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Charles L. Hyde business correspondence
mssHyde business correspondence  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administration Information
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Charles L. Hyde business correspondence
    Dates: 1896-1916
    Collection Call Number: mssHyde business correspondence
    Creator: Hyde, Charles Leavitt, 1860-1938
    Extent: 109 items in one box
    Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
    The Huntington Library
    1151 Oxford Road
    San Marino, California 91108
    Phone: (626) 405-2203
    Fax: (626) 449-5720
    Email: reference@huntington.org
    URL: http://www.huntington.org
    Abstract: The collection chiefly contains business correspondence from Charles Leavitt Hyde, of Pierre, South Dakota, to O. D. Chester in Camden, Michigan.
    Language of Material: The records are in English.

    Administration Information

    Access

    Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, please go to the following web site. 

    Publication Rights

    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], Charles L. Hyde business correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Acquisition Information

    The collection was purchased from Michael Vinson Americana, February 2015.

    Biography

    Charles Leavitt Hyde was a prominent citizen and businessman of Pierre, South Dakota. He was born in Illinois in 1860. In 1888, Hyde moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and got involved in the real estate business. He married Katherine Robinson in 1886; they had four children: Ruth Elizabeth, Charles L. Jr., Dorothy, and Franklin. Charles L. Hyde helped found the city of Pierre (the capital of South Dakota) and owned much property in the city. He built the St. Charles Hotel, which still stands. Hyde was tried and convicted for fradulent advertising in 1911, but President Taft later pardoned him. He wrote a memoir in 1939 entitled Pioneer days: the story of an adventurous and active life.

    Scope and Content

    The collection consists of 43 business letters written by Charles L. Hyde, 39 of which are addressed to O. D. Chester of Camden, Michigan. All of the correspondence deals with the real estate business in Pierre, South Dakota and Chester's investments in the city, with the recommendations of Hyde. Many of the letters are short notes stating that Hyde received payment from Chester, but others go into detail about the property available in Pierre. There is also some discussion of property taxes. Several of the letters have copies of Chester's reply to Hyde on verso of the letters. There is one letter by Omar Hollingsworth to O. D. Chester as well as two letters by Hyde to B. R. Alward, also of Camden, Michigan, and one letter by Hyde to William J. Sizemore of Charleston, Illinois.
    The collection includes ephemera material including: a pamphlet, brochure and article about Charles L. Hyde; map of city of Pierre, published by Charles L. Hyde; postcard receipts; tax receipts; and financial notes made by O. D. Chester to John I. Newell at the "Office of Charles L. Hyde."

    Indexing Terms

    Personal Names

    Chester, O. D., recipient
    Hyde, Charles Levitt, 1860-1938

    Subjects

    Businessmen -- South Dakota -- Pierre
    Real property -- South Dakota -- Pierre

    Geographic Areas

    Pierre (S.D.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
    Pierre (S.D.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
    Pierr (S.D.) -- Description and travel
    South Dakota -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
    South Dakota -- History -- 20th century -- Sources

    Genre

    Financial records -- South Dakota -- 19th century
    Financial records -- South Dakota -- 20th century
    Letters (correspondence) -- South Dakota -- 19th century
    Letters (correspondence) -- South Dakota -- 20th century