Brophy-Beeson Papers mssBB
Charla M. DelaCuadra
The Huntington Library
August 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Brophy-Beeson papers
Identifier/Call Number: mssBB
Physical Description:
3.6 Linear Feet
(3 boxes and 1 volume)
Date (inclusive): 1827-1900
Date (bulk): 1849-1890
Abstract: Papers belonging to California and Oregon miner and rancher John Brophy and Oregon farmer John Beeson.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
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[Identification of item]. Brophy-Beeson papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Edwin Grabhorn, January 1945.
John Brophy (died 1866) came to California in 1849, engaged in mining, and purchased land in Yuba County from early pioneer
John Rose before bringing his family to settle in the West. He participated in Democratic politics and prospered in ranching
until about 1857, when he suffered reverses, and subsequently moved to a farm in Oregon in 1865. John Beeson (1803-1889) brought
his family from Illinois to Oregon in 1853 and took up farming. Beeson's distress with the cruel treatment of the Native Americans
caused him to go east to write and lecture on their behalf in 1856. His son, Welborn Beeson, married John Brophy's daughter,
Mary Katherine, and continued the management of the family farm and served in the Oregon militia.
The collection contains letters, documents, and one account book related to a variety of subjects, including: gold mining
and ranching in Yuba County in the 1850s; disputed California land titles; California and national politics (1856-1861); rural
life in La Salle County, Illinois (1856-1864) and in Jackson County, Oregon (1860-1885); life of the Oregon militia (1863-1866);
and aid to the Native Americans.
Processed by Huntington Library staff in approximately 1950. In 2020, Charla DelaCuadra created the finding aid derived from
a legacy in-house summary report. Finding aid encoded by Charla DelaCuadra in August 2020.
Arranged chronologically.
Former call number: mssBB 1-218.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Country life -- Illinois -- La Salle County
Country life -- Oregon -- Jackson County
Gold mines and mining -- California -- Yuba County
Indians, Treatment of -- United States
Indians of North America -- Oregon
Land titles -- California
Ranching -- California -- Yuba County
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
California -- Politics and Government -- 1850-1950
Oregon -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Oregon -- Militia
Family papers -- California -- 19th century
Family papers -- Oregon -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- California -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Oregon -- 19th century
Beeson, John, 1803-1889
Beeson, Welborn, 1836-1893
Box 1
1827-1855
Box 2
1856-1862
Box 3
1863-1890
Volume 1
Account book 1844-1847