Description
This collection contains papers assembled by James B. Clover (1870-1956)
and Katherine M. Clover (1906-1990) as part of their struggle against the City of Los Angeles concerning family land holdings
in Mono County. Includes correspondence, documents, maps, reports, publications, and clippings related to land tenure and
water use in and around Mono County,
Inyo County, and Los Angeles, California, with the bulk dating from 1914 to 1986.
Background
James B. (James Benton) Clover (1870-1956) was born in 1870 in Pennsylvania. After
moving to California, Clover and his wife Anna (1879-1963) eventually purchased a
substantial amount of land in Mono County south of Mono Lake including a large
portion around Rush Creek. In 1930, the City of Los Angeles began eminent domain
rights proceedings on much of the land in the area. The case, City of Los Angeles vs. Nina B. Aitken, et al. was eventually tried in
1934 and 1935. By the time of the hearing, most of the defendants had sold their
property to the city except four owners, including the Clovers. When the dust
settled, the City of Los Angeles owned thousands of acres of land and had water
rights on thousands more. Although the Clover family, including daughter Katherine
M. (Katherine Mary) Clover (1906-1990) lived in Los Angeles, they retained a small
parcel of land in Mono County, which at one point operated as a hunting and fishing
lodge. Not happy with the award by the jury, James B. Clover continued to fight the
city until his death on May 17, 1956.
Extent
5,941 pieces in 84 boxes and 102
oversize folders
Restrictions
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.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.