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John Dustin Bicknell Papers: Finding Aid
mssBicknell papers
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Title: John Dustin Bicknell Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1872-1914
Bulk dates: 1887-1897
Collection Number: mssBicknell papers
Creator:
Bicknell, John Dustin, 1838-1911.
Extent: 9,802 pieces. 20 boxes. 51 bound
volumes. 6 rolls. 2 photographs.
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists primarily of correspondence related to the professional activities of John Dustin Bicknell (1838-1911),
who was a partner in several Los Angeles, California, law firms and an attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
The collection includes letters from individuals who wished to buy or sell property or had a claim against someone concerning
their land.
In addition, the collection also contains approximately 650 letters (1883-1902) from various individuals who worked in the
Frazier Mine near Gorman, California, which Bicknell jointly owned.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
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.
[Identification of item]. John Dustin Bicknell Papers, The Huntington Library,
San Marino, California.
Gift of Roy F. Bagg and Barbara Bagg Heath, April 1981.
John Dustin Bicknell was born on June 25, 1838 in Vermont. He began studying law in
the early 1860s and was admitted to the bar in Wisconsin in 1865. After establishing
a law firm in Greenfield, Missouri, he relocated to Los Angeles, California in early
1872. He formed a new firm with John R. McConnell and Joseph M. Rothschild, which
existed until 1876 when he formed a partnership with Stephen Mallory White
(1853-1901). This association lasted ten years until White left to take an active
part in California politics. George J. Denis became Bicknell’s new partner until
1890 when Bicknell joined forces with Walter J. Trask (1863-1911). Seven years later
James A. Gibson (1852-1922) joined the firm, which became known as Bicknell, Gibson
& Trask. In 1903, Bicknell and his partners merged with the Los Angeles law firm
of Dunn & Crutcher which eventually became known as Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
after Bicknell’s retirement and Trask’s death in 1911.
For many years Bicknell served as counsel for the Southern Pacific Railroad working
for both Collis Potter Huntington (1821-1900) and his nephew, Henry Edwards
Huntington (1850- 1927). Bicknell specialized in land patent law, was one of the
owners of a gold mine near Gorman, California, had several real estate holdings, and
owned two citrus orchards. He died on July 7, 1911.
The collection consists primarily of correspondence related to the professional
activities of John Dustin Bicknell (1838-1911) who was a partner in several Los
Angeles law firms. Bicknell specialized in land patents, and many letters are from
individuals who wished to buy or sell property or had a claim against someone
concerning their land. As an attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad, Bicknell
received correspondence from Collis and Henry Huntington asking for his advice on
right-of-ways and other matters related to the railroads and interurban lines.
In addition to the Huntingtons, Bicknell received business letters from several
prominent individuals including: Reginaldo F. (Reginaldo Francisco) Del Valle
(1854-1938), J. A. (Jackson Alpheus) Graves (1852-1933), Isaias W. Hellman
(1842-1920), William F. (William Franklin) Herrin (1854-1921), George Wharton James
(1858-1923), Thaddeus Sobieski Coulincourt Lowe (1832-1912), Henry Harrison Markham
(1840-1923), William Mulholland (1855-1935), Henry William O’Melveny (1859-1941),
Joseph D. (Joseph Deighn) Redding (1859-1932), Frederick Hastings Rindge
(1857-1905), William Starke Rosecrans (1819-1898), Charles H. (Charles Hansen) Toll
(1850-1901), Moses Hazeltine Sherman (1853-1932), James Slauson (b. 1865), Jonathan
Sayre Slauson (1829-1905), Harriet Williams Russell Strong (1844-1926) and Shirley
C. Ward (b. 1861). Bicknell is the author of 72 letters in the collection.
A few letters are from various relatives and friends of Bicknell. Perhaps the most
prominent of these individuals is Warren Newton Dusenberry (1836-1915), from whom he
received seven letters. Dusenberry established Timpanogos University in Provo, Utah,
which he presided over until 1875 when it became Brigham Young University and he
became superintendent.
The collection also contains approximately 650 letters from 1883-1902 from various
individuals who worked or supervised the Frazier Mine near Gorman, California, which
Bicknell jointly owned. These detailed letters describe not only the activities of
the mine but also the living conditions and the problems of receiving mail, supplies
and equipment. At first the mine appeared to be producing ore, with more and more
money spent on new processes. By the end of the correspondence, however, the
miners urged Bicknell to sell the mine.
The collection is arranged in the following series:
- 1. Correspondence (19 boxes arranged chronologically)
- 2. Oversize correspondence (1 box)
- 3. 51 bound volumes
- 4. 6 rolls
- 5. 2 photographs
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Bicknell, John Dustin,
1838-1911.
Gibson, James A.,
1852-1922.
Trask, Walter J.,
1863-1911.
Southern Pacific
Railroad Company.
Gold miners -- California -- Gorman --
Correspondence.
Gold mines and mining -- California --
Gorman -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Gold mines and mining -- California --
Gorman -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
Land grants -- California -- Los
Angeles County.
Land grants -- California,
Southern.
Land subdivision -- California -- Los
Angeles County.
Land subdivision -- California,
Southern.
Land tenure -- California -- Los
Angeles County.
Land titles -- California -- Los
Angeles County.
Land titles -- Registration and
transfer -- California -- Los Angeles County.
Law firms -- California, Southern --
History -- Sources.
Lawyers -- California --
Correspondence.
Lawyers -- California -- Los Angeles --
Archives.
Railroad stations -- California -- Los
Angeles County -- History -- Sources.
Railroad stations -- California,
Southern.
Railroads -- California,
Southern.
Railroads -- Right of way --
California.
Real estate investment --
California.
Street-railroads -- California -- Los
Angeles.
Street-railroads -- Law and legislation
-- California -- Los Angeles.
California -- History
-- 19th century -- Sources.
California -- History
-- 20th century -- Sources.
Los Angeles (Calif.)
-- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Los Angeles (Calif.)
-- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
Account books -- California, Southern.
Letter books -- California, Southern.
Letters (correspondence) --
California, Southern.
Maps -- California, Southern.
Del Valle, Reginaldo F. (Reginaldo
Francisco), 1854-1938.
Dusenberry, Warren N. (Warren
Newton), 1836-1915.
Gibson, James A., 1852-1922.
Graves, J. A. (Jackson Alpheus),
1852-1933.
Hellman, Isaias W. (Isaias William),
1842-1920.
Herrin, William F. (William
Franklin), 1854-1927.
Huntington, Collis Potter, 1821-1900.
Huntington, Henry Edwards, 1850-1927.
James, George Wharton, 1858-1923.
Lowe, T. S. C. (Thaddeus Sobieski
Coulincourt), 1832-1913.
Markham, Henry Harrison, 1840-1923.
Mulholland, William, 1855-1935.
O'Melveny, H. W. (Henry William),
1859-1941.
Redding, Joseph D. (Joseph Deighn),
1859-1932.
Rindge, Frederick Hastings,
1857-1905.
Rosecrans, William S. (William
Starke), 1819-1898.
Toll, Charles H. (Charles Hansen),
1850-1901.
Sherman, Moses Hazeltine, 1853-1932.
Slauson, James, b. 1865.
Slauson, Jonathan Sayre, 1829-1905.
Strong, Harriet Williams Russell,
1844-1926.
Trask, Walter J., 1863-1911.
Ward, Shirley C., b. 1861.
White, Stephen Mallory, 1853-1901.
Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
Some notable persons represented in the collection
Del Valle, Reginaldo F. (Reginaldo Francisco), 1854-1938
As Author: 7 letters, 1854-1938
As Author: 7 letters, 1854-1938
Dusenberry, Warren Newton, 1836-1915
As Author: 7 letters, 1873-1896
As Author: 7 letters, 1873-1896
Gibson, James A., 1852-1922
As Author: 25 letters, 1895 - 1910
As Addressee: 47 letters, 1897-1910
As Author: 25 letters, 1895 - 1910
As Addressee: 47 letters, 1897-1910
Graves, J. A. (Jackson Alpheus), 1852-1933
As Author: 1 letter, 1895
As Author: 1 letter, 1895
Hellman, Isaias W. (Isaias William), 1842-1920
As Author: 43 letters, 1887-1910
As Addressee: 1 letter, 1892
As Author: 43 letters, 1887-1910
As Addressee: 1 letter, 1892
Herrin, William F. (William Franklin), 1854-1921
As Author: 423 letters, 1893-1897
As Addressee: 12 letters, 1893-1895
As Author: 423 letters, 1893-1897
As Addressee: 12 letters, 1893-1895
Huntington, Collis P. (Collis Potter), 1821-1900
As Author: 12 letters, 1889-1900
As Addressee: 1 letter, 1895
As Author: 12 letters, 1889-1900
As Addressee: 1 letter, 1895
Huntington, Henry Edwards, 1850-1927
As Author: 49 letters, 1893-1904
As Addressee: 4 letters, 1893-1899
As Author: 49 letters, 1893-1904
As Addressee: 4 letters, 1893-1899
James, George Wharton, 1858-1923
As Author: 1 letter, 1910
As Author: 1 letter, 1910
Lowe, T. S. C. (Thaddeus Sobieski Coulincourt), 1832-1912
As Author: 3 letters, 1895-1900
As Author: 3 letters, 1895-1900
Markham, Henry Harrison, 1840-1923
As Author: 34 letters, 1885-1893
As Addressee: 3 letters, 1893
As Author: 34 letters, 1885-1893
As Addressee: 3 letters, 1893
Mulholland, William, 1855-1935
As Author: 1 letter, 1903
As Author: 1 letter, 1903
O’Melveny, Henry William, 1859-1941
As Author: 7 letters, 1893-1910
As Author: 7 letters, 1893-1910
Redding, Joseph D. (Joseph Deighn), 1859-1932
As Author: 185 letters, 1889-1897
As Author: 185 letters, 1889-1897
Rindge, Frederick H
Astings, 1857-1905
As Author: 7 letters, 1895-1897
Astings, 1857-1905
As Author: 7 letters, 1895-1897
Rosecrans, William Starke, 1819-1898
As Author: 65 letters, 1873-1889
As Author: 65 letters, 1873-1889
Sherman, Moses Hazeltine, 1853-1932
As Author: 71 letters, 1891-1908
As Addressee: 2 letters, 1895
As Author: 71 letters, 1891-1908
As Addressee: 2 letters, 1895
Slauson, James, b. 1865
As Author: 7 letters, 1901-1908
As Author: 7 letters, 1901-1908
Slauson, Jonathan Sayre, 1829-1905
As Author: 15 letters, 1890-1905
As Author: 15 letters, 1890-1905
Strong, Harriet Williams Russell, 1844-1926
As Author: 1 letter, 1894-1895
As Author: 1 letter, 1894-1895
Toll, Charles H. (Charles Hansen), 1850-1901
As Author: 45 letters, 1891-1897
As Author: 45 letters, 1891-1897
Trask, Walter J., 1863-1911
As Author: 19 letters, 1893-1909
As Addressee: 19 letters, 1893-1909
As Author: 19 letters, 1893-1909
As Addressee: 19 letters, 1893-1909
Ward, Shirley C. b. 1865
As Author: 3 letters, 1894-1895
As Author: 3 letters, 1894-1895
White, Stephen Mallory, 1853-1901
As Author: 38 letters, 1878-1897
As Addressee: 4 letters, 1879-1888
As Author: 38 letters, 1878-1897
As Addressee: 4 letters, 1879-1888