INVENTORY OF THE LIBERTY FARMS COMPANY ARCHIVES, 1916-1970
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
Phone: (530) 752-1621
Fax: (530) 754-5758
Email: speccoll@lib.ucdavis.edu
2004
©2004
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Note
INVENTORY OF THE LIBERTY FARMS COMPANY ARCHIVES, 1916-1970
D-044
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- General Library
- 100 North West Quad
- University of California, Davis
- Davis, CA 95616-5292
- Phone: (530) 752-1621
- Fax: (530) 754-5758
- Email: speccoll@lib.ucdavis.edu
- Processed by: John Skarstad. Encoded by: Sara Gunasekara with assistance from student employee Jenny Hodge.
- Completed: 2004
©2004 The Regents of the University of California
Descriptive Summary
Title: Liberty Farms Company Archives,
Date (inclusive): 1916-1970
Collection number: D-044
Creator:
Liberty Farms Company
Extent:
1.2 linear feet
Repository:
University of California, Davis. General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.
100 North West Quad
Davis, California, 95616-5292
Abstract: The Liberty Farms Company, founded in 1919, reclaimed 5,000 acres of swamp and overflow land in the Sacramento Delta. The
property, located eight miles north of Rio Vista and named Liberty Island by Robert K. Malcolm, was farmed by tenants on a
share basis. They produced potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, onions, peas, tomatoes, and other row crops. Liberty Farms Company
was sold to the Moresco Brothers Farming Company in 1973. The archives, which span the years 1916-1970, contain legal documents,
minutes, correspondence, clippings, photographs, and maps.
Physical location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17 of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis 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 researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Liberty Farms Company Archives, D-044, Department of Special Collections, University of California
Library, Davis, California.
Acquisition Information
The archives of Liberty Farms Company were donated by Esther Malcolm, the last Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the
Company. The correspondence, maps, and legal documents were given in 1978; the minutes and incorporation documents were given
in 1982.
Processing Information
Arranged and described by John Skarstad in May 1984. EAD finding aid created by Sara Gunasekara with assistance from student
employee Jenny Hodge in August 2004.
Administrative History
History
Liberty Island lies eight miles north of Rio Vista, in California's delta region. According to Robert K. Malcolm, who reclaimed
and developed it, the island received its name after a levee was built on the northern boundary. "When this was done, the
property was completely surrounded by water and as this was during World War I when we were fighting for liberty, I named
the property Liberty Island."
On November 17, 1917, Malcolm, George E. Bryan, Thomas A. Keogh, George B. Montagne, and J. H. Rosseter formed Liberty Farm
Company and merged their Liberty Island properties. The company was organized to construct levees and drain the land for
farming. In February 1919, Liberty Farm Company sold its assets and liabilities to Liberty Farms Company, a second corporation
headed by Robert K. Malcolm.
The company expanded to own five thousand acres of highly cultivated land largely farmed by tenants on a share basis. In
addition, Liberty Farms Company maintained a labor camp for one hundred permanent residents and accomodations for up to a
thousand seasonal laborers. The rich soil of the island produced abundant crops. First potatoes, then other commerical crops
from asparagus to zucchini were planted, sprayed, harvested, packed, and shipped by Liberty Farms during its fifty-four year
history. In order to support its large scale farming operations, Liberty Farms Company built or acquired a station on the
Sacramento Northern Railway, a secondary road to the property, a post office, and a school house for the children of its employees.
From 1918 to 1973, Liberty Island flooded twenty-seven times. High yields from the richer land in the Yolo Bypass helped
defray flood repair and maintenance costs. The discovery of natural gas on the property in 1955 and the gas depletion allowance
also helped cover rising flood related expenses, but in 1965, after four consecutive flood years, the decision was made to
sell because of low profits. The Moresco Brothers Farming Company bought the company property on November 1, 1973, and the
Liberty Farms Company liquidated and distributed its remaining assets to the shareholders the following year.
Source:
The Story of Liberty Island: Robert K. Malcolm, Founder. Interviewed and edited by Avrom I. Dickman. Davis: Shields Library, Oral History Center, University of California, Davis,
1981
Scope and Content of Collection
Organized into six series: 1. Legal Documents, 2. Minutes, 3. Correspondence, 4. Clippings, 5. Photographs, and 6. Maps.
Related Material
Oral History
The Story of Liberty Island: Robert K. Malcolm, founder. Interviewed and edited by Avrom I. Dickman. Davis: Shields Library, Oral History Center, University of California, Davis,
1981.
Manuscript Collections
D-118: Holland Land Company Archives
D-196: Reclamation District No. 551 Archives
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Liberty Farms Company
Malcolm, Robert K.
Agriculture--California--Solano County--Liberty Island
Flood control--California--Yolo Bypass
Floods--California--Sacramento River
Reclamation of land--California--Solano County
Liberty Island (Calif.)--History
Series 1
Legal Documents, 1916-1961
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Agreements, applications, authorizations, contracts, deeds, indentures, questionnaires, quitclaims, and survey reports relating
to the business affairs of Liberty Farms Company. The majority of these documents were written before 1926, with a second
group focused on 1935.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:1
Inventory of Documents, February 2, 1961
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:2
Quitclaim of "Netherlands" Land, August 11, 1916
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:3
Johnson-Shannon Lands sale agreement, January 25, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:4
Quitclaim of Hall Land, March 12, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:5
Survey Report, June 10, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:6
Holland Land Company sale agreement, June 18, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:7
Transfer of Holland Land Company mortgage, June 19, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:8
Transfer of Holland Land Company mortgage, June 20, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:9
Holland Land Company and R. H. Cross right-of-way agreement, August 30, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:10
Contract for reclamation, December 1, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:11
Deed from R. K. Malcolm and J. H. Rosseter, January 29, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:12
Sale of Liberty Farm Company to Liberty Farms Company, February 17, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:13
Sale of Liberty Farm Company land to Liberty Farms Company, February 25, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:14
Deed from Shannon Farms, March 3, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:15
Sale of Johnson Farm, March 4, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:16
Deed from R. K. and E. V. Malcolm, and J. H. and A. M. Rosseter, March 7, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:17
Deed from Olivia H. Barnard to Samuel Shannon, May, 29, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:18
Deed from Samuel and Charlotte E. Shannon, June 3, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:19
Copy of Order passed by the Reclamation Board on July 22, 1919, ca. August 4, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:20
Agreement between Kay McKay and Liberty Farms Co. concerning levee construction, January 17, 1920
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:21
Reclamation Agreement, March 3, 1920
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:22
Indenture allowing S. Sweet Company to use drainage ditch, March 3, 1920
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:23
Survey Report, March 20, 1920
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:24
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 2 and letters, July 3, 1920
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:25
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 3, June 30, 1921
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:26
Deed from J. H. and Margaret S. Batcher, and C. W. and Emma E. Jones, April 29, 1922
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:27
Deed of Trust, June 12, 1922
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:28
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 4, June 30, 1922
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:29
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 5, June 1, 1923
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:30
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 6, December 31, 1923
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:31
Copy of Answer to Suit plaintiff Arnold Reinhold, January 25, 1924
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:32
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 7, December 31, 1924
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:33
Reclamation Board Questionaire No. 8, January 1, 1926
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:34
Authorization by Kate R. Whitham of R. K. Malcolm to act as proxy, May 27, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:35
Agreement between Liberty Farms Compnay, et al, and Rio Farms, June 3, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:36
Option between Liberty Farms Company, et al, Rio Farms, and Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, June 5, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:37
Resolution by the Reclamation Board to purchase flowage rights, June 5, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:38
Consent to division of money paid by Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, June 5, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:39
Release agreement between Liberty Farms Company, et al, and Rio Farms, and Holland Land Company, June 21, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:40
Consent to payment portions, June 21, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:41
Judgement and Decree No. 7802, June 22, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:42
Consent to levees arrangement by Scott F. Ennis and George H. Casey, June 24, 1935
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:43
Agreement between Liberty Farms Company and Rio Farms, August 19, 1936
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:44
Consent to extend provisions of agreement dated August 19, 1936, August 30, 1936
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:45
Consent for George H. Casey that money be paid to Kate R. Whitham, September 23, 1938
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:46
Agreement to form "Liberty Reclamation No. 1," December 28, 1945
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:47
Agreement between Sacramento-Yolo Port District and Liberty Farms Company, et al., February 29, 1960
Physical Description:
Note
Series 2
Minutes, 1917-1974
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Minutes of the Boards of Directors and Shareholders Meetings.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:48
By-Laws of Liberty Farm Company, November 20, 1917
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:49
Minutes, November 20, 1917-April 18, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:50
Minutes, May 1, 1918-October 7, 1918
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:51
Minutes, November 7, 1918-February 24, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:52
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 8,1919-February 25, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:53
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, April 1, 1919-March 29, 1923
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:54
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, April 2, 1923-February 12, 1924
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:55
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, April 22, 1924-February 17, 1931
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:56
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, July 27, 1931-January 30, 1936
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:57
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 11, 1936-October 14, 1938
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:58
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 14, 1939-July 16, 1942
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:59
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 9, 1943-January 29, 1946
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:60
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 13, 1946-January 30, 1947
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:61
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 11, 1947-January 15, 1948
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:62
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 10, 1948-December 8, 1949
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:63
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 21, 1950-December 7, 1950
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:64
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 20, 1951-December 13, 1951
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:65
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 19, 1952-December 11, 1952
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:66
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 17, 1953-December 10,1953
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:67
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 16, 1954-December 9, 1954
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:68
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 15, 1955-December 8, 1955
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:69
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 21, 1956-January 24, 1958
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:70
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 18, 1958-December 11, 1958
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:71
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, February 17, 1959-December 14, 1961
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:72
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 8, 1962-January 7, 1965
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:73
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 11, 1965-December 9, 1965
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:74
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 31, 1966-December 14, 1967
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:75
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 14, 1968- March 13, 1969
Physical Description:
Note
Box D Folio 1
Corporation License, January 21, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:76
By-Laws of Liberty Farms Company, February 8, 1919
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:77
By-Laws of Liberty Farms Company, February 11, 1947
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:78
Articles of Incorporation, February 26, 1947
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:79
Certificate of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation, December 11, 1958
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:80
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, August 14, 1969-December 10, 1970
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:81
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 11, 1971-March 8, 1973
Physical Description:
Note
Box 1:82
Minutes of Liberty Farms Company, March 3, 1973-February 21, 1974
Physical Description:
Note
Series 3
Correspondence, 1951
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Letters and other materials relating to the activities of Liberty Farms Company.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:83
Correspondence, April 16, 1951-September 8, 1951
Physical Description:
Note
Series 4
Clippings, 1956-1973
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Newspaper accounts generally relating to the flooding of Liberty Island. Other accounts describe the sale of Liberty Farms
Company.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:84
Clippings, 1956-1973
Physical Description:
Note
Series 5
Photographs, 1938-1970
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Photographs taken by Eddie Dutra showing the flooding of Liberty Island.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:85
Photographs, 1938-1970
Physical Description:
Note
Series 6
Maps, 1918-1960
Physical Description:
Note
Scope and Content Note
Maps showing flood control projects, soil types, reclamation plans, and the school district.
Arranged chronologically.
Map Case V Drawer R
Sacramento Flood Control Project, October 1948
Physical Description:
Note
Map Case V Drawer R
Liberty (Rio Vista Division) School District, ca 1949
Physical Description:
Note
Map Case V Drawer R
Liberty Reclamation District, Soil Classification, May 1950
Physical Description:
Note
Map Case V Drawer R
Liberty Reclamation District, Parcel Notes, May 1950
Physical Description:
Note
Map Case V Drawer R
Liberty Reclamation District, December 1954
Physical Description:
Note
Map Case V Drawer R
Liberty Island Reclamation District No. 2093, May 30, 1960
Physical Description:
Note