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National Bank of D. O. Mills and Company collection, 1847-1927.
MANUSCRIPT 368-378
Collection Overview
Title:
National Bank of D. O. Mills and Company collection, 1847-1927Creator/Contributor:
Mills, Darius O. (Darius Odgen), 1825-1910Creator/Contributor:
Mills, Edgar, 1828-1893Creator/Contributor:
National Bank of D. O. Mills and CompanyAbstract:
When the California National Bank of Sacramento closed in 1931, this collection was listed among its assets. Materials in
the collection had been accumulated primarily during the period when the bank was known as the National Bank of D. O. Mills
and Company, hence the title of the collection. Although the collection contains many documents relating to the Bank, it is
not a comprehensive archive and some corporate records are not included. In addition, there are many items relating to the
business activities of the Mills family in general and, specifically of the two Mills brothers, D. O. (Darius Ogden) and Edgar.
Of particular interest are papers dealing with their involvement in early California banking, mining and railroading activities.
The collection has been arranged into five series: Business papers, Estate papers, Mining papers, Railroad papers, and Transaction
records.
Business papers (1847-1927): Documents such as promissory notes, mortgages, indentures, deeds, partnership papers, stock holdings,
and other types of financial and legal papers; some letterheads and stock certificates. Arranged by name on document(s).
Of note: Abbott Orchard Co., Adams & Co., Baldwin, [E] J., Bank of California, Thomas Bell, John Bensley, John Bigler, Mary
and Samuel F. Butterworth, Ralph Fretz (and W.C. Ralston), Albert Gansl, George Gordon, Alvinza Hayward, Oscar Henley, Oliver
Himrod, Merchants' Exchange Assoc., Michael Miles, D.O. Mills (and Lloyd Tevis), Henry Miller.
Edgar, James, and William O. Mills, James M. Monroe, North River Construction Co. (Leland Stanford), Pacific Congress Springs
(Chas. E. McLane), Pacific Insurance Company, Page, Bacon & Co., Christian Rave, California Riverside Bathing Assoc. of Sacramento,
Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, San Bruno Turnpike Road Company, San Francisco Pacific Sugar Company, Santa Barbara Land Tracts,
William Sharon, Claus Spreckels, H. L. Stowe, Thomas Sunderland, John A. Sutter, John H. Trowbridge, University of California,
H.H. Wiggins.
Estate papers (1854-1903): Legal and financial documents pertaining to estates handled by the Bank, including the estate of
Edgar Mills. Arranged by name of estate. Of note: Dominga Gonde Atherton, Anson Burlingham, James F. Cunningham, Ansel I.
Easton, Marie Fountain, Jessie Haycock, A. Menke, Edgar and James Mills, W. C. Ralston, Christian Rave, William Ritter, S.D.
Smith (Rocklin Quarry)
Mining papers (1851-1915): Stock certificates, contracts, financial reports, correspondence, etc.; a 'cipher' sheet for sending
coded messages; most related to D. O. or Edgar Mills. Arranged by company name. Of note: Aurora Tunnel and Mining Co., Bear
River and Auburn Water and Mining Co., Bradley Borden and Co. Canal, Crystal Quartz Mining Co., Eureka Canal Co. of Eldorado,
New Idria Quicksilver Mine, Quicksilver Mining Co., Rocklin Quarry, San Juan Bautista [Quicksilver] Mine, White Pine Water
Co.
Railroad papers (1865-1892): Legal and financial documents related to railroad companies; most related to D. O. or Edgar Mills.
Arranged by company name. Of note: Carson and Colorado Railroad Co., Central Pacific Railroad Co., Eureka and Palisade Railroad
Co., Hot Springs Water Works and Railway Co., San Francisco and San Jose Rail Road Co., Southern Pacific Railroad Co., Virginia
and Truckee Railroad Co., Western Pacific Railroad Co.
Transaction records (1852-1922): Passbooks, checks, receipts, certificates of deposit. Arranged chronologically but unsorted.
NOTE: All names are not mentioned above -- for instance, second names on documents or individual names associated with corporations.
Researchers should be prepared to survey widely in the collection. For other material on Edgar Mills and the Mills family,
see The Edgar Mills papers.
Date:
1847 (issued)Contents:
368: Business papers: A-F. -- 369: Business papers: G-Mills, D.O. -- 370: Business papers: Mills, Edgar-R. -- 371: Business
papers: S-Z. -- 372: Estate papers: A-Mier. -- 373: Estate papers: Mills-Z. -- 374: Mining papers. -- 375: Railroad papers.
-- 376: Transaction records: 1852-1908. -- 377: Transaction records: 1881-1896. -- 378: Transaction records: 1875-1906.
Subject:
n-us-caNational Bank of D. O. Mills and Company (Calif.) -- Records and correspondence
Mills, Darius O. (Darius Ogden) -- 1825-1910 -- Correspondence
Mills, Edgar -- 1828-1893 -- Correspondence
Bankers -- California -- Correspondence
Businessmen -- California -- Correspondence
Capitalists and financiers -- California -- Correspondence
Banks and banking -- California -- History
Mines and mining -- California -- History
Railroads -- California -- History
Real estate development -- California -- History
Note:
D. O. (Darius Ogden) Mills came to California from New York state in 1849. He opened a store in Sacramento and, shortly thereafter,
established the first banking house in California. By 1852, the Bank of D.O. Mills and Company was expanding and opened a
branch in Columbia, Tuolumne County, which was managed by Mills' brother, Edgar.
The name of the bank went through several iterations over the years, including: D. O. Mills & Co. (1852-1871); National Gold
Bank of D. O. Mills and Company (1872-1882); National Bank of D. O. Mills and Company (1883-1912). Partners associated with
the bank include the Mills brothers, James and Edgar, a cousin, E. J. Townsend (1852-1855), and Henry Miller (1855). In 1912,
the bank merged with the California National Bank of Sacramento which closed in 1931.
The Mills family invested widely in the early economic development of California. Their interests included land development,
farming, mining, railroads, etc. After 1873, D. O. Mills relocated to New York but continued to be widely invested in California.
His brother, Edgar, remained in Sacramento and took care of the family interests until his death in 1893.
National Bank of D. O. Mills and Company records
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.
Type:
LetterheadsStock certificates
Physical Description:
11 ms. boxes
Language:
English
Identifier:
MANUSCRIPT 368-378
Origin:
CaliforniaCopyright Note:
Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.