Blanchard family papers, 1838-1998 MVC064
Finding aid prepared by Krystell Jimenez, 2021.
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura
County Community Foundation
Museum of Ventura County
May 2021
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
library@venturamuseum.org
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Blanchard family papers
Creator:
Blanchard, Nathan W.
Creator:
Hobbs Blanchard, Ann Elizabeth
Creator:
Blanchard, Nathan W. , Jr.
Creator:
McClelland Blanchard, Josephine Esther
Creator:
Blanchard, Dean Hobbs
Creator:
Blanchard family
Identifier/Call Number: MVC064
Physical Description:
10.98 Cubic Feet
(10 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1838-1998
Abstract: The Blanchard family of Santa Paula dates back to when Nathan Weston Blanchard, Sr., arrived in Ventura County in 1872. The
Blanchards purchased part of the Saticoy y Santa Paula land grant from E.B. Higgins where they would eventually establish
a citrus orchard, the Limoneira Company, in 1893. The Blanchard family was involved in many aspects of local history and life.
Dean Hobbs Blanchard features prominently in the collection, with a particular emphasis on his work as an ornithologist and
his international travels. Many of his works, photographs, and writings are included in the collection. The collection contains
correspondence, photographs, notes, legal documents, negatives, film reels, sketches, writings, and other papers created by
and related to the Blanchard family of Santa Paula.
Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior
to your visit.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access materials must be made in advance by contacting the
Research Library staff via email: library@venturamuseum.org.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.
CONTAINS AV MATERIALS: Advance notice required. Researcher may be required to bear the cost of digitization or creation of
an access copy.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Blanchard family papers, (MVC064), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Blanchard family; gift; 2007.
Processing Information
Processed by Krystell Jimenez, 2021.
Our collections are processed using MPLP methods so that we can prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities
for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended
in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org
Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.
Biographical / Historical
The Blanchard family of Santa Paula dates back to when Nathan Weston Blanchard, Sr., arrived in California during the 1850s
Gold Rush. He married Ann Elizabeth Hobbs in 1864 and they moved to Ventura County in 1872. The Blanchards purchased part
of the Saticoy y Santa Paula land grant from E.B. Higgins and engaged in ranching. Blanchard Sr. started an orange and lemon
orchard in 1874, which marked the start of the family's prominence in the citrus industry and led to the foundation of the
Limoneira Company in 1893. He was also one of three of the people responsible for funding the construction the Santa Paula
Academy, which was later used as a high school. Blanchard Sr. was also a charter member of the Central Pacific Railroad. The
Blanchards also funded the construction of the Dean Hobbs Blanchard Memorial Library in Santa Paula in honor of their first
child, who died as a young child. Blanchard Sr. was affiliated with the Congregational Church, was a York Rite Mason, and
belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was also a member of the Sons of the Revolution and of the California
Club of Los Angeles. He died on October 22, 1917. Ann Elizabeth Hobbs Blanchard died in November 1924. They had five children:
Dean Hobbs, Sarah Eliot, Eunice Weston, Nathan Weston, Jr., and Thomas Goodwin.
Their son, Nathan Weston Blanchard, Jr., was born on October 16, 1873. He followed his father's footsteps in running the family's
citrus farm. He was a member of the Jonathan Club of Los Angeles, vice-president of the Limoneira Company, president of the
N.W. Blanchard Investment Company, and a member of the executive board of the First Branch of the Pacific-Southwest Trust
and Savings Bank of Santa Paula. He married Josephine Esther McClelland in Fresno in 1908. Nathan W. Blanchard, Jr., died
on February 5, 1932. Josephine Esther McClelland Blanchard died on April 7, 1981. They had three children: Nathan Weston Blanchard
III, Dean Hobbs Blanchard, and Eliot McClelland Blanchard. D.H. Blanchard was an avid ornithologist and world traveler. Many
of his works, photographs, and writings are included in the collection.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains correspondence, photographs, notes, legal documents, negatives, film reels, sketches, writings, and
other papers created by and related to the Blanchard family of Santa Paula. Elizabeth Blanchard letters to her husband and
children feature prominently, as do Dean Hobbs Blanchard's writing and photographs. The materials cover the history of the
family, the Limoneira Company, Santa Paula and Ventura County social life, the family international travels, and their involvement
in various aspects of local history and life.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection has been arranged at the collection level. Original order has been largely maintained, with the exception
of oversized materials that have to be housed in larger boxes. A legacy finding aid has been included for reference.
Additional Collection Guides
A legacy inventory created by former staff is available for users to reference in this
Inventory document.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Citrus fruit industry
Blanchard family -- Archives
Limoneira Company
Box 1
Correspondence, papers, and books
1854-1998
Box 3
Correspondence and photographs
1838-1950
Box 4
Manuscripts and ephemera
1861-1989
Box 5
Diaries, guestbook, and photo albums
1920-1991
Box 6
Photographs, negatives, and film
circa 1920-1960
Box 7
Correspondence, ephemera, and family documents
1861-1987
Box 8
Photo album and books
circa 1880 - 1985
Box 9
Glass negatives and oversized printed materials
1887, 1920 -1960
Box 10
Oversize photographs and printed material
1898-1980
