Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Mesmer, Joseph, 1855-1947
- Abstract:
- Al Mesmer (1855-1947) was the president of the North Los Angeles Development Company, served as a member of the Freeholder's Charter Commission to frame a city charter for Los Angeles, and served as Los Angeles park commissioner. The collection consists of notes gathered by Joseph Mesmer for a projected history of Los Angeles.
- Extent:
- 7 boxes (3.5 linear ft.)
- Language:
- English.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Collection consists of notes gathered by Joseph Mesmer for a projected history of Los Angeles. Subject files include business, churches, Chinese, French, lighting and gas, parks, San Pedro, suicides, and transportation. Biography files include Don Juan Bandini, Alfred Beck Chapman, William Mulholland, Mesmer family, Pio Pico, and Don Abel Stearns.
Expanded Scope and ContentJoseph Mesmer came to Los Angeles in the mid-1800's with his parents, brothers, and sisters. He was educated in the Los Angeles schools, but was sent to college in Stras bourg, France. The Franco-Prussian War cut short his academic aspirations. After returning to Los Angeles, he acquired training by clerking in his parents businesses - a bakery and the U.S. Hotel. From 1878-1906 he owned and operated the Queen Shoe Store. After 1906 his business was the St. Louis Fire Brick & Clay Company. Aside from his business enterprises he was actively engaged in civic affairs. He was a member of the Parks Commission, Property Owners Committee, Volunteer Fire Department, president of the Jackson Democratic Club, president of the Los Angeles Catholic Benefical Society, etc. The entire Mesmer family was extremely active in philanthrophy. Their donations ranged from churches to raising and contributing large sums for the relief of the disaster stricken in the Galvaston, Johnstown floods, and the San Francisco earthquake.
This collection consists of the files and research materials that Joseph Mesmer compiled on the history of Los Angeles. The organization of the collections is alphabetical by subject heading. Most of these headings were established by Joseph Mesmer for his own files and have been retained here in order to facilitate the processing of the collection. The time-span that is covered is roughly from the birth of Los Angeles to approximately World War I.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Mesmer was born on November 3, 1855 at Tippecanoe City, Ohio; moved to Los Angeles with his parents in 1859; attended the College of Strasburg, Germany; returned to Los Angeles, opening the Queen Shoe Store in 1878, which he sold in 1896; became president of the St. Louis Fire Brick and Clay Company, president of the N.E.W. Commercial and Improvement Association, and president of the North Los Angeles Development Company; served as a member of the Freeholder's Charter Commission to frame a city charter for Los Angeles, and also as Los Angeles park commissioner.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Al Mesmer, ca. 1950.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged in the following series:
- Alphabetical subject files (Boxes 1-5).
- Alphabetical biographical files (Boxes 5-7).
- Physical location:
- Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Businessmen--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.
- Names:
- Mesmer, Joseph, 1855-1947--Archives.
- Places:
- Los Angeles (Calif.)--History.
- Indexes:
-
Index
Ada Hancock disaster: Box 1, folder 1 Amat, Thaddeus, bishop of Monterey & Los Angeles, 1854-1878: Box 1, folder 21 Agriculture: Box 1, folder 11 Aguilar, Don Christoval: Box 5, folder 18 Aguirre, Martin G.: Box 5, folder 18 Alexander, Ramon: Box 5, folder 18 Allen, George Greek George: Box 5, folder 18 Apostolic delegate, 1903: Box 1, folder 22 Aqueduct, Los Angeles: Box 5, folder 13 Arcadia block: Box 4, folder 9 Ayers, James Joseph: Box 5, folder 18 Baker, Mrs. Arcadia de: Box 5, folder 18 Bakeries: Box 3, folder 13 Bandini, Don Juan: Box 5, folder 18 Banning, General Phineas: Box 5, folder 18 Beaudry, Prudent: Box 5, folder 18 Bell Captain Alexander: Box 5, folder 18 Bicknell, John D.: Box 5, folder 18 Board of Education: Box 4, folder 19 Boyle, Andrew A.: Box 5, folder 18 Braun, Frederick William: Box 5, folder 18 Breweries: Box 4, folder 12 Bridge, Dr. Norman: Box 5, folder 18 Bus service: Box 5, folder 9 Business center: Box 1, folder 11 Campo Santo: Box 4, folder 20 Carpenter, Lemuel: Box 5, folder 21 Cattle: Box 1, folder 11 Chalmers, John Kelman: Box 5, folder 21 Chamber of Commerce: Box 2, folder 3 Chapman, Alfred Beck: Box 5, folder 21 Children's games: Box 1, folder 4 Chinese massacre, 1871: Box 2, folder 6 Church of Our Lady, Queen of Angels: Box 1, folder 19 City Hall: Box 2, folder 3;Box 2, folder 9 City taxes: Box 5, folder 6 Civic Center: Box 2, folder 3;Box 4, folder 9 Cole, Cornelius: Box 5, folder 21 Coronel, Antonio Francisco: Box 5, folder 21 Courthouse: Box 2, folder 11 Covarrubias, Nicholas A.: Box 5, folder 21 Dancing: Box 1, folder 3 De Valle, Regimaldo F.: Box 5, folder 21 De Valle, Ygnacio & Ysable: Box 5, folder 21 Dimmick, Kimball H.: Box 5, folder 21 Dillon, Richard: Box 5, folder 21 Dockweiler, John Henry: Box 5, folder 21 Domestic water: Box 5, folder 13 Domingo, Juan: Box 5, folder 21 Downey, John Gately: Box 5, folder 21 Dress making: Box 3, folder 13 Earthquakes: Box 1, folder 1 East Los Angeles Cable Line: Box 5, folder 9 East Side Board of Trade: Box 1, folder 11 Eastlake park: Box 4, folder 3 Eaton, Frederick: Box 5, folder 21 Elections: Box 4, folder 7 Eylsian park: Box 4, folder 3 Federal building: Box 1, folder 10;Box 3, folder 2 Financial panic of 1893: Box 1, folder 7 Fire fighters: Box 2, folder 3 Flint, Senator Frank P.: Box 5, folder 21 Franklin, Mary A.: Box 5, folder 21 Fruit processing: Box 3, folder 13 Forster, Don Juan: Box 5, folder 21 Gambling: Box 1, folder 3 Govenors: Box 5, folder 1 Great White Fleet: Box 3, folder 7 Greenbaum, Ephraim: Box 6, folder 2 Griffith, J.J.: Box 6, folder 1 Griffith park: Box 4, folder 3 Hamilton, Henry: Box 6, folder 2 Hayes, Judge Banjamin: Box 6, folder 2 Hayes, Judge J.C.: Box 6, folder 2 Hewitt, Randall Henry: Box 6, folder 2 Highways: Box 5, folder 8 Hospitality: Box 1, folder 4 Hospitals: Box 4, folder 20 Howard, General Volney E.: Box 6, folder 2 Irrigation: Box 5, folder 13 Joughim, Andrew, Sr.: Box 6, folder 2 Joughim, Mrs. Ann Cannell: Box 6, folder 2 Keller, Don Mateo: Box 6, folder 2 Kenealy, John: Box 6, folder 2 Kremer, Mr. & Mrs. Maurice: Box 6, folder 2 Kurts, George J.: Box 6, folder 2 Le Grand, Louis: Box 6, folder 2 Lelman, Round House George: Box 6, folder 2 Lichtenberger, Louis: Box 6, folder 2 Lincoln's assassination: Box 2, folder 4 Lotteries: Box 1, folder 3 Lugo, Don Antonio Maria: Box 6, folder 2 Lumber: Box 3, folder 13 Lynch, Joseph David: Box 6, folder 2 McGill, James. J., Rev: Box 1, folder 22 Market House and Theater building: Box 4, folder 9 Mellus, Henry: Box 6, folder 3 Mellus, Francis: Box 6, folder 3 Meyer, Eugene: Box 6, folder 3 Mora, Francis, bishop of Monterey & Los Angeles, 1876-1896: Box 1, folder 21 Moram, Mr. & Mrs. John: Box 6, folder 3 Moran, John P., Jr.: Box 6, folder 3 Morrison, Judge Murray: Box 6, folder 3 Mulholland, William: Box 6, folder 3 Nadeau, Remi: Box 6, folder 3 Negro Alley: Box 5, folder 3 Negro settlers: Box 4, folder 4 Newmark, Rev. Joseph: Box 6, folder 3 Newspapers, catholic: Box 1, folder 22 Nicholas, John Gregg: Box 6, folder 3 Nurseries: Box 1, folder 11 Orange County: Box 4, folder 7 Orphanage, catholic: Box 1, folder 20 Osborne, Henry J.: Box 6, folder 3 O'Sullivan, John: Box 6, folder 3 Pershing Square, Box 4, folder 3 Pest poison: Box 3, folder 13 Picnics: Box 1, folder 4 Pico, Pio: Box 6, folder 3 Plaza: Box 4, folder 3 Post office: Box 3, folder 2 Post-masters: Box 3, folder 21 Preuss, Dr. Edward A., Jr.: Box 6, folder 3 Property tax: Box 4, folder 9 Prudhomme, Louis Victor: Box 6, folder 3 Pryor, Nathaniel M.: Box 6, folder 3 Raho, Blas, rev: Box 1, folder 21 Railroads: Box 5, folder 8 Resort: Box 1, folder 3 Rose, Truman Harrison: Box 6, folder 3 Rowland, John: Box 6, folder 3 Sacred Heart church: Box 1, folder 22 Saddles and harness: Box 3, folder 13 Sainsevain, Jean Louis: Box 7, folder 4 St. Vibiana Cathedral: Box 1, folder 21 St. Vincents College: Box 1, folder 21 Saloons and restaurants: Box 1, folder 11 San Bernadino: Box 4, folder 7 San Francisco earthquake: Box 1, folder 1 San Pedro harbor: Box 3, folder 7 Schaeffer, Henry C.B.: Box 7, folder 4 School Commissioners: Box 4, folder 19 Schools, catholic: Box 1, folder 20 Schumacher, Mrs. & Mrs. John: Box 7, folder 4 Schirvamm, Anthony: Box 7, folder 4 Shaw, Dr. Joseph: Box 7, folder 4 Sherman, General Moses H.: Box 7, folder 4 Sister Scholastica: Box 4, folder 20 Sisters of Charity: Box 4, folder 19 Sister Xavier Shauer: Box 1, folder 20 Soap: Box 3, folder 13 Sports: Box 1, folder 3 Stage lines: Box 5, folder 8 State capitol: Box 4, folder 7 State Normal School: Box 4, folder 19 Stearns, Don Abel: Box 7, folder 4 Sunset blvd.: Box 5, folder 3 Sycamore park: Box 4, folder 3 Temple, Francis Pliny Fish: Box 7, folder 4 Temple, John: Box 7, folder 4 Temple and Workman bank failure: Box 1, folder 7 Temple block: Box 4, folder 9 Tibbet, Jonathan, Sr.: Box 7, folder 4 Tibbet, Jonathan, Jr.: Box 7, folder 4 Tobacco: Box 3, folder 13 Trinkets: Box 3, folder 13 Union Depot: Box 5, folder 9 University of California at Los Angeles: Box 4, folder 19 Varela, Don Cervelo: Box 7, folder 4 Vasallo, Fransicso: Box 7, folder 4 Vigilance Committee: Box 2, folder 6 Vincentian Sisters: Box 4, folder 19 Warner, Jonathan Trumball: Box 7, folder 5 Weaver, Pliny E. Box 7, folder 5 Weber, John: Box 7, folder 5 Weid, Ivar A.: Box 7, folder 5 Welcome, Adolphus Paula: Box 7, folder 5 Wells Fargo: Box 3, folder 21 Westlake park: Box 4, folder 3 Wholesale stores: Box 4, folder 12 Wicks, Moses Langley: Box 7, folder 5 Williams, Colonel Isaac: Box 7, folder 5 Wilson, Benjamin (Benito) David: Box 7, folder 5 Wolfskill, William: Box 7, folder 5 Workman, William: Box 7, folder 5 Yarrow, Henry G.: Box 7, folder 5
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
-
A1713 Charles E. Young Research LibraryBox 951575Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
- Contact:
- (310) 825-4988