Collection Guide
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Fernald (Charles) Papers
mssFernald
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Charles Fernald papers
Creator:
Fernald, Charles,
1830-1892
Identifier/Call Number: mssFernald
Physical Description:
10.59 Linear Feet
(11 boxes, 25 volumes)
Date (inclusive): 1850-1921
Abstract: Charles Heard Fernald was a prominent
pioneer, cultural leader, and jurist from Santa Barbara County, California. This collection
consists of personal, legal, and land papers, primarily related to the Santa Barbara area,
from 1850 to 1921.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department.
For more information, contact Reader Services.
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.
[Identification of item]. Charles Fernald papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Florence Fernald, June 1950.
Charles Heard Fernald was born in Maine on May 28, 1830. Fernald came to California in 1848
and tried mining in the Mother Lode. In 1850 he went to San Francisco, where he became a
self-taught lawyer and a member of the California Bar at the age of twenty-two. Fernald
settled in Santa Barbara and was elected successively as sheriff, district attorney, and
judge of Santa Barbara County. He became recognized as a leading authority on Mexican land
grants. He passed away in Santa Barbara on July 7, 1892.
The Charles Fernald papers consists of personal, legal, and land papers primarily related
to the Santa Barbara area from 1852 to 1904. Included are approximately 600 letters from
Thomas Robert Bard, a developer of oil lands in Southern California to Fernald from 1870 to
1892. Subjects represented include court cases, chiefly in Southern California; land papers;
and ranchos. Materials include correspondence, letter books, judicial records, appointments,
commissions, petitions, maps, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and others.
Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa mid-20th century. In 2020, Gina C Giang and
Maggie Hughes created a finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
Former call number: mssFernald papers.
Organized in eight series:
- Series 1. Personal papers, 1852-1921
- Series 2. Business papers, 1852-1903
- Series 3. Judicial records, 1857-1890
- Series 4. Land papers, 1850-1916
- Series 5. Manuscripts, 1859
- Series 6. Maps and photographs
- Series 7. Newspaper clippings
- Series 8. Ephemera
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Judges -- California -- Santa Barbara -- Archives
Lawyers -- California -- Santa Barbara -- Archives
Real property -- California -- Santa Barbara
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- Santa Barbara