Documents for the History of Nineteenth-Century Los Angeles, 1846-1908
Steve Smith, Clay Stalls
William H. Hannon Library
Loyola Marymount University
One LMU Drive, MS 8200
Los Angeles, CA 90045-8200
Phone: (310) 338-5710
Fax: (310) 338-5895
Email: special.collections@lmu.edu
URL: http://library.lmu.edu/Collections/specialcollections.htm
© 2012
Loyola Marymount University. All rights reserved.
Documents for the History of Nineteenth-Century Los Angeles, 1846-1908
Collection number: CSLA-22
William H. Hannon Library
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
- Processed by:
- Steve Smith, Clay Stalls
- Date Completed:
- 2003
- Encoded by:
- Clay Stalls
© 2012 Loyola Marymount University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Documents for the History of Nineteenth-Century Los Angeles, 1846-1908
Dates: 1846-1908
Bulk Dates: 1846-1857
Collection number: CSLA-22
Collector:
Carroll Morrison
Collection Size:
1 archival document box; 1 oversize box
2 linear feet
Repository:
Loyola Marymount University. Library. Department of Archives and Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90045-2659
Abstract: This collection contains twenty-four documents on the history of nineteenth-century Los Angeles, some of which are in Spanish
and others in English.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount
University.
Publication Rights
Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise,
Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher
must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility
for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or
executors.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Documents for the History of Nineteenth-Century Los Angeles,
1846-1908, CSLA-22, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Acquisition Information
Carrol Morrison, with the assistance of Michael Engh, S. J., as the intermediary for the Leavey Center for the Study of Los
Angeles. 2003
Custodial History
Carroll and Lorrin Morrison, former editors of the
Journal of the West, probably obtained these documents from a Eunice Crittendon, who may have been a former employee of the Los Angeles County
Sherrif's Department.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection contains twenty-four documents on the history of nineteenth-century Los Angeles, some of which are in Spanish
and others in English. The documents in Spanish from the 1840s are written in a nineteenth-century cursive.
Letters, circulars, petitions, a jury verdict, and other documents, some in Spanish and some in English, constitute this collection's
holdings. The dates of the documents run from 1846 to 1908, with the bulk of the datable material originating between 1846
and 1857. Five of the documents are undated. Although the 30 October 1908 date of the announcement regarding the opening of
the LaPetite Theatre (Box 1, Folder 7) is much later than the bulk of the material in this collection, it remains here because
of its original inclusion with the other materials of the collection at the time they were accessioned. A Eunice Crittendon,
from whom Carroll and Lorrin Morrison probably obtained these materials, made notes about and photocopies of some documents,
which have been retained with the collection.
Many of the documents are autograph documents of, or concern, such important figures in Los Angeles history as Pío Pico (1801-1894),
last governor of Mexican California and prominent landholder; his brother Andrés Pico (1810-1876), leader of the Mexican defense
in California against the U. S. forces; mayor, city council member, and civic leader, Stephen Foster (1820-1898); Sheriff
James Barton (d. 1857); Hugo Reid (1811?-1852), owner of the Rancho Santa Anita and defender of Native American rights; the
judge and lawyer Benjamin Hayes (1815-1877); and Kimball H. Dimmick, district attorney from 1852 to 1853. The documents cover
various aspects of nineteenth-century life in Los Angeles, ranging from the frivolous--dirty courtrooms--to the serious: difficulties
with Native American raiders over livestock theft; problems in city government, including an indictment of the county jailer
for corruption; crime; and pollution of the zanja or water system.
Some documents are in fragile condition and for research use a photocopy of the item is available. Their condition is noted
in the entries in the box and folder list below that provides an index to the contents of CSLA-22.
Arrangement
Because there is no original order, the physical arrangement of the collection's materials is arbitrary, but the collection
guide has been arranged in chronological order to give a better view of the range of materials across the nineteenth century.
The documents in Box 1, Folders 5 and 19 were originally housed together but have been separated for preservation purposes.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Foster, Stephen Clark, 1820-1898 -- Archives
Hayes, Benjamin, 1815-1877 -- Archives
Civic leaders -- California -- Los Angeles -- Biography -- Sources
Law enforcement -- California -- Los Angeles County -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Los Angeles County (Calif.) -- Race relations -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Ranches -- California, Southern -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Politics and government -- Sources
Barton, James R., d. 1857 -- Archives
Pico, Pío, 1801-1894 -- Archives
Pico, Andrés, 1810-1866 -- Archives
Box:Folder 1ov:1
Statement of account, Maxiano Roldan and José María Legural (?).
August 31, 1846
Box:Folder 1ov:4
Order to Stephen Foster, in Spanish, to comply with Order Number 39 of Military Governor Richard Mason, that a census be taken.
November 20, 1847
Box:Folder 1:12
Circular, in Spanish, re requirements of ranchos (Centinela, Rodeo de las Aguas, and Talamantes) to aid Andrés Pico in his
defense of their property against Native American raiders.
March 1, 1848
Box:Folder 1:11
Circular, in Spanish, re recovery of livestock of the U. S. army. Issued by the colonel commanding the "southern line" (
linea del sur).
March 4, 1848
Box:Folder 1:15
Letter, in Spanish, from José Miguel (?) Ferrer to Stephen Foster re request for money.
March 5, 1848
Box:Folder 1:3
Circular, in Spanish, re aid for those persons authorized to repel Native American raiders. Issued by "Alcalde 1o," and the
"Juez del Campo" (judge of the plains).
March 12, 1848
Box:Folder 1:16
Letter from Hugo Reid to Stephen Foster re murderer of a volunteer soldier. FRAGILE: Photocopy for research use.
June 13, 1848
Box:Folder 1:17
Letter to "Don Estevan Foster (Stephen Foster), Alcalde 1o Angeles," from William Skene re problems with Native Americans.
FRAGILE: Photocopy for research use.
July 28, 1848
Box:Folder 1:6
Arrest order for Manuel Fernández de Cordova, Francisco Aguello (sic), and Francisco Lugo issued by Justice of the Peace,
William Osburn. Sheriff George T. Burrill deputizes David Brown to carry out order.
August 5, 1850
Box:Folder 1:19
District Attorney William C. Ferrell's motion to refer to the Court of Sessions presentment of the grand jury on condition
of city jail. Originally with document in Box 1, Folder 5.
October 1850
Box:Folder 1:14
Letter from Pío Pico to Antonio Cota re Juan Forster's pursuit of livestock thieves.
October 17, 1850
Box:Folder 1:18
Los Angeles County grand jury findings re condition of county jail. FRAGILE: Photocopy for research use.
October 18, 1850
Box:Folder 1:5
Los Angeles grand jury indictment of county jailer, George Robinson, for "corrupt misconduct in office." Indictment signed
by District Attorney Kimball H. Dimmick. October term. Originally with document in Box 1, Folder 19.
October 11, 1852
Box:Folder 1ov:3
Legal documents re estate of Sheriff James Barton, including the paternity of Barton's illegitimate son, JoséSantiago. FRAGILE:
Photocopies for research use.
1854, 1857, 1875
Box:Folder 1:10
Arrest order for John Lemaitre for polluting the
zanja (city water source). Issued by the Court of Sessions, Los Angeles County. FRAGILE: Photocopy for research use.
August 13, 1857
Box:Folder 1:2
Stock certificate of Griselda Pico in the Avila Estate Company.
February 12, 1895
Box:Folder 1:9
IOU to "Jake Chinaman" for the washing of clothes.
probably June 6, 1898
Box:Folder 1:7
Announcement re opening of LaPetite Theatre in Santa Monica. FRAGILE: photocopy for research use.
October 30, 1908
Box:Folder 1:1
Note from court janitor R. W. Conry asking judge to stop lawyers from littering court room.
undated
Box:Folder 1:4
List of rancheros, in Spanish, recording order that roundups will be conducted. FRAGILE: Photcopy for research use.
undated
Box:Folder 1:8
Jury verdict. Abel Stearns, foreman.
undated
Box:Folder 1:13
Petition, in Spanish, to the governor of California for the establishment of an "Escribano publico" (notary) in Los Angeles.
FRAGILE: Photocopy for research use.
undated
Box:Folder 1ov:2
Opinion by Judge Benjamin Hayes, in Spanish. 4 pages: pp. 1-3, writing recto only, p. 4 writing recto and verso. FRAGILE:
Photocopy for research use.
undated
