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Fred S. Howell papers, 1911-1934

 Collection
Identifier: SPC-00011

Scope and Contents

Legal files.

Arrangement of the collection Organized into three series:

  • Case files, 1911-1934
  • Charles C. Ellis and E. D. Woodward bankruptcy files, 1917
  • Miscellaneous papers, August 1927
  • Dates

    • Creation: Check date

    Language of Materials

    Materials are in English.

    Conditions Governing Access:

    This collection is partially processed. Please contact the Petaluma History Room for access; for contact info and current hours, see link

    Conditions Governing Access

    This collection is partially processed. Please contact the Petaluma History Room for access; for contact info and current hours, see link

    Conditions Governing Use

    Collection does not circulate and may be photocopied or photographed by arrangement only.

    Publication Rights

    Property rights reside with the Sonoma County Library. The Sonoma County Library has made this collection available and believes that the majority of the collection is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. That portion of the Collection in Public Domain under the laws of the United States may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. For all other portions of the collection, the Sonoma County Library makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to digitized work and can claim only physical ownership of the work(s) described in these records. However, these materials are intended for Personal or Research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Library. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use. Preferred credit line is: Courtesy, the Sonoma County Library. Please see additional reproduction and reuse information at link

    Biographical / Historical

    Fred Sanborn Howell was a prominent Petaluma, California attorney who also served as Petaluma's City Attorney for many years. Howell was born on March 31, 1884 in Hopland, California and graduated from law school at the University of California, Berkeley; he was admitted to the bar in 1911. He represented thousands of Sonoma County residents during his career as a private attorney. In his role as Petaluma City Attorney, Howell drafted the Petaluma city charter, as well as scores of ordinances. Howell, with Tom Glatt of Ukiah, was also a partner in the Howell and Glatt placer mine, located 2.5 miles east of Hopland, which--according to the 1922 report of the California State Geologist--yielded trace amounts of gold and platinum. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 53 on November 9, 1937 in Petaluma.

    Charles C. Ellis (1880-1973) or Santa Rosa, Calif., and his partner, E. D. (Elmer Dinsmore) Woodward (1889-1965), marketers of redwood timber, etc. in northern Sonoma County, declared bankruptcy during judgement brought against them by S. F. Farnsworth of Healdsburg and other creditors.

    Extent

    2.2 linear feet (2 legal file boxes)

    Abstract

    This collection contains records from the files of Fred S. Howell, attorney based in Petaluma, California in the early 20th century, Includes records from various legal cases argued by Fred S. Howell between 1911 and 1934; papers related to the Charles C. Ellis and E. D. Woodward bankruptcy (1917); and two miscellaneous documents from Howell's files.

    Arrangement of the collection

    Organized into three series:

    1. Case files, 1911-1934
    2. Charles C. Ellis and E. D. Woodward bankruptcy files, 1917
    3. Miscellaneous papers, August 1927

    Organized by case. Series 2 and 3 are housed together in a single box.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Gift: donor and donation date unknown

    Title
    Fred S. Howell papers, 1911-1934
    Author
    Processed by Sonoma County Library staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Geoffrey Skinner.
    Date
    Published Dec. 20, 2019
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    English
    Script of description
    Latin
    Language of description note
    Finding aid written in:English

    Repository Details

    Part of the Petaluma History Room Repository

    Contact:
    100 Fairgrounds Dr.
    Petaluma CA 94952 United States
    (707) 763-9801