Finding Aid of the Halleck, Peachy & Billings Records
© 2004
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid of the Halleck, Peachy & Billings Records
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Los Angeles, CA
- Processed by:
- Manuscripts Division staff
- Finding aid revided by:
- Grace Bertalot under the supervision of Saundra Taylor, December 1973
- Encoded by:
- ByteManagers using OAC finding aid conversion service specifications
- Encoding supervision and revision by:
- Caroline Cubé
- Edited by:
- Josh Fiala, September 2004
© 2004 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Halleck, Peachy & Billings Records,
Date (inclusive): 1842-1862
Collection number: 2030
Creator:
Halleck, Peachy & Billings (Firm)
Extent: 7 boxes (3.5 linear ft.)
1 carton (1 linear ft.)
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: Halleck, Peachy & Billings was one of the leading San Francisco law firms in the settlement of titles to Mexican land grants.
The firm was dissolved in 1861. The collection contains correspondence, mainly relating to land litigation of Halleck, Peachy
& Billings, with documents and diseños (originals, copies, and translations) used in the settlement of the claims. Also contains
papers in various legal cases, some concerning ships, Chinese immigration and the San Francisco funding bill, as well as a
few accounts and some tax records.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Originals restricted. Use microfilm copy only.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including
copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds
the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Halleck, Peachy & Billings Records (Collection 2030). Department of Special Collections, Charles
E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
- John Howell Books, purchase, 1948.
- Collection previously in the libraries of Robert Ernest Cowan and T.W. Norris.
Biography
Halleck, Peachy & Billings was one of the leading San Francisco law firms in the settlement of titles to Mexican land grants;
Frederick Billings arrived in San Francisco in 1849; he immediately established a law practice, and soon formed a partnership
with Archibald C. Peachy; Peachy later became a member of the California State Assembly in 1852, and of the State Senate in
1860 and 1862; Henry Wager Halleck graduated in engineering from West point, participated in the Mexican War, and later prepared
a report on California land titles; became an active member of the California Constitutional Convention; he resigned from
the army and joined the law firm in 1854, compiling his books: The mining laws of Spain and Mexico, and International law;
returned to the U.S. Army in 1860, later becoming a general during the Civil War; the firm was dissolved in 1861.
Scope and Content
Collection contains correspondence, mainly relating to land litigation of Halleck, Peachy & Billings, with documents and diseños
(originals, copies, and translations) used in the settlement of the claims. Also contains papers in various legal cases, some
concerning ships, Chinese immigration and the San Francisco funding bill, as well as a few accounts and some tax records.
Includes files on the settlement of the William Alexander Leidesdorff and Joseph L. Folsom estates. Contains a small group
of correspondence and papers relating to Henry Wager Halleck's military career, 1847-56, and manuscript drafts and notes for
his History of California.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the repository's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Halleck, H.W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872--Archives.
Halleck, Peachy & Billings (Firm)--Archives.
Law firms--California--San Francisco--Archival resources.
Partial Index to Correspondents in Collection
Alsop & Chauncey
letter to: Box 6, folder 15
Bahneberg, Mr.
Box 6, folder 16, 18
Barnes, James
Box 6, folder 20
Barron, William E.
Box 4, folders 1, 2
Barron, Forbes & Company
letter to: Box 4, folder 1
Billings, Frederick
Box 1, folders 2, 3; Box 4, folder 1
Bradford, A.C.
Box 1, folder 4
Bradley, Mr.
letter to: Box 6, folder 20
Brannan, Samuel
Box 6, folder 6
Burch, John Chilton
Box 4, folder 2
Calverwell, Stephen L.
Box 6, folder 20
Carillo, Anastasio
Box 1, folder 6
Carter, Bernard
Box 1, folder 6
Cross & Company
Box 1, folder 6
Crowell, William H.
Box 1, folder 6
de la Rosa, Luis
Box 6, folder 15
Duncan, Sherman & Company
Box 6, folder 18; letter to: Box 6, folder 14
Dupuy, A.
Box 6, folder 15
Durfee & Myers
Box 6, folder 20
Ender, E.
Box 4, folder 2
Folsom, Joseph
Box 6, folder 13, 14; letter to: Box 6, folders 15-18
Forbes, Alexander
Box 4, folder 2
Forbes, James Alexander
Box 4, folder 2; Box 6, folder 6
Forrest, S.T.
Box 6, folder 19
Fourgeaud, V.J.
Box 6, folder 17
Goodhue & Company
letter to: Box 4, folder 1
Grannis, G.W.
memoranda: Box 5, folder 1
Gray, J.B.
Box 4, folder 2
Grim, A.K.
Box 1, folder 6
Guerrero, Francisco
Box 6, folder 2; letter to: Box 6, folder 1
Gwin, William M.
letters to: Box 4, folder 2; Box 6, folder 20
Halleck, Henry Wager
Box 4, folder 1; Box 6, folder 15
Hansen [governor-general]
letter to: Box 6, folder 13
Hardie, James A.
Box 1, folder 6
Harrison, John
Box 6, folder 18
Hendricks, Thomas
Box 1, folder 6; Box 6, folder 20
Hennen, Duncan
Box 6, folder 19
Hill, Richard
letter to: Box 6, folder 15
Humphreys, Joshua J.
Box 1, folder 6
Huse, Charles E.
Box 1, folder 6
Inge, Samuel William
Box 6, folder 19
Jesup, Thomas Sidney
letter to: Box 6, folder 14
Larkin, Thomas Oliver
Box 6, folder 3
Latham, Milton S.
Box 1, folder 1; letter to: Box 4, folder 2
Latham & Aldrich
letter to: Box 6, folder 14
Leidesdorff, William Alexander
Box 6, folder 1; letters to: Box 6, folders 2-6
Loomis, Charles
Box 1, folder 6
Mackay, J.
Box 1, folder 6
Mackay, W.R. Isaacs
Box 1, folder 6
McMurray, R.O.
Box 1, folder 5
Marcy, William Learned
letter to: Box 6, folder 1
Meredith, I.W.S.
Box 6, folder 20
Miner & Haynes
Box 1, folder 6
Montgomery, John B.
Box 6, folder 4
Morgan, John
Box 6, folder 18
Morrison, James
Box 6, folder 20
Müller, C.
Box 6, folder 15
O'Connor, Cornelius
Box 6, folder 20
Olmstead, Horace
Box 6, folder 20
Naglee, Henry M.
Box 1, folder 6
Pairo, A.W.
Box 1, folder 6
Parrott, Juan
Box 6, folder 15
Peralta, Antonio Maria
Box 6, folder 6
Pickett, Mr.
Box 6, folder 17
Revere, Joseph Warren
Box 6, folder 6
Robinson, J.P.
Box 1, folder 6
Rogers, Mrs.
Letter to: Box 6, folder 13
Rogers, D.
Box 6, folder 15-17
Rogers, S.R.
Box 6, folder 16
Sanders & Brenham
Box 6, folder 19
Scott, Charles L.
letter to: Box 4, folder 2
Sherman, Edwin A.
Box 6, folder 20
Sherwood, John
Box 6, folder 18; letter to: Box 6, folder 15
Smith, James Broom
Box 1, folder 6
Smith, S.A.
Box 1, folder 1
Smith, Stephen
Box 6, folder 5
Snydam, Reed & Company
Box 6, folders 15-19; letters to: Box 6, folders 13, 14, 16-17
Southall, A.G.
Box 1, folder 6
Stimson, Robert J.
Box 6, folder 19
Suter, Lee & Company
Box 6, folder 19
Sutter, John Augustus
Box 6, folder 6
Taliaferro, Alfred W.
Box 1, folder 6
Wakeman, A.C.
letter to: Box 6, folder 19
Watson, J.R.
Box 1, folder 6
Wilson, James B.
Box 1, folder 6; Box 6, folder 20
Wise, Tully R.
Box 4, folder 2
Woodliff, Thomas
Box 6, folder 20
Yale, Gregory
Box 4, folder 1; Box 6, folder 20 letters to: Box 4, folders 1-2
Young, P.R.
Box 6, folder 20
Related Material
Container List
Box 1, Folder 1
Letters from Halleck, Peachy, & Billings to various persons, 1855-60.
Physical Description: (3 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 2
Letters from Frederick Billings to Alfred Barstow, 1866-69.
Physical Description: (24 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 3
Frederick Billings - papers relating to his official appointments, 1848-55.
Physical Description: (14 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 4
Letters from A.C. Bradford to Halleck, Peachy & Billings, 1857-58.
Physical Description: (9 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 5
Letters from R.O. McMurray to Halleck, Peachy and Billings, 1851-53.
Physical Description: (14 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 6
Letters from various persons to Halleck, Peachy & Billings, 1849-60.
Physical Description: (34 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 7
City of San Francisco: claim to Pueblo Lands, prosecuted before the Land Commission - correspondence and papers, 1834-54.
Physical Description: (16 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 8
John A. Sutter, Jr: sale of Sacramento property to Archibald Peachy - papers, 1839, 1848-49.
Physical Description: (5 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 9
Mary H. Machett
vs. Stephen W. Tichenor - correspondence and papers, 1842-52.
Physical Description: (7 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 10
U. S. Marine Hospital, Rincon Point - correspondence relating to, 1847-57.
Physical Description: (25 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 11
Alcalde Levanworth: grants of San Francisco property - papers, 1849-52.
Physical Description: (6 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 12
Henry Hill
vs. Charles Botts - correspondence and papers, 1849-55.
Physical Description: (16 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 13
Henry Hill
vs. Charles Botts - correspondence and papers, 1856-59.
Physical Description: (25 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 14
Thomas W. Hardy estate - correspondence and papers, 1850-68.
Physical Description: (19 pieces)
Box 1, Folder 15
Street assessment cases, San Francisco - papers, 1851 and n.d.
Physical Description: (16 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 1
Daniel C. Callahan, property in Sacramento - mortgages and other papers, 1851-62.
Physical Description: (26 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 2
Joaquin Carrillo
et al., claimants for Rancho Llano de Santa Rosa - papers, 1852-60.
Physical Description: (5 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 3
Rancho Jesus Maria: claim of John G. Parish, James M. Harkin,
et al. - papers, 1854-55.
Physical Description: (13 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 4
Rancho La Visitacion Cañada de Guadalupe y Rodeo Viejo, 1854-59.
Physical Description: (4 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 5
Rancho Refugio: claim of Juan and Francisco Bolcoff [no.214 (Land Commission)] - papers, ca. 1855.
Physical Description: (4 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 6
Noah E. Smith
vs. William F. Roelofson, involving the latter's interest in the Union Mining and Trading Company, Starr, Binsley & Company,
Sacramento, and F. Vassault & Company, San Francisco - depositions on Roelofson's behalf and other papers, 1855-56.
Physical Description: (11 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 7
William A. Pfeiffer - mortgage papers, 1855-60.
Physical Description: (6 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 8
C. Morrill
vs. G.R. Garretson: reclamation against Garretson's account - correspondence and papers, 1856-59.
Physical Description: (6 pieces)
Box 2, Folder 9
Grant Hudson
vs. Northern
et al. - depositions and testimony, 1856-59.
Physical Description: (1 vol.)
Box 2, Folder 10
David C. Broderick estate: claims of David Hawkes Broderick and John Broderick - correspondence and papers, 1856-60.
Physical Description: (8 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 1
Accounts, notes, receipts, etc., 1849-60.
Physical Description: (22 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 2
Articles and reports relating to land titles, land law, transportation and trade in sparsely settled areas of the West, mining
claims, and a list of a U.S. Grand Jury in San Francisco.
Physical Description: (16 pieces)
Various Legal Matters Handled by Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Box 3, Folder 3
Correspondence and papers, 1851-58.
Physical Description: (47 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 4
Correspondence and papers, 1859-61 and n.d.
Physical Description: (21 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 5
Journals, n.d.
Physical Description: (2 pieces)
Land Claims - Memoranda and Abstracts, Chiefly in Halleck's Handwriting, Transactions ca. 1835-55, no.1-172
Note
(Some numbers missing)
Box 3, Folder 6
no.1-54.
Physical Description: (50 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 7
no.55-100.
Physical Description: (45 pieces)
Box 3, Folder 8
no.101-172.
Physical Description: (45 pieces)
Box 4, Folder 1
Halleck, Peachy & Billings - letters sent, 1858-60.
Physical Description: (31 pieces)
Box 4, Folder 2
Letters between, various persons, including some to Halleck, Peachy & Billings, 1848-60.
Physical Description: (13 pieces)
Box 4, Folder 3
Legal papers concerning the case, 1847-59.
Physical Description: (16 pieces)
Box 4, Folder 4
Argument for the claim - manuscript draft.
Physical Description: (253 pieces)
Box 4, Folder 5
Argument for the claim - manuscript draft of the printed argument.
Physical Description: (12 pieces)
The William Alexander Leidesdorff & Joseph Libbey Folsom Estates
Box 5, Folder 1
G.W. Granniss. Memorandum relating to the Leidesdorff Estate.
Physical Description: (2 pieces)
Working Papers of Halleck, Peachy & Billings Regarding the Settlement of the Two Estates, Containing, Manuscript Notes, etc.
Box 5, Folder 2
1850-51.
Physical Description: (18 pieces)
Box 5, Folder 3
1851-56.
Physical Description: (29 pieces)
Box 5, Folder 4
1857-63.
Physical Description: (24 pieces)
Legal Documents, Agreements, etc., Concerning the two Estates
Box 5, Folder 5
1847-50.
Physical Description: (37 pieces)
Box 5, Folder 6
1851.
Physical Description: (15 pieces)
Box 5, Folder 7
1852.
Physical Description: (12 pieces)
Box 5, Folder 8
1853-54.
Physical Description: (7 pieces)
Papers Concerning the Leidesdorff Estate
Box 6, Folder 1
Letters from William A. Leidesdorff to various persons, 1846-47.
Physical Description: (2 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 2
Letters from Francisco Guerrero to Leidesdorff, 1846.
Physical Description: (3 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 3
Letters from Thomas Oliver Larkin to Leidesdorff, 1845-46.
Physical Description: (2 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 4
Letters from John B. Montgomery to Leidesdorff, 1846.
Physical Description: (5 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 5
Letters from Stephen Smith to Leidesdorff, 1847-48.
Physical Description: (4 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 6
Letters from various persons to Leidesdorff, 1846-48.
Physical Description: (5 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 7
1854-55.
Physical Description: (17 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 8
1856-59.
Physical Description: (12 pieces)
Accounts and Bills, Mainly Relating to the Leidesdorff Estate
Box 6, Folder 9
1841-47.
Physical Description: (27 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 10
1848.
Physical Description: (65 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 11
1849.
Physical Description: (47 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 12
1850-51 and n.d.
Physical Description: (21 pieces)
Papers Concerning the Folsom Estate
Letters from Joseph L. Folsom to Various Persons
Box 6, Folder 13
1849-51.
Physical Description: (14 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 14
1852-54.
Physical Description: (6 pieces)
Letters from Various Persons to Joseph L. Folsom
Box 6, Folder 15
1849-June 1851.
Physical Description: (14 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 16
July-December 1851.
Physical Description: (13 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 17
1852-53.
Physical Description: (8 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 18
1854-55.
Physical Description: (14 pieces)
Letters Received by Halleck. Peachy, and P. Warren Van Winkle, Executors of the Estate, Relating to its Administration
Box 6, Folder 19
1850-56.
Physical Description: (12 pieces)
Box 6, Folder 20
1857-62.
Physical Description: (12 pieces)
American and Union Theaters, San Francisco
Box 7, Folder 1
Correspondence, 1852-55.
Physical Description: (5 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 2
Legal papers, 1854-55.
Physical Description: (13 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 3
Legal papers, 1856 and n.d.
Physical Description: (13 pieces)
Folsom as Assistant Quarter Master, San Francisco: Settlement of Accounts
Box 7, Folder 4
Papers, 1847-52.
Physical Description: (38 pieces)
Tehama House Boarding House. San Francisco: Papers and Accounts
Box 7, Folder 5
1852.
Physical Description: (47 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 6
1853-54.
Physical Description: (38 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 7
1855 and n.d.
Physical Description: (36 pieces)
Settlement of the Folsom Estate: Bills and Accounts
Box 7, Folder 8
1848-51.
Physical Description: (61 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 9
1852-53.
Physical Description: (58 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 10
1854.
Physical Description: (42 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 11
1855.
Physical Description: (78 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 12
1856-60 and n.d.
Physical Description: (25 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 13
City, State and County taxes - various lists, 1851/52-1855/56.
Physical Description: (11 pieces)
Box 7, Folder 14
Account books, 1852-55, 1871-77.
Physical Description: (4 volumes)
Oversize Box 8
Empty strong-box (with key) which originally contained part of the Halleck, Peachy, and Billings papers.
