Primarily official letters and documents sent to Castro while prefect at Monterey, concerning military events, elections, mission matters, land transactions, Russians in California, quicksilver mining, the Bear Flag Revolt, claims of American citizens against the government, military events in Baja California, etc.

Manuel Castro, who presented this collection to H. H. Bancroft in 1875, was a member of a very well-known California family. He was born in 1821, the son of José Simeón Castro and María Antonia Pico Castro. Pío Pico was his uncle, José Castro his cousin. His career began about 1839, and for more than a dozen years he was very active in government and military affairs. After the revolt against Governor Micheltorena, in which Castro was prominent, he became prefect of the Monterey district, a position of considerable authority and responsibility. He took part in the difficulties with Frémont and in the Flores revolt, and in 1847 went to Mexico with Flores. For some years he was in the military service there, acting for a time as head of the military colony at Santo Tomás in Lower California. After 1852 Castro lived for the most part in San Francisco, although he remained a Mexican citizen.

Number of containers: 2 boxes and 5 oversize folders

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Collection is open for research.