Frank Colton Havens Papers, 1881-1935

Summary

Creators:

Havens, Frank Colton, 1848-1917

Abstract:

Relating mainly to his real estate developments in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, Calif., and association with Francis Marion ("Borax") Smith, Wm. J. Dingee and Horace W. Carpentier. Records for the Piedmont Development Company, Hotel Claremont Company, Realty Syndicate, Peoples' Water Company and other enterprises, included. Some reflect participation of his nephew, George Sterling.
Also, ledger, 1881-1883: transactions of Havens & Company, stockbrokers, San Francisco.
With these, correspondence and papers of Mrs. Havens relating to settlement of her husband's estate and her own association with the Villa Site and Development Company.
Added to the papers; (Box IV): copy of report by Henry A. Lafler on water and water companies in Oakland, 1866-1910; album prepared by the Business Men's Club of Oakland, 1962, on Havens' tree planting in the hill area and other tree planting data for Alameda County; file of related maps from Havens' papers.

Extent:

Number of containers: 8 v. (in 4 pkgs.) and 4 boxes

Language:

English

Background

Biographical / historical:

Frank Colton Havens (1848-1917) a native of Sag Harbor, New York, came to California in 1866, after a year's shipping experience in China. At first employed by the Savings and Loan Society in San Francisco, he formed a stock brokerage firm about 1880 in partnership with Van Dyke Hubbard. He also organized several insurance and investment firms previous to his organization of the Realty Syndicate in 1895 in association with F. M. ("Borax") Smith.

This large scale enterprise involved real estate and utility developments for the whole East Bay. After 1906 Mr. Havens withdrew from active management of the Syndicate to devote himself to the affairs of the People's Water Company and various other real estate promotions in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, but particularly in Piedmont. The extensive plantings of pine and eucalyptus trees on the East Bay hills were a part of all these development activities.

Mr. Havens was twice married. Of the first marriage, to Miss Sadie Bell (Sarah Pierson Bell. Born 4/7/53. San Francisco), of Virginia City, Nevada, there were four children, including his son, Wickham, who likewise became a noted realtor in the Oakland-Berkeley area. His second wife was Lila M. Rand whose sister, Caroline, became the wife of Mr. Havens' nephew, George Sterling, California poet.

Physical location:

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Related resources

Other descriptive data:

Some of the earlier material reflects the association of George Sterling in his uncle's business. Much of the later correspondence and many of the papers relate to Mrs. Lila R. Havens' efforts to collect money from her husband's estate; some pertain to her own association with real estate projects initiated by her husband.

Groups of Havens' papers have been presented to the Bancroft Library over the period, December, 1960 to January, 1962, by David D. Oliphant, Jr., who had been attorney and executor for Mr. Havens' widow.

These papers have been roughly sorted and arranged as follows:

Location of this collection:

UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US

Contact:

510-642-6481

bancref-library@berkeley.edu

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