Mary Jane Brooks letters to Thomas and Priscilla Marsh | Collections | The Huntington

Mary Jane Brooks letters to Thomas and Priscilla Marsh | Collections | The Huntington

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Mary Jane Brooks letters to Thomas and Priscilla Marsh
Manuscripts
These manuscripts are a series of letters from Mary Jane Brooks to her sister Priscilla Marsh and brother Thomas Marsh. HM 19790 is dated 1853, December 14 and 15, and lists the current price of goods in San Francisco. Mary Jane Brooks also writes of her family and friends. In the next letter (HM 19791, dated 1854, February 28), Mary Jane Brooks writes further of family and friends. HM 19792, dated 1854, July 14, tells of a fire in San Francisco, but the Brooks home was undamaged. Mary Jane Brooks writes in the next letter (HM 19793, dated 1855, July 28) that her father is not doing well. He has quit working, and "thinks he is not long for this world." HM 19794, the final letter in this sequence, is dated 1856, March 4. Father is still alive, but is ailing, and Mary Jane Brooks urges Priscilla to prepare their mother for his passing. The letters are written from San Francisco, and all are signed "Aaron and Mary Jane Brooks" but letters are in the handwriting of Mary Jane Brooks. With one-page typescript of an additional letter, dated 1856, July 5.
mssHM 19790-19794
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Mary Jane Brooks letter to Priscilla Marsh and family
Manuscripts
In this letter to her sister and her sister's family, Mary Jane Brooks asks for news of home, such as if their father has paid off his house yet, and any other family news. Brooks is currently living in a house and has several boarders. Her brother, Aaron, has "gone to the mines" and as a result, Brooks has much more to do without him there to help. Incomplete, as letter is first two pages only.
mssHM 19796
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Mary Jane Brooks letter to Fanny Davis
Manuscripts
In this letter to her sister Fanny Davis, Mary Jane Brooks writes that as she is now sixty years of age, she is unable to work as in her youth. She asks for back payment on rent for Fanny's house, where she lived for twenty-five years without payment, or suggests Fanny buy the property outright. She also writes of details of mutual friends in San Francisco.
mssHM 19795
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William E. Brooks letter to Anna P. Brooks
Manuscripts
Letter from William E. Brooks to his mother Anna P. Brooks in Worcester, Massachusetts, written from the Standard Mines in Graham County, Arizona. In the letter Brooks writes of a flood in the area of Clifton and Metcalf which had temporarily washed away the railway line and partially shut down mining operations. He also writes of his walks, local scenery, and other aspects of his daily activities.
mssHM 74519
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Stephen Brooks letter to Henry Brooks
Manuscripts
In this letter to his brother Henry, Stephen Brooks writes of debts incurred while opening a store in San Francisco. He misses the comforts of life and the life of society, and plans to stay in California for one year. Letterhead is an image of "View of San Francisco, February 1850."
mssHM 16539
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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