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Llano del Rio Colony Records: Finding Aid

Processed by Marisa Diehl in July 2002; supplementary encoding and revision by Diann Benti in 2017. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Manuscripts Department 1151 Oxford Road San Marino, 91108 Phone: (626) 405-2129 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.huntington.org © 2002 The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 1 Finding Aid Overview of the Collection Title: Llano del Rio Colony Records Dates (inclusive): 1896-1967 Bulk dates: 1930s Collection Number: mssLlano del Rio Creator: Llano Colony (Secular community) Extent: 516 pieces in 4 boxes; 1 oversize folder; 1 oversize volume Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department 1151 Oxford Road San Marino, California 91108 Phone: (626) 405-2129 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.huntington.org Abstract: This collection contains papers pertaining to the socialist cooperative Llano del Rio Colony, founded by in the , California, in 1914, and its successor, Newllano, located in Louisiana, with the bulk dating from the 1930s. Subjects represented include the Llano and Newllano colonies, in the United States, and socialist societies. Language: English. Access Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services. Publication Rights 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 obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher. Preferred Citation [Identification of item]. Llano del Rio Colony Records, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California. Provenance Gift of Mellie Calvert, 1969-1972, and Knox Mellon, December 1975. Historical Note The Llano del Rio Co-operative Colony was incorporated in 1914 by attorney Job Harriman, the socialist nominee for mayor of Los Angeles in 1911. The settlement was located in the Antelope Valley of California near Pearblossom, where an agricultural community was developed. Because of problems with water rights, transportation for produce, and internal dissension, the colony was discontinued in 1918. One group of the colonists went to Louisiana and reestablished a community under the name Newllano. Scope and Content The collection contains correspondence, documents, minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, poetry, and printed materials pertaining to the Llano del Rio Colony and its successor, Newllano. Most of the items donated by Mellie Calvert (Box 1) pertain to the history of the Llano del Rio Colony and the experiences of its colonists. Some of this material looks at the influence Job Harriman and the Young People's Socialist League of California had upon the founding of Llano, while other items represent the lives and daily struggles of individual Llano members. The vast majority of the Knox Mellon addenda items (Boxes 2-4, plus two oversized items) pertain to Newllano and its various problems. Although the collection spans from 1896 to 1967, the greatest concentration of items were written in the 1930s, a turbulent time in Newllano's development. During the mid-1930s a power struggle arose in Newllano between its elected Board (headed by George T. Pickett, 1876-1959) and a band of individuals who attempted to revoke Pickett's leadership and declare a new Board. Letters and documents reflecting each side of the divide exist within the collection, although more of the materials reflect the pro-Pickett stance. Sidney Young authors many of Pickett's defenses and is a strong voice throughout the collection. Other Knox Mellon items reflect the pre-history of Llano, including copies of late nineteenth century letters penned by Job Harriman and (1869-1933). Subjects represented throughout the collection as a whole include the Llano and Newllano colonies, socialism in the United States, socialist societies, Job Harriman, Morris Hillquit (1869-1933), George T. Pickett (1876-1959) and Sidney Young.

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 2 Finding Aid Organization and Arrangement The collection is arranged in the following series: 1. Materials given to the Huntington by Mellie Calvert (Box 1) 2. Materials given to the Huntington by Knox Mellon (Boxes 2-4, plus 2 oversized items) Within each series the materials original order has been maintained wherever discernible. Items in each series have been arranged in chronological order and grouped by format. Indexing Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog. Subjects Harriman, Job, 1861-1925. Hillquit, Morris, 1869-1933. Pickett, George T., 1876-1959. Llano Colony (Secular community) Cooperative societies -- California, Southern -- History -- Sources. Cooperative societies -- Louisiana -- History -- Sources. Socialism -- Societies, etc. Socialism -- United States. Socialists -- Correspondence. Forms/Genres Administrative records -- California. Administrative records -- Louisiana. Letters (correspondence) -- California. Letters (correspondence) -- Louisiana. Minutes -- California. Minutes -- Louisiana.

Box 1 Mellie Calvert items

Llano del Rio Colony's Board of Commissioners minutes and correspondence

Folder 1 1915 February-March Physical Description: 19 pieces

Folder 2 1915 April Physical Description: 13 pieces

Folder 3 1915 May Physical Description: 12 pieces

Folder 4 1915 June Physical Description: 14 pieces

Folder 5 1915 July-August Physical Description: 26 pieces

Llano del Rio Colony documents

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 3 Finding Aid Mellie Calvert items Llano del Rio Colony documents

Folder 6 Agreement to purchase stock and agreement of employment Physical Description: 1 piece

Folder 7 Constitution of the Llano del Rio Community Physical Description: 1 volume

Folder 8 Statement and purpose of Wellfare League of Llano del Rio Colony Physical Description: 1 piece

Folder 9 To the General Assembly and Commission - Survey and Inventory Physical Description: 1 piece

Llano Colonists - Correspondence

Folder 10 Gentry Purviance McCorkle to Mellie Calvert Physical Description: 1 piece

Folder 11 Mr. and Mrs. F. W. (Frank W.) Miller to Mellie and Herbert S. Calvert Physical Description: 33 pieces

Llano Colonists - Manuscripts

Folder 12 Mellie Calvert - The Llano del Rio Co-operative Colony Physical Description: 1 piece

Folder 13 Experiences of F. W. (Frank W.) Miller during the first three months at Llano Physical Description: 1 volume

Miscellaneous

Folder 14 Undated correspondence and documents Physical Description: 16 pieces

Folder 15 Photographs and miscellaneous items Physical Description: 13 pieces

Knox Mellon items

Box 2 Correspondence

Folder 1 1915-1933 Physical Description: 6 pieces

Folder 2 1934 Physical Description: 3 pieces

Folder 3 1935 April-May Physical Description: 19 pieces

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 4 Finding Aid Knox Mellon items Correspondence

Folder 4 1935 June Physical Description: 21 pieces

Folder 5 1935 July Physical Description: 28 pieces

Folder 6 1935 August Physical Description: 23 pieces

Folder 7 1935 September Physical Description: 6 pieces

Folder 8 1935 November-December Physical Description: 10 pieces

Folder 9 1936 January-June Physical Description: 12 pieces

Folder 10 1936 September-December Physical Description: 6 pieces

Folder 11 1937 Physical Description: 4 pieces

Folder 12 1938 Physical Description: 6 pieces

Box 3 Documents; Newspaper Clippings; Photographs

Documents Box 3, Folder 1 Crisis at Llano Colony Physical Description: 1 piece

Box 3, Folder 2 The Crisis at Llano Colony: In Lighter Vein Physical Description: 1 piece

Box 3, Folder 3 Legal Documents Physical Description: 5 pieces

Box 3, Folder 4 Llano Colony Documents and Notices Physical Description: 21 pieces

Box 3, Folder 5 Llano Poetry Physical Description: 12 pieces

Box 3, Folder 6 Morris Hillquit Papers Physical Description: 1 piece

Box 3, Folder 7 Report of Meeting of George T. Pickett and a portion of his Board with the Board of Advisors to the Receiver Physical Description: 1 piece

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 5 Finding Aid Knox Mellon items Documents; Newspaper Clippings; Photographs

Box 3, Folder 8 Reports on Fogman No. 1 Physical Description: 3 pieces

Box 3, Folder 9 Sidney Young - Diary and Statements Physical Description: 3 pieces

Box 3, Folder 10 Miscellaneous notes and documents Physical Description: 67 pieces

Folder 11 Newspaper Clippings on Los Angeles mayoral election of 1911 Physical Description: 7 pieces

Folder 12 Photographs Physical Description: 5 pieces

Box 4 Oversize

Correspondence Folder 1 1896-1901 Physical Description: 21 pieces

Folder 2 1935 October Physical Description: 17 pieces

Folder 3 1936 July-August Physical Description: 24 pieces

Documents Folder 4 The Class War in Idaho by Job Harriman [excerpt] Physical Description: 2 pieces

Folder 5 Llano mailing lists and reunion information Physical Description: 14 pieces

Folder 6 Report on the Llano del Rio Co. of Nevada Physical Description: 1 piece

Newspaper Clippings and Ephemera Folder 7 Newspaper clippings and printed materials Physical Description: 8 pieces

Folder 8 Ephemera

Oversize Folder

Photographs

Physical Description: 4 pieces

Volume

Llano del Rio Board of Directors Minutes. 1917 April 1-1918 March 1

Llano del Rio Colony Records: mssLlano del Rio 6 Finding Aid