Description
Bret Harte (1836-1902) settled in San Francisco in 1860 where he worked as a printer, clerk, and secretary in a government
office. He wrote short stories and became the first editor of the
Overland Monthly (1868-71) in San Francisco. The collection consists of correspondence, one literary manuscript, and some holograph fragments
by Harte.
Background
Bret Harte was born Francis Brett Hart on August 25, 1836 in Albany, New York; at 11 he had a poem published in the New York Sunday Morning Atlas; he left school and went to work at 13; traveled to California in 1854, settling in San Francisco in 1860; worked as a printer,
clerk, and secretary in a government office; published the short story, The Work On Red Mountain (later titled M'liss) in
1860; became first editor of the Overland Monthly (1868-71) in San Francisco; published the story, The Luck of Roaring Camp (1868) and the satiric verse parody, Plain Language from Truthful James (Better Known as the Heathen Chinee) in 1870 in that journal; also became known for his stories, The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1869) and Tennessee's Partner (1869);
gained a U.S. government position in Germany in 1878, served as U.S. Consul at Glasgow, 1880-85, and then moved to London;
died on May 5, 1902 in Camberley, England.
Extent
2 boxes (1 linear ft.)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. 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 UC Regents do not hold
the copyright.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.