Harry Balfe Papers: Finding Aid mssHM 76518-76526
Melissa Haley
The Huntington Library
September 2022
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Harry Balfe papers
Creator:
Balfe, Harry, 1860-1944
Identifier/Call Number: mssHM 76518-76526
Physical Description:
.42 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1837-1935
Date (bulk): 1900-1915
Abstract: Collection primarily contains correspondence relating to the Panama Canal, 1900 to 1915.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
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information.
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[Identification of item]. Harry Balfe papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Henry Clifford, December 1956.
Harry Balfe (1860-1944) was born in Newburgh, New York. In 1900, he embarked on a mercantile career and joined the firm of
Austin, Nichols & Co. of New York as sales manager, then as manager and vice-president, and then president. When he retired
in 1920, he was chairman of the board. Balfe was a friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, and during the building of the
Panama Canal he made two trips to the canal zone on request of Roosevelt. Balfe was also requested by President William H.
Taft to make another trip to the Panama Canal zone. In the 1930s, he was living in San Joaquin Valley, California, on a large
ranch where he raised prize-winning horses. Balfe was married to May Adams of New York; they had three sons: Harry, Thomas,
and Raymond.
Items in this collection primarily relate to the Panama Canal, dating from 1900 to 1915. There are nine letters from the following
senders: William McKinley's secretary, George B. Courtelyou; chief engineer of the Panama Canal, George W. Goethals; Admiral
George Dewey; President Theodore Roosevelt, 1908 April 24 (facsimile, HM 76524); William H. Taft as Secretary of War, 1908
June 2 and June 6 (facsimiles, HM 76525 and HM 76526); Reverend J. F. Carson of Brooklyn, New York; and Will Rogers. In addition,
there are a few items about horse showing including a photograph of a horse and two awards won by Balfe's horse "Maximum"
in 1915, given by the National Horse Show Association of America. The ephemera includes Balfe's 1914 passport, a newspaper
clipping, and a document appointing Tom Wentz Balfe to Captain in the U.S. Army Chemical Warfare Service in 1918. A number
of items in this collection are facsimiles.
This finding aid was created in 2022 by Melissa Haley as part of the American Presidential Papers Project with enhanced description
of the presidential material present. The items had been assembled physically and arranged by Huntington Library former staff
in the mid-20th century.
Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Businessmen -- New York (State) -- History -- Sources
Horses -- Showing
Panama Canal (Panama)
United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Sources
Ephemera -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 20th century
Carson, J. F. (John Fleming), 1860-1927
Cortelyou, George B. (George Bruce), 1862-1940
Dewey, George, 1837-1917
Goethals, George W. (George Washington), 1858-1928
McKinley, William, 1843-1901
Rogers, Will, 1879-1935
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930
Isthmian Canal Commission (U.S.)
National Horse Show Association of America
Panama Canal Company
Panama Railroad Co
United States. Army. Chemical Warfare Service
Box 1
Harry Balfe papers 1837-1935