Manuscripts
Gregory Yale wrote these seven letters to his wife, Fanny, during his journey west from New York to California by way of Panama, and during his stay in San Francisco, where he established a profitable law practice. The letters are dated between 1849 and 1859. In the first letter (HM 16895, dated 1849, November 13-22), Yale has embarked from New York aboard the ship "Crescent City", and is bound for Panama, where he will cross the canal and continue to San Francisco. The time leading up to his departure was quite hectic, as he writes "In all my life I never had so many things to perform in so short a space. Many were therefore half done, and more not done at all." Procuring a ticket for the Pacific was allegedly extraordinarily difficult, but Yale managed without much trouble through nothing more than good fortune. There were 313 passengers aboard; 400 including crew, and Yale describes them as "intelligent and orderly "and from a variety of backgrounds. Some he was already acquainted with. On the 14th, Yale and several passengers brought their firearms on deck to try them out, but the ship captain put a stop to it. On the 17th, a passenger complained about drops of rain leaking into his cabin, and when nothing was done about it, the fellow "cried FIRE with all his might." Following this ill-conceived outburst, Yale writes "some are for throwing him overboard.....others are for having water thrown upon him to put the fire out." Cuba was sighted on November 19, and the ship landed at Jamaica on the 20th. Yale went ashore and wrote of the land and its people, and the ship took on board "an abundance of fruit." HM 16896, written December 4, finds Yale in Panama. He has been there more than a week, at a local farm, and is in fact leaving on the 5th. He reports there are "12 to 1500 Americans" in Panama awaiting passage to California, and describes the local area, as well as his journey across the peninsula in a long canoe. Yale's next letter is dated December 5 (HM 16897), and he gives Fanny his blessing to travel to Florida for the winter, should she so desire. He also warns her against going out in public alone, and of allowing visitors, and urges her to take good care of their child. Yale's next letter (HM 16898; 1850, January 12-13) sees him safely arrived in San Francisco, and recovered from an illness suffered in Panama. He is paying $25 a week to stay at the Graham boarding house, and is paying $300 a month to rent an office for Yale to set up his law practice, divided with a physician and a dentist who also have offices in the same location. Some acquaintances have been working the mines, with little success. The remainder of the letter is largely concerned with business details for law practice, which Yale touts as a most lucrative endeavor. He has sent Fanny a ring made from California gold. In HM 16899 (1850, January 25 and February 1), Yale reports he has received all the letters Fanny has sent, and is relieved to hear she is in good spirits despite their separation. He has been heavily involved with business, continuing to experience success, and has moved his practice to new offices. By April, Yale is still in San Francisco, and Fanny has given birth to a girl (HM 16900, written 1850, April 28). He describes his lodging, and his typical routine of work and meals. Business continues to increase, and Yale sends more money home, as well as copies of articles detailing his contributions to the community through his work. HM 16901 is the seventh and final letter in this series, and is dated 1859, September 7. Yale writes of the burying of a dead child, and of a lost purse.
