Martin (J.J.) Papers, 1880-1972,, bulk , bulk 1885-1936

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Summary

Title:
J.J. Martin papers
Dates:
1880-1972,, bulk , bulk 1885-1936
Creators:
Martin, J. J., (James John), 1845-1938
Abstract:
Contains documents from and relating to the Kaweah Colony, the Hartly Bay Lumber, Trading & Fishing Company, the Tasmania Colony, as well as information on other cooperatives. The Kaweah Colony records include official documents, correspondence, legal documents from a case with the U.S. Government, a scrapbook and two histories, including one unpublished manuscript by Martin. Papers also include a small amount of personal and family papers including an unpublished manuscript, "Religion and Socialism."
Extent:
Number of containers: 5 boxes and 4 volumes Linear feet: 2.2
Language:
Collection materials are in English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J.J. Martin Papers, BANC MSS C-B 363, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

Contains documents from and relating to the Kaweah Colony, the Hartly Bay Lumber, Trading & Fishing Company, the Tasmania Colony, as well as information on other cooperatives. The Kaweah Colony records include official documents, correspondence, legal documents from a case with the U.S. Government, a scrapbook and two histories, including one unpublished manuscript by Martin. Papers also include a small amount of personal and family papers including an unpublished manuscript, "Religion and Socialism."

The collection is arranged into five series. Series 1: Kaweah Colony; Series 2: Hartly Bay Lumber, Trading & Fishing Company; Series 3: Tasmania Colony; Series 4: Other Cooperatives; Series 5: Personal and Family Papers.

Biographical / historical:

James John Martin was born in 1845. The early years of his adulthood were spent in railroad endeavors and efforts related to labor unions. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Coast Seaman's Union of San Francisco in the 1880s.

These efforts were followed by his involvement in the founding of the Kaweah Co-Operative Colony. The Colony was begun with the filing of land claims in 1885 and the formal purchase of land in 1887. Martin served as the Secretary of the Kaweah Colony for five years during which time the Colony was constructed, occupied, investigated by Federal agents, prosecuted by the Federal government and eventually dismantled. After leaving Kaweah, Martin moved to Los Angeles where he continued to fight for compensation of the colonists by the government. During this time Martin and some colleagues began to explore the possibility of establishing a cooperative colony in Mexico, but exploration proved fruitless.

At the beginning of the 20th century Martin moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he worked for a short period as a salesman before becoming involved in a labor dispute on behalf of the Marine Engineer's Association. Following the resolution of that labor dispute, he was hired as the organizing Secretary and Treasurer of the Merchant Service Guild of Canada. Amidst a dispute within the organization, Martin resigned in 1909. For the next two years Martin was involved in the establishment of the entrepreneurial enterprise of the Hartly Bay Lumber, Trading and Fishing Company. This business collapsed in 1911 and Martin spent the next 4 years working as Special Representative for the Hotel Del Monte in Western Canada.

In 1914 Martin retired from his work with the Hotel Del Monte and spent the next two years working to establish a cooperative colony similar to the Kaweah Colony in Tasmania. Despite the backing of prominent governmental officials in Tasmania, the colony failed to secure parliamentary approval for their establishment and in 1915 efforts were abandoned.

Following the failure of the Tasmania Colony, Martin suffered a nervous breakdown and spent several weeks convalescing with friends in Tasmania. Upon his recuperation he returned to British Columbia and unsuccessfully sought employment again with the Hotel Del Monte. Martin spent the next 19 years in retirement spending time with his children and grandchildren. He died on May 10, 1938 in San Luis Obispo.

Acquisition information:
The J.J. Martin Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Daisy Martin Redstone in September, 1941. Additions were made in 1985 and 1988 by Ellis Redstone.
Processing information:

Processed by Alison E. Bridger and Andrea O'Neill (SJSU SLIS student) in 2005-2006.

Accruals:

No additions are expected.

Physical location:
Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Guide written by Alison E. Bridger and Andrea O'Neill
Date Prepared:
© 2006
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid generated by Guide author(s) via EAD XPress; markup validated by Bancroft Library staff using OAC validation tools; Date of source: January 2006

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J.J. Martin Papers, BANC MSS C-B 363, The Bancroft Library, University 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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