Jesse Douglas Carr was a California pioneer, politician, banker, stage contractor, prominent land owner and stock raiser. He was one of the largest and wealthiest land owners in California. Jesse Carr was born in Sumner County, Tennessee, June 14th, 1814. He spent his early days working on a farm and attending the country school. At the age of 16 he left home and started his long life of adventure and accomplishment, which brought him considerable wealth. When Jesse Carr eventually arrived on the West Coast, he gradually acquired very large property holdings in the Salinas Valley, California, disposing of his holdings in later years at a considerable profit. He also owned 20,000 acres in Modoc County, on which he maintained large herds of cattle and horses. Shrewd businessman, Jesse Carr was also a philanthropist. He gave $5,000 to the Odd Fellows for a public library in Salinas and $4,000 to the South Methodist College in Santa Rosa. He was a good friend to those he liked and helped many young people to receive education. Jesse Douglas Carr died in his home in Salinas, Monterey County, in 1903, aged 89 years old. The two plot maps in the collection reflect Jesse Carr's ranching activities in the California-Oregon border area.