Letters; manuscripts of his writings; notes; reprints and copies of articles; diaries; newspaper clippings, and photographs, relating to the Sierra Club; John Muir; conservation (including material on the recession of Yosemite and the Hetch Hetchy controversy); mining law; his Chinese art collection; and genealogy.

Included also: letters (typed transcripts) written by John Muir, mainly to his daughter Helen.

William Edward Colby was born in Benicia, California, in 1875. His mother, Caroline Amelia (Smith) Colby, had been a teacher in the Young Ladies Seminary, and his father, Gilbert Winslow Colby, was a `49er, merchant, state assemblyman and state senator. After attending public schools in Benicia and Berkeley, Colby was graduated from the Hastings College of Law in 1898. He began his practice in San Francisco and soon specialized in mining law. From 1911 to 1937 he taught mining and water law at the University of California. He wrote numerous articles on the subject, compiling a valuable library as well.

Number of containers: 2 boxes, 3 cartons, and 1 oversize folder

Copyright has not 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.

Collection is open for research.