Pearson (Gustavus C.) Papers, 1824-1983

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Summary

Title:
Gustavus C. Pearson Family Papers,
Dates:
1824-1983
Creators:
Pearson, Gustavus C.
Abstract:
The collection consists primarily of diaries, and letters between the members of Gustavus Pearson's immediate family -- his wife Hattie and three children, John A., Francis, and Norman. Included in the correspondence are also a few letters from Gustavus and his brother George T., to their father, Judge John Pearson; a series of letters from Gustavus's daughter, Frances, written to her husband, James A. Meeks, while on a trip to Europe with her father in 1900; and miscellaneous letters to and from other family members. The diaries provide a more or less daily account (with a number of gaps) of the life of Gustavus Pearson from 1845 to 1905. Also included are a diary by Mrs. A.C. Brown, Frances Pearson's travel diary, and a small book of notes by Judge John Pearson.
Extent:
Number of containers: 1 carton (also containing 2 shoe boxes) Linear feet: 1.25
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Gustavus C. Pearson Family Papers, BANC MSS 92/840 c, The Bancroft Library, Universtity of California, Berkeley

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists primarily of diaries and letters between the members of Gustavus Pearson's immediate family -his wife, Hattie, and their children, John A., Francis, and Norman. Included in the correspondence are also a few letters from Gustavus and his brother, George T., to their father, Judge John Pearson; a series of letters from Gustavus' daughter, Frances, written to her husband, James A. Meeks, while on a trip to Europe with her father in 1900; and miscellaneous letters to and from other family members.

Gustavus began his diaries in April 1845 and kept them almost continually until 1905. Although there are several gaps --either lost diaries or cessation in writing --the diaries provide a more or less daily account of Gustavus' life throughout these years. Also included are a diary by Mrs. A.C. Brown, Frances' travel diary, and a small book of notes by Judge John Pearson, as well as Gustavus' and Hattie's accounts journals and miscellaneous other personal and property records.

Biographical / historical:

Gustavus C. Pearson was born at Ravenna, Ohio on July 17, 1827. He and his father, Judge John Pearson, came separately to California from Illinois in 1849 for the Gold Rush. Gustavus travelled overland through Salt Lake City, and, on Brigham Young's recommendation, created with his companions the first wagon road from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles via San Bernadino. After his involvement in the Gold Rush, Gustavus returned to Chicago, where he remained until 1867. On his return to California, Gustavus located at Vallejo and entered into partnership with A.D. Starr, to operate a milling and grain-shipping business under the name of Pearson & Starr. The Starr Mills, which they built in Vallejo, was one of the largest mills of its day. Gustavus eventually returned East, settling in Danville, Illinois in 1879.

Acquisition information:
The Gustavus C. Pearson Family Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Frances McReynolds Smith on June 30, 1992.
Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Elizabeth Stepens
Date Prepared:
© 1996
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from paper by means of scanning and OCR; OCR file edited for typographical errors before encoding; finding aid encoded by Padma Rubiales. Date of source: 1993. Final version edited by Gabriela A. Montoya.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright has been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Gustavus C. Pearson Family Papers, BANC MSS 92/840 c, The Bancroft Library, Universtity of California, Berkeley

Location of this collection:
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
Contact:
510-642-6481
bancref-library@berkeley.edu
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