DAVIS, Horace, 1831-1916


Guide to Research Collections

Stanford University
Special Collections & University Archives
Stanford, CA
Papers: 1865-1915, 3 linear feet.
The papers of Horace Davis include family correspondence and correspondence relating to the administration of Stanford University, copies of articles by Davis, diplomas, and pamphlets. The bulk of the papers concern Stanford University, its Board of Trustees and the problem it faced. A finding aid is available in the repository and online.

Photographs: 1904-1905, 1 volume.
This album consists of the 1904 Stanford University viewbook published by H. W. Simkins with additional photographs added and labeled by Horace Davis; additional images include Lake Lagunita with the campus in the background, view of faculty housing, Encina Hall, Roble Hall, Chemistry Building, Assemby Hall, grounds of the Stanford residence on campus, interior of Memorial Church, interior of the Museum, and various Museum collections.

Papers: In the Chit Chat Club Records, 1877-2006, 9 linear feet.
Subjects include Horace Davis. A finding aid is available in the repository and online.

Papers: In the George E. Crothers Papers, 1905-1957, 16.5 linear feet.
Subjects include Horace Davis. An unpublished guide is available in the repository.

Papers: In the Samuel Franklin Leib Papers, 1881-1920, 10.5 linear feet.
Correspondents include Horace Davis. An unpublished guide is available in the repository.

Papers: In the George A. Merrill Letters Received, 1885-1908, 9 items.
Correspondents include Horace Davis.

Papers: In the Harry C. Peterson Papers, 1894-1935, 3 folders.
Subjects include Horace Davis.

Papers: In the Ray Lyman Wilbur Presidential Papers, 1914-1951, 172.5 linear feet.
Subjects include Horace Davis. An unpublished guide is available in the repository.


California Historical Society
North Baker Research Library
San Francisco, CA
Papers: 1906-1916, 0.5 linear foot.
Horace Davis papers pertaining to the California School of Mechanical Arts and the Lux School of Industrial Training. The papers include correspondence, reports, financial statements, minutes, and other papers concerning the two schools, which shared premises when the Lux School first came into existence. Includes information on operations, salaries, student funds, and school real estate.


University of California, Berkeley
Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA
Papers: Includes newspaper clippings on his political life (1876-1880).

Papers: 1916, 6 leaves.
A speech titled “How I got into the library business” prepared for a meeting of the Stanford University Library Club and read by George T. Clark. Recollections of San Francisco in the 1850’s and establishment of the Mercantile Library.

Papers: Scrapbooks on Chinese immigration, 1877-1893, 8 volumes.
The scrapbooks compiled by Horace Davis are as follows: Vols. 1-5: clippings covering the period 1877-1893; Vols. 6-8: extracts from published sources and misc. notes on Chinese immigration.

Papers: 1880, 4 pages.
A letter from Edward Janin to Horace Davis written on February 11, 1880. In the letter, Edward Janin writes about the boundaries of the Pulgas Rancho and the Report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office of Apr. 6, 1863.

Papers: 1879, 2 pages.
A letter from George H. Elliot, Office of the Chief of Engineers, to Horace Davis written on December 17,1879. In the letter, George Elliot writes relating to the survey of the San Francisco Presidio.


University of Pennsylvania
H. H. Furness Memorial Library, Special Collections, Van Pelt Library
Philadelphia, PA
Papers: 1886, 1 item.
A letter from Horace Davis to Horace Howard Furness. In the letter, Horace Davis offers the author’s opinions on the Sonnets and points out ”a few trifling errors” in Helen Kate Furness’ A Concordance to Shakespeare’s Poems (1874).