Stephen B. Elkins papers
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0033
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of copies of originals owned by the West Virginia Collections of West Virginia University. Rather than cover the years Elkins spent in New Mexico, materials were copied which concern his mining interests during the 1890's. This copied collection is divided into five series: Correspondence, Legal documents, Land deeds and leases, Financial documents and assay reports, and Microfilm.
The correspondence is full of letters to and from many prominent national and territorial figures. Among the significant correspondents are Carl Schurz, John Pratt, Lymann Trumball, W. C. Meigs, William Breeder, Abram G. Hout, S. A. Hubbell (Las Vegas, NM), G. C. Swallow, J. G. Blaine, Hamilton Fish, Ed Moore, E. Sherwood, E. O. Darling, Ida A. Logan, A. H. Hilton, Antonio Ortiz Y Salazar, S. M. Janney, Richard Hudson, Benjamin Harrison, William W. Dudley, J. Francisco Chaves, Edwin L. Bartlett, R. C. Kevens, W. P. Cunningham, J. P. Victory, John P. McCook, Allen Manuel, Edward F. Hobart, Lee English, Aldace Walker, J. C. Wilson, C. E. Dewey, Joseph Tarocque, W. H. Pettibone, J. L. Wells, John Longmaid, George McGee, Herbert Strickland, Leo F. Probat (Chicago architect), Bernard L. Rodey, O. X. Kelly, John R. McFie, R. L. Baca, B. A. Nymeyer, Thomas B. Catron, Miguel S. Otero, Pedro Sanchez, George Milroy Baily, B. Gordon Bromley, William Caver Wiederseim, Candelario Martinez, Edward R. Otero and General Benjamin F. Butler.
Of the correspondence, the Butler letters are the most extensive and concern New Mexico land interests that led to the Butler v. Elkins lawsuit. Topics discussed in the correspondence include political matters such as appointments and J. G. Blaine’s presidential ambitions. An immense amount of the correspondence deals with the Cerrillos Coal and Iron Company and its railroad.
Legal documents in the collection show the types of lawsuits that resulted from the attempts of eastern industrialists to tap New Mexico’s mineral wealth. General Ben Butler of Civil War and Reconstruction was one who sued Elkins. In a related case, E. O. Darling sued General Butler. Another lawsuit documented in the collection is Rencher v. Elkins. This series also contains stock agreements from 1885-1896.
Land deeds and leases for the Candelario and Cunningham mines are included with information on the Mesita de Juana Lopez and Mora land grants. There is also additional land information about the holdings of the New Mexico Mining Company. For researchers in New Mexican history, The Ortiz Mine Grant book will be helpful.
Financial records include documents from the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company, the Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company, the Cunningham Mine and Mammoth Lode. The Cunningham Mine records include assay reports, expense and payroll accounts and receipts. In addition to the correspondence, legal, land deeds and financial records series, there is also a microfilm copy of mine plats and oversize correspondence.
Dates
- 1869-1910
Creator
Biographical / Historical
September 26, 1841 Born near New Lexington, Derry, Ohio
1843 - 1847 Moved to a farm at Westport, MO
1860 Graduated at the head of his class at the University of Missouri at
Columbia
1861 Taught school in Cass County, MO
1862 Enlisted in the Union Army as a Captain of Militia in the 72nd
Missouri Infantry
1863 Moved to New Mexico and was admitted to the New Mexico bar
and began practicing law at Mesilla
1864 Elected to the territorial legislature
June 10, 1866 Married Sarah Jacobs of Wellington, MO
January - March, 1867 Attorney General of New Mexico
1867 - 1870 U.S. District Attorney
1868 University of Missouri granted him the M.A. Degree
1872 Elected as a Republican to serve as territorial delegate to the 43rd
Congress
1874 - March 3, 1877 Re-elected
April 14, 1875 Married Hallie Davis, daughter of Senator Henry G. Davis
January 12, 1876 Proposed a Bill for New Mexico statehood
1876 - 1890 President of the Santa Fe First National Bank
1884 Advisor and political Lieutenant of James G. Blaine, Republican
National Committee for three successive presidential campaigns
1890 Moved to Elkins, West Virginia
Actively aided the construction of the West Virginia Central &
Pittsburgh Railroad (Western Maryland)
Became interested in options on large tracts of coal lands on the
Monongahela near Morgantown
1891 Secretary of War
1895 Elected to U.S. Senate, served until his death in 1911
1902 Purchased the Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad
1903 Wrote the Anti-rebate Act
1907 Completed Rail Road eastward to connect with Baltimore & Ohio
1910 Wrote the Mann-Elkins Act
January 4, 1911 Died
Extent
3 Linear Feet (2 Boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Photostatic and microfilm copies of papers of Stephen B. Elkins, a territorial legislator in New Mexico and later U. S. Senator from West Virginia. Correspondence, legal papers, land deeds and leases, financial accounts and assay reports from Elkins’ New Mexico period relate principally to his mining interests.
Processing Information
Merleen Dibert, December 1979
Updated by Charles Stanford, July 2007
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the Stephen B. Elkins papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Merleen Dibert, December 1979 Updated by Charles Stanford, July 2007
- Date
- Updated July 2007
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository