Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: R. E. Wood Scrapbook
Dates: 1873-1881
Collection Number: MSS 174
Creator/Collector:
Wood, Romanzo E. (Romanzo Erastus),
Extent: Items: 1 Box Linear Feet: 1
Online items available
Repository:
California State University, Chico
Chico, California 95929-0295
Abstract: The Scrapbook contains photographs, newspaper clippings, advertisements and articles about and by R. E. Wood, landscape photographer
and inventor.
Language of Material: English
Collection is open for research without restriction.
The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary
property.
R. E. Wood Scrapbook. California State University, Chico
Thomas L. Rodgers, December 9, 1991
Biography/Administrative History
Romanzo Erastus Wood, or R. E. Wood, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts August 10, 1838. In 1859 he came west on the
Oregon-California trial arriving in Napa County, California. Wood married Mary Elizabeth Olmstead Wade October 17, 1864 and
had a daughter Cleo Emma. The Woods moved to Santa Cruz County in 1868 and settled at Troutdale Farm near Bear Creek just
above the San Lorenzo River. Wood supported himself in a variety of ways: as an inventor of rodent traps, farmer, manufacturer
of matches, brooms and knives. He wrote for the county newspaper the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Together with Mary they also travel
around California putting on Lantern Stereoscopic shows and offering their services as landscape photographers. In 1881
they moved to Tahoe City. He wrote for the Tahoe Tattle and they continued their photography activities. They divorced in
1891. Wood married again to Phoebe S. Brown in 1892. He died April 1, 1925 in St. Helena, California.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Scrapbook contains photographs, newspaper clippings, advertisements and articles about and by R. E. Wood, landscape photographer
and inventor. The bulk of material is of Santa Cruz, but also includes Mount Shasta, Lake Tahoe, and Napa. Wood made booms
and matches, invented gopher and squirrel rodent traps, Together with his wife Mary they put on Optical Lantern or Steroscopticon
exhibitions, and offered their services as landscape photographers. He was a correspondent for the Santa Cruz Sentinel and
Tahoe Tattler newspapers. The original use of the book was of as a ledger, listing names with dates ranging from 1869 to
1873. Many pages were removed, and photographs and newspaper clippings of his columns and advertisements for their services
and inventions were pasted over. Images from the scrapbook as well as other photographs are cataloged separately in the Historic
Photograph collection. The scrapbook and photos of contains the images of Santa Cruz County, Napa County Lake Tahoe vicinity,
Sonoma County, Bodie, Glenn County, Shasta County, Copper City, Monterey County, and Pacific Grove.
Photographers -- West (U.S.) -- 19th century.
Santa Cruz County (Calif.) -- History.
Tahoe, Lake, Region (Calif. and Nev.) -- History.
Napa County (Calif.) -- History.
Shasta (Calif.) -- History.