Series 1:
1862-1873
Physical Description: 1.25 boxes
Box 1, Folder 1
Notes appearing to relate to a secessionist conspiracy in
California
1862?
Box 1, Folder 2
Deeds for mining properties
1863-1865
Scope and Contents
Includes deeds for mining properties in the Washington Mining District, Lander
County, Nevada; Humboldt County, Nevada; Placer County, California; and San Juan del
Río, Mexico.
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence
1865
Scope and Contents
Includes letters by Asbury Harpending, Sr. to his sons Benjamin and Harpending
(Asbury Harpending, Jr.) in Kentucky; and letters to Harpending and associates
regarding various mining properties and investments.
Box 1, Folder 4
Deeds and agreements for mining properties
1866-1868
Scope and Contents
Includes an indenture between Harpending and Archibald C. Peachy and others for a
mining claim in Whiskey Diggings, Placer County, California; an agreement between
Harpending and Peachy for a mining claim in Los Angeles County, California (at Rancho
Temescal, in which Ygnacio del Valle held an interest); and other deeds and agreements
for mining properties in San Diego County, California; San Bernardino County,
California; Durango, Mexico; and Sinaloa, Mexico (the Golconda Mine).
Box 1, Folder 5
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1866-1868
Physical Location: Grounds map of the Durango Tin Mining
Companies is shelved with oversize manuscripts under the call number MS 950.
Scope and Contents
Includes letters by Asbury Harpending, Sr. to his son Harpending (Asbury Harpending,
Jr.) in Kentucky; letters written to Harpending by various agents and associates
concerning various mining properties and investments in California and Mexico; and a
broadside, published by Harpending, advertising the sale of Millville Farms in
Princeton, Kentucky.
Box 1, Folder 6
Correspondence, minutes, accounts, and other papers
1869
Scope and Contents
Includes letters by Asbury Harpending, Sr. to his son Harpending (Asbury Harpending,
Jr.) in Kentucky; letters to Harpending regarding mining, real estate, and railroad
investments (including opening the Beckwourth Pass Route and the transfer of the San
Francisco and Humboldt Bay Railroad Company to the San Francisco and North Pacific
Railroad Company); an angry letter to Harpending, by Lewis H. Thompson, concerning an
alleged extortion attempt; minutes of a meeting of the miners of Pima County, Arizona;
and accounts of the Lyth Creek Mines in San Bernardino County, California.
Box 1, Folder 7
Deeds, accounts, and maps
1870
Scope and Contents
Includes deeds and notices for the New Mexico Mining Company, signed by W.C. Ralston
and others; and accounts and maps for lots in San Francisco, south of Market
Street.
Box 1, Folder 8
Correspondence and other papers
1870
Scope and Contents
Includes mining laws of Virginia District, Grant County, New Mexico; confidential
letters from George D. Roberts to Harpending about the sale of the New Mexico Mining
Company; correspondence concerning mining properties in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada,
and California, and railroad investments (the Beckwourth Pass Route and the Oroville
and Virginia City Railroad); and correspondence between Asbury Harpending, Sr. and his
son Harpending (Asbury Harpending, Jr.).
Box 1, Folder 9
Key to cipher
1871?
Scope and Contents
Key to cipher used by Harpending and his associates, listing ciphers for names,
places, words (including diamonds, rubies, and sapphires) and short phrases.
Box 1, Folder 10
Correspondence
1871 January-October
Scope and Contents
Consists of correspondence written to Harpending in London and California. Many
letters and telegrams--the earliest of which is dated 1871 January 4--concern business
activities associated with the Diamond Hoax, including correspondence from associates
George D. Roberts and Philip Arnold.
Box 1, Folder 11
Agreement between Philip Arnold and Asbury Harpending; agreement between
Asbury Harpending and William M. Lent, George S. Dodge, Philip Arnold, William C.
Ralston, George D. Roberts, and Samuel S. M. Barlow
1871 October 31
Scope and Contents
Two agreements (and addendum), dated 1871 October 31, establishing the Golconda
Mining Company, and declaring the interests of the named parties in the property,
discoveries, and mines associated with the Diamond Hoax.
Box 1, Folder 12
Correspondence and other papers
1871 November-December
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending in San Francisco from George D. Roberts and
others, many of which concern business activities associated with the Diamond Hoax.
Also includes an unfinished letter written by Harpending from St. Louis, Missouri, to
an unidentified recipient, concerning his wife's health; and other papers of uncertain
date likely created in 1871.
Box 1, Folder 13
Correspondence, chancery records, and other papers
1872 January-May
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending concerning business activities
associated with the Diamond Hoax, including a telegram from W. C. Ralston, dated 1872
April 29, informing Harpending and Dodge of the probable treachery of "A" [Arnold?];
chancery records, filed 1872 January, in the cases
Asbury
Harpending vs. Albert Grant, the California Mining Company Limited, and the Mineral
Hill Silver Mining Company Limited
; and
Alfred Rubery
vs. Albert Grant
; and the supplemental report of Prof. B. Silliman on the
Emma Mine, in Little Cottonwood, Canyon, Utah Territory, dated 1872 February 29.
Box 1, Folder 14
Correspondence, agreements, and other papers
1872 June-December
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending concerning business activities
associated with the Diamond Hoax; an agreement between Harpending and Philip Arnold,
dated 1872 July 6 from New York, declaring their interests in capital stock related to
the Diamond Hoax; a legal document, dated 1872 July 20, naming Harpending as Arnold's
power of attorney; a statement, by E.W. Eastland, asserting that he never defamed
Harpending's character in relation to the Diamond Hoax; and other papers of uncertain
date likely created in 1872.
Box 1, Folder 15
George D. Roberts letters to Asbury Harpending
1873
Scope and Contents
Confidential letters written to Harpending by his associate George D. Roberts
concerning their mutual affairs vis-à-vis the settlement and fall-out of the Diamond
Hoax. Roberts discusses the impact of the hoax on the stock market, the activities of
former associates (including Arnold and Slack), accusations and recriminations, and
legal disputes, particularly with L. L. Treadwell.
Box 2, Folder 1
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1873 January-August
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending in San Francisco and Kentucky;
letters written by Harpending to his children; and accounts and receipts representing
Harpending's business activities in St. Louis, Missouri, and Kentucky.
Box 2, Folder 2
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1873 September-December
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, accounts, and receipts, mostly reflecting
Harpending's business activities in New York, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Series 2:
1874-1919
Physical Description: 8.75 boxes
Box 2, Folder 3
George D. Roberts letters to Asbury Harpending and correspondence concerning
Philip Arnold
1874
Scope and Contents
Includes letters from Robert to Harpending concerning their mutual affairs in San
Francisco,including their indictment in the Treadwell case; and letters written to
Harpending concerning Philip Arnold and his arrest in Kentucky.
Box 2, Folders 4-5
Accounts, receipts, correspondence, and other papers
1874-1875
Scope and Contents
Includes business correspondence and records documenting Harpending's business
ventures in and around Louisville, Princeton, and Millville, Kentucky, including a
general store, and mining and agricultural investments.
Box 2, Folder 6
George D. Roberts letters to Asbury Harpending and other correspondence from
San Francisco
1876
Scope and Contents
Includes letters from Robert to Harpending concerning their mutual affairs in San
Francisco, including legal disputes with Treadwell and Baux, collapsing stock values,
and Ralston's suicide; a letter to Harpending from his wife in San Francisco; and
other correspondence.
Box 2, Folder 7
Accounts, receipts, correspondence, and other papers
1876
Scope and Contents
Includes business correspondence and records documenting Harpending's business
ventures in and around Louisville, Princeton, and Millville, Kentucky, including a
general store, and mining and agricultural investments.
Box 2, Folder 8
Accounts, receipts, correspondence, and other papers
1877
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence written to Harpending concerning business ventures and
investments in Kentucky and California; stock certificates for the Cornucopia
Consolidated Gold & Silver Mining Company in Elko County, Nevada; and other
papers.
Box 2, Folders 9-10
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1878
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence written to Harpending concerning mining investments in
Monitor, Alpine County, California; Nevada; and Arizona (the Consolidated Arizona Gold
& Silver Mining Company).
Box 2, Folder 11
Correspondence, receipts, agreements, and other papers
1879
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence written to Harpending and agreements concerning his interests
in a mining claim in Pima County, Arizona; the Pioneer Fluming Company in California;
the Oroville & Virginia City Rail Road Company in California; and real property in
Alameda County, California.
Box 2, Folder 12
Miscellaneous papers
circa 1874-1879
Box 3, Folders 1-2
Correspondence, deeds, receipts, and other papers
1880
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending (mostly in New York) by
associates John F. Cassell, George D. Roberts, and others concerning mining
investments in California, Nevada (State Line Mining Company, Gold Mountain), and
Colorado; and deeds for mining properties.
Box 3, Folders 4-7
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1881
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending (mostly in New York) and his
associate George D. Roberts concerning mining investments, particularly the State Line
Mining Company (Esmeralda County, Nevada); and accounts with the New York stock
brokerages Prince & Whitely and Henry Clews & Company and other papers
reflecting Harpending's investment activities in the mining share market. Many
telegrams are ciphered, with one decoded on the reverse.
Box 4, Folders 1-3
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1882
Scope and Contents
Includes letters and telegrams written to Harpending (mostly in New York) concerning
mining investments, including the State Line Mining Company (Esmeralda County, Nevada)
and Las Nueve Minas de Santa Maria Gold and Silver Mining Company (Santa Maria,
Mexico); sketches of the Santa Maria mines; a personal letter to Harpending from his
wife; and accounts and other papers reflecting Harpending's investments in the grain,
provisions, and cotton market.
Box 4, Folder 4
Grain, provisions, and cotton brokers circulars
1882
Box 4, Folders 5-8
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1883-1884
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in Santa Maria, Mexico (Las Nueve Minas de Santa Maria Gold and Silver Mining Company)
and Chapparal, Tolima, Colombia (Colon Consolidated Gold Mining Company, etc.); and
accounts with New York stock brokerages reflecting Harpending's activities on the
mining share market.
Box 5, Folders 1-2
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1885
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in Chapparal, Tolima, Colombia (Las Casas Gold Mining Company, etc.) and the impact of
the Columbian revolution of 1885 on mining industries; letters to Harpending from John
Kelly, Jr., in San Francisco concerning Democratic politics in the city; and accounts
with New York stock brokerages reflecting Harpending's activities on the mining share
market.
Box 5, Folders 3-5
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1886
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in Chapparal, Tolima, Colombia (Las Casas Gold Mining Company, Colon Consolidated Gold
Mining Company, etc.); and accounts with New York stock brokerages reflecting
Harpending's activities on the mining share market.
Box 5, Folders 6-7
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1887
Physical Location: Rough map of Cristo Hill [Columbia],
dated 1887 July 18, is shelved with oversize manuscripts under the call number MS
950.
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, a manuscript map of El Cristo Mine, and other
papers concerning mining investments in the Tolima region of Colombia (El Cristo Gold
& Silver Mining Company, etc.); and accounts with New York stock brokerages
reflecting Harpending's activities on the mining share market.
Box 5, Folder 8, Box 6, Folder 1
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1888
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in the Tolima region of Colombia (the Bocaneme Mines, El Cristo Gold & Silver
Mining Company, etc.); a manuscript map of Antioquia State in Columbia; and accounts
with New York stock brokerages reflecting Harpending's activities on the mining share
market. Many telegrams are ciphered.
Box 6, Folders 2-3
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1889
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in Rocky Bar, Idaho, and the Tolima region of Colombia; and accounts with New York
stock brokerages reflecting Harpending's activities on the mining share market.
Box 6, Folder 4
Letters and notes
188?
Scope and Contents
Contains letters written to and notes taken by Harpending, dated from the 1880s
(exact dates uncertain), concerning mining investments in Mexico and Colombia, the
grain and provisions market, and other business and personal matters.
Box 6, Folder 5
Telegrams and memoranda
188?
Scope and Contents
Contains telegrams and memoranda written to Harpending, dated from the 1880s (exact
dates uncertain). Many of the telegrams are ciphered.
Box 6, Folder 6
Accounts, receipts, and other papers
188?
Box 6, Folders 7-8, Box 7, Folder 1
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
1890
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in the Tolima region of Colombia (El Cristo Gold & Silver Mining Company and the
Bocaneme Mines); monthly payroll statements for El Cristo Mine, listing miners and
other employees; and a report on the Blue Belle Mine in Nevada County, California.
Box 7, Folders 2-3
Correspondence, accounts, receipts, and other papers
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers concerning mining investments
in the Tolima region of Colombia (El Cristo Gold & Silver Mining Company and the
Bocaneme Mines); monthly payroll statements for El Cristo Mine, listing miners and
other employees; and court documents in the cases
First
National Bank of Jersey City vs. Asbury Harpending
and
The Western National Bank of the City of New York vs. Asbury
Harpending and others
.
Box 7, Folder 4
Correspondence, court documents, and other papers
1892
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending concerning legal actions and defenses,
including former associate David Stewart's claims against the Bocaneme and El Cristo
mines; court documents in the cases
Moses Stark vs. Asbury
Harpending
,
David Stewart vs. El Cristo Gold and
Silver Mining Company
, and
Metropolitan Trust Company
of the City of New York as receiver, etc. vs. Asbury Harpending
; newspaper
clippings; and a prospectus for the Monte Cristo Gold Mining Company.
Box 7, Folders 5-6
Correspondence, court documents, and other papers
1893
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, mostly by S.W. Blakely, concerning claims
against the Bocaneme and El Cristo mines; court documents in the case
Western National Bank of the City of New York vs. Asbury
Harpending
; articles of incorporation and extracts from minutes for the
Lucille Gold Mining Company, formed in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky; and papers
related to the Sapphire & Ruby Company of Montana.
Box 7, Folders 7-9, Box 8, Folders 1-3
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1894
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending (many addressed to him in Alameda, California)
concerning claims against and the sale of the Bocaneme and Monte Cristo mines;
correspondence, articles of agreement, payroll statements, and other papers related to
the Lucille Gold Mining Company, which operated a mine in Plymouth, Amador County,
California; manuscript and printed maps of the Lucille Gold Mine; correspondence and
accounts with Joshua Hendy Machine Works of San Francisco; and an agreement between
John H. Hendy and D. C. Wickham for the South End Nashville Quartz Mining Claim in El
Dorado County, California.
Box 8, Folders 4-6
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1895
Physical Location: Map of the Lucille Gold Mine, Amador
Company, is shelved with oversize manuscripts under the call number MS 950.
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending (many addressed to him in Nashville,
California) and other papers related to the Lucille Gold Mining Company, the Havilah
Gold Mining Company, and the Richmond Gold Mining Company; payroll statements for the
Lucille Gold Mining Company; a manuscript map of the Lucille Gold Mine; and
correspondence and accounts with Joshua Hendy Machine Works of San FrancisCompany
Box 8, Folders 7-8
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1896
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending and other papers related to the Union Gold
Mining Company (El Dorado, California), the Peabody Gold Mine (Grass Valley,
California), and other California mining investments.
Box 9, Folders 1-4
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1897-1898
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, accounts, payroll statements, and other
papers related to the Union Gold Mining Company (El Dorado, California), and
correspondence concerning the disposition of the Cajongora Mine, Harpending's last
Colombian investment.
Box 9, Folders 5-6
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1899
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, accounts, payroll statements, a time book,
and other papers related to the Union Gold Mining Company (El Dorado, California);
letters about and a manuscript map of the Redfield Mine (Tulare County, California);
and angry letters dictated by Harpending to Gen. O. H. Lagrange on Divinder Gold
Mining Company letterhead.
Box 9, Folder 7
Letters, telegrams, and notes
189?
Scope and Contents
Contains letters and telegrams written to Harpending, and draft letters and notes
written by Harpending, dated from the 1890s (exact dates uncertain). Many telegrams
are ciphered.
Box 9, Folder 8
Accounts and receipts
189?
Scope and Contents
Contains accounts, payroll statements, and receipts dated from the 1890s (exact dates
uncertain), many related to Union Gold Mining Company (El Dorado, California).
Box 9, Folders 9-11, Box 10, Folders 1-2
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1900-1902
Physical Location: Plan de la propriete de Union Gold,
dated circa 1900, is shelved with oversize manuscripts under the call number MS
950.
Scope and Contents
Includes letters written to Harpending, accounts, payroll statements, and other
papers related to Union Gold Mining Company (El Dorado, California) and other mining
investments in California; and Harpending family correspondence.
Box 10, Folders 3-4
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1903
Scope and Contents
Contains records related to the Union Mine, bank receipts, personal and profesional
correspondence, including letters to Harpending from Pierre Humbert and others.
Box 10, Folder 5
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1904
Scope and Contents
Includes papers related to Union Mine, D.O. Mills Banking, the value of gold bars,
and other business materials.
Box 10, folder 6
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1905
Scope and Contents
Includes materials related to Union Mine, claim receipts for Union Mining Gold
Company, correspendence to Harpending from Pierre Humbert, and other personal and
professional materials.
Box 10, Folder 7
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1906-1909
Scope and Contents
Includes materials related to the Union Mine, a Supreme Court document concerning
Harpending and Pierre Humbert, a pamphlet about the cause of the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake, and other personal and professional materials.
Box 10, folder 8
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1910-1915
Scope and Contents
Includes materials about the Union Mine, including recent financial troubles, a
manuscript page of Harpending's autobiography and correspondence regarding its
publication, and other personal and professional materials.
Box 10, folder 9
Correspondence, accounts, and other papers
1916-1919
Scope and Contents
Includes materials on the Mother Lode Mines, two lawsuits involving Harpending, and
his son Albert Harpending, and other personal and business telegrams and
corerespondence.
Box 11, Folder 1
Maps of Mines
undated
Scope and Contents
Printed and hand-drawn maps of mines, including a lithograph of the buildings at El
Cristo Mine(Tolima, Colombia), a printed diagram of the Pyramid Range Silver Mountain
Mines, a map of the lots owned by the Union Gold Mine(El Dorado, California), a hand
drawn map of the Grayeagle and Alpine Mines, and other maps.
Box 11, Folder 2
Cipher keys
undated
Scope and Contents
Keys to ciphers used in Harpending's correspondence.
Box 11, Folders 3-4
Correspondence, incoming, A-Z
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes undated, alphebetized correspondence to Harpending from William C. Ralston,
L.G. Quinlin, John F. Cassell, D.F. Verdenal, William Skyrme, and others, largely on
matters of mining business.
Box 11, Folder 5
George D. Roberts letters to Asbury Harpending
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes correspendence from George D. Roberts to Harpending concerning shared
business affairs and associates, finance and investment.
Box 11, folder 6
Correspondence, incoming, unknown author
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence to Harpending, unsigned, with only a first name, initials, or
illegible handwriting, largely on matters of mining business and investments.
Box 11, folder 7
Correspondence, incoming, family
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence to Harpending from family members, especially his wife, Ira
A. Harpending.
Box 11, folder 8
Correspondence, outgoing
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence written by Harpending to "Mrs. Hearst," J.B. White, and other
business correspondents.
Box 12, Folders 1-3
Accounts, covenants, and other papers
undated
Scope and Contents
Includes materials concerning the Bonanza Queen, El Cristo Mine, Havilah Mine in El
Dorado County, California, State Line Property, Crockett Mine, Lucille Gold Mine, San
Jose Mine, Mother Lode Gold Company, and other business materials.
Box 12, Folder 4
Calling and business cards
undated
Box 12, Folder 5
Ephemera
1873-1896, undated
Box 12, Folder 6
Newspaper clippings
1887-1917, undated
