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Stoneman Family Papers
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Title: Stoneman Family Papers
Dates: 1891-1920
Collection Number: Consult repository.
Creator:
Stoneman Family
Extent:
72 items
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2203
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: manuscripts@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The documents reveal the range of legal, financial, and estate-related transactions initiated by or concerning the Stoneman
family and their associates. Included in this series are legal agreements, banking statements, inventories of the Stoneman's
estate, and general financial records. The correspondence includes personal and business letters to and by the Stoneman family
members and their associates. Two letters dated January 1889 were written by General George Stoneman while he was still living
in Los Angeles. Most of the letters were penned after the generals' death in September 1894, and directed to John T. Stoneman,
administrator of his brother's estate. The ephemera includes newspaper clippings (obituaries of George Stoneman from Buffalo,
NY newspapers) and several miscellaneous items. Notable participants include William B. Allison, Thomas Updegraff and the
United States Army.
Language of Material: The records are in English.
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information,
please go to following
web site .
In order to quote from, publish, or reproduce any of the manuscripts or visual materials, researchers must obtain formal permission
from the office of the Library Director. In most instances, permission is given by the Huntington as owner of the physical
property rights only, and researchers must also obtain permission from the holder of the literary rights. In some instances,
the Huntington owns the literary rights, as well as the physical property rights. Researchers may contact the appropriate
curator for further information.
[Identification of item], Stoneman Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
The collection was purchased by the Huntington Library from Mr. Henry Carter in April 1969.
Although best known for his service in the Union cavalry during the Civil War, Major General George Stoneman extended his
career into civil and political spheres after the war. Near the end of the conflict, he married Mary Oliver Hardisty of Baltimore,
Maryland, with whom he eventually had four children: George J., Adele, Katherine, and Cornelius. After poor health forced
him to resign as commander of the Department of Arizona in 1871, Stoneman relocated with his family to the "Los Robles" estate
in the greater Los Angeles area. His political career in California began with his appointment as Railroad Commissioner in
1879, and culminated in his tenure as the state’s Democratic governor from 1883 to 1887. Domestic, health, and financial troubles
vexed Stoneman by the end of this governorship, apparently compelling him to seek respite in his native New York circa 1892.
While staying with his sister, Charlotte S. Williams, wife of New York Senator Benjamin H. Williams, his health continued
to worsen, precluding his return to California. He suffered a stroke in April 1894 from which he was unable to recover. Stoneman
died in Buffalo, NY on September 5, 1894 and was interred at Bentley Cemetery in Lakewood, NY. His brother, John T. Stoneman,
assumed the role of administrator of the ex-general’s estate from the time of Stoneman’s death to 1897.
The papers consist of the following series:
- The chronologically-arranged documents reveal the range of legal, financial, and estate-related transactions initiated by or concerning the Stoneman Family and their associates. Included in this series are legal agreements, banking statements, inventories of the Stoneman’s estate, and general financial records.
- The chronologically-arranged correspondence includes personal and business letters to and by the Stoneman Family members and their associates. Two letters dated January 1889 were written by General George Stoneman while he was still living in Los Angeles. Most of the letters were penned after the generals’ death in September 1894, and directed to John T. Stoneman, administrator of his brother’s estate.
- Finally, ephemera are subdivided into two sections: newspaper clippings and miscellaneous. The first subdivision includes 15 obituaries and accounts of the funeral of George Stoneman, all of which were reported in Buffalo, NY newspapers. The second subdivision contains one invoice to A. Chapin to pay E. Stow, signed by James Crawford and dated Jan. 19, 1891; one postcard dated Dec. 13, 1919 and addressed to Asahel Chapin; a typewritten postcard addressed to A. Chapin from L. Ernest Thornton, Deputy Secretary of State of Maine, and dated Jan. 5, 1920; the stamped face of a mutilated envelope addressed to A. Chapin from the District Court of Elkader, Iowa, and postmarked Apr. 13, 1894; one letter-sized envelope addressed to Florence S. Chapin of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and three oversized, fragile envelopes that originally housed the papers of this collection.
Stoneman family.
Stoneman, George, 1822-1894.
Allison, William B. (William Boyd), 1829-1908.
Updegraff, Thomas, 1834-1910.
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. California Commandery.
United States. Army -- Pay, allowances, etc.
Inventories of decedents' estates -- New York (State)
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Account books 19th century.
Bank statements 19th century.
Legal documents California 19th century.
Legal documents New York 19th century.
Letters (correspondence) California 19th century.
Letters (correspondence) New York 19th century.
Letters (correspondence) New York 20th century.