Guide to the Witmer Family collection MS-27
Chris S. Ervin CA
Presidio Research Center
2020-03-30
215 East Canon Perdido St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
chris@sbthp.org
Language of Material:
Spanish; Castilian
Contributing Institution:
Presidio Research Center
Title: Witmer Family Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS-27
Physical Description:
1 box
Date (inclusive): 1731-1931
Abstract: This collection of photos and publications belonged to Val Witmer and her family. It contains several portraits and group
shots of family members, an oversized photo of the Cota Ranch, and a set of photos of Father Jose Godayol representing several
periods in his life.
Scope and Contents
This collection of photos and publications belonged to Val Witmer and her family. There are several portraits and group shots
of family members as well as an oversized photo of the Cota Ranch.
Another set of photos is of Father Jose Godayol. The photos of Godayol in this collection represent several periods in his
life.
The publications are almost all of a religious nature and may have been passed down several generations. Two noteworthy sermons
were written by the first bishop of California, Francisco Garcia Diego, and Joseph Alemany, first bishop of Monterey.
Biographical / Historical
Father Jose Godayol (1829-1902) was one of the first three novices received into the Franciscan Order in California in 1854.
He was ordained as a priest in 1860 by Fr. Joseph Alemany in San Francisco. In 1876 he most likely went to Vich, Spain where
he was born. Returning to the United States, Godayol was assigned to various dioceses including Phoenix, Arizona and the Pajaro
Valley (Calif.) where he died in 1892.
Maria Valentine "Val" Witmer (1927-2014) was the daughter of Edith Cota of Santa Barbara and Baltazar Beltran of Mexico. She
married Alexis Witmer and had three children.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two (2) series:
Series 1 - Photographs
Series 2 - Miscellaneous Publications
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Liana Thompson
Separated Materials
One (1) book
Misionero parroquial, ò Sermones para todos los domingos del año, escritos en frances por Mr. Chevassu ... y traducidos al
español por don Jacinto Lopez
, transferred to library.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Chris S. Ervin CA on 2020-03-30
Preferred Citation
[Name of collection], [MS number], Presidio Research Center, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist and Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Research Center as the
owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by the reader.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Witmer family
Godayol, Jose, Fr., 1829-1902
Rafaela Salmon Arreola
1864
Physical Description: 1 carte de visite, albumen print; 2.25 x 3.75 in.
Marie Valentine Beltran and Edith Cota Beltran
Physical Description: 1 b and w print ; 2.5 x 3.5 in.
Wedding photo of Edith Cota and Baltazar Beltran
Physical Description: 1 hand colored b and w print ; 7.5 x 9.75 in.
Group of costumed people in front of the Arlington Hotel during the first Fiesta celebration in Santa Barbara
1924
Physical Description: Color photocopy ; 8.5 x 11 in.
Jose Godayol, O.F.M. standing
1854-1860
Physical Description: 1 cabinet card ; albumen print ; taken by Hayward and Muzzall photographers, Santa Barbara, California
Jose Godayol, O.F.M. seated
Physical Description: 1 cabinet card ; albumen print ; taken by Morse's Palace of Art, Santa Francisco, California
Jose Godayol, O.F.M., standing
Physical Description: 1 carte de visite ; 2.25 x 4 in. ; taken by Sanchez in Vich, Spain
map-case Oversized photos
Cota Ranch, Val's Family
Physical Description: 1 b and w print, undated ; 11 x 14 in.
folder 2
Miscellaneous Publications
Carta Pastoral del Ilmo. y Rmo. Fr. José S. Alemany, O.P., Obispo de Monterey en Alta California
1851
Carta Pastoral que El Ilmo. y Rmo. Sr. D. Fr. Francisco Garcia Diego, primer Obispo de Californias
1840
Novena para los nueve dias de jornadas en honor de los santos peregrinos Jesus Maria y Jose. Con El Nuevo Rorro y el Wals
de las golondrinas a lo divino, musica de la zarzuela "De Madrid a Paris." Editor Antonio Vanegas Arroyo.
General
In ink on cover: "D. de la Guerra-Mexico"
J. Jacobo Kienast y Comp. Guadalaxara. Direcciones para medidas.
Separated pages from Resumen instructivo que publica el Comisario de division del Exercito de operaciones sobre Tejas, by
Miguel Barreiros,1837
Physical Description: 2 pages
map-case oversize documents
Indulgencias Que Se Ganan Andando El Santo Via Crucis. Reimpresias en Mexico: Por Joseph Bernardo de Hogal
1731
Physical Description: 1 page, printed on one side, 13 x 17 in.
oversize newspaper box 2N
2 issues of "The Tidings"
1921-1931