Diaries and notebooks

Series includes William Wesley Chapman's diary of an overland journey to California in 1849; the brief entries cover March 12 to July 25 from St. Louis, Missouri, to Idaho and Hudspeth's Cutoff and primarily mention landscape, waterways, animals and game sighted and killed. There are occasional mentions of deaths of migrants from cholera and of Native Americans sighted, but no details are provided. The volume also has notes and expenses kept in California, October to December, with a short English/Spanish dictionary. Also present are multiple copies of William Wesley Chapman's printed funeral notice that had been filed with the diary. In addition, this series includes Chapman's notebook and account book with brief entries kept in California from March to September 1849 as well as undated bound facsimiles of both volumes, which includes a tipped in letter from Belle Chapman to her daughter Lillian Chapman Merrill, 1924 February 4 with biographic information about William Wesley Chapman.

Series also includes Anna Clarkson Chapman's diary and childhood reminiscences, written from 1885 to 1891; primarily memories of growing up in Illinois in the 1820 and 1830s and a contemporary diary, which includes lists with birth and death dates of family members, also family travels and visits. Also present is a receipt for Anna Clarkson Chapman's burial expenses dated 1908 December 16.