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Finding aid to the R. W. Waterman papers, 1886-1924, undated, MS 4128
MS 4128  
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Collection Overview
 
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Description
Consists of the papers of R. W. Waterman, including ephemera and women’s suffrage newspapers. Materials date from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Includes ephemera related to fraternal organizations and clubs within California. The types of ephemera in the collection include: invitations, programs, tickets, dance cards, menus, business cards, and newspaper clippings. Also includes women's suffrage newspapers collected after Waterman's death.
Background
Robert Whitney Waterman was born in Fairfield, New York, on December 15, 1826, and, as a boy, moved to Illinois with his older brothers after their father’s death. He worked as a storekeeper and farmer there. After hearing of gold, Waterman traveled to California in 1850 to try mining but was unsuccessful and returned to Illinois two years later. In Wilmington, Illinois, he became highly involved in the Republican Party and, in 1856, he was one of the state’s two delegates to the Republican National Convention. The other was Abraham Lincoln. In 1873, Waterman moved to California with his family, eventually settling in San Bernardino. Waterman became extremely successful in the mining industry and also owned large tracts of land. In 1886 he ran on the Republican ticket for the office of lieutenant governor and was elected along with a Democratic governor. Upon the governor’s death in September 1887, Waterman assumed the office and held it until January of 1891. In failing health, he died of pneumonia on April 12, 1891.
Extent
5 boxes (2.7 linear feet)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates: https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/