Manuscripts
Stephen Woodlin letters to family
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Levi Eckley letters to his family
Manuscripts
Levi Eckley wrote these three letters to his family during his stay in California during the 1850s. Two of the letters (HM 49649, dated 1850, May 26 and HM 49650 (incomplete), dated 1851, November 13) were addressed to "George", possibly Levi's brother, and HM 49651 (dated 1853, May 3) was written to Helen Eckley, possibly his sister. In the letters to George, Levi Eckley writes of his experiences digging for gold outside Coloma and Ophir in California. He also suggests that George come out to California for six months while Levi goes back home, speculating they might make enough money in that time to open a small business in St. Louis or California. In the letter to Helen, Levi writes of plans to relocate his family to California.
mssHM 49649-49651
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Charles Plummer letters to his family
Manuscripts
These manuscripts are a series of letters written by Charles Plummer to his family. The first four letters (HM 23343-23346) are addressed to his father, Farnham Plummer, with the final letter (HM 23347) written to his sister Elizabeth. The first letter, HM 23343 dated 1849, February 4 - July 7, also contains a table of daily observations taken by Charles during his trip to California from his home state of Massachusetts, via Cape Horn. The chart is divided by latitude and longitude, and includes barometer and thermometer readings for each date. Also included are incidental details such as landmarks sighted, other ships sighted, and Charles' health (eg. "A little unwell. Took medicine"). The letter is dated 1849, June 30 and July 4, and describes the latter part of Charles' voyage and arrival at San Francisco. He writes that the voyage by sea (as a while has been a pleasant and a lucky one." HM 23344, dated 1851, March 14, sees Charles in San Francisco, and in fine health, but concerned about how he might make some money. He describes local gold mines, each being different from the next, and says he will send home some of the "gold burning quartz" he has found. He writes of meeting Chinese and French immigrants, and asks about family back home in Massachusetts. In HM 23345 (1853, March 10), Charles wishes to hear news of home, in his father's hand in particular, for he has had none for a good while. He has made new friends, and has met a few people he knew from home. He closes his letter as follows: "I would like much to see my native town once more, and trust I may ere another frontier shall pass away." HM 23346, dated 1855, January 1, finds Charles asking once more for a letter from home. He wishes everyone a Happy New Year, and says that the day is marked in California much like it is in New York or Massachusetts, and most of the local stores are closed. He is astonished by how much liquor has been consumed in San Francisco for the occasion. Included in HM 23347 (dated 1856, August 4) is a print of the public execution of Hetherington and Brace, "The Murderers of Baldwin, Randall, West, and Marion, July 29th, 1856" outside Fort Vigilance, upon which Charles has made handwritten notes. In the letter, written to his sister Elizabeth, Charles describes being a witness at this execution, which he went to because "business was suspended all about town and I could accomplish nothing." He writes of the fruit industry in San Francisco, and how it differs in operation compared to back home.
mssHM 23343-23347
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Gustave E. Genthner letters to his family
Manuscripts
Twenty-nine of these thirty letters were written by Gustave E. Genthner to various members of his family, located in Boston. The letters were written between 1860 and 1867, from various parts of California. The lone exception is HM 16665, written by Barnas A. Genthner on 1845, January 2, from New York, to "Father and Mother." The names of the relatives are never given. In the letters, Gustave Genthner describes his experiences working on a farm outside San Francisco, and as a soldier during the Civil War. In HM 16642, dated 1860, September 14, he writes, "I am very lonesome sometimes and home-sick too but then the novelty and diversity of life here soon drives it away." He sends money home as often as he can, and writes of his toils ploughing in the fields. In August 1861 (HM 16651), Genthner reports that he has become a soldier of Company B, 1st Brigade for the Union, and writes passionately of his pride defending "one of the most glorious governments that the sun ever shone upon" (HM 16653, 1862, September 29). He does well as a soldier, and writes with pride of receiving a pair of pistols as a gift from the citizens of San Jose (HM 16657, 1863, October 7). In mid-1864, he writes from Fort Yuma, "I could never have advanced myself at home as I have here" (HM 16660, 1864, May 21), but by June, he has resigned from the Army due to his poor health (HM 16661, 1864, June 5). Following his discharge, Genthner works for the San Francisco police force. Soon after, he has a family of his own, as he writes in HM 16668 (1866, March 11) that "Sarah and the baby are well," and in HM 16669, refers to "my darling wife and sweetest of babies."
mssHM 16642-16645, 16648-16673
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Jonathan Heywood letters to Jane Heywood
Manuscripts
In these three letters addressed to his wife, Jane, Jonathan Heywood writes of his experiences in Yreka, California in 1853. HM 4201, dated July 16, Heywood writes that he has returned to California after six weeks in Oregon. He has sent gold dust home to Jane, and hopes to send more soon. He wishes that she send the children to school as much as possible. HM 4202 was written on August 7. Heywood sends more money and asks for news of home, as he has received no response to his letters. In HM 4203, dated September 4, Heywood writes that he is sending money home in the hands of a mutual friend.
mssHM 4201-4203
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Solomon Gorgas letters to his family
Manuscripts
This is a series of letters written by Solomon Gorgas to his family during his overland travels from Missouri to California during 1850-1851. Nine of the letters are addressed to his wife, Mary Frances Gorgas. HM 2183 is dated 1850, May 1, and was written outside of St. Joseph, Missouri; it is the birthday of Elen, one of the Gorgas children. He is doing well, and assures Frances there is nothing to be worried about. By his next letter (HM 2184; 1850, May 12), Gorgas has reached Fort Keaney in Wyoming after a laborious journey through lonely and beautiful country. He is in good health, and all in his party are getting along. Their next stop is Fort Laramie, 400 miles away. HM 2185 (1850, May 27) sees Gorgas at Fort Laramie in Wyoming, about one third of the way to California. He and his party have seen Indians and their wigwams on several occasions, but have had no trouble with them. Gorgas' next letter (HM 2186, dated 1850, July 31) comes from Sacramento, California, where he has arrived safely and in good health. He describes the city with all its splendor and poverty; provisions are abundant but expensive. The longest letter of this series is HM 2187, written 1850, September 9 from Placerville. In it, Gorgas describes his ventures into the wild country seeking gold. He reports that three-fourths of the miners he has met "hardly made their boarding" while the other fourth make between five and twenty dollars per day, with just a few finding their fortune. In HM 2188, dated 1850, September 11, Gorgas addresses his four children, Elen, Albert, Emma, and Laura, urging them to attend school and listen to their mamma. He sends each a small piece of California gold, and hopes they will write to him. In the final letter (HM 2194, dated 1851, January 27), Gorgas writes that he has had enough of mining, and will be leaving aboard a ship traveling to New York via the Panama Canal.
mssHM 2183-2194
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Chauncey Edgar Stearns letters to friends and family
Manuscripts
This is a series of letters written by Chauncey Edgar Stearns, describing his experiences during his journey from Illinois to California. The letters are written to friends and family at his home in Vermont, but many are written to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah Stearns. The first letter, HM 21283, is dated 1855, October 19, and Chauncey Stearns writes that he has traveled by boat up the St. Lawrence River to Lake Ontario. He became seasick during the voyage, particularly upon reaching the lake. He has gotten work as a clerk at a local store in Lockport, Illinois, but does not know how long he will stay. Of the town, he writes: "although it is a good country it is to sickly I say sickly it is not so with folks that live hear." He urges his brother Henry to stay at home. In HM 21285, dated 1855, December 6, he writes of homesickness: "If I had thirty Dollars and was back to Vermont I would never say any thing more about the West." He begs his parents "do not tell anyone that I want to come home for they would laugh at me when I get home." Stearns was in Iowa in early 1856, and stayed with various friends and relatives in Wisconsin during the spring and summer of 1856, where he worked at farms to save money to finance his travels to California. He writes that he prefers Wisconsin to Illinois (HM 21294, 1856, June 1), and says "I could make up my mind to go home but I shall not at present for the reason I can do better out here than in old Vermont & for that reason I shall stay." By 1858, Stearns has earned enough to buy his own land (HM 21295, dated 1858, November), and by early 1859, he is on his way to Pike's Peak in Colorado (HM 21296, dated 1859, March) before finally heading for California. Stearns seems almost resigned of going to what he calls "the new El Dorado", for as he writes, "there is Gold there without a doubt but not of a sufficient quantity to pay a man for going." By late 1859, he is in Sacramento (HM 21298, written 1859, September 30), and writes that wages are fine, when work can be found. He is very impressed with the bounty of California and its "fertile vallies." However, as he writes in April, 1860, "the society I am mingling with does not harmonize with my feelings" as "gambling and rowdyisms are the principal productions of the mining towns in California & thus it is why so many young men are ruined for life from character as well as health." Of the money made from mining, Stearns remarks, "it is very easy to spend it as fast as it is dug out," but he has not succumbed to the temptations offered in Sacramento. By late 1861 (HM 21303) Stearns declares that California will be his home for the rest of his life, and relocates to San Francisco, where he enlists for three years as a soldier because he believes "it would be better for my health" (HM 21302, dated 1864, August 23). He has had a change of heart, as he writes "should I be fortunate enough to out live the term of my enlistment I shall come home never to leave the Atlantic States again while I live." Regarding his enlistment, he tells his mother not to worry, as "Soldiers here have no fighting to do." In 1866 (HM 21306, written April 17), Stearns writes to his brother "exsposure & hard work has made an old man of me in some respects." The final letter is dated 1867, October 7, and Stearns writes from San Francisco that "I think my health will never be very good again California has been a very hard country with me at times." He laments, one last time, the separation from his family.
mssHM 21282-21308