications and Eulogies
box 1, folder 4
Britt, Albert,
The Boy's Own Book of Adventurers
1923
box 1, folder 5
Davis, Richard Harding,
Real Soldiers of Fortune, See also correspondence with Davis (Box 2 Folder 10 below)
1907
box 1, folder 6
Goodland, Colonel H.T.,
Hail and Farewell
1948
box 8, folder 1
Lang, Andrew,
The Red True Story Book
1921
box 8, folder 2
Russell, Charles Edward,
A Pioneer Editor in Early Iowa
1941
box 8, folder 3
West, James E. and Lamb, Peter O.,
He Who Sees in the Dark
1932
box 8, folder 4
West, James E. (Compiler),
The Boy Scout's Book of True Adventure
1931
box 2, folder 1
S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
California of the South, a History, vol. 4
1933
CORRESPONDENCE
1890-1963
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence and transcripts of correspondence of Frederick R. and Ilo K. Burnham, arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
box 2, folder 2
Baden-Powell, Lord Robert and Lady Olave
1900-1953.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Boer War; Boy Scouts; British army training; Yacqui Valley, Mexico
box 2, folder 3
Bent, Arthur
1899-1929.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Bardeen Oil Trust; Western USA irrigation and dam schemes
box 2, folder 5
Boy Scouts, Phoenix, Arizona
1941-52
box 2, folder 6
Brooke, Jack
1903-1908.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: travels around Lake Rudolph, East Africa, 1903; expedition to Tibet, 1905-1908
box 2, folder 7
Burnham, Mrs. Blanche B., Letters to Mrs. Burnham in California from her husband in Colorado and Missouri
1890-1892.
box 2, folder 8
Christie-Crawford, Captain Alan
1932-1950
box 2, folder 9
City of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Invitations to formal occasions
1946-1963.
box 2, folder 11
Davis, Richard Harding
1906.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include chapter on Frederick R. Burnham in Davis's book
Real Soldiers of Fortune
box 2, folder 12
Dominguez Oil Fields Co.
1944-1946.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include management of Frederick R. Burnham's shareholding
box 2, folder 13
Fisher, Sir Godfrey and Lady Geraldine
1946-1960
box 2, folder 14
Fry, Verle N.
1942-1944.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include copyright on Burnham's book
Taking Chances
box 3, folder 1
Gifford, Lord, and members of his family
1896-1940.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include wars in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Contains agreement between Frederick R. Burnham, Hon. Maurice
Gifford and Pearl Ingram and Lord Gifford and F.I. Ricarde-Deaver for the exploitation of a concession in Rhodesia
box 3, folder 2
Grant, Madison
1928-1934.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Redwoods Preservation League
box 3, folder 3
Gross, Theodore
1942-1947.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: possible film of Burnham's book
Scouting on Two Continents; rifle training for Boy Scouts
box 3, folder 4
Haggard, Sir H. Rider
1922-1924.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Frederick R. Burnham's activities on behalf of J.H. Hammond in Mexico and the USA
box 3, folder 5
Hammond, John Hays
1905-1936.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Burnham Exploration Co.; Colorado River Valley Development; develpment of the
gas lift method of oil extraction; Dominguez Oil Field; land dealings; Hammond's campaign to become Secretary for the Interior; Union
Oil Co.; Yacqui Delta Land and Water Co., Mexico
box 3, folder 7
Holder, Frederick
1909-1917.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: preservation of California's wildlife; public relations aspects of Yacqui Delta developments; publishing
propositions
box 3, folder 8
Hunter-Weston, General Sir Aylmer
1911-1937.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: American and British politics; World War One
box 3, folder 9
Kennedy, William P.
1945-1953.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include publication of Burnham's book
Taking Chances
box 3, folder 10
Lummis, Charles F.
1908-1927.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Southwest Society (of the) Archaeological Society of America. See also Box 3 Folder 6 below
box 3, folder 11
Mackie, W.W.
1916-1945.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include development of irrigation crops
box 3, folder 12
Macomber, A.K. and H.J.
1910-1946.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include gift of the Macomber collection of artefacts from Africa and Oceania to Arizona State Museum. Contains report
on Black Bear gold mine prepared by Frederick R. Burnham, 1915. See also Box 3 Folder 19 below
box 3, folder 13
The Outpost (Regimental Magazine of the British South Africa Police)
1941-1947
box 3, folder 14
Paddon, Major Cecil
1945-1953.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Society of Members of the 1893 Columns, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
box 3, folder 15
Pinchot, Gifford
1910-1939.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Republican Party politics
box 3, folder 16
Posselt, E. Harry
1946-1952
box 3, folder 17
Roosevelt, Theodore, and Roosevelt Memorial Association
1917-1949.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include proposal to form an American volunteer force to fight against Germany, 1917. See also Box 4 Folder 1 below
box 3, folder 18
Schlegal, Oswald
1936-1954
box 3, folder 19
Stauffer, Charles A.
1946-1949.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Arizona State Museum. See also Box 3 Folder 12 above
box 3, folder 20
Wright, Howell
1940-1954.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include gift of papers of Frederick R. Burnham to Yale University's Howell Wright Collection of Rhodesiana and South
Africana
CORRESPONDENCE, MISCELLANEOUS
1893-1964
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence and transcripts of correspondence of Frederick R. and Ilo K. Burnham, arranged chronologically.
box 4, folder 1
1893-1927
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Frederick R. Burnham's South California manganese mine interests, 1916-1917; journey on East African coast, 1893; mineral prospecting in the vicinity of Lake Rudolph, East Africa, 1904; proposal to form an American volunteer force to fight against Germany, 1917; Republican Party politics, 1908-1912; Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 1896-1902; US policy towards Mexico, 1915; Wa Syndicate, Gold Coast (Ghana), 1901. Contains agreement for payment of Frederick R. Burnham as selling agent for Tehama timber lands, 1917.
box 4, folder 2
1930-1964
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include reminiscences of Frederick R. Burnham and of his former colleagues and comrades.
CORRESPONDENCE OF ILO K. BURNHAM
1934-1958
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
box 4, folder 3
Crook, Colonel W.J., and (?), George
1934-1944.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: California Arabian Standard Oil (Corporation?), Bahrien; Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois
box 4, folder 4
Knowland, Senator William F.
1950-1958
box 4, folder 5
Millikan, Robert A.
1948-1952
box 4, folder 6
Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, See also Box 3 Folder 6 above
1946-1948.
box 4, folder 7
Stiles, John A.
1948-1958
CORRESPONDENCE OF J.E. ELLIOT
box 4, folder 8
Burnham, Ilo. K.
1975-1979.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include gift of Burnham papers to Hoover Institution Library & Archives
SPEECHES AND WRITINGS
1911-1949
Scope and Contents note
Notes for speeches and drafts and printed copies of books and articles by Frederick R. Burnham, with correspondence and notes,
chronological order.
box 4, folder 9
Speeches
1911-1939.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Arizona State Museum's Macomber Collection; Frederick R. Burnham's early life in California and other Western
states; game ranching; State Parks. Most speeches delivered to Sunsetters Club, Los Angeles
Scouting on Two Continents
1928
box 4, folder 10
Fra Alaska Til Kap (Danish edition)
box 4, folder 11
Manuscript and typescript drafts, including substantial amount of unpublished material
box 5, folder 1
Burnham, Frederick R.,
Taking Chances, Haynes Corporation, a copy as published
1944,
box 5, folder 2-3
Copies of inscriptions written in presentation copies of
Taking Chances. The recipients are named and numbered to 464
box 5, folder 4
Letters of thanks from recipients and requests for copies
box 5, folder 5
Drafts of chapter on Winston Churchill with related papers
box 5, folder 6
Haynes Corporation, printers. Correspondence and invoices
box 5, folder 7
Historical Society of Southern California
Quarterly, (containing article apparently used by Frederick R. Burnham)
1942 March
box 5, folder 8
Rhodes, Cecil. Drafts of an article with related papers
1902-1944
box 5, folder 9
Selous, Frederick C. Drafts of an article for the Boone and Crockett Club
Annual Report
1929
box 5, folder 10
Wholly miscellaneous writings.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: hanting, mining, prospecting and scouting in the USA and Africa; proposal to form an American volunteer
force to fight against Germany; Theodore Roosevelt, 1920s-1940s
NOTEBOOKS
1895-1946
Scope and Contents note
Notebooks containing transcripts of correspondence, agreements, diaries and reports, arranged by provenance of documents transcribed.
box 6, folder 1
Transcripts of agreements, correspondence and reports.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: East African Syndicate, 1902-1909; Matabele (Ndebele) War, 1896-1897; Northern Territories (BSA) Exploration Co. 1895-1899; Wa Syndicate, 1901-1902
box 6, folder 2
Transcripts of letters sent by Frederick R. Burnham to Northern Territories (BSA) Exploration Co., H. Greene and Lord Gifford
re business transactions including land deals, mineral developments and Northern Rhodesian (Zambian) concessions
1897
box 6, folder 3
Transcripts of correspondence, orders and reports
1900-1905.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Boer War; East Africa Syndicate
box 6, folder 4
Transcripts of correspondence and memoirs
1917-1946.
Scope and Contents note
The memoirs concern Earl Grey, Sir H. Rider Haggard and E.H. Harriman. Subjects of the correspondence include the oil extraction
industry in California
box 6, folder 5
Transcripts of diaries kept by A. King Macomber, John Blick (?) Gillfillan and (?) Stewart whilst mineral prospecting in Northern
Rhodesia (Zambia) for the Northern Territories (BSA) Exploration Co., Minerals mentioned include copper, gold and salt
1895.
box 6, folder 6
Transcripts of diary kept by John Blick whilst on Wa Syndicate expedition in Gold Coast (Ghana)
1901.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: gold deposits; possibility of improving the navigability of inland waterways. Contains an account of North
Eastern Hausaland taken down in writing by John Blick from one of his porters
box 6, folder 7-9
Alaska and Klondike, Transcripts of correspondence, working papers for a publication and printed ephemera. Photographic materials
were removed from this file and placed in envelope G, 78082-10.A-V.
1899-1936.
CLIPPINGS
1879-1951
Scope and Contents note
Clippings from African, American and British newspapers, arranged chronologically.
box 6, folder 10
1879-1944
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Rhodesia.
box 6, folder 11
1893-1901
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Rhodesia; South Africa; West Africa.
box 6, folder 12
1896-1918
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Rhodesia; South Africa.
box 7, folder 1
1900-1909
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: Boer War; East Africa; Mexico; West Africa.
box 7, folder 2
1910-1919
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: game ranching; mineral surveying in North America; World War One.
box 7, folder 4
1920-1929.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include: California State Park Commission; Frederick R. Burnham's travels in Australasia; publication of
Scouting on Two Continents; Save the Redwoods League
box 7, folder 6
1931-1935.
Scope and Contents note
Subjects include Major G.H. Schoof
box 7, folder 7
1940-1951.
Scope and Contents note
Contains obituaries of Frederick R. Burnham
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Child's sheriff badge
1905
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Conker (Horse Chestnut nut)
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Decorated card with message in (Arabic?)
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Facsimile of a small stone inscribed with (Egyptian?) hieroglyphs
memorabilia_cabinet
10 Glass negatives depicting East Africa
1902-1903
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Greek medallion, modern
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Indigenous worked copper artefact, Central African, late Nineteenth Century
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Lock of hair, Mrs. William Russell
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Medallion inscribed
Courage, Loyalty, Honor
memorabilia_cabinet
3 North American Indian pouches
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Printing block, Frederick R. Burnham
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Sample book depicting Spanish tiles
1930s or 1940s
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Southern Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) crown (coin)
1953
memorabilia_cabinet
1 Token issued by J. Lawley, Cape Town
(1900?)
envelope A
164 prints depicting East African scenes, people and mineral occurrences, mostly Nairobi and vicinity of lake Rudolph
1902-1903
envelope B
18 prints depicting Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) scenes, including Great Zimbabwe
undated
envelope C
23 prints depicting South African and Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) scenes, including commemoration ceremonies for the 1893 pioneer
columns in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
1890s-1940s.
envelope D
7 prints depicting an exhibition of the Howell Wright Collection of Rhodesiana and South Africana in Cleveland public library
prior to its presentation to Yale University Library.
1950?
envelope E
145 prints depicting scenes, people, mineral occurrences and military forces in Golf Coast (Ghana) and Upper Volta, including
Kintampo market women and villages destroyed by Samori.
1901
envelope F
28 prints depicting miscellaneous African subjects
undated
envelope G
14 prints depicting houses, street scenes and local scenery in and around Skagway, Alaska
1899?
envelope H
3 prints with one related press clipping depicting Tibet and/or Western China, taken by Jack Brooke.
1909?
envelope I
24 prints and 1 sketch depicting Frederick R. Burnham.
1900s-1940s
envelope J
20 prints depicting members of the Burnham and Russell families and their automobiles.
1861-1904
envelope K
35 prints depicting members of Frederick R. Burnham's family in Alaska, Britain, California and East Africa.
1880s-1940s
envelope L
15 prints depicting Frederick R. Burnham's early homes in California
1880s-?
envelope M
53 prints depicting Frederick R. Burnham's Hollywood homes, including trophies and other memorabilia collected whilst travelling.
1930s-1940s
envelope N
17 prints depicting Frederick R. Burnham's homes and grave.
?-1940s
envelope O
39 prints depicting Frederick R. Burnham's personal friends and their homes.
1890s-1940s
envelope P
10 prints, no common factor, 1870s-1940s, including 1870 lynching in Los Angeles, 190? inscribed stone, Yacqui Valley, Mexico,
1938 Dominguez Oilfield.
envelope Q
61 negatives depicting East Africa
1902-1903
envelope R
53 negatives depicting West Africa
1901
envelope S
25 negatives depicting Frederick R. Burnham's Hollywood homes
1930s-1940s
envelope T
3 negatives depicting a group including W. Glenn Campbell outside Stanford University Faculty Club.
1972
envelope U
61 postcards and 1 Christmas card depicting Alaska Rhodesia and other subjects.
box 7, envelope mV-mW
31 prints depicting one of Frederick R. Burnham's Hollywood homes.
1940s
box 7, envelope mX
4 prints, no common factor
undated
box 7, envelope m*Y
9 prints depicting Alaska
1930s
box 7, envelope m*Z
3 prints and 2 cartoons, no common factor, 1900-1939, including , 1938-1939 Sunset Club Christmas dinner parties, 1939 Kofa
Mountain Game Range, Arizona.
album fAA
Album containing 20 prints depicting one of Frederick R. Burnham's California Homes
1930s or 1940s
slide cabinet
23 slides depicting Frederick R. Burnham, one of his homes and a Boy Scout memorial to him
1940s-1950s
memorabilia_cabinet
10 glass negatives depicting East Africa
1902-1903
