Wolter (Charles) Papers, 1792-1970, bulk 1833-1881

Collection context

Summary

Title:
Charles Wolter papers
Dates:
1792-1970, bulk 1833-1881
Creators:
Wolter, Charles, 1792-1856
Abstract:
A collection of material related to the life and work of Charles Wolter, Californian ship captain and landowner.
Extent:
5 Linear Feet (4 boxes, 19 volumes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Charles Wolter papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 450 items from 1792 to 1970, which contains letters, five letter books, documents, two account books, 11 scrapbooks, 2 published books, and photographs related to the life of Charles Wolter and the Wolter family. There are materials related to Wolter's land and business interests in early California including Monterey, Rancho Los Tualrcitos, Rancho El Toro, and Rancho Lupyomi. Correspondents include William Antonio Richardson, David Spence, and Edward Vischer. There is also memorabilia related to Harry Meiggs Wolter as a baseball player and coach. He went with the U.S. baseball team to participate in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and the collection contains an album from the Olympic Games with autographs of various participants, including Jesse Owens. The collection also contains genealogical materials for the Wolter family, including many scrapbooks assembled by Irene Hogan Wolter, wife of Harry Meiggs Wolter.

Biographical / historical:

Charles Wolter (1792-1856) a native of Germany, was a ship captain and pioneer California landowner; he sought his fortune in the coastal shipping trade off the coast of South America. Wolter had business interests in Lima, Peru, and Mazatlan, Mexico, before coming to Monterey, California, as master of the ship "Lenore" in 1833. In Monterey, he married Josefa Antonia Gomez (daughter of José Mariano Estrada and widow of Rafael Gomez). Wolter served as pilot for Commodore Stockton during the Mexican War, and he invested in property in the city of Monterey and in Rancho Lupyomi in partnership with the artist Edward Vischer. Harry Meiggs Wolter (1884-1940) was the grandson of Charles Wolter and a professional baseball player and coach for the Universities of Santa Clara and Stanford. In 1936, he took the United States Baseball team to Berlin to participate in the Olympic Games.

Acquisition information:
Gifts of Irene Hogan Wolter, December 1970, February 1971, and August 1976.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1980. In 2021, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Gayle Richardson
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-09-03 12:50:57 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

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 Wolter papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191