Jefferson Wilcoxson papers, 1860-1917

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Summary

Creators:
Wilcoxson, Jefferson
Abstract:
The Jefferson Wilcoxson Collection is a series of business letters that were written primarily to Jefferson Wilcoxson by relatives and business associates who were involved in the day to day operations of his many business interests in Sacramento, Yolo, and Colusa counties. The Jefferson Wilcoxson Collection is divided into four series: Incoming, Outgoing, Third Party, and Family Correspondence. Within these series are correspondence, meeting notices, a supply catalog, financial information including trial balances and statements of condition, and some photos of relatives that were taken in 1917. The letters date from 1860 to 1917, while the bulk of the letters date from 1870 to 1897.
Extent:
1.5 linear feet (441 letters)
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jefferson Wilcoxson papers, MS0019, Center for Sacramento History.

Background

Scope and content:

The majority of the collection consists of 405 letters written to Jefferson Wilcoxson between 1870 and 1898. Correspondents consisted of area ranchers and businessmen, family members, and Yolo County officials. They included George W. Applegate, George W. Austin, George Wilcoxson, the Bank of Williams, and the Yolo County Treasurer, among others.

George W. Applegate was a resident of Applegate, California which was named after the large land holdings of his family. He planted a nursery there and cultivated hay and grain. He also organized a vineyard and installed cider mills, wine presses, tanks, and store houses. He grew many types of fruit including: apples, pears, plums, peaches, quinces, figs, and oranges. His letters discuss financial arrangements with Wilcoxson, local news, the production of wine and brandy, and mining operations.

George W. Austin, a nephew of Wilcoxson, also resided in Applegate, California. George’s mother, Mary Elizabeth Wilcoxson Austin, was the daughter of Jefferson's brother Joseph. Austin’s letters discusses management of Wilcoxson’s ranch in Applegate, including land, cattle, crops, a winery, and the ranch workers. Also detailed in the letters are weather conditions, reports of area fires, and discussions about the development of a county road.

Letters from the Yolo County Treasurer detail the purchase and sale of warrants for the Yolo County General Fund, Contingent Fund, Hospital Fund, and Road Fund. Several letters contain information about the collection of county taxes.

Four letters written by Wilcoxson are included in the collection, as are six letters that are to or between individuals other than Wilcoxson.

The collections also contain several financial documents including one account statement and three receipts.

The collection is arranged into four series: Series 1. Incoming Series 2. Outgoing Series 3. Third Parties Series 4. Family

Biographical / historical:

Jefferson Wilcoxson was born on February 24, 1809 in Mercer County, Kentucky to Isaac and Priscilla Wilcoxson. In 1819, he immigrated with his family to Missouri.

In 1849, he moved to Weaverville, California with his brother, Jackson. They remained there until the spring of 1850, when they moved to Sacramento. Together they set up a wholesale merchant business, Wilcoxson & Co., on J Street in Sacramento. Wilcoxson & Co. enjoyed a large trade up to 1852, and then closed. After the brothers dissolved their partnership, Jefferson became a member of the firm of Burton & McCarty.

A few years later, Jefferson engaged in the livestock business and became partners in a land owning company with James Farris. They purchased a tract of one thousand seven hundred and eighty acres of land, part of the Hardy grant, located four miles west of Woodland, California For more than twenty years, Wilcoxson resided on a farm located on the Sacramento River, two miles below Washington (now part of West Sacramento).

He was at various times involved extensively in merchandising, farming, warehousing, banking, land investment, and the livestock business in Colusa, El Dorado, Placer, and Yolo counties. Through his business dealings he acquired property which was estimated to be worth several million dollars in the 1890s.

He died on April 8, 1898.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum, Rare Manuscripts and Archives, Watchung, NJ, January. 2003 (Accession# 2003-055)
Processing information:

Jefferson Wilcoxson Collection processed by Birdie Boyles and Jim Kay, 2004 - 2007. Finding aid prepared by Jim Kay, 2007.

Arrangement:

Series 1. Incoming Series 2. Outgoing Series 3. Third Parties Series 4. Family

Physical location:
29B9
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH 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 patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jefferson Wilcoxson papers, MS0019, Center for Sacramento History.

Location of this collection:
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95811, US
Contact:
(916) 808-7072
csh@cityofsacramento.org
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