Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- George Clifford letter book
- Dates:
- January 3, 1855 - October 19, 1865
- Creators:
- Clifford, George, 1818-1877
- Abstract:
- Extent:
- 1 folder
- Language:
- Preferred citation:
-
George Clifford letter book. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The volume includes tissue copies of Clifford’s letters to the firms Maclaine Watson & Co., Fraser Eaton & Co., in Batavia (Jakarta), and George Griswold, N.Y., and to banks such as Baring Bros., Dabney, Morgan & Co. and Duncan, Sherman & Co. It includes remarks about prices for sugar, coffee, rice, rattan and other products, and about insurance for shipped cargoes and losses. Many letters are difficult to read. A letter dated Sept. 28, 1865 and signed by M. S. Latham is included. Volume seems to lack any reference to the September 1859 fire that consumed the clipper ship Mastiff, on which Clifford was a passenger along with Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Clifford came to California in 1852 and settled in San Francisco, working as a commission merchant. He was an officer of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce (1854) and married Sarah Cavanagh in 1866. He died January 7, 1877 in San Francisco.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchase.
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Commission merchants
Coffee—Prices.
Rice—Prices.
Sugar—Prices.
Rattan—Prices.
Shipping—California—San Francisco
Letter books - Names:
- Maclaine Watson & Co.
Dabney, Morgan & Co.
Fraser Eaton & Co.
Nathaniel L. & George Griswold (New York, N.Y.) - Places:
- San Francisco (Calif.)—Commerce.
Jakarta (Indonesia)—History—19th century.
Indonesia—Commerce—United States—History—19th century.
United States—Commerce—Indonesia—History—19th century.
About this collection guide
- Date Prepared:
- January 3, 1855 - October 19, 1865
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:55 p.m.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with photographs available during Photo Desk hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.
- Terms of access:
-
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
- Preferred citation:
-
George Clifford letter book. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center
- Location of this collection:
-
San Francisco Public Library100 Larkin StreetSan Francisco, CA 94102, US
- Contact:
- (415) 557-4567