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My trip to California in '49
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This is my trip from Texas to California
Manuscripts
This typescript of Edward Hawkins Rogers' diary details his overland trip to California from Denton County, Texas. His group, which includes his wife and son, as well as several other emigrants, takes the Butterfield Overland Trail through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Rogers mentions the Butterfield Overland Stage Line stations as his group passes them. He talks about the hardships of the trail including the birth and death of his infant daughter, lack of food and water, and fear of attacks by Indians.
mssHM 66498
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Travel Diary of Sir William Robert Clayton recounting his trip to America
Manuscripts
Sir William Clayton's journal details his 1871-1872 tour of the United States and parts of Central America. After crossing the Atlantic aboard the steamship Abyssinia, Clayton and his travelling companion arrive in New York at the end of October 1871. A brief stay in New York is followed by a train journey to Niagara Falls and thence to Chicago by way of Buffalo and Pittsburgh. After a brief description of the fire ravaged city, the journey continues on to Omaha. From Omaha, the train journey continues to Salt Lake City, where the travelers stay at the Townsend House. Several pages are devoted to Salt Lake, including a description of services at the Tabernacle. Next, Clayton departs via Pullman car to San Francisco, where he and his companion arrive in November 1871. Their stay in San Francisco includes visits to Cliff House, "China Town" and other sites, plus a trip to the New Almaden quicksilver mines near San Jose. Clayton leaves California by ship to return to New York via Panama. In addition to an account of Panama, Clayton describes visits to Jamaica, Mazatlan, Guatemala, Louisville, and New Orleans. Clayton returns to England in March of 1872. Clayton is an avid observer of "Americans" and throughout the journey describes, in great detail, his encounters with said individuals.
mssHM 70258