Finding aid to the Faxon Dean Atherton family papers, 1852-1910, MS 4129 (original) (raw)

Description

Dated between 1852 and 1910, the bulk of the collection consists of personal and business correspondence addressed to Faxon Dean Atherton; business records generated by Atherton, his agents, and associates in Valparaiso and California; and real estate records for land owned by Atherton in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties. The collection also includes personalia and ephemera collected by Atherton family members; court documents and probate records; income, state, and county tax documents; and other papers.

Background

Faxon Dean Atherton was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, in 1815. He began his commercial career in 1830 as an apprentice to his brother-in-law, Boston merchant Charles T. Ward, and started his own hauling business in Boston in 1832. Atherton first came to the Pacific Coast in 1833, securing a position with Loring & Co. at their ship chandlery firm in Valparaiso, Chile, the following year. Around 1835, he met George Henry Bowen, who would become his business partner and lifelong friend.

Extent

2 boxes, 1 volume (1.5 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/