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Guide to the Couts Family Collection
MS 18
MS 18
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Title: Couts Family Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 18
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear feet
(1 box)
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1838-1896
Date (inclusive): 1826 - 1964
Abstract: This collection contains the military, business, and personal papers of Cave J. Couts, a prominent businessman in early San
Diego, as well as business papers and personal papers of other members of the Couts Family.
creator:
Couts, Cave Johnson, 1821-1874
Biographical / Historical Notes
Cave Johnson Couts was born near Springfield, Tennessee on November 11, 1821. His uncle, Cave Johnson, was Postmaster General
under President Polk and had him appointed to West Point, where he graduated in 1843. Cave served on the frontier until after
the Mexican war, and then in Los Angeles, San Luis Rey, and San Diego from 1848 to 1851. In 1849, he was the commander for
the escort of Lt. Amiel Weeks Whipple’s expedition to the Colorado River. In 1851, he retired from the army and accepted an
appointment as aid-de-camp to Governor Bigler.
He married Ysidora Bandini, daughter of Juan Bandini, on April 5, 1851 and they built a ranch on a tract of land known as
the Guajome, gifted to Ysidora by her brother-in-law Abel Stearns. They had ten children together: Abel Stearns, María Antonía
Arcadia, William Bandini Guillermo Antonio, Cave Johnson Jr., Nancy Dolores, Ysidora Forster, Elena Francisca, Robert Lee,
John Forster, and María Carolina (Caroline). Cave grew wealthy through the cattle industry and expanded onto ranchos in San
Marcos, Buena Vista, and La Jolla. He died in San Diego on June 10, 1874. Ysidora continued to live on the rancho and managed
it until her death in 1897.
This collection contains the military, business, and personal papers of Cave J. Couts. Military papers consist of correspondence
regarding Couts’ army expedition to the Colorado River with Lieutenant Whipple, as well as certificates of appointment. Business
papers include correspondence with business partners such as E.W. Morse, lists of taxable property, and a traders’ licenses.
Personal papers include estate papers as well as correspondence with family.
The collection also contains business papers and personal papers of other members of Cave Cout’s family: his sons, William
Bandini, Cave Johnson Jr., and Robert Lee; his brothers, John Forster and William Blount; as well as assorted wills, marriage
licenses, and genealogical notes.
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Cave J. Couts Papers;
Series II: Couts Family Papers.
Series I is arranged by subject and Series II is arranged alphabetically by family member.
Couts Family Collection, MS 18, San Diego History Center Document Archives, San Diego, CA.
This collection is open for research.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Collection processed by Samantha Mills in June 2013.
This collection represents a fraction of the total size of Couts’ papers that are available, with the Huntington Library possessing
approximately 16,000 items dating from 1821-1874.
The typed inventory of military correspondence located in Folder 1 was created when the collection was originally processed
in 1955.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ames, Frank
Couts, Cave Johnson, Jr.
Couts, John Forster
Couts, Robert Lee
Couts, William Bandini
Couts, William Blount
Emory, William H. (William Hemsley), 1811-1887
Ensworth, Augustus S.
International Boundary Commission.
Mendoza, Juan
Morse, Ephraim W.
Whipple, Amiel Weeks, 1817?-1863
Correspondence
Licenses
Real property
San Diego (Calif.)