Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Mitchell family
- Abstract:
- Family papers of the Mitchell family of El Dorado County, California.
- Extent:
- 1.17 Linear Feet (1 box) and 193 Items
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Mitchell family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists of letters and documents related to the Mitchell family's life in Coloma and El Dorado County, California, and in Nevada mining areas such as Austin, Virginia City, Treasure City, and Hamilton. There are also letters discussing life in San Francisco in 1866 and between 1876 to 1887. Although there are over 32 individuals represented in the collection, the most frequent correspondents include Josephine Beckman, William J. Forbes, George W. Kinney, Eliza Mitchell Schieffer Taylor, and William H. Taylor.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Thomas Mitchell family left Pennsylvania and came to Coloma, California, in the 1850s, they and their six daughters were active participants in the life of El Dorado County. One daughter, Elizabeth, married George W. Kinney, an accountant and mining agent in San Francisco. Another daughter, Mary, married William J. Forbes, editor, printer, and journalist whose humor appeared under the pen name of "Semblins." Forbes established the first newspaper in Humboldt County, Nevada, and later set up a saloon in Treasure City, White Pine County, Nevada, with William H. Taylor, who had married another Mitchell daughter, Eliza. After 1875 the Mitchell family lived in San Francisco, where the sisters kept a boarding house.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased from Edwin Grabhorn, January 1945.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa mid-20th century. In 2019, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
- Arrangement:
-
Collection is organized into two series: Correspondence and Miscellaneous items. Arranged chronologically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Frontier and pioneer life -- California
Frontier and pioneer life -- Nevada
Family papers
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Nevada -- 19th century - Names:
- Beckman, Josephine
Forbes, William J., active 1868-1871
Kinney, George W., active 1863-1877
Taylor, Eliza Mitchell Schieffer
Taylor, William H., active 1866-1869 - Places:
- Austin (Nev.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Coloma (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
El Dorado County (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
El Dorado County (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Hamilton (Nev.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Treasure City (Nev.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Virginia City (Nev.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
White Pine County (Nev.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
- Terms of access:
-
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]. Mitchell family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191