Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Blackmar family
- Abstract:
- Correspondence, diary, and cartes-de-visite of the Blackmar family of Pennsylvania and California.
- Extent:
- 1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Blackmar family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The majority of the collection is made up of correspondence written to Sarah "Sade" Isabella Blackmar from friends and family. The letters contain information about the family, their daily activities, social outings, health, trips taken, etc. The letters of Frank Wilson Blackmar, Ellen Blackmar Maxwell, and John Quincy Blackmar include information about their lives in Contra Costa County, and Santa Clara, California. In one letter, Frank Blackmar talks about Chinese laundrymen in Santa Clara, and in another letter a Chinese man he met who lived in the woods outside of Fresno. There are a few other letters by friends who also lived in California including a friend named "Harriet P." and a woman named Mara L. Ferguson. There are several folders of correspondence by authors that are unidentified. There is a farm diary by an unknown person, 1865 to 1867, and two unidentified cartes-de-visite of a young girl and young woman.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Blackmar family was from Erie County, Pennsylvania. John S. Blackmar and Rebecca M. Blackmar had eight children: Louise Blackmar (born 1841); Henry Charles Blackmar (born 1844); John Blackmar (1848-1893); Emily P. Blackmar (born 1850); Ellen Blackmar Maxwell (1852-1932); Frank Wilson Blackmar (1854-1931); Sarah "Sade" Isabella Blackmar (born 1858?); and Luella M. Blackmar (born 1861). Frank Blackmar, Ellen Blackmar Maxwell, and John Quincy Blackmar moved to California in the 1870s. Frank Blackmar went on to become a prominent sociologist and was the 9th president of the American Sociological Society. Ellen Blackmar Maxwell married Reverend Allan J. Maxwell, a missionary, and went on to become a writer of several books.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased by McBride Rare Books on behalf of the Huntington at Swann Galleries auction, Sale 2486, Lot 241, September 27, 2018.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Brooke M. Black, November 2022.
- Arrangement:
-
Organized in the following series: 1. Correspondence; 2. Diary and cartes-de-visite.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Chinese -- California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Women -- California -- Correspondence
Women -- Pennsylvania -- Correspondence
Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)
Diaries -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Pennsylvania -- 19th century - Names:
- Blackmar, John Quincy, 1848-1893
Blackmar, Sarah Isabella
Maxwell, Ellen Blackmar, 1852-1893 - Places:
- California -- Description and travel
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Contra Costa County (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Erie County (Pa.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Pennsylvania -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Santa Clara (Calif.)
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]. Blackmar family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191