ERNEST LE NEVE FOSTER PAPERS
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection spans 1870 to 1917 and comprises eight items: a diary, a ledger and six letter books. Foster's 1870 diary contains Foster's observations during his first visit to the mining areas around Georgetown, Idaho Springs and Central City, Colorado. Five of the six letter books contain Foster's business correspondence from 1886 to 1917. Gaps exist from 1889 to 1891 and from 1902 to 1910. The lettter books contain both hand-written and typed material. Much of the correspondence is faded and blurred, and the pages are quite fragile. Four of the letter books contain hand-written indexes. The earliest letter book also includes Foster's report as Colorado state geologist to the Governor of Colorado. One hundred five hand-written pages describe Colorado's minerals, soil, topography, subterranean water and other major features. A sixth letter book contains journal entries and monthly reports of transactions that essentially comprise an account book for the Decatur and Pennsylvania mines. A ledger book titled Ore Production includes descriptions of the Antidiluvian Lode, the Snow Drift Mine, the Leavenworth Mining and Milling Company and the Pennsylvania Mine. The ledger contains loose receipts for ore sales to W. J. Chamberlain and Company and Dewey Brothers, two sampling works in Georgetown.
Dates
- 1870-1917
ACCESS:
The collection is open for research.
OWNERSHIP:
Ernest Le Neve Foster Papers are the physical property of the Denver Public Library
PUBLICATION RIGHTS:
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Ernest Le Neve Foster (1849-1925) was born in Surry, England. In 1868, he attended London's Royal School of Mines in 1868 and the King's and Emperor's Mining Academy in Freiburg, Germany in 1869. For his first mining experience, he developed gold mines in the Italian Alps. Foster first visited Georgetown, Colorado in 1870, and became a resident in 1872. During the next twenty years, Foster developed and supervised numerous mines in and around Georgetown as well as in Summit County, Colorado.
In 1883, Governor Grant appointed Foster Colorado State Geologist, a post Foster held until 1885. Foster also served six years as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for Clear Creek County.
In 1875, Foster married Charlotte Teal, a native of Manchester, England and daughter of a prominent Central City mining family. The Fosters moved to Denver in 1893 where they purchased a residence at 2105 Lafayette, which is now listed on the National Register. Although the house was built for Thomas Cathcart, the Fosters made it a center of Denver social life and Foster's name has since been associated with the property. Foster lived in this home until his wife died in 1907.
Extent
1 box(es)
Other Finding Aids
PROVENANCE:
Fred A. Rosenstock donated Foster's 1870 diary in 1977. The source is unknown for the remainder of the collection. Mining collections processed with funding provided by the El Pomar Foundation
SIZE:
Number of Boxes: 1
LOCATION:
WH139
PROCESSED AND ENCODED BY:
Dennis Hagen
September 2004
PROJECT MANAGER:
Ellen Zazzarino
- Diaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Foster, Ernest Le Neve, 1849-1925 -- Archives.
- Mines and mineral resources -- Colorado -- Clear Creek County. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mines and mineral resources -- Colorado -- Summit County. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mining engineers -- Colorado. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Personal papers Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- ERNEST LE NEVE FOSTER PAPERS
- Date
- 2004
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository
