Willard S. Hopewell Papers
Collection
Identifier: MSS-56-BC
Scope and Content
Legal documents, correspondence, and miscellaneous papers dating 1884-1908, relating to Hopewell's prospecting and business management activities. Materials relate to land claims, ranching, mining, and business in various New Mexico counties including Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Sierra County. Some of the documents are placer mining location notices and contracts, coal assignments, options and abstracts on territorial timber lands including some in the Manzano Mountains, and copies of cattle brands. The collection also contains land transaction documents such as an affidavit of special agent Halcomb to the Secretary of the Interior regarding sale of lands in New Mexico, an abstract of title of the Chilili grant, and a contract of sale of land between Willard S. Hopewell and the Aztec Land and Cattle Company. Some of the papers relate to W. H. Andrews, one of Hopewell's business associates, while other papers concern the business of the Santa Fe Central Railway and the Santa Fe Electric Company.
Dates
- 1884-2008
Language of Materials
English.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of print and photographic material is allowed for research purposes. Duplication of recordings permitted only with written permission from artist, performer, interviewer and interviewee, tribal authority, or current holder of intellectual property rights. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography
Willard S. Hopewell was born February 11, 1847 in Chester, England. After being educated in private schools he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1863 to join his uncle. During the American Civil War he and his uncle were involved in blockade running. In 1866 he came to the United States and resided in various parts of the country: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, California, New York, and Colorado. While in Colorado he served as first sergeant of the Chaffee Light Artillery where he met the future New Mexico Governor, Miguel Antonio Otero. After Hopewell arrived in New Mexico in 1879, Governor Otero made him captain of the cavalry in the New Mexico National Guard. Hopewell settled in Sierra County in southern New Mexico. He took up prospecting, mining extensively in the Hillsboro district. In 1880 he started the Las Animas Land and Cattle Company. Later, he entered politics, serving in the House of Representatives for the Territory, 1892-1893. From 1903-1911 he was manager of the Pennsylvania Development Company, precipitating his involvement with various other companies such as the New Mexico Central Railway, New Mexico Fuel and Iron Company, and the Aztec Land and Cattle Company.
Extent
1 box (.45 cu. ft.), plus 1 oversized folder
Hopewell Papers Online
A selection of digitized materials from the Willard S. Hopewell Papers is available at the Center for Southwest Research's Manuscripts digital collections. To locate these materials, search the word "Hopewell" under "Name of Collection".
Separated Material
Master files for cds are stored on library file server.
- Andrews, William H. (William Henry), 1842-1919
- Cattle brands --- New Mexico -- Bernalillo County
- Coal mines and mining -- New Mexico -- Bernalillo County
- Electric power -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe
- Manzano Mountains (N.M.)
- Mines and mineral resources -- New Mexico -- Sandoval County
- New Mexico's Digital Collections
- Railroads -- New Mexico
- Sierra County (N.M.) -- History
- Timber -- New Mexico
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Willard S. Hopewell Papers, 1884-1908, 2008
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Described by T.S. Reinig
- Date
- ©2000
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::MSS 56 BC::Willard S. Hopewell Papers)//EN" "nmu1mss56bc.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu