Manuscripts

C.W. Watkins letter to J. Thomas

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Description: Watkins writes that he is doing well, but not as well as he had hoped. He is in on two claims at around two hundred dollars each, but is not sure where he will go next, for "claims in this part of the mines is failing fast." He is enjoying the California climate, but there are "hardly any wimin girls Darn scarce." With negative photostat facsimile.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1854, June 13.
Call number: mssHM 16533
Creator: Watkins, C. W (active 1854)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Purchased from Mr. E.A. Thomas, 1949, June 23.

W.R. Isaacs MacKay letter to Joseph Libbey Folsom

Manuscripts

MacKay hopes that Folsom's health is improving, and writes to Folsom that "Congress could not fail to exonerate you from all accountability" and that "one thing is certain, you have not been dealt fairly with." He hopes that Folsom's "business troubles are finally closed." He laments the choice of John Bigler for governor of California, saying "I could hardly suppose that California could have sunk so low."

mssHM 19075

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J. Marshall Watkins collection on John Muir

Manuscripts

The collection is made up of 59 ephemera items related to John Muir including pamphlets, brochures, newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, programs, poetry, and copies of Muir's writings and sketches. The material was collected by J. Marshall Watkins while he was researching John Muir. Authors include Ed Ainsworth, William Frederic Badé, Francis M. Fultz, Herbert W. Gleason, Bailey Millard, John Muir, and J. Marshall Watkins. Other subjects include Muir's conservation work in California including his involvement with the Hetch Hetchy Valley, Kings Canyon National Park, and Yosemite National Park. There is one pamphlet entitled "Redwood Mountain," published by the John Muir Association as well as a leaflet printed by the California Conservation Council regarding the life of John Muir. Many of the brochures are for events related to John Muir such as "John Muir Day" in San Francisco in 1939, a dedication of a Muir memorial park in Wisconsin, and a lecture entitled "John Muir Trails." Also included are offprints and flyers concerning the proposed John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park, and nine color reproductions of scenes in Yosemite National Park.

mssHM 66491

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J. Marshall Watkins collection on John Muir

Manuscripts

mssHM 66491

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J. Barker letters to Kirk Barker

Manuscripts

These two letters were written by J. Barker to his brother, Kirk, describing his search for gold in Australia and South America. In the first letter, HM 16535, dated 1853, March 13, J. Barker is in Melbourne, Australia, after a one hundred and ten day voyage. He writes that the prices of everything, including gold, is much higher in Australia, and says there is "plenty of gold to be had but the state of society is awful." In Melbourne, he writes "robery and murder is of comon occurrence" and yet he is "determined not to leave here without making something." The second letter, HM 16536, is dated 1853, October 11 and 14. J. Barker is on board the ship Lady Juliana, about to land in San Francisco, California. He is glad to be out of Australia, and laments that so many miners left good claims in California to travel to Australia. He has received no letters from home, despite having sent six himself. He has heard that gold has been discovered in South America, and he plans to depart for the Amazon River to search for himself.

mssHM 16535-16536

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G. W. Buckmore letter to George Gaulet

Manuscripts

In this letter, Buckmore talks a lot about the climate of California, his business, gold mining, crime in San Francisco, the deaths of some of his friends, and the lumber trade in California and Oregon. He also advises his friend to urge people to not come to California unless they have the means to survive.

mssHM 75095

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C.E. Reynolds letter to Miss Ella E. Reynolds

Manuscripts

In this 18 page letter to his sister, C.E. Reynolds documents his excitement and "gold fever." Upon hearing of the steamer "City of Portland" landed at Seattle with $3,000,000 worth of gold dust, he concluded that the only cure was to "try it," so he boarded the steamer "Queen" in Seattle landing in Skagway. He goes on to describe the difficulties of transporting gear and goods from Skagway to Lake Bennett, Dawson City and then a further journey of six hundred miles. He then goes into the mineral wealth of the region, prospecting and the types of mining and claims. There are a few pages concerning climate, geography, flora and fauna. Another couple of pages describe miners' cabins, and the high cost of food and clothing. Yet another couple of pages describe the many dogs he encountered. He and his company of six men had six dogs to pull the provisions, tents and bedding. The letter ends with him thanking his sister for her patience and after all the detailed account thinks he could not do the subject justice even though he had been repeatedly asked to speak about his experiences.

mssHM 16380

C.W. Watkins letter to J. Thomas

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W.R. Isaacs MacKay letter to Joseph Libbey Folsom

J. Marshall Watkins collection on John Muir

J. Marshall Watkins collection on John Muir

J. Barker letters to Kirk Barker

G. W. Buckmore letter to George Gaulet

C.E. Reynolds letter to Miss Ella E. Reynolds