Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Brown, William, 1828?-1855
- Abstract:
- Correspondence and business records belonging to California gold miner and businessman William A. Brown.
- Extent:
- 1.20 Linear Feet (1 box)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. William A. Brown papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Collection includes correspondence by the Brown family from 1849 to 1855. In the letters, William A. Brown discusses his trip to San Francisco via Panama, his brief mining experiences, and the establishment of his mail and express service. The collection also includes some business papers.
- Biographical / historical:
-
William A. Brown (1828?-1853) was the son of General Joseph W. Brown, Commander of the U.S. forces in the Black Hawk War. He came to California from Cleveland to find gold, but instead founded one of the early express services from San Francisco and Stockton to the mining regions of Murphy's Camp and Sonora. Brown & Co.'s Express was operated by Brown until his death in 1853. After that, the line was operated by the express firm of Adams & Co. until 1855.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased from John Howell, October 1962.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Huntington Library staff. In 2020, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged chronologically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Express service -- California -- History -- 19th century
Gold miners -- California -- Correspondence
Gold mines and mining -- California
Voyages to the Pacific coast -- Personal narratives
Business papers -- California -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 19th century - Names:
- Brown & Co. Express Service
Adams & Co. (San Francisco, Calif.)
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. William A. Brown papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191