Louis Family Papers

Adolph Lowinger of Santa Margarita owned a general merchandise store.

Ah Luis Esq. San Luis Obispo Dear Sir! Your [] of Sep 30 came [] to hand, the [] has arrived only today. The most of them are worm eaten and we should prefer, not to receive any in future, unless they are sound, as it takes considerable work to fix them. [...] Respectfully yours, Braunschweiger

Check of five hundred and ten dollars paid to the San Francisco Exchange. Stamp indicates the check was paid on November 19, 1888.

Arroyo Grande, California Ah Louis I am sending back one of the boys you sent me, he is too lazy and won't do as I want him to. I have also caught him taking food out of the house which I won't have. I don't want another in case he is worse than this one. I owe the boys about $100 which they told me to send you. R. W. Sandford

Check of five hundred dollars paid to the San Francisco Exchange

The letter reads: 'Ah Louis, I am waiting for that boy as dishwasher that I asked for. The cook says to be sure to send him at once as he can't get along with the man he has got. The cook goes on [?] so far. Yours, M. A. Benrimo.'

Check of four hundred dollars paid to the San Francisco Exchange.

A bill from the Pacific Coast Steamship Company to Ah Louis. It amounted to $2.55, and the freight was shipped from San Francisco to Port Harford.

Check of two hundred and twenty dollars paid to Tom Lang. There seems to be another one or two characters that follow Tom Lang's name, but they are indecipherable.

A check of eight hundred dollars paid to a person or business with the initials Q. H. F.

Ah Louis: I am waiting for that Boy as dishwasher that I sent for. The cook says to be sure to send him at once. He can't get along with the man he has got. The cook goes on first rate so far. Yours, M. A. Benrimo.

Jones & Co Wholesale Grocers San Francisco, July [] 1885 Ah Louis San Luis Obispo, Cal Sir: You must send us the money to pay your last bill. We sold it for Cash and it must be paid. Yours Truly, Jones & Co. []

Office of Joseph Scheerer & Co., 1630 to 1634 Market Street. Branch, 22 Montgomery Street. San Francisco, Dec 1 1885 A. Walker Esq Dear Sir Mr Scheerer has been expecting to go down to San Luis, and this is why we have neglected Ah Luis' bill. Please send us the bill and we will give the matter our immediate attention. Respectfully, Jos. Scheerer & Co

A check of four hundred dollars from Ah Luis, made out to the San Franciscan Exchange. There is not date at the top of the check, however here is a "Paid" stamp indicating a date of March 2, 1888.

A check of five hundred dollars from paid to the San Franciscan Exchange

Bay City Iron Works San Francisco, June 20 1885 Alfred Walker Esq Dear Sir - Enclosed we send shipping receipt and bill for remainder of iron work on your order. Hoping that everything may prove to your satisfaction and that we may hear from you again before long in the future. We remain yours most truly, Bigelow and Little

Scrapbook with photographs from the Louis' trip to China in 1933. Includes family photographs, photographs on the S.S. President Hoover and photographs of sights and people in Honolulu, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Canton (Guangdong Province).

Scrapbook created by Howard "Toby" Louis, between 1926 and 1932, primarily during his time at San Luis High school and college at U.C. Berkeley. Includes photos of friends and family, including Fred Louis, Ah Louis (Wong On), Helen Louis, Elsie Louis, and the Louis and Watson families. Includes photographs of track and field, football, and other athletic events. Includes photographs of trips to Yosemite, the Ah Louis Store, and local Central Coast trips.

Photo descriptions and key to abbreviations for the Louis family's trip to China scrapbooks. The numbered descriptions in the key correspond to the numbered photos in the scrapbooks (167-6-d-16-01-01 and 167-6-d-16-02-01).

Scrapbook created by Howard Louis. Includes photographs from the Louis family's trip to China in the early 1930s.

Inscription reads: "To Brother Howard, I am proud to know that you are one of us in the service .-Fred 10/27/43"

Possibly Lion Dance, in front of the Ah Louis Store, 800 Palm Street. There is a sign on the door for the 1967 La Fiesta. La Fiesta was a city-wide event in San Luis Obispo.

Bay City Iron Works San Francisco, Sept 4 1885 Alfred Walker Esq Dear Sir- We being quite embarrassed at present in a financial point of view we would call your immediate attention to your account. The bill has been standing now for some time and as we need the money very much you would especially oblige us by its settlement. Hoping that you will promptly reply to this, we remain yours very respectfully, Bigelow and Little [Reverse of envelope reads]: "Pay this Bill of 350. Dollars Alfred Walker"

San Luis Obispo Mr. Frank Reed Please pay to Ah [] the sum of eleven and a half dollars and charge to my account. $11.50. Mrs. J. E. Lewis [Chinese characters]

Sender complains to "Ah Lewey" that he has received too many bricks and cannot make use of them.

Front of the card reads: 'Thank You, If I were to send all of my thanks for your card, they'd probably make 'bout a mile and a yard'

Christmas card, the front of which reads: 'Yuletide Greetings'. The inside of the card reads: 'Greetings, Best Wishes for Christmas and the New year, John D. Wong'. The greeting on the inside is pre-printed on the card.

Carried by Western Union Telegram Company, the telegram reads: '300 F HN 49 NL, DETROIT MICH DEC 24 1928, HOWARD LOUIS, 800 PALM ST SAN LUIS OBISPO CALIF: AM WISHING A MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO PAPA MAY ED STELLA YOUNG ELSIE BILLY EDDIE AND YOURSELF MANY THANKS FOR THE JERKEY AND ALSO BILLY AND EDDIE FOR THE UNDERWEAR YOU KIDS SHOULD HAVE BOTHERED AND SAVED YOUR MONEY HOPE PAPA RECEIVES MONEY AM WRITING. REGARDS, GEORGE'. The back of the telegram reads: 'Just Imagine that he loves me dearly / [?] mine sincerely / I'm pretending that he's sending / love notes saying I love you / Seems that he says as the day is closing / on [?] knees [?]. I hear him proposing / [?] [might?] present [while?] it's pleasant / Just imagine that it's true'

The card reads as follows: 'A Merry Christmas --and a Happy New Year, too! Stephen K. Pond'

The front of the card reads as follows: 'Happy New Year; Here's a gay little greeting, / All filled with good cheer, / Bringing loads of glad wishes / For a 'Happy new Year.' Louis and Ambrose Soldavini and Family' The front of the envelope says: 'Mr. W. Howard Louis, #863 Chorro St., City'

The front of the card reads as follows: ''Howard': Happy New Year; Heartiest, happiest greetings / To wish you unbounded good cheer, / And gladness that each day / unfolding / Will last thru a Happy New Year. 'Mabelle''. The front of the envelope reads as follows: 'Mr. Howard Louis, 800-Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, Calif.'

A photograph of Yvonne and Howard Louis. Howard was the son of Ah Louis, and his wife Gon Ying Louis.

Letter written on Nason Wholesale letterhead to Ah Louis regarding interest in apple delivery.

Receipt of a special tax paid by Ah Louis' business as a 'retail liquor dealer'. The text of the document reads: 'The sum of Four Dollars Sixteen and Two-thirds Cents having this day been paid to me by Ah Louis for special tax on the business of Retail Liquor Dealer, to be carried on at San Luis Obispo, state of Cal., for the months of May and June, 1891, Special-Tax Stamp No. V175350, issued to ______, covering the business ad place of business above mentioned to April 30, 1891, is hereby extended to June 30, 1891.'

1892 freight bill depicting a rice order. Page 1 of 2, page 2 not scanned

A bill from the Pacific Coast Railway Company to Ah Louis. It amounted to $3.20.