PUBLISHED OCCASIONALLY BY THE FRIENDS OF THE BANCROFT LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 4, CALIFORNIA
Number 7 • DECEMBER, 1952
Annual Meeting of the movie, recently presented to the Ban croft Library an attractive annotated scrap- THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Friends of the book of still photographs from "Greed." Bancroft Library was held on the Berkeley campus the evening of June 5. We were for tunate in having Mr. Frank F. Latta, histo Niles Searls Diary rian and folklorist of the San Joaquin Valley THE DIARY of an 1849 pioneer who later be and Director of the Kern County Museum, came Chief Justice of the California State as our speaker for the occasion. Mr. Latta Supreme Court has been presented to the drew upon his great fund of information and Bancroft Library by May Searls Heuer of anecdote about that area to entertain and in Berkeley. Written in an unusually literate and struct his audience. The Library held open tongue-in-cheek style, the diary was pub house after the program, giving our friends a lished by the family of the pioneer, Niles chance to "mingle" and to look at the various Searls, in 1940, but the original copy was kept exhibits that had been arranged. in their possession until recently. It is the story of the young New York-born attorney's 105-day trip from Independence, Norris Missouri, to California —originally sched Anniversary Program uled for 60 days —across the common over land route by way of South Pass. THE BANCROFT LIBRARY played a major role in the University's commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Frank The Well-Rounded Figure Norris by exhibiting its first editions, manu As USUAL at this time of year we are just get scripts, and memorabilia in the showcases of ting up and around after that recurrent afflic the main library during the latter part of tion known as the Annual Report. Last year October. we imposed on our readers a few of the sta Professor James D. Hart of the Depart tistics we thought impressive, but this year ment of English, who has shown remarkable everything seems somehow bigger, longer, zeal and ingenuity in the gathering of Frank and more. Norris materials, presided at a meeting in Well over 50,000 items (that's several tons Wheeler Hall where Kathleen Norris, widow of material, by our calculations) were circu of Frank's brother Charles, discussed the au lated to our readers during 1951—52—half thor's family, and Professor Franklin Walker again as many as were used last year. Another of Mills College, author of the only Norris couple hundred feet of books were catalogued, biography, presented a critical estimate of his and nearly 8,000 manuscripts found their way work. into the Library. We acquired almost twice as A near-capacity audience in Wheeler Au much microfilm from foreign countries as we ditorium saw the realistic silent movie of 1924, did last year—more than seventeen miles of "Greed," based upon the Norris novel Mc- it, representing at least a million and a half Teague. Mr. Jean Hersholt, one of the stars pages. Bidwell Papers he ran unsuccessfully for the governorship of to History is one of the handsomest books sive study of the California Farm Bureau California, and in 1892 he was the Prohibi we've come across in some time. It is an "out Federation, the Grange, and the Associated THE BANCROFT LIBRARY is pleased to an tion Party's candidate for president of the line of the history of land and life in Cali Farmers, during the depression years of 1929— nounce the recent gift of the Annie E. K. United States. fornia" which we found intriguing, and it 1941. More than just what its title indicates, Bidwell Papers. This extensive collection of Bidwell's many activities resulted in the has received good reviews by far more com it provides the first real study of California the private papers and family records of John collection of records of all kinds. Among petent critics than we. Volume III of The political history for the period. Another old Bidwell's wife was given to the Library by them are legal papers, accounts, and school Larkin Papers, edited by George P. Ham Bancroft friend, Father Peter M. Dunne, S.J., Mrs. Bidwell's grandniece, Mrs. Roy C. An reports, as well as a large amount of family mond, our own Director, will be published in of the University of San Francisco, has derson of Berkeley. The collection provides correspondence, including many letters from January. This volume covers most of the year brought out Black Robes in Lower California, an extremely valuable supplement to the Bid- Bidwell to his wife. In their home the Bid- 1845, a period of Mexican neglect in Cali an "epic of missionary adventure in Baja Cali well materials already in the Bancroft Library. wells frequently entertained distinguished fornia, when the influx of American immi fornia" which deals with the activities of the Few of California's pioneers can rival John visitors, particularly botanists, and among the grants, plus the effect of Texas' impending Jesuits in that area from 1697 until their ex Bidwell in his prominent and diverse activi papers there are clippings and pamphlets on annexation, led to a growing sentiment for pulsion in 1768. ties in the state's development, and few in botany, in addition to many letters from independence. Wagon Roads West, by W. WE CALL our readers' attention to "Books of deed witnessed so many years of such great scientists and naturalists such as Sir Joseph Turrentine Jackson of the Davis faculty, is a the California Centennial: A Review Article," change. In 1841, at the age of twenty-two, Hooker, Asa Gray, C. C. Parry and John good-looking and scholarly treatment of the in the Pacific Historical Review for May, Bidwell arrived in California, a member of Muir. As the papers have been sorted, a num role of the federal government in the devel 1952. Not only was the article checked against the first emigrant train to cross the continent ber, of interesting items have turned up — opment of wagon routes in the Trans-Missis our collection by its author, Glenn S. Dumke from Missouri. Already experienced as a Bidwell's notes on the Bear Flag revolt, and sippi West before the railroad era. of Occidental College, but most of the books schoolmaster, he worked several years for letters from James W. Marshall in "Cul- Somewhat outside our usual field is Ernest listed in it had some pre-publication connec John Sutter as a clerk and agent, part of the loma," from Jack London, and even from Mundt's Art, Form, and Civilization, for tion with the Bancroft Library. time in charge of the Fort Ross property. In Phoebe Apperson Hearst, requesting a sam which some of the historical research was done 1844, he became naturalized and received a ple of Mrs. Bidwell's blue dress, which had here in Bancroft. It deals with art as a unify grant of land from the Mexican government. caught her fancy. ing force in society and its relation to con Western Authors'Collection He took an active part in the Micheltorena temporary thought. Old California Houses, THE BANCROFT LIBRARY recently decided to revolution and in the Bear Flag revolt. After by Marion Randall Parsons, grew out of "a Dr. Bolton extend its holdings to include manuscripts of the discovery of gold, Bidwell made the first painter's quest for subjects," and covers four the literary history of this region. In the past strike on the Feather River, where Bidwell's WE ARE very sorry to report the prolonged different periods of California history: the six months there has been extensive activity Bar was named for him. In 1849, he acquired illness of our revered Professor Herbert E. Spanish, the early movement of American in gathering the original manuscripts, corre the 22,000-acre Rancho Chico, a hundred Bolton, who was taken sick in July. We know settlers into Mexican territory, the years be spondence, and memorabilia of Western au miles north of Sacramento, where he made all our Friends join in wishing him a speedy tween the gold rush and silver speculation, thors, past and present. his permanent home, developing the ranch to recovery and return to his well-loved work. and the age of the bonanza kings. These The first such collection to be stressed is a high state of productivity during the next "thumbnail sketches" of houses and their that concerned with Frank Norris. The proj fifty years. He was a pioneer in the growing Book Notes people include seventeen reproductions of the ect was developed by Professor James D. Hart of vines and fruit trees in that area; his ex author's paintings, each one illustrating a of the Department of English, and thanks to perimental orchard contained more than four WE REJOICE with our good friends, Edith M. Coulter, Professor of Librarianship, Emeritus, chapter; they are designed to depict very the assistance of Norris's family and friends, hundred varieties of fruit. Later, under the briefly the swift evolution of California's so and of book collectors and scholars, the Ban influence of his wife, an ardent prohibition and Eleanor A. Bancroft, of our own staff, over the Book Club of California's Christmas cial history. croft Library now has a greater assemblage of ist, he converted his flourishing vineyards to Soldiers, Indians & Silver, by Philip Wayne materials by and about Frank Norris than the production of raisins. publication, Account of a Tour of the Cali fornia Missions. Edited by Miss Coulter and Powell of the Santa Barbara faculty, tells of can be found in any other collection, public Bidwell continued his interest in education Mrs. Bancroft, this publication contains the the northward advance of New Spain from or private. Among the many important items by the encouragement of public schools and journal and drawings of Henry Miller, the 1550 to 1600, and is the story of the Spanish- accumulated are all of Norris's first editions, as an early regent of the University of Cali previously unidentified artist of 73 California Indian struggle on the silver frontier. Lesley inscribed by him; some seventy books from fornia, as well as by the donation of land for Towns. The new book, designed and printed B. Simpson's Many Mexicos is more than just Norris's library, inscribed and annotated; the Chico State Normal School (now Chico with the special genius of the Grabhorn Press, a third edition of this excellent book; it has more than fifteen percent of the only known State College). More a public-spirited citizen is a real work of art. been completely revised, with much new ma complete Norris manuscript, that of Mc- than a politician, he nevertheless was active terial added. It is still one of the most absorb Teague, one page of which was included in in politics during most of his long life. He OF THE BOOKS recently announced by the ing books we know of to sit down and read, each set of the Argonaut Manuscript Edi was a senator in the first California legisla University of California Press, at least nine whether for pleasure or instruction. tion of his collected works; his composition ture, a delegate to the national Democratic give us a pleasant feeling of participation, Clarke Chambers, now of the University themes written at Harvard, which are essen convention of i860 and to the national Union since their authors have drawn upon our Li of Minnesota but a former graduate student tially first drafts of two of his novels; the convention in 1864, and a representative in brary for some of their material. of the University of California, has written original notes for The Pit; the notes for revi Congress the following term. Several times Charles L. Camp's Earth Song; a Prologue California Farm Organizations, a comprehension of Vandover and the Brute; his scrap- [2} C3I book concerning incidents Actionized in The to the accumulation of a tremendous amount Octopus; the map which he drew for the of documentary material. In addition to ac frontispiece of The Octopus; some manuscript count books, ledgers, letter books, diaries, pages from The Pit, The Octopus, and Van- and scrapbooks relating to his various inter dover and the Brute; letters from Norris to ests, the Waterman papers include a large family, friends, and publishers; drawings by body of family correspondence, beginning Norris; and photographs of Norris taken at with a group of letters written to him by his various times in his life. brother and friends in the early days of the The nucleus of our Norris collection was a Northern Mines. generous gift by Professor Franklin Walker This splendid collection of business and of Mills College. Professor Walker donated family papers fortunately was preserved by the correspondence and notes that he had Mr. Waterman's son-in-law, the mechanical gathered in preparing his biography of this engineer Irving M. Scott. After Mr. Scott's famous California author. death recently, the Waterman Papers came We have given much attention to reassem to the Bancroft Library through the gener bling the pages of the McTeague manuscript osity of his nephew, Professor C. Emlen which were so unfortunately scattered in the Scott. Argonaut Edition, and so far we have had amazingly good luck. It is hoped that any of Friends in Print our friends who may have leaves of the man SINCE we last spoke of our scholarly Friends, uscript will donate them to the Library or at least seven more of them have broken into allow them to be photostated. print. The following have come to our at Major emphasis has been placed on the tention: acquisition of Norris materials, but the Nor WILLIAM HARLAND BOYD, Land of Havilah, 1854- ris collection is only one of many. Other re 1874. Bakersfield, 1952. gional literary items collected include manu EDWIN CORLE, The Gila, River of the Southwest. scripts by George R. Stewart, Wallace Steg- New York, 1951; and The Story of the Grand Canyon. Second edition, New York, 1951. ner, Joseph Henry Jackson, and other emi LEWIS HANKE, Historia de las Indias, por Fray Bar- nent contemporary writers. tolome de las Casas. Mexico, 1951. PHIL TOWNSEND HANNA, The Dictionary of Cali fornia Land Names. Revised and enlarged, Los Waterman Papers Angeles, 1951. THOMAS WINTHROP STREETER, Americana—Be• THE BANCROFT LIBRARY has long been col ginnings; a Selection from the Library of lecting the papers of gold-miners, ranchers, Thomas W. Streeter, Shown in Honor of a Visit of the Hroswitha Club on May 3, 1951. businessmen, and governors — and now all Morristown, N. J., 1952. four classifications are combined in one col REGINALD R. STUART, San Leandro, a History. San lection, that of the enterprising Robert Leandro, 1951. Whitney Waterman. Making his start in the HENRY R. WAGNER, "Hispanic Americana in the John Carter Brown Library," in Essays Honor California mines in 1850, he returned east in ing Lawrence C. Wroth. Portland, Me., 1951. 1852 and spent some twenty years in busi ness. After this he came back to settle in San As always, we offer our compliments and Bernardino County as a machinery salesman. good wishes on these recent publications and In 1880 he discovered the Waterman (Cal add a hope for many more to come. If we ico) Mine, and later he acquired the Cuya- have missed the publications of any of our maca Ranch with its Stonewall Jackson Mine. Friends, we hope they will write us a note Mining and ranching, there and on the Wa and bring us up to date. terman Ranch at Barstow, raising the first California herd of Holstein cattle, developing What Others Say the Waterman Hot Springs, building the San A FRIEND in Michigan writes: "Many thanks Diego, Cuyamaca and Western Railway, and for Bancroftiana. Your little pamphlet is full serving a term first as Lieutenant Governor of interesting items, as well as being an edi and, after the first year, as Governor—occu torial model." Such kind words cheer us im pied his time until his death in 1891 and led mensely, and make us humble, too. ui