Towne (Alban Nelson) and Caroline Amelia Mansfield Towne Correspondence and Photographs, 1883, No date
Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Alban Nelson Towne and Caroline Amelia Mansfield Towne correspondence and photographs
- Dates:
- 1883, No date
- Abstract:
- Correspondence and a photograph.
- Extent:
- .25 Linear Feet 1 folder
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Alban Nelson Towne and Caroline Amelia Mansfield Towne Correspondence and Photographs, MS 581, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Includes: printed invitation to the wedding of Hattie P. Rice to Arthur A. Smith (May 9, 1883), sent by her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Alban Nelson Towne. The invitation is addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Hetherington. There is also a letter from Mrs. Towne (Caroline Amelia Mansfield Towne) to Mrs. Hetherington, October 29, [1883?].
The Museum also has a photograph (P-501) of Caroline A. Towne, taken by Isaiah West Taber. Pasted to the back of this photograph is a letter (May 24) recommending Josephine Hetherington for a position as a companion.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Alban Nelson Towne was born at Dresser Hill in the southern part of Charlton, Massachusetts, in 1829. He was the eldest of nine children to Nelson Parker (1806-1846) and Julia A. Dresser (1811-1870) Towne.
He entered railway service 1855 as a freight brakeman on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. Subsequently Towne became a freight and passenger conductor and a station agent, still later a yard and train master at Chicago and assistant superintendent. Towne resigned this position to become general superintendent of the Chicago & Great Western Railway, returning to CB&Q after a year to become assistant general superintendent, remaining until September 1869, when he was appointed general superintendent of the Central Pacific Railroad. He was promoted on May 1882 to general manager, and in 1885 Towne assumed responsibility for the entire Southern Pacific system. At the time of his death, he was the General Manager of the Southern Pacific.
On September 25, 1850, Towne married Caroline Amelia Mansfield (1832-1918) in Webster, Massachusetts and they had a daughter, Evelyn Amelia Towne. Evelyn (1862-1943) was twice married, first in 1881 to Charles Newcomb Shaw (1850-1891) and secondly to Clinton E. Worden (1858-1924) in 1893.
Alban Nelson Towne died July 16, 1895. On the day of his funeral, the Southern Pacific offices were draped in mourning and Towne's funeral was attended by thousands. A large concourse was waiting at the cemetery and when the funeral procession arrived at the grave side there were nearly a thousand people about the tomb. Carriage after carriage had driven up in advance of the funeral and deposited flowers until not only the Towne plot, but also the neighboring lots were covered with blossoms.
- Processing information:
-
Formerly part of the Grahame H. Hardy Collection
- Physical location:
- Statewide Museum Collections Center, archival materials Big Four Building, photography
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Photography--Portraits
- Places:
- Correspondence--Letters
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-03 23:50:20 +0000 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Library & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Alban Nelson Towne and Caroline Amelia Mansfield Towne Correspondence and Photographs, MS 581, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
111 I StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 323-8073