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1 No online items Processed by The Bancroft Library staff The Bancroft Library. Berkeley, California, Phone: (510) Fax: (510) URL: The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Note Social Sciences --Urban Planning and EnvironmentHistory --History, California --History, Bay AreaGeographical (by Place) --California --Bay Area BANC MSS C-I 64 1

2 Collection number: BANC MSS C-I 64 The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Contact Information: The Bancroft Library. Berkeley, California, Phone: (510) Fax: (510) URL: Processed by: The Bancroft Library staff Date Completed: ca Encoded by: Xiuzhi Zhou 1997 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.. All rights reserved. Collection Summary Collection Title: Frank Colton Havens Papers, Date (inclusive): Collection Number: BANC MSS C-I 64 Origination: Havens, Frank Colton, Extent: Number of containers: 8 v. (in 4 pkgs.) and 4 boxes Repository: The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Abstract: Relating mainly to his real estate developments in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, Calif., and association with Francis Marion ("Borax") Smith, Wm. J. Dingee and Horace W. Carpentier. Records for the Piedmont Development Company, Hotel Claremont Company, Realty Syndicate, Peoples' Water Company and other enterprises, included. Some reflect participation of his nephew, George Sterling. Also, ledger, : transactions of Havens & Company, stockbrokers, San Francisco. With these, correspondence and papers of Mrs. Havens relating to settlement of her husband's estate and her own association with the Villa Site and Development Company. Added to the papers; (Box IV): copy of report by Henry A. Lafler on water and water companies in Oakland, ; album prepared by the Business Men's Club of Oakland, 1962, on Havens' tree planting in the hill area and other tree BANC MSS C-I 64 2

3 planting data for Alameda County; file of related maps from Havens' papers. Languages Represented: English Access Collection is open for research. Publication Rights Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Frank Colton Havens papers, BANC MSS C-I 64, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Biography Frank Colton Havens ( ) a native of Sag Harbor, New York, came to California in 1866, after a year's shipping experience in China. At first employed by the Savings and Loan Society in San Francisco, he formed a stock brokerage firm about 1880 in partnership with Van Dyke Hubbard. He also organized several insurance and investment firms previous to his organization of the Realty Syndicate in 1895 in association with F. M. ("Borax") Smith. This large scale enterprise involved real estate and utility developments for the whole East Bay. After 1906 Mr. Havens withdrew from active management of the Syndicate to devote himself to the affairs of the People's Water Company and various other real estate promotions in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, but particularly in Piedmont. The extensive plantings of pine and eucalyptus trees on the East Bay hills were a part of all these development activities. Mr. Havens was twice married. Of the first marriage, to Miss Sadie Bell (Sarah Pierson Bell. Born 4/7/53. San Francisco), of Virginia City, Nevada, there were four children, including his son, Wickham, who likewise became a noted realtor in the Oakland-Berkeley area. His second wife was Lila M. Rand whose sister, Caroline, became the wife of Mr. Havens' nephew, George Sterling, California poet. Scope and Content Some of the earlier material reflects the association of George Sterling in his uncle's business. Much of the later correspondence and many of the papers relate to Mrs. Lila R. Havens' efforts to collect money from her husband's estate; some pertain to her own association with real estate projects initiated by her husband. Groups of Havens' papers have been presented to the Bancroft Library over the period, December, 1960 to January, 1962, by David D. Oliphant, Jr., who had been attorney and executor for Mr. Havens' widow. These papers have been roughly sorted and arranged as follows: Box I Berkeley Waterfront Company Carpentier, Horace W. (includes material for Pacific Improvement Company) Claremont Hotel (deeds, stock subscriptions and construction papers) Contra Costa County property (some for George and Carrie Sterling) Dingee, William J. Havens, Frank C., Estate of (Inventory) BANC MSS C-I 64 3

4 Correspondence and Papers Havens Estate (correspondence and papers re F. W. Smith's notes) Hempel family papers (re property in San Antonio Rancho) Box II "Cash Book of Smith and Havens, no.1", Key Route Inn Miscellaneous (deeds, accounts, stock certificates and checks) Piedmont Development Company (see also: Minute Books, in volumes) Piedmont properties (miscellaneous maps, deeds and brochures) Railways (Key Route, San Francisco-Oakland Terminal and Oakland Traction Companies) Real Estate Combine Realty Syndicate (see also folder for F. M. Smith) Rose, Andrew W & Mrs. Rose (Promisory notes to the People's Water Company) Box III Smith, Francis Marion (correspondence, accounts and S. K. Ballard's audit, see also: Havens Estate and Realty Sundicate) Spring, J. H. Tax statements (miscellaneous) Box IV Villa Site and Development Company (see also records in volumes) Water Companies "Wildwood" (see also Piedmont properties) Lafler, Henry Anderson. The history of water and water companies in the city of Oakland, [1910?] File of maps showing properties of Havens and his companies, and relating to tree planting an water development, etc. BANC MSS C-I 64 4

5 Correspondence and Papers Frank C. Havens tree planting data and other Alameda County tree data Presented to Bancroft Library... by Business Men's Garden Club of Oakland, 1962 [album containing some of Mr. Havens' records relating to tree planting and material collected by the Club, including pictures, reminiscences and copies of articles.] volume Volumes Havens & Company. Stock ledger, Havens, Frank C. Property ledger Piedmont Development Company. Minute books Physical Description: (2 v. in package) Villa Site and Development Company. Records Physical Description: (5 v. in package) BANC MSS C-I 64 5