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Manuscripts

Diaries and notebooks

Description

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.

Type
Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date
1849-1924
Call number
mssChapmanf
Creator
Chapman (Family)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance
Gift of Mark A. Chapman, May and June 1948.
Restrictions
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.
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View in the Library catalog(Opens in new tab)

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    William Wesley Chapman diary of journey to California

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    Correspondence

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    Series includes correspondence of Isaiah Chapman from 1829 regarding the family's settlement in Illinois (three letters), and William Wesley Chapman's 1893 letter to his granddaughter Lillian Chapman which details his journey across Nicaragua in 1850. Also present is Russel L. Tracy's 1936 letter which details his memories of Camp Carlin, Wyoming in the 1880s. Filed with Tracy's letter are photographic copies that appear to be taken by Mark A. Chapman of original photographs of Camp Carlin taken approximately 1877 to 1885; the original photos had been shared by Tracy and were presumably returned to him. Photocopies and clippings with descriptions of Camp Carlin and Fort D.A. Russell, Wyoming are filed with Tracy's letter.

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    Legal and administrative documents

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    Isaiah Chapman correspondence

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