Finding aid to the William D. M. Howard papers, 1823-1878, undated,
Vault MS 30
Finding aid prepared by Tierney Haupt
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA, 94105-4014
(415) 357-1848
reference@calhist.org
2011
Title: William D. M. Howard papers
Date: 1823-1878
Collection Identifier: Vault MS
30
Creator:
Howard, William D. M. (William Davis Merry),
1818-1856.
Extent:
4 boxes, 1 oversize box
(2.75 linear feet)
Repository:
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA, 94105
415-357-1848
reference@calhist.org
URL: http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/
Location of Materials: Collection is stored onsite.
Language of Materials: Most items are in English, with a few in Spanish.
Abstract: Collection consists of San Francisco merchant and
financier William D. M. Howard’s correspondence and business papers. Also includes
business papers of William R. Warren, a Honolulu merchant; Howard’s brother George;
Henry F. Teschemacher, tenth mayor of San Francisco; and William A. Liedesdorff.
Collection contains correspondence relating to an 1852 plan to light San Francisco
with gas. A small number of papers relating to the outfitting of the expedition to
rescue the Donner Party are also part of the collection. Two volumes are included: a
log from the schooner Julia Ann, and court records relating to the Lup-Yomi Rancho
case.
Access
Publication Rights
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials
must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Library and Archives, North
Baker Research Library, California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San
Francisco, CA 94105. Consent is given on behalf of the California Historical Society
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the
copyright owner. Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original
materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational
purposes.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William D. M. Howard papers, Vault MS 30, California
Historical Society.
Acquisition Information
The William D. M. Howard papers were given to the California Historical Society by
Mr. and Mrs. K. K. Bechtel in 1955.
System of Arrangement
Items are arranged in chronological order. Folder headings were added to facilitate
access.
Biographical Information
William Davis Merry Howard was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1818 and became a
sailor, eventually working on trading ships along the Pacific Coast. He settled in
San Francisco and dealt in hides before partnering with Henry Mellus in 1845. Mellus
and Howard were successful in the general merchandise business, especially as
business boomed during the Gold Rush. Howard assisted in the financial organization
and support of the expedition to rescue the Donner Party in 1847. His first wife,
Mary Warren, died in 1849 and he soon married Agnes Poett, with whom he had one son,
William. Howard became a community leader, serving on the first city council, and
was a well-known philanthropist in San Francisco. He also owned a rancho on land
near San Mateo. He died in 1856 and, after his death, his widow Agnes married his
brother George. Howard Street in San Francisco is named after him.
Scope and Contents
Collection consists of correspondence, invoices, and receipts from pioneer California
residents, merchants, and companies, reflecting William D. M. Howard's extensive
commercial activities through his firm, Mellus & Howard; business and personal
papers (1823-1863) of Henry F. Teschemacher, mayor of San Francisco from 1859-1863;
business papers (1823-1849) of William R. Warren, a merchant in Honolulu; Howard
estate papers; business papers of Howard's brother, George; a small amount of papers
relating to Howard's involvement in the Donner Party rescue; papers relating to
William A. Leidesdorff, including estate papers while Howard was the executor, and
records of Leidesdorff's schooner, Julia Ann; papers relating to the Lup-Yomi Rancho
case and other land settlement cases; and to an abortive plan for lighting San
Francisco by gas in 1852, involving Howard and Frederick A. Woodworth. Other persons
represented include William Heath Davis, Henry D. Fitch, Thomas O. Larkin, and Jacob
P. Leese. Also included are family letters from Howard’s mother, sister, and nephew
in Boston, and from his second wife, Agnes, who married his brother George after
Howard’s death.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Howard, George H.
Howard, William D. M. (William Davis Merry),
1818-1856--Archives.
Julia Ann (Schooner).
Leidesdorff, William A. (William Alexander),
1810-1848.
Mellus & Howard
Company.
Teschemacher, Henry F.
Warren, William R.
Donner Party
Rancho Lup-Yomi (Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.)--Commerce.
Bibliography
Biograpical information from:
Block, E.
The Immortal San Franciscans for Whom the
Streets Were Named
. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1971.
Box 1, Folder 1
William R. Warren correspondence and business records
1823-1829
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 1, Folders 2-3
William R. Warren correspondence and business records
1830-1839
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 1, Folder 4
Correspondence and business records
1840-1842
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 1, Folder 5
Correpondence
1843 January - August
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 1, Folders 6-7
Correspondence and business records
1843 September - December
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 1, Folder 8
Correspondence
1844 January - September
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 1, Folders 9-10
Correspondence and business records
1844 October - December
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 2, Folder 1
Henry Teschemacher and William D. M. Howard
correspondence
1845 January - July
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 2, Folder 2
Correspondence and business records
1845 August - December
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 2, Folder 3
Correspondence and business records
1846
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 2, Folder 4
Henry Teschemacher and William D. M. Howard correspondence and
business records
1847
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 2, Folder 5
Records for the relief expedition to the mountains to rescue the
Donner Party
1847
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Scope and Contents
Collection includes receipts for supplies to outfit those heading to rescue
the Donner Party and lists of donors to the relief effort. Howard was
treasurer of the expedition for the relief of sufferers in the
mountains.
Box 1, Folder 6
Correspondence and business records
1848
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 2, Folders 7-8
Correspondence and business records
1849
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 2, Folders 9-10
Correspondence and business records
1850
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 3, Folders 1-2
Correspondence and business records
1851
Physical Description:
2.0 folder
Box 3, Folders 3-4
Correspondence and business records
1852 January - June
Physical Description:
2.0 folders
Box 3, Folder 5
Gas lighting plan for San Francisco correspondence
1852
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Scope and Contents
Collection includes letters from Frank A. Woodworth to George H. Howard and
George N. Shaw regarding a plan to bring gas lighting to San Francisco.
Woodworth traveled around the northeastern United States investigating
gasworks and reporting to Howard and Shaw. Their plan was abandoned due to
competitors with lower prices.
Box 3, Folder 6
Correspondence and business records
1852 July - December
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 3, Folder 7
Correspondence and business records
1853 January - June
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 3, Folder 8
Correspondence and business records
1853 July - December
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 3, Folder 9
Correspondence and business records
1854 January - June
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 3, Folder 10
Correspondence and business records
1854 July - December
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 3, Folder 11
Family papers
1854
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 1
Correspondence and business records
1855
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 2
Family papers
1855
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 3
Correspondence and business records
1856
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 4
Agreement regarding construction of a lane on rancho San
Mateo
30 September 1858
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 5
George Howard correspondence and business records
1859
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 6
George Howard correspondence and business records
1860s-1870s
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Box 4, Folder 7
Correspondence and business records
undated
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Oversize Box 1
Account book for the schooner Julia Ann
1840-1842
Physical Description:
1.0 volume
Scope and Contents
Log from the schooner Julia Ann listing the names of the crew and tracking
deductions from sailors’ wages for cash advances and the purchase of
clothing and other goods. Also lists the ship’s expenses for purchases of
food and other goods in New York, Panama, Taboga, and along the coast of
California.
Oversize Box 1
Transcript of the proceedings in case no. 507, H. S. Teschemacher, et
al: claimants vs. United States, defendant for the place named
Lup-Yomi
29 April 1854
Physical Description:
1.0 volume
