Register of the George Chase, Alameda County (California) Papers, 1802-1911

Processed by Daryl Morrison; rev. Don Walker; machine-readable finding aid created by Don Walker
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
University Library, University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA 95211
Phone: (209) 946-2404
URL: http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections.html
© 1998
University of the Pacific. All rights reserved.



Register of the George Chase, Alameda County (California) Papers, 1802-1911

Collection number: Mss134

Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections

University Library

University of the Pacific

Contact Information

Processed by:
Daryl Morrison; rev. Don Walker
Date Completed:
5-98
Encoded by:
Don Walker
© 1998 University of the Pacific. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: George Chase, Alameda County (California) Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1802-1911
Collection number: Mss134
Creator: Reginald R. Stuart
Extent: 0.25 linear ft.
Repository: University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
Stockton, CA 95211
Shelf location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], George Chase, Alameda County (California) Papers, Mss134, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Biography

George Chase, was Deputy Treasurer of Alameda County. He was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts (1841), a son of Moses and Emily (Stickney) Chase. The Chase family subsequently settled in Brooklyn (Clinton), California, now part of Oakland. The father of George Chase came to California in 1849. There, he supported himself on West Oakland Point by hunting. He joined in partnership with the Patten brothers and obtained land in Clinton which they subdivided into building lots. They built the first hotel in East Oakland, called the Clinton House. Moses Chase returned East in 1853 to visit family and in his absence the Clinton House burned. He returned to California the same year. Son George came to California (1854) in company with his aunt Mary and her husband, James Allen. George's mother, Emily (Stickney) Chase, had died when George was a baby.
Upon his arrival (1856) George Chase worked as an assistant to the toll-collector on Oakland's Twelfth Street Bridge. Meanwhile, he attended preparatory school at Durant College. Later, Chase worked with his father on a sloop the latter used in freighting goods to San Francisco. At eighteen, George learned the trade of carriage-painter with A. H. Cochran and was in business with Cochran for a year (1860). He then went to work for Bangle Brothers, carriage-painters, and, from 1865, was a house painter for them. In 1867 he and his old partner, A.H. Cochran, formed the firm of Cochran & Chase. Chase traveled East via Panama (1868-1869) visiting his three Stickney aunts in Newburyport, going also to Portland, to Hallowell, Me., and to Boston. He returned to California after five months and began a new contracting/painting partnership with the Bangle brothers. The firm continued in business until George Chase had an injury to his ankle (1878). He then became a copyist under P.R. Borein, County Recorder (1878-1881) and was later appointed Deputy Treasurer of Alameda County (1881 to at least 1892). He was married in Clinton (1869) to Miss Mandana E. Boynton (Danie of his letters), who was born in Hallowell, Maine, about 1843. They had three children: Mary Emily (b. 1870), George Moses (b. 1873), and Albert Boynton (b. 1879).

Scope and Content

The collection consists of typescript copies of originals. It contains the 1883-84 diary of Mellie Chase, twelve year old daughter of George Chase; the 1867 and 1868 diaries of George Chase, and, correspondence from his mother's family, the Stickneys, of Newburyport, Mass. The collection also contains correspondence between George's cousin Millie and his Aunt Fanny Stickney, copies of 19th c. Alameda County land documents, an extract from Jacob Stickney's will and a speech by George Chase to his old Civil War Company. There is a collection of Chase family papers at the University of California, Berkeley.

 

BOX 1: GEORGE CHASE, ALAMEDA COUNTY (CALIF.) PAPERS

 

1.1 STAFF RESEARCH FILE

 

1)-"George Chase," biography in The Bay of San Francisco, vol. II. Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co., 1892, pp. 285-287.

 

2)-Print-out of materials on the Chase Family held by the University of the California, Berkeley.

 

1.2 MELLIE CHASE DIARY, 1883-1884

 

1)-Diary of Mellie Chase, 1883-1884. [typescript; 72 pp.] [Daily entries by 12 year old Oakland girl, mentions brother George, parents, friends. Activities include school, Sunday School, music lessons, and children's play. A page at end lists names and addresses.]

 

1.3 GEORGE CHASE DIARIES, 1867-1868

 

1)-George Chase Diary, 1867 [typescript, 23 pp.]

 

2)-George Chase Diary, 1868 [typescript, 17 pp.] [describes his activities, including: painting jobs, singing, band, Presbyterian and Baptist Church, sports, day trips and romantic relationship with future wife]

 

1.4 EARLY FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE, 1802

 

1)-Miss Clarissa Richards, Canaan from her Sister, Preston, 8-12-02 [2 pp]

 

1.5 MISCELLANEOUS STICKNEY/CHASE FAMILY PAPERS [many items marked "for Moses Chase Manuscript" and in print or red pencil "Chick Papers"]

 

1)-"Extract from Father's Will," 1860 [signed "Jacob Stickney"]

 

2)-To Danie from GC, 9-24-68 [4pp.]

 

3)-do., 10-12-68 [3 pp.]

 

4)-Nephew [GC] from Fanny Stickney, 12-21-68 [3 pp.]

 

5)-GC from "Coz. Millie," 4-7-69 [5 pp.]

 

6)-GC from Cousin Emma, 4-30-69 [3 pp.]

 

7)-GC from Cousin Millie, 5-2-69 [4 pp.]

 

8)-GC from Millie, 6-13-68 [3 pp.]

 

9)-GC from Fanny Stickney, 7-29-69 [3 pp.]

 

10)-GC from M[illie}, 1-6-69 [6 pp.]

 

1.6 GEORGE CHASE CORRESPONDENCE, 1891-ca.1903

 

1)-GC from Fanny Stickney, 8-23-91 [3 pp.]

 

2)-GC from J.A. Webster, 12-1-98

 

3)-GC from J.A. Webster, 12-5-98

 

4)-GC from Abbie A. Lobdell, 6-4-03

 

5)-Dear Husband from Ma and Dear Pa from daughter Mellie, n.d.

 

6)-Dear Cousin from Thomas Pritchard, n.d.

 

1.7 GEORGE CHASE SPEECH TO "OLD GUARD OF 1861," CA.1911 [George Chase elected President of Old Guard; Old Guard mustered in 1861; paraded in San Francisco on July 4, 1862 under Captain James Brown. Chase served as Corporal, an artillery company. Later attached to First Artillery regiment under Co J.W. McKenzie. May 1863 had camp of instruction in Alameda. Drilled and practiced marksmanship]

 

1.8 LEGAL DOCUMENTS, 1861-1884 [all marked "Chick Papers"]

 

1)-Town of Clinton bought of Tubbs & Co., San Francisco Cordage Manufactory, 139 Front Street, between Jackson and Pacific, flag and pair halyards, 6-22-61.

 

2)-State of California, Alameda County, State and County Taxes, 1862-1863. [description of property taxes received from James Allen Oct. 1862]

 

3)-State of California, County of Alameda, State and County Taxes, 1864-1865. [description of property and tax assessment. Payment to Treasurer's Office, Alameda County, Oct. 13, 1864 from George Chase]

 

4)-Land deed from Moses Chase to Alfred Jones: parcel in Clinton, Brooklyn Township, Alameda, California; purchase to be completed by March 25, 1867

 

5)-F.E. Weston Oakland, July 1, 1878. [bill for grains bought of Weston and Welch, Clinton Flouring Mills Warehouse]

 

6)-Law Office of B. McFadden, Oakland, 9-30-84 [rcpt. to Moses Chase for professional services]