Chase-Morley Papers
Finding aid prepared by Brian Song.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2009
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Chase-Morley Papers
Dates: 1867-1925
Collection Number: mssChaseMorley papers
Creator:
Chase, Manly M.
Morley, William R.
Extent:
168 items in 1 box and 11 volumes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The collection consists of correspondence and manuscripts of and related to New Mexico rancher
Manly M. Chase and William R. Morley, his wife, Ada M. Morley Jarrett, and their family, chiefly dating from the 1880s to
the early 1900s.
The bulk of the papers consist of the personal and business correspondence of Manly M. Chase and Ada M. Morley Jarrett;
there are also some records related to the S.M. Chase Cattle Company.
Language of Material: The records are in English.
Access
The collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information,
please visit the Huntington's website:
www.huntington.org.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information,
please go to following
web site .
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Chase-Morley Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mrs. Troy Smith, December 15, 1956.
Biographical Note
Manly M. Chase (1842-1915) was born in Wisconsin on October 8, 1842. Before founding the Chase Ranch, Chase and his father
worked as merchants who sold beef and other goods to miners.
Manly Chase and his wife Teresa settled in New Mexico in 1867 and purchased a portion of the Maxwell Land Grant to start
a cattle ranch. Chase successfully raised
livestock such as cattle and sheep, managing companies such as the Maxwell Cattle Company and the Chase, Eno and Company.
Chase was also well-known for his orchards
which primarily produced apples.
Manly Chase and Teresa were close friends with William R. Morley Sr. and his wife Ada. After Morley’s accidental death--accidentally
shot on his way to Mexico in January 1883--Chase
assumed responsibility of the Morley Estate and the welfare of the Morley children, W.R. and Ada L. Morley. Ada M. Morley
continued to conduct business with Chase
and owned shares in various cattle companies and lands. Their relationship was strained due to the court struggle over
the estate of the Morley children and Chase’s
guardianship role. Ada M. Morley married Floyd Jarrett in 1884, though he deserted the family around 1889. Manly M. Chase
died in 1915, but his sons went on to continue the Chase Ranch business.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of the correspondence and manuscripts of and related to New Mexico rancher
Manly M. Chase and William R. Morley, his wife, Ada M. Morley, and their family, chiefly dating from the 1880s to the early
1900s. The bulk of the papers consist of the
personal and business correspondence of Manly M. Chase and Ada M. Morley; there are also some records related to the S.M.
Chase Cattle Company. The material is arranged chronologically and can be categorized into manuscripts,
correspondence, ephemera, and letter books.
Manuscripts include memorandums, an affidavit, a bond, and written articles about Morley family members, Ada M. and Agnes
Morley. The bulk of the
manuscripts consist of legal materials regarding the Morley estate and children, W.R. Morley and Ada L. Morley. Manuscripts
also include official
court papers, bank statements, and legal agreement drafts.
The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters from Ada M. (Morley) Jarrett to Manly M. Chase about various personal and
business matters.
Notable items include Ada M. (Morley) Jarrett’s letter to Manly M. Chase in which she expresses her thoughts about the
death of her husband,
W.R. Morley, and written letters regarding the guardianship of Chase over her children. Her other correspondence covers
subjects such as
business advice, stocks, land, legal issues, and family matters. Other types of correspondence in the collection include
letters written
to Manly M. Chase from individuals who include Agnes Morley, Floyd Jarrett, Henry Chase, Lucretia Mitchell, W.M. Eads,
and W.J. Stanton.
These letters cover a variety of personal and business issues related to Chase’s life. Subject matters include business
transactions, legal
issues, money matters, and personal matters regarding the lives of the Morley children. Notable items also include several
telegrams that
recount the death of William R. Morley.
The papers also include some ephemera which include materials such as envelopes and handwritten notes on scratch pieces of
paper by
Manly M. Chase. The collection also includes a photograph (1879) of the Morley children.
The papers also contain 11 letter books that contain the personal and business correspondence of Manly M. Chase. The letter
books are
arranged chronologically and include correspondence and financial ledgers. These books are housed with the collection.
Each letter
book deals with the day-to-day business matters and transactions of Manly M. Chase, which include the sale of cattle,
sheep, wool,
and fruit from the orchards. Also included are the personal itemized grocery lists of Manly M. Chase and information on
payments made
to business associates. Other correspondence subject matter includes written contractual agreements, livestock advice,
personal and
legal matters regarding Ada M. (Morley) Jarrett, and issues concerning the Maxwell Land Grant Co., Red River Cattle Co.,
and Gila Cattle Co.
Along with letter book 1 is a Quitclaim Deed for Manly M. Chase which was found inserted near the book's cover page.
Letter book 9 contains
a folder with an index of names associated with the ledger contents. Letter book 10 also includes an inserted folder
that contains typed and
handwritten manuscripts of the minutes of the annual meeting of the stockholders of S.M. Chase Cattle Company which was
found inserted near the
cover page. Letter book 11 includes an inserted folder that contains an accounts payable ledger and typed letters regarding
payments made to the
S.M. Chase Cattle Company. Several of the letter books have newspaper clippings in them as well.
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Chase, Manley M.
Jarrett, Ada M.
Morley, William R.
S.M. Chase Cattle Company.
Subjects
Business enterprises -- New Mexico.
Cattle trade -- New Mexico.
Ranchers -- New Mexico -- Archives.
Ranches -- New Mexico.
Real property -- New Mexico.
Geographic Areas
Maxwell Land Grant (N.M. and Colo.)
New Mexico -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
New Mexico -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
Genre
Business records United States 19th century.
Legal documents United States 19th century.
Letter books United States 19th century.
Letter books United States 20th century.
Letters (correspondence) United States 19th century.
Folder 1
[Undated].
Morley, William R. Survey for Water Works on Oak Farm. 1 item.
Folder 2
[Undated].
Memorandum for answer of M.M. Chase on Charles Springer letterhead. 1 item.
Folder 3
[Undated].
Memorandum regarding Red River Cattle Company. 1 item.
Folder 4
[Undated].
Cleaveland, Norman. Typed opinion/biographic articles about the Morley family. 3 items.
Folder 5
[Undated].
Articles written about Ada Morley and Agnes Morley Cleaveland. 2 items.
Folder 6
1883, May 1.
Bond signed and sealed for Ada M. Morley and Frank Springer. 1 item.
Folder 7
1887, Feb. 19.
Affidavit signed by Ada Morley Jarrett and Floyd Jarrett. 1 item.
Folder 8
1890-1892.
Morley estate papers, bank statements and letters to M.M. Chase. 14 items.
Folder 9
1891.
County of Arapahoe. Court document regarding the estate of W.R. Morley, deceased. 1 item.
Folder 10
1892-1893.
County of Arapahoe. Court documents regarding the estate of Morley minors. 12 items.
Folder 11
1876, Nov.
Morley, Ada M. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 12
1876 - 1882.
Morley, William R. 9 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 13
1882, June 8.
Nor[th], Edward. 1 letter to W.R. Morley.
Folder 14
1882 - 1883.
13 telegrams regarding the death of William R. Morley.
Folder 15
1883.
Morley, Ada M. 4 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 16
1883-1889.
Chase, Henry. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 17
1884, Jan. 6.
Morley, Ada M. 1 letter to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 18
1884, Jan. 13.
Lyndon, VT. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 19
1884, Jan. 23.
Robinson, D.B. 1 letter to J.M. Cunningham.
Folder 20
1884.
Morley, Ada M. 4 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 21
1885, Jun. 2.
Jarrett, Floyd. 1 letter to C.A. Westcott.
Folder 22
1885, July.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 2 letters to C.A. Westcott.
Folder 23
[1885].
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 3 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 24
1885.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 4 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 25
1885-1889.
Stanton, W.J. 4 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 26
1887, Feb. 19[29].
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 1 letter to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 27
[1889], July 6.
Mitchell, J.C. 1 letter to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 28
1889.
Eads, W.M. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 29
1890.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 6 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 30
1890.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase and Teresa Chase.
Folder 31
1890-1891.
Morley, Agnes. 3 letters to Manly M. Chase and Teresa Chase.
Folder 32
1890 - 1892.
Chase, Manly M. 3 letters to Judge Markham, Mrs. A.M. Jarrett, and Mess. Perry and Bliss.
Folder 33
1891, June 17.
Brooks, G.L. 1 letter to G.N. Gentry on behalf of Floyd Jarrett.
Folder 34
1891.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 35
1891.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 2 letters to Teresa Chase.
Folder 36
1891 - 1892.
Perry, John A., Perry, William R., Markham, V.D., Gilfillan, Belden, and Willard, Perry and Bliss, Butler, H. 8 Letters to
Manly M. Chase.
Folder 37
1892.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 5 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 38
1892-1893.
Mitchell, Lucretia. 5 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 39
1893, Jan. 4.
Folsom, S.M. 1 letter to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 40
1893.
Jarrett, Ada M. Morley. 3 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 41
1893.
Springer, Charles. 2 letters to Manly M. Chase.
Folder 42
1879.
Photograph of Morley children: Agnes, Ray, Ada L. Morley. 1 item.
Folder 43
1890, Apr. 14.
[Chase, Manly M.] Note on M.M. Chase letterhead. 1 item.
Folder 44
[Undated].
Chase, Manly M. Handwritten notes to H.M. Pearl. 2 items.
Folder 45
1884-1900.
Ephemera. Letter and telegram envelopes and various handwritten notes. 17 items.
Volume 1
1876 - 1877.
Chase, Manly M. Business ledger book.
Volume 2
1884.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 3
1885 - 1886.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 4
1888 - 1893.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 5
1895.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 6
1895 - 1896.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 7
1895 - 1897.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 8
1897 - 1898.
Chase, Manly M. Letter Book.
Volume 9
1918 - 1924.
S.M. Chase Cattle Company. “Ledger” Business ledger book.
Volume 10
1918 - 1925.
S.M. Chase Cattle Company. “Journal” Business ledger book.
Volume 11
1918 - 1925.
S.M. Chase Cattle Company. “Cash” Business ledger book.
