John Sproston Papers, 1856-1885

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Summary

Creators:
Sproston, John.
Abstract:
This collection contains papers of Nevada and California mine stockholder and insurance agent John Sproston (1832-approximately 1881) and includes diaries and account books kept by Sproston and clients (1856-1879); business and personal letters (ca. 1875-1883); financial records, indentures, and stock certificates (1860-1885); and some photographs and ephemera.
Extent:
454 items in 3 boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains papers of Nevada and California mine stockholder and insurance agent John Sproston.

The Diaries/Account Books series consists of holographic account books and diaries kept by Sproston and/or his clients from 1856-1879.

The Correspondence series (ca. 1875-1883) includes business and personal letters that Sproston received and sent to others. The series also includes correspondence between clients and a small amount of letters that are addressed to Mary E. Sproston.

The Legal Documents series is divided into three subseries: Financial Records, Indentures, and Stock Certificates. The Financial Records subseries ranges from 1868 to 1885 and includes receipts, account statements, billheads, checks, and money orders in regards to the estate of F. J. (Frances Joseph) Hammell, a client of Sproston. The subseries also includes receipts regarding the tuition payment of Hannah Sproston's education and room and board, as well as a receipt verifying the payment of Sproston's life insurance policy. The Indentures subseries (1860-1880) includes legal agreements, deeds, and bill of sales in regards to mining grounds from F.J. Hammell's estate and Sproston's personal agreement with the Argonaut Mill and Mining Company. The Stock Certificates subseries dates from 1863 to 1879. Certificates within the subseries are for various gold and mining companies including Allison, Bonny, Consolidated Cedar Hill, Dardanelle, Durgan, Harrison, MaryAnn, and Wells Fargo.

The Ephemera series (1865-1885) contains a biography of Virginia Nevada, empty envelopes, announcements, invitations, a miscellaneous note, a baptism certificate, and a diploma earned by May Sproston.

The Photograph series is arranged alphabetically by folder title and contains family photographs of the Sprostons and the Hammells. There are also images of family friends, the Lewishan Church, Bow Bridge, Flores Peak, a pulled wagon, and unidentified men and women. Within this series are cabinet cards, tin types, cartes-de-visite (card photographs), and cyanotypes.

Biographical / historical:

John Sproston (1832-approximately 1881) was born in Gibraltar or Spain, in 1832. His background information is somewhat unclear but census records indicate that he lived in both San Francisco, California, and Virginia City, Nevada. He was married to Mary E. (1847-1911) who was born in New Jersey, but the year of their marriage is unknown. They had at least three children. Hannah, the eldest (1854-1891), was born in Nevada and later married to William H. McClave in 1876. May was born in 1870 and received a diploma from the State of California, Department of Public Instruction in 1895 to teach grammar school. Virginia Nevada was born in Virginia City, Nevada on June 10, 1864. She died from unknown causes on January 27, 1867. Sproston made his living in the life insurance industry. He also owned stock in various gold and mining companies like Allison, Bonny, Consolidated Cedar Hill, Dardanelle, Durgan, Harrison, MaryAnn, and Wells Fargo. He even served as a trustee for the Argonaut Gold and Mining Company of San Francisco and owned a substantial amount of the company's shares. Based on San Francisco city directories, which list John Sproston in 1880 and Mary Sproston as a widow in 1882, Sproston presumably died around 1881.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Mrs. Otto J. Zahn, September 1960.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  • 1. Diaries/Account Books (Box 1)
  • 2. Correspondence (Box 2)
  • 3. Legal Documents (Box 2)
  • 4. Ephemera (Box 2)
  • 5. Photographs (Box 3).

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

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