Guide to the Harvey Family Papers, 1848-1965
Processed by Paige Dowling; machine-readable finding aid created by
James Lake
Fresno City & County Historical Society Archives
7160 West Kearney Boulevard
Fresno, California 93706
Phone: (559) 441-0862
Fax: (559) 441-1372
Email: Fhsarchiv@aol.com
URL: http://www.valleyhistory.org
© 1999
Fresno City and County Historical Society. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Harvey Family Papers, 1848-1965
Collection number: MSS #009
Fresno City & County Historical Society
Archives
Fresno, California
Contact Information:
- Fresno City & County Historical Society Archives
- 7160 West Kearney Boulevard
- Fresno, California 93706
- Phone: (559) 441-0862
- Fax: (559) 441-1372
- Email: Fhsarchiv@aol.com
- URL: http://www.valleyhistory.org
- Processed by:
- Paige Dowling
- Encoded by:
- James Lake
© 1999 Fresno City and County Historical Society. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Harvey Family Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1848-1965
Collection number: MSS #009
Origination:
Harvey, William, 1841-1922
Extent: 4 linear feet
Repository:
Fresno City and County Historical Society
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Acquisition
Gift of Harvey Estate.
Access
Collection is open for research by appointment only.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Fresno City and County Historical Society. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing
to the Society archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Fresno City and County Historical Society 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], Harvey Family Papers, MSS #009, Fresno City and County Historical Society.
Biography
William Camden Harvey was born on January 22, 1841 in Weymouth, England. Harvey was an accountant by trade and came to the
United States in 1885 with his wife, Catherine. The family first settled in Minnesota before coming to California. Mr. Harvey
entered the real estate business and became a land promoter/developer in Fresno County. The Harvey's purchased 40 acres of
land in an area known as the Belmont district, later part of the City of Fresno, and planted a vineyard. Mr. Harvey later
developed Washington Colony, just south of the city. Real estate profits allowed Mr. Harvey to retire just three years after
his arrival in Fresno and, in 1888, he turned his attention to philanthropic work.
Harvey was an executive officer of the Producers Raisin Association, a precursor to the California State Raisin Grower's Association,
founded by M. Theo Kearney, of which Harvey would be Secretary. He was also a member of various community organizations and
gave a large donation to the Fresno County Humane Society, of which he was first President. The Harvey's were active in the
First Baptist Church of Fresno.
Mr. Harvey died on July 7, 1922 and Mrs. Harvey passed on January 14, 1935. The couple had 11 children, Frederick, William
Jr., Dalton, Sydney, Constance, Louise, Ada, Frances, Annie, Alice, and Robert. Frederick and Robert were killed in separate
drowning accidents in 1895 and 1896. William Jr. and Ada followed their father in the real estate business and Ada was also
an attorney. Sydney worked as the manager for the Freight Division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway in Seattle, Washington.
After a fire destroyed their ranch home the family moved to 905 "S" Street. The home was built in 1890 and located in downtown
Fresno. Ada, Constance, Louise, and Frances lived in the home as late as 1965.
Scope and Content
The Harvey Family Collection dates from 1848-1965, and measures 4 linear feet. The papers are arranged in the following series:
William and Catherine Harvey Papers, Annie Harvey, Ada Harvey Papers, Frances Harvey, Family Genealogy, and California State
Raisin Grower's Association Records. Material includes correspondence, printed material, legal and financial records, and
photographs relating to the Harvey Family and the business and personal lives of the various family members
William and Catherine Harvey Papers,
1848-1935
Additional Note
The series is arranged into correspondence, medical records, legal records, and printed material. The series relates to Mr.
and Mrs. Harvey and includes letters written to Mrs. Harvey by members of the immediate family as well as English cousins.
One file of letters relates to the diversion of funds from an inheritance account to build the family home after a fire at
the family vineyard. The medical records include a phrenology examination of Mr. Harvey in 1848, the examination stated he
had a "well balanced head." Printed material includes calling cards of Mr. Harvey
Annie Harvey,
1889-1915
Scope and Content Note
Certificates earned by Annie in school and church.
Ada Harvey Papers, 1897-1934
Scope and Content Note
Includes a diary, correspondence, legal records, and printed material. The legal records make up the bulk of the series and
relate to Ada's investment in the Planada Fruit Farm Company. Printed material includes a certificate issued by the U.S. Attorney
acknowledging Ada as an attorney.
Frances Harvey Papers, 1931-1940
Scope and Content Note
Series includes correspondence, diaries, printed material, and ephemera. Printed material and ephemera relate to Frances's
community involvement. Diaries were kept daily from 1937 until 1954; subjects include family reunions, illnesses, civic events,
and local history.
Genealogy
Scope and Content Note
Birth certificates, memorial records and photocopies of clippings relating to the births and deaths of family members.
California State Raisin Grower's Association Records,
1893
Scope and Content Note
Legal records, scrapbook, and printed materials collected by William Harvey while Secretary of the association. Legal records
include contracts with farmers regarding purchases of raisins. Scrapbook is comprised of clippings for local newspapers regarding
the establishment of the association and the embattled founding president, M. Theo. Kearney.
William and Catherine Harvey
Box Box 1, Folder 11
Term paper, "Explorers of the Great Interior Valley"
Folder 19
Correspondence from Constance
Folder 20
Correspondence from Frances
Folder 21
Correspondence from Louise
Box Box 1, Folder 27
Birth Certificates, Memorial Records, Clippings
California State Raisin Grower's Association Records
Box Box 1, Folder 28
Legal Records, Printed Material
Box Box 2, Folder 29
Printed materials Oversize
