Casner (Isaac N.) Papers, 1882 December 19-1924 June 19

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Summary

Title:
Isaac N. Casner Papers
Dates:
1882 December 19-1924 June 19
Creators:
Casner, Isaac N.
Abstract:
This collection contains the personal diaries and papers of Isaac N. Casner, a ranch hand who worked in Texas, Oregon, and San Diego County, California in the late 1800s.
Extent:
0.5 Linear feet (1 box)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Isaac N. Casner Papers, MS 275, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the personal diaries and papers of Isaac N. Casner. There are 14 diaries dated 1882 to 1908. In these diaries, Isaac kept daily records of his work and recreational activities. He moved frequently from ranch to ranch, either living with his employers, his friends, or his extended family. He recorded a variety of work tasks related to horse, cattle, and sheep ranching, plowing and sowing grains, fruit farming, beekeeping, and even a brief stint in gold mining. He also recorded the activities he engaged in during his free time on the range or in town, and in periods of unemployment between work seasons. These included cooking, mending clothes, reading novels and magazines, composing songs, playing card games with friends, drinking, and gambling. Personal papers include a letter, grocery receipts, and financial notes.

Biographical / historical:

Isaac N. Casner was born in Texas on March 7, 1857. He moved to San Diego County, California by 1888, where some of his family already lived on the homestead of Martin Van Casner in Ballena. He lived in San Diego County as least through 1902, working as a ranch hand on various ranches in the Ballena and Ramona areas. He worked for several notable homesteaders, including Charles Bailey, John Clevenger, William Wallace Littlepage, Madison D. Putman, Joseph Swycaffer, Samuel Warnock, William Warnock, and various members of the Casner family. He also had frequent dealings with the Verlaque family, one of the first families in Ramona and owners of the local post office and a general goods store. By 1908 Isaac owned and operated his own ranch outside Portland, Oregon.

Acquisition information:
Accession number 990516.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Samantha Mills on August 22, 2012.

Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into two series:

Series I: Personal Diaries

Series II: Personal Papers

Diaries are arranged chronologically, and papers are arranged by subject.

Physical / technical requirements:

Diary 1: The pencil writing is faded. Diary 6: The cover has split along the spine and detached from the pages. Diary 9: The cloth covering the spine has partially peeled off. (August 16, 2012)

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Samantha Mills
Sponsor:
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Date Prepared:
August 22, 2012
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2012-11-09T16:02-0800

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.

Preferred citation:

Isaac N. Casner Papers, MS 275, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Location of this collection:
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA 92101, US
Contact:
(619) 232-6203
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