Finding aid for Arnaz, Wagner, Levy, Waterman, Barnes, Denton, and Walker papers, circa 1840s-1960s. MVC016
Finding aid prepared by Library Systems, 2011. Finding aid updated by Nicholas Lawrence, 2021.
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura
County Community Foundation.
Museum of Ventura County
2011
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
library@venturamuseum.org
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Arnaz, Wagner, Levy, Waterman, Barnes, Denton, and Walker papers
Identifier/Call Number: MVC016
Physical Description:
1.28 Cubic Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1840s-1960s
Abstract: The Arnaz, Wagner, Levy, Waterman, Barnes, Denton, Walker papers contain information about Jose de Arnaz, John B. Wagner,
Joseph Levy, Anna A. Levy, William M. Waterman, William Henry Barnes, Joseph S. Denton and Lena Cannon Walker; all noteworthy
individuals in Ventura County from the mid 1800s through the early 1900s. Information includes legal papers, photographs,
correspondence, biographical publications, newspaper clippings and other ephemera. In addition to these records are minutes
and press releases from the Ventura County Commission for Women for 1982-1983 and miscellaneous files containing military
lists, poetry, postcards, school promotion certificates, and funeral notices.
Physical Location: Stored at the MVC Research Library. All requests to access special collections can be made in advance by emailing the Research
Library reference desk.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. 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 museum does not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Arnaz, Wagner, Levy, Waterman, Barnes, Denton, Walker papers (Collection MVC016), Museum of Ventura
County, Research Library, Ventura, California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Madeline Miedema; gift; 1982. Beth Mikel Cook; gift; 1981, 1983. Cooper family; gift; 1984. Marion Walker; gift; 1985.
Processing Information
Processed by Library Staff, 2011.
Biographical / Historical
Jose de Arnaz, John B. Wagner, Joseph Levy, Anna A. Levy, William M. Waterman, Judge William Henry Barnes, Joseph S. Denton,
and Lena Cannon Walker were all prominent individuals around Ventura County. De Arnaz was a well known rancher and agriculturalist
in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties. He was also one of the leading proponents behind the establishment and
incorporation of the city of San Buenaventura in 1864. Wagner was a deputy auditor for Ventura County and a member of the
board of trustees for Ventura's first public library. Levy, son of Achilles Levy, was the owner and operator of the Bank of
A. Levy. The bank, founded by his father in 1885, was the largest privately owned bank in Ventura County until 1995. Anna
A. Levy, the daughter of Joseph Levy, married Waterman on May 14, 1902. Waterman was a partner for the mercantile and agricultural
firm Lehmann and Waterman, which dealed extensively within Ventura County. Barnes, originally serving under the Kansas State
Legislature, moved to Ventura County where he was appointed to a judgeship in 1904. Denton was a notable framer and woodworker
in the city of Ventura. Walker, the daughter of United States Congressman Marion Cannon, was a prominent women's rights activist
in Ventura County.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains information about and from the following people: Jose de Arnaz, John B. Wagner, Joseph Levy, Anna
A. Levy, William M. Waterman, William Henry Barnes, Joseph S. Denton, and Lena Cannon Walker. Materials include legal papers,
photographs, correspondence, and biographical publications. In addition to these records are minutes and press releases from
the Ventura County Commission for Women for 1982-1983 and files containing military lists, poetry, postcards, school promotion
certificates, and funeral notices.
Arrangement
This collection has no series, but has been arranged into sections based on the individuals' papers contained in this collection.
Description alternates between folder and item level.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Business enterprises -- California -- Ventura County
Ventura County (Calif.) -- History
Ventura County Officials -- Judges
Banks and banking -- California -- Ventura
Arnaz, Jose de
Wagner, John B.
Levy, Joseph
Waterman, William M.
Barnes, William Henry
Denton, Joseph S.
Walker, Lena Cannon
Box 1, Folder 1
Legal conveyance of Mission San Buenaventura from Jose de Arnaz to Manuel A. Rodriguez de Poli
1852 November 10
Box 1, Folder 2
Envelope containing photos of Arnaz home, Comillas, in Provincia de Santander, Basque Country, Spain
undated
Box 1, Folder 2
Six enlarged photographs of landmark buildings in Provincia de Santander
undated
Box 1, Folder 3
Ventura Arnaz Wagner: Legal papers
circa 1890s - 1900s
Box 1, Folder 4
John B. Wagner: Legal papers and certificates
undated
Box 1, Folder 5
Ventura and John Wagner: Personal correspondence
circa 1880s - 1920s
Box 1, Folder 6
Ventura and John Wagner
circa 1903
Box 1, Folder 6
Copy of accessions form and informal inventory of content
Box 1, Folder 6
Composition: Early days of San Buenaventura
Box 1, Folder 6
Souvenir ribbon reception for President Roosevelt
1903
Box 1, Folder 6
Calling cards of Ventura de Arnaz
Box 1, Folder 7
Bank of A. Levy and Biography of Joseph Levy
circa 1940-1960
Box 1, Folder 7
Clippings: Opening of Camarillo branch
Box 1, Folder 7
Clippings: 50-year anniversary
Box 1, Folder 7
Clippings: Death of Joseph Levy
Box 1, Folder 7
Brochure: History of Levy banking establishment
Box 1, Folder 7
Letter: Mrs. Waterman, from Ventura County Game Preserve Association-resolution of sorrow re: J. Levy's death
Box 1, Folder 8
Anna A. Levy and William M. Waterman
undated
Box 1, Folder 8
50th anniversary card
undated
Box 1, Folder 8
Bill from Moana Hotel, Hawaii
undated
Box 1, Folder 8
Handwritten summary of bride's book
undated
Box 1, Folder 9
Copy of accession form received of Beth Cook, granddaughter of W. H. Barnes
Box 1, Folder 9
Biography of William Henry Barnes
General note
[See also Museum Biography file on Wm. Henry Barnes]
Box 1, Folder 9
Booklet: Ventura County California, its lands and mission
Box 1, Folder 9
Memorandum booklet from Geographer M. Mickel
Box 1, Folder 9
Reprint of telephone directory, State of California
1895 April
Box 1, Folder 9
Miscellaneous receipts addressed to W. H. Barnes
Box 1, Folder 10
Book of German poetry: Gedichte, by Sigmund Wassermann
1841
Box 1, Folder 10
Postcard: Official California poster stamps
Box 1, Folder 11
Autograph cards: John Gunther, Cornelia Otis Skinner, etc.
Box 1, Folder 11
Letter re shipwreck in Mexico
Box 1, Folder 12
Funeral notices and letter from Mrs. T. Sanchez
Box 1, Folder 12
Funeral notices: Tadeo Sanchez, Louisa L. Moraga, Mrs. Magdalena Obiols, Frank R. Rodibaugh, Sarah d'Olivas Peters, Mrs. Isabelle
Sanchez Thompson
Box 1, Folder 12
Letter from Mrs. Thad Sanchez to E. M. Sheridan re death notices, a book, and pictures
General note
[Note: Pictures of Tadeo Sanchez and Rita Sanchez are listed as stored in Collections; picture of Mike Sanchez is listed as
missing.]
Box 1, Folder 13
Magazine clipping with photo of J. S. Denton
Box 1, Folder 13
Handwritten biography of J. S. Denton
General note
[See also Oral History of Laura Denton Cooper]
Box 1, Folder 14
Judge Charles Fernald
General note
[Note: There was a Judge Charles Fernald of Santa Barbara, 1861]
Box 1, Folder 14
Certificate of 50 shares in North Butte Mining Company of Minnesota owned by Geo. A. Fernald and Co.
Box 1, Folder 15
Letter to Great Eastern Co. re: their well-lighted display windows
1925 November 12
Box 1, Folder 16
Anheuser Busch advertising card
Box 1, Folder 16
School promotion certificates
circa 1880 - 1920
Box 1, Folder 17
Ventura County Commission for Women
1982-1983
Box 1, Folder 17
News release
1982 September 1
Box 1, Folder 18
Lena Cannon Walker Memoriam
Box 1, envelope 1
Ventura County military list
1889
Box 1, envelope 2
Ventura County military list
1890