The collection consists mainly of Atherton's business corrrespondence, invoices and receipts concerning the hide and tallow trade, commerce between Hawaii and the East coast, and between Valparaiso and California; correspondence, deeds, and other documents dealing with Atherton's commerical and real estate investments in California, including the Milpitas Rancho in Monterey County, San Lorenzo Rancho in Alameda County, and Valparaiso Park; and legal documents and other papers regarding his estate after his death. Correspondents include Thomas O. Larkin, Alpheus B. Thomposon, Nathan Spear, George Henry Bowen, Atherton's friend and business partner in Valiparaiso, and Alexander B. Grogan, Atherton's California business agent and later executor of his estate. The collection also contains Atherton's diary for 1836-39, which he kept while he resided in California (the diary was published by California Historical Society in 1964: The California Diary of Faxon Dean Atherton, 1836-1839), as well as business letters and receipts for Atherton's sons George H. Bowen and Faxon D. Atherton, Jr. (folders 73-76), and letters concerning the Atherton family genealogy (folder 77). Dr. Doyce B. Nunis, Jr. edited the diary for publication.

A native of Masschusetts, Atherton first came to the Pacific coast in 1834 to engage in trade at Valparaiso, Chile. He settled in Valparaiso in 1840 and became a successful merchant dealing in hides and tallow, foodstuffs, and other commodities. Eventually he became one of the wealthiest men on the Pacific coast.

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