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James O'Meara letters
mssO'Mearaletters  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administration Information
  • Biographical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: James O'Meara letters
    Inclusive Dates: 1869-1886
    Collection Call Number: mssO'Mearaletters
    Creator OR Collector: O'Meara, James, 1825-1903, addressee
    Extent: 173 items in two boxes
    Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
    The Huntington Library
    1151 Oxford Road
    San Marino, California 91108
    Phone: (626) 405-2191
    Fax: (626) 449-5720
    Email: reference@huntington.org
    URL: http://www.huntington.org
    Abstract: Personal and business correspondence of James O'Meara, newspaper editor and writer.
    Language of Material: The records are in English.

    Administration Information

    Access

    Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

    Publication Rights

    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], James O'Meara letters, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Acquisition Information

    Purchased through Nick Aretakis Americana at PBA Galleries, Sale 599, Lot 195, October 2016.

    Biographical Note

    James O'Meara was born in Williamsburg, New York in June 1825. In 1849, O'Meara sailed around Cape Horn, arriving in San Francisco in September. After a brief mining career, O'Meara returned to the newspaper business. Having worked at the "New York Herald" before coming west, O'Meara found work as the editor of the "San Francisco Herald." O'Meara moved to Oregon in 1857 and became a special writer for the "Oregonian" and later helped found the "Portland Bulletin" with Ben Holliday. O'Meara returned to San Francisco in 1876 and later served as editor of the "Chronicle" and then the "Evening Examiner." O'Meara eventually moved to Santa Rosa, where he edited the "Sonoma Democrat" and later the "Republican." Articles by O'Meara also appeared in "Overland Monthly," the "Argonaut," and many other influential publications of that era. O'Meara is also known for his 1887 pamphlet: "The Vigilance Committee of 1856. By a Pioneer California Journalist." He died in Santa Rosa, California in January 1903.

    Arrangement

    The collection is arranged alphabetically by author.

    Scope and Content

    The majority of the letters in this collection are written to James O'Meara. The authors include many prominent newspaper and railroad individuals from California, Oregon and Nevada, including: Andrew Jackson Bryant, James V. Coffey, Charles De Young, James William Denver, Stephen J. Field, Laura De Force Gordon, Barclay Henley, James McClatchy, James Willis Nesmith, Harrison Gray Otis, Philip A. Roach, William S. Rosecrans, and Talbot Howard Wallis. There is also one item about American politician John Whiteaker.

    Indexing Terms

    Personal Names

    Bryant, Andrew Jackson, 1823-1888
    Coffey, James V. (James Vincent), 1846-1919
    De Young, Charles, 1845-1880
    Denver, James William, 1817-1892
    Field, Stephen J. (Stephen Johnson), 1816-1899
    Gordon, Laura De Force
    McClatchy, James, 1824-1883
    Nesmith, James Willis, 1820-1885
    O'Meara, James, 1825-1903, addressee
    Otis, Harrison Gray, 1837-1917
    Roach, Philip A. (Philip Augustine), 1820-1889
    Rosecrans, William S. (William Starke), 1819-1898
    Wallis, Talbot Howard
    Whiteaker, John, ǂd 1820-1902

    Subjects

    Subjects

    Newspaper editors -- California
    Railroads -- West (U.S.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources

    Geographic Areas

    California -- Newspapers
    Nevada -- Newspapers
    Oregon -- Newspapers

    Genre

    Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century