Finding aid for People's Lumber Company records, 1890-1982. MVC041

Finding aid prepared by staff in 2013 and updated by Krystell Jimenez, 2021.
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation.
Museum of Ventura County
2013
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
library@venturamuseum.org


Contributing Institution: Museum of Ventura County
Title: Peoples Lumber Company records
Identifier/Call Number: MVC041
Physical Description: 4.5 Cubic Feet (4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1890-1982
Abstract: The People's Lumber Company was a lumber and construction supply company established in Ventura in 1890. The company was the main supplier of lumber and construction supplies until it reoriented its business to focus on real estate investments in the 1960s. This collection contains the records of the People's Lumber Company in its various forms through the establishment of the Real Estate Investment Trust of California. This includes by-laws, correspondence, meeting minutes, stock certificates, and home plan sample books.
Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior to your visit.
Language of Material: English .

Conditions Governing Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access materials must be made in advance by contacting the Research Library staff.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, have not been determined. Contact the Research Library for further information: library@venturamuseum.org.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], People's Lumber Company records, (Collection MVC041]), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection consists of several donations. Frank Sween; gift; 1988. Charles Spraggin; gift; 1990. Leslie Jones; gift; 1995. Donald G. Kelly; gift; 1996. Laura McAvoy (Nordman, Cormany, Hair and Compton); gift; 2001.

Processing Information

Processed by staff, 2013. Processing completed by Krystell Jimenez, 2021.
Our collections are being processed using MPLP so that we may prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org. Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.

Biographical / Historical

The People's Lumber Company was incorporated in Ventura on September 30, 1890. The original board and principal shareholders were C.D. Bonestel (Ventura), F.A. Foster (Ventura), J.M. Sharp (Saticoy), J.B. Robins (Springville), G.W. Faulkner (Santa Paula), J.A. Willouby (Ventura), and F.A. Cook (Ventura). The company started business as a lumber cooperative. Prior to its establishment boats would have to anchor as close to shore as possible to unload lumber onto a raft. Following the construction of a wharf at Hueneme in 1871 and a wharf at Ventura in 1873, The Daly Bros. purchased a lumber boat to convey materials from mills in Northern California.
C.D. Bonestel was the main force and served as the company's first president and manager. He later turned the business over to his son, W.A. Bonestel, who oversaw the company until 1904. Adolfo Camarillo served as president between 1940 and 1956. The firm's yards gradually increased to eight by the 1950s, including locations in Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ojai, Moorpark, Camarillo, and Santa Susana. The company had a strict policy of only doing business within the county and they aimed to be one-stop service stations that provided materials for construction from the foundation to finish hardware.
Following increased competition in the 1950s due to transportation improvements, the company decided it was best to expand its interests. In 1961 Sun Lumber purchased the People's Lumber Company's lumber and building inventories, authority to lease their yards, and the firm's name. The remaining assets, lands, and buildings were retained and the company changed its name to the Anacapa Corporation. It then began to focus on real estate management and investment. In October 1968 the company dissolved Anacapa Corporation and formed the Anacapa Trust in its place. A year later the company adopted the name the Real Estate Investment Trust of California (REIT-CAL). BRE Properties eventually purchased REIT-CAL in 1995. See the MVC Quarterlies Volume 3, No.1 and Volume 30, No. 2 for a more complete history.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the records of the People's Lumber Company through its various forms through the establishment of the Real Estate Investment Trust of California. This includes correspondence, notes, by-laws, minutes of directors', trustees' and shareholders' meetings from 1890-1982 and stock certificates from June 1956-June 1968 for the People's Lumber Company. It also contains the articles of incorporation and declaration of trust for the Anacapa Corporation. There are sample books with home plans created by the People's Lumber Company.

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged at the folder level.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Real estate investment -- California -- Ventura County
Corporate minutes
Lumber trade -- California -- Ventura County
Building materials industry -- California -- Ventura County
People's Lumber Company -- Records and correspondence
Anacapa Corporation -- Records and correspondence

Box 1, Folder 1

Minutes: Directors' meetings (Peoples Lumber Company) 1959 March 16 - 1964 December 17

Biographical / Historical

The meeting on March 27, 1961 was the first held under the new name: Anacapa Corporation. Also included is the Stockholders Annual Meeting (February 27, 1960) and the option for exchange and repurchase of stock (February 26, 1961).
Box 1, Folder 2

Letter: Edwin Duval re: applicability of federal securities regulations from 1933 Securities Act 1968 December 16

Box 1, Folder 3

Amended articles of incorporation of Anacapa Corporation 1961 March 30

Scope and Contents

The articles of incorporation were revised in 1915 and further amended March 24, 1948, April 2, 1956, March 16, 1960 and March 20, 1961. Cover reads: The following has been edited and consolidated for quick reference purposes, and is not to be relied upon as being a true copy of the originals.
Box 1, Folder 4

Minutes: Directors' meetings and annual stockholders' meetings (Anacapa Corporation) 1965 January 21 - 1968 December 10

Box 1, Folder 5

Minutes: Regular trustees' meetings and declaration of trust for Anacapa Trust 1968 October 29 - 1969 December 9

Scope and Contents

Paper on front reads: Waiver of Notice and Consent to Holding of First Meeting of Trustees of Anacapa Trust, an unincorporated investment trust.
Box 1, Folder 6

Minutes: Trustees' meetings, shareholders' meetings (Real Estate Investment Trust of California) 1970 January 13 - 1982 January

Box 1, Folder 7

Declaration of Trust (Anacapa Trust) and amendments 1968 October 29

Box 1, Folder 8

Minutes: Directors' meeting of Peoples Lumber Company December 21, 1953 - February 28, 1959

Box 1, Folder 9

Transfer minute book (Peoples Lumber Company) 1946 January 22 - 1953 October 19

Scope and Contents

This book includes directors' and annual stockholders' meetings.
Box 1, Folder 10

Minutes: Directors' and annual stockholders' meetings 1932 February 15 - 1945 December 11

General

This book includes the by-laws of the People's Lumber Company.
Box 1, Folder 11

Minutes: Directors and annual stockholders' meetings 1920 January 24 - 1932 January 23

Scope and Contents

Many of the meeting minutes were kept in binders similar to this one. However, they were in poor condition and so the contents have been foldered. This binder is in good condition and has been left intact.
Box 2, Folder 1

Minutes: People's Lumber Company meetings 1905 January 28 - 1917 May 9

Additional Material

Minutes are handwritten and include an affidavit of publication stating notice of meeting in the Ventura Free Press newspaper. Various notes and letters on address changes, auditing, and salary raises, as well as balance sheets and list of stockholders, were also in the book. They have been foldered and are in the same box.
Box 2, Folder 2

Minutes: People's Lumber Company meetings 1890 September 13 - 1905 January 28

Scope and Contents

This ledger includes a list of stockholders as of December 12, 1916.
Box 2, Folder 3

Minutes: People's Lumber Company meetings 1917 July 11 - 1920 March 4

Box 2, Folder 4

By-laws of People's Lumber Company 1902

Box 2, Folder 5

Cash book 1902-1909

Scope and Contents

The names of persons involved are usually included with each listed transaction and this book includes stock transactions.
This book is cataloged with the call number 657.2 and barcode number R0021540439.
Box 2, Folder 6

Stock certificates 1890

Scope and Contents

This book contains 196 stock certificates issued from October 2, 1890 to March 3, 1894, all cancelled, and many reissued.
This item is also cataloged with the call number 658.1 and the barcode R0021540594.
Box 2, Folder 7

By-Laws and Directors' Manual 1948 February 28

Box 2, Folder 8

Tax bills and receipts 1897-1899, 1903-1904

Box 2, Folder 9

Articles of Incorporation (partial) undated

Scope and Contents

This item is very fragile. It includes a list of names.
Box 2, Box 3

Capital stock certificates 1956-1968

Box 2, Folder 10

Book 0: No. 1-100 1956 June 15 - July 27

Box 2, Folder 11

Book 1 1956 June 15

Box 2, Folder 12

Book 2: No. 201-300 1956 July 23 - July 24

Box 2, Folder 13

Book 3: No. 301-400 1956 June 15 - September 20

Box 2, Folder 14

Book 4: No. 401-500 1956 September 20 - December 16

Box 3, Folder 1

Book 5: No. 501-600 1956 November 20

Box 3, Folder 2

Book 6: No. 601-700 1956 November 20

Box 3, Folder 3

Book 7: No. 701-800 1956 November 20

Box 3, Folder 4

Book 8: No. 801-900 1957 January 30 - 1958 May 6

Box 3, Folder 5

Book 9: No. 901-1000 1958 May 6 - 1969 June 2

Box 3, Folder 6

Book 10: No. 1001-1100 1960 June 6 - 1961 December 20

Box 3, Folder 7

Book 11: No. 1101-1200 1962 January 16 - 1964 May 26

Box 3, Folder 8

Book 12: No. 1201-1300 1964 June 9 - 1966 October 24

Box 3, Folder 9

Book 13: No. 1301-1400 1966 October 25 - 1968 June 16

Box 3, Folder 10

Book 14: No. 1401-1500 1968 May 27 - December 30

Box 4, Folder 1

"Certified Home Plans" (Service Department, People's Lumber Company) circa 1928

Box 4, Folder 2

"Homes of Character: submitted for your consideration" (People's Lumber Company) circa 1932

Scope and Contents

This book includes a Sunday edition of the News-Feature Section of the Los Angeles Examiner, dated March 20, 1949. It has been foldered and included in the same box. Pages 22-23 cover real estate news.
Box 4, Folder 3

Loose pages from ledger 1895 - 1897