Guide to the Blakmar, Den, and Olvera family correspondence, legal documents, and other material SBHC Mss 125
Finding aid prepared by Zachary Liebhaber, 2020.
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara 93106-9010
special@library.ucsb.edu
2019 September 10
Title: Blakmar, Den, and Olvera family correspondence, legal documents, and other
material
Identifier/Call Number: SBHC Mss 125
Language of Material:
Spanish; Castilian,
English.
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Physical Description:
0.21 Linear Feet
(1 half-size document box)
Source:
Olvera, Agustin
Source:
Den, Nicholas Augustus
Source:
Den, Ysabel Argüello
Source:
Blakmar, Olive
Date (inclusive): 1853-1936
Abstract: Correspondence and other material,
mainly legal documents, as well as a smaller number of personal items and ephemera.
Correspondence includes that of Agustin Olvera (1818-1876), first judge of Los Angeles
County. Legal documents cover the activities of the heirs of Nicholas A. Den (1812-1862),
grantee of Rancho Dos Pueblos in Goleta Valley, California. Also included is correspondence
and other material, such as cabinet card photographs, relating to R.C. Blakmar and Olive
Blakmar of Santa Clara, California.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa
Barbara Library
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on
behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must
be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], Blakmar, Den, and Olvera family correspondence, legal documents,
and other material, SBHC Mss 125. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa
Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mary Jo Ignoffo, 2019.
Scope and Content
Correspondence and other material, mainly legal documents, as well as a small number of
personal items and ephemera, dating from 1853 to 1936 and covering events in the lives of
three prominent California families.
The bulk of the correspondence comprises letters of Agustin Olvera (1818-1876), first judge
of Los Angeles County. These include correspondence with Juan De Toro (in Spanish) and date
from 1868-1876.
Legal documents include court filings, summaries, letters from attorneys, deeds of sale,
indentures, and dissolution of trusts on behalf of the heirs of Nicholas A. Den (1812-1862)
grantee of Rancho Dos Pueblos in the Goleta Valley (Santa Barbara County, California). Heirs
include Alfonso L. Den, Nicholas C. Den, Ysabel Arguello Den, and Rafaela Senter (Rancho La
Goleta). Related to this material is personal correspondence and ephemera of Ysabel Arguello
Den.
Finally, the collection contains personal correspondence, cabinet card photographs, and
other personal items of R.C. Blakmar and Olive Blakmar of Santa Clara, California.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Rancho Los Dos Pueblos (Calif.)
Goleta (Calif.) -- History
Santa Barbara County (Calif.) -- History
Cabinet photographs
Correspondence
Family papers
Legal documents
Olvera, Agustin
Den, Nicholas Augustus
Den, Ysabel Argüello
Blakmar, Olive
box 1, folder 1
Ysabel Arguello Den correspondence
1892-1902
Scope and Content
Personal correspondence of Ysabel Arguello Den, Nicholas C. Den, and a letter from
Thomas B. Bishop. Also included are receipts of payment for board and tuition paid by
Ysabel Den to the Dominican Sisters of the Sacred Heart School in Los Angeles,
California, as well as to Calvary Cemetery of Los Angeles, California.
box 1, folder 2
Agustin Olvera correspondence and other material
1853-1877
Scope and Content
Correspondence includes an invitation (in Spanish) to a dance (January 11, 1853) at
the house of Ricardo S. Den in Los Angeles and attended by Pio Pico, Juan Bandini, and
Agustin Olvera, as well as notice (in fragments) entitled "The heirs of Augustine
[sic] Olvera Have Asked for Help."
box 1, folder 3
Blakmar family correspondence and other material
1890s-1908
Scope and Content
Correspondence also includes a San Francisco grammar grade certificate belonging to
Olive Blackmar, postcards, and cabinet card photographs.
Legal documents
1903-1936
Scope and Content
Legal documents, including court filings, summaries, letters from attorneys, deeds of
sale, indentures, and dissolution of trusts related to the Goleta Valley estates of
Rafaela Senter (La Goleta Rancho), Ysabel Arguello Den, Alfonso L. Den Nicholas C. Den,
and Catherine Bell.
box 1, folder 4
Termination of trust agreement (heirs of Nicholas A. Den)
1930
box 1, folder 5
Rafaela Senter estate distribution letter
1930
box 1, folder 6
Letter to Mrs. Ysabel Arguello Den
1935
box 1, folder 7
Alfonso L. Den et. al. vs. S.M. Spalding
undated
box 1, folder 8
Letter, Chase vs. Wells et al.
1936
box 1, folder 9
Indenture document, Catherine M. Bell
1903
box 1, folder 10
Ysabel Bonebrake vs. Catherine Bell
undated
box 1, folder 11
Bargain and sale deed Ysabel De, Mexican Vitro Tile Company
shares
1905
box 1, folder 12
Ysabel and Percy L. Bonebrake vs. Catherine and John S. Bell, G.C. Welch,
Emanuel R. Den et als.
undated
box 1, folder 13
Prospectus R.R. Mazatlan to Sinaloa, Mexico
undated
box 1, folder 14
Case history of the dispute over ownership of Goleta Sandspit,
timeline
undated
