http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf0779n4bf No online items Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Papers, 1856-1912 Department of Special Collections Green Library Stanford University Libraries Stanford, CA 94305-6004 Phone: (650) 725-1022 Email: [email protected] URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc © 1999 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved. Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Special Collections M0149 1 Papers, 1856-1912 Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Papers, 1856-1912 Collection number: M0149 Department of Special Collections and University Archives Stanford University Libraries Stanford, California Contact Information Department of Special Collections Green Library Stanford University Libraries Stanford, CA 94305-6004 Phone: (650) 725-1022 Email: [email protected] URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc Processed by: Patricia J. Palmer Date Completed: 1966 May © 1999 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved. Descriptive Summary Title: Edward Lee Plumb Papers, Date (inclusive): 1856-1912 Collection number: Special Collections M0149 Creator: Plumb, Edward Lee, 1827-1912. Extent: 4 linear ft. Repository: Stanford University. Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives. Language: English. Access Restrictions None. Publication Rights Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections. Provenance Gift of Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, 1915, 1916. Preferred Citation: [Identification of item] Edward Lee Plumb Papers , M0149, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif. Scope and Content The Plumb collection consists of correspondence, cables, notes, reports, articles, drafts, clippings, maps, and some printed material from 1856 - 1912. Most of it falls between 1865 and 1881 though there are several gaps of months: October - December 1870 and July 1877. There is no correspondence for 1858, 1859, 1860, 1882, 1884 - 1888, 1890 - 1895, 1900 and 1901. The papers are arranged chronologically showing the change and progression of Plumb's activities and interests. A partial index of correspondents and major subjects follows the list of contents. The most valuable and interesting subjects covered are: Mexican history from the French invasion to the beginning of Diaz's regime; United States diplomatic and commercial relations with Mexico, Cuba and Spain; history of the Cuban insurrection in the late 1860's to its culmination in the Spanish-American War; and American railroad and mining promotion in Mexico. It is rather strange that the preliminary steps for the construction of an International railroad are so well covered but there is almost no material on his eight year Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Special Collections M0149 2 Papers, 1856-1912 vice-presidency of the Mexican International Railroad. The correspondents include many national and international figures: Mexican presidents; Mexican and American cabinet members, legislators, military men, journalists, diplomats and businessmen; Spanish military officials in Cuba; and businessmen and diplomats of several other nations active in Cuba and Mexico. There is one letter signed by Benito Juarez; 12 by Blas Balcarcel, Mexican Minister of the Interior, plus some signed documents; and 13 by Mexican legislator, Estanislao Cañedo. There are 102 letters from Plumb's friend, George Earl Church, from 1867 - 1907. Church was promoting a railroad and steamship line on the Amazon River and raising money in England. There are letters also from William R. Day (14), Hamilton Fish (3), Richard C. McCormick (15), William H. Seward (7), Philip H. Sheridan (4), and William T. Sherman (2). Diplomat John Watson Foster is represented by 38 letters and Henry C. Hall by 40. There are 15 letters by William Hunter of the State Department and 23 by Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada, president of Mexico. Among the businessmen with whom Plumb corresponded James S. Mackie is represented by 15 letters and Henry G. Marquand by 22. There are 67 letters between 1862 and 1898 from Matias Romero, Mexican diplomat and Plumb's personal friend. Biographical Note Edward Lee Plumb 1827, July born in Gowanda, Erie Co., New York; son of Joseph and Caroline Robbins (Hale) Plumb; brother of Albert Hale 17 Plumb, 1829 - 1907. received a business education and was apprenticed to a Hartford, Conn. mercantile house. 1849 went to California for several years. 1854 exploratory trip to Mexico, met Gen. Juan Alverez, obtained prospecting concession. 1855 interested New York businessmen in founding Mexican Pacific Coal and Iron Mining and Land Co. 1856 - 1857 surveying expedition across Central Mexico and returned to New York. 1861 - 1865 Mexico City - translater and interpretor with American Legation, other positions in Mexico and Washington, D.C. 1866 Secretary of Legation to Campbell Legation to Mexico. 1867 - 1868 Charge d'Affaires at Mexico. 1869, June - Consul General at Havana, Cuba. December 1871 - 1881 railroad promotion in Mexico and U.S. for International and Great Northern Railroad. 1881 sold rights in International concession. 1881 - 1889 vice-president of Mexican International Railroad Co. 1881, April retired. 15 1912, April died. 16 Note NOTE: The numbers indicate folders except where otherwise stated. Alaska boundary line,9 (acquisition),48,55. Allen, George F. (pres., Mexican Pacific Coal, etc.),1-3. Allen, Thomas (1813-1882),29,30,32,36. Altamirano, Ignacio Manuel (1834-1893),20,22,62. Alvarez, Juan (1790?-1867),2 (mentioned). Amazon River,41-43. Arbitration Treaty - 1897,50. Audenreid, Joseph Crain (d. 1880),13,15,43. Babcock, Orville E.,11-13,16. Badeau, Adam,13,17. Balcárcel, Blas,12,23,25-28,34,35,62. Ballon, George William,44,46. Baranda, José M.,21,62. Baranda, P. de,10,11. Barnes, John Sanford (pres., International RR),29. Barron, William or Guillermo (Barron, Forbes & Co.),11,64. Barron, Forbes & Co.,25,57. Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Special Collections M0149 3 Papers, 1856-1912 Bates, Henry Walter,42. Belize see British Honduras. Belknap, William Worth,19. Benecke, Esteban,11,12. Berriozabal, Felipe B.,9. Biddle, Thomas,17. Blake, William Phipps,12,31,33,34,43-45. Bond, Frank S.,34,39. Bond, William,29,32,36. Brackenridge, George W.,42. Brazil,41-43. Bristed, Charles Astor,20. Bristed, Grace [S. or B.?],17-19,27. British Honduras,9,50,51,57. Brown, Charles Kearney,13,23. Brown, [L.?] A.,24,26,27,45. Burnside, Ambrose Everett,43. Caballero y Fernandez de Rodas, Antonio,15,16 (copy). Canada,44. Cañedo, Estanislao,11,12,20,21,24,28,30,32,37,41. Castillo Velasco, José del,19. Chew, R. S.,13-15,18,19. Chilton, R. S.,14,16. Church, George Earl,8,10,15,19-21,24,26,28-31,33-36,38,40-46,49-56. Church and state,56. Clarke, Hyde,26-28,30,31,43. Coleman, William Tell,15. Colombia,56,74. Commerce,5,18,29,39,40,42,57. Comonfort, Ignacio,1 (mentioned),2 (transl. of ltr.). Corbiere, W. A.,6,10. Cornwell, Timothy,2,4. Corwin, Thomas,4. Courcillon, E. de,6. Cowlitz Pass, Washington,42. Crawley, George B.,10,20,22. Cross-Buchanan, William,25,34. Cuba,13-21,25,27,28,33,36,41-43,48-54,57. Curran, Alexander L.,28. Curtin, Andrew Gregg,16. Cushing, Caleb,9,10,14,15. Daly, Charles Patrick,50,52. Davidson, Nathaniel,12,19,28. Davis, Charles W.,10,12. Davis, John Chandler Bancroft,10,16 (copies),19. Day, William Rufus,51-54. Delano, Warren H.,33,40. Dewey, George,45. Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Special Collections M0149 4 Papers, 1856-1912 Diaz, Antonio C.,24,25. Diaz, Porfirio (José de la Cruz), mentioned only, 4,19,20,33,38. Diaz, Ramon S.,10. Dillon, John Forrest,45. Doubleday, Abner,23. Downey, Edward,8,9. Dreyfus case,52. Dunbar, Edward E.,8,9,13. Duncan, Alexander,7. Dwight, Theodore F.,44. Enzenberg, Conde d',21-24. Escobedo, Mariano,23,39,40,41. Evans, Walton W.,23-28. Fergusson, D.,19. Fesser, Francis,12,13. Fesser, José Antonio,17. Fish, Hamilton,15,24,32. Flagg, John H.,42-44. Forbin-Janson, _______,14,17. Forney, John W.,17. Forrest, George J.,30. Foster, John Watson,25-35,42-44,55. Foster, William,50. French invasion of Mexico,4,6-9. Gadsden, J. A.,12. Garay, Francisco de,22,26. Garrett, Thomas C.,1,3. Gates, J. E.,42. Geiger, John L.,26-29,31,38. Gerolt, F. von,9-13. Gibbs, C. C.,40,41. Gobright, L. A.,24. Goodwin, John Noble,19,39,42,44. Gorsuch, Robert B. (railroad promoter),9. Graham-Dunlop, A.,13,14. Granados, M. G.,25. Grandison, Thomas,22. Grant, J. A.,44 (copies). Grant, Ulysses Simpson, mentioned in - 5,12,16,21,22,26,35,36,44 (ltrs. to). Grow, Galusha Aaron,26,53. Guatamala,9. Gutiérrez, Luis,12,22. Guzman, Ramon G.,11,12,21,23-25. Hall, Henry C.,14,16-25,28,29,33,34,36,38-43,45. Hall, Robert L.,33. Hanson, William R.,3. Harris, Ira,10. Havana, Cuba,13-16,66. Guide to the Edward Lee Plumb Special Collections M0149 5 Papers, 1856-1912 Hayes, R. S.,31,33-35,38,42,44. Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, mentioned in - 38. Herrereo de Tejada, Feliciano,19. Hill, John,24,28. Hoadley, David,11,13,23. Hoff, Henry K.,14,15,19. Hogan, George W.,10. Hoxie, H. M.,27,34. Hubbard, Gardiner Greene,50. Hunter, William,9,15,19-23,25,33,37. Huntington, Collis Potter,47. Hurlbert, William Henry,19-21,26,30-32,38. Hurlbut, George C.,51-53. Iglesial, Ramon,12. Iglesias, José María,22-25,27 (ptd.),36 (mentioned),38 (mentioned). International Railroad Co. of Texas see International and Great Northern Railroad Co.