Austin H. Merrill Papers, 1881-1948

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Summary

Creators:
Merrill, Austin H.
Abstract:
The Austin H. Merrill Papers consist of correspondence, reports, diagrams, and photographs (some with accompanying negatives) related to mines and mining in Shasta County, Butte County, Mexico, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada.
Extent:
1.0 Linear feet 1 Box with 15 Folders
Language:
and English
Preferred citation:

Austin H. Merrill Papers, MSS 314, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

Background

Scope and content:

The Austin H. Merrill Papers consist of correspondence, reports, diagrams, and photographs (some with accompanying negatives) related to mines and mining in Shasta County, Butte County, Mexico, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada. Contained within the collection is information pertaining to the following mines: Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, American Mine, Silver King Mine, Niagara Summit, Riverside Mine (Alaska), Golden Treasure Mine (Mexico), Rainbow Mine (Oregon), and Goldfield (Nevada).

Many of the reports include geological surveys and assessments of the mines, which consist of estimates and recommendations for development, operation, and cost. Some of the reports include drawings or diagrams illustrating mining developments and operations, such as the six diagrams depicting the mine shafts of Yankee John Mine. Also included in the collection is an owner’s statement for the Silver King Mine by L. C. Parker, dated March 9, 1915, a handwritten history of the Yankee John Mine by John F. Reese, dated January 3, 1939, Assay Certificates by James A. Leslie, a record of accounts from the Washington Mine October 14, 1937 through February 18, 1938, and mining claims from French Gulch, including Halcyon Gold Quartz Claim, Midway Gold Quartz Mine, Ruby Pearl Quartz Mine, Lone Pine Gold Quartz Mine, and Globe Gold Quartz Mine. The photographs contained within the collection were taken of several different mines, including Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, American Mine, French Gulch, Riverside Mine, Golden Treasure Mine, Rainbow Mine, and Goldfield.

Besides Austin H. Merrill there are other names included in some of the correspondence and reports, such as Richard L. Smith, W. L. Clark, W. Y. Humphreys, W. L. Hill, J. H. Scott, John F. Reese, L. T. Pockman, John A. Kruse, Lutellus Smith, W. M. Johnston, and H. A. Houser. Also included are Assay Certificates by James A. Leslie.

Biographical / historical:

Austin H. Merrill became a mining engineer and lived in the West, in Nevada, Alaska, and San Francisco, California. He was born March 13, 1893 in Nashville, Tennessee. His father was Austin H. (Heaton) Merrill (1859-1900), a “beloved” elocution professor at Vanderbilt University. His mother was Pearl (Daniel) Merrill (1869-1953), of Harrisonville, Missouri. Austin H. Merrill also had a sister, Elizabeth (Merrill) Everett. He was the grandchild of Henry Clay Daniel and Elizabeth Gillenwaters Brown. Austin H. Merrill married Livinia Shinn (Levine Merrill), and they had three children, Patricia Ann Merrill, born April 5, 1918, in Goldfield, Nevada, Peter Merrill, born Aug. 7, 1928, in San Francisco, California, and Austin Jr.

Acquisition information:
Eric Ritter, Bureau of Land Management in Redding, California.
Processing information:

Processing of the Austin H. Merrill Papers was generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The [ABC repository] was awarded a Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant from 2010-2012, "Uncovering California's Environmental Collections," in collaboration with eight additional special collections and archival repositories throughout the state and the California Digital Library (CDL). Grant objectives included processing of over 33 hidden collections related to the state's environment and environmental history. The collections document an array of important sub-topics such as irrigation, mining, forestry, agriculture, industry, land use, activism, and research. Together they form a multifaceted picture of the natural world and the way it was probed, altered, exploited and protected in California over the twentieth century. Finding aids are made available through the Online Archive of California (OAC).

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged by mine, in this order: Silver Mines, Yankee John Mine, Milkmaid Mine, Washington Mine, French Gulch, Mining Claims (which include Halcyon Gold Quartz Claim, Midway Gold Quartz Mine, Lone Pine Gold Quartz Mine, and Globe Gold Quartz Mine), American Mine, Silver King Mine, Niagara Summit Mining Property, Riverside Mine (Alaska), Golden Treasure Mine (Mexico), Rainbow Mine (Oregon), and Goldfield (Nevada).

Material specific details:
No other forms of material.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research without restriction.

Terms of access:

No restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Austin H. Merrill Papers, MSS 314, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

Location of this collection:
California State University, Chico, Special Collections Meriam Library
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0295, US
Contact:
(530) 898-6603
SpecialCollections@csuchico.edu
Website