Memoranda and account book

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  Account of a voyage from New York to California in 1852

  Manuscripts

  This manuscript is Samuel Goodman's 1861 recollection of his 1852 journey to California. In his opening lines, he writes that he "with hundreds of others blindly went forth to unknown regions impelled and urged onward by the Strange Excitement caused by the discovery of Gold in that Country." He departed from New York in January 1852 with his oldest son, aboard the ship Prometheus, bound for Nicaragua. Once arrived, it was discovered that the ship they were to take for the next part of their journey, the Central America, had been run aground, so they traveled by foot to Mexico. They went by ship the rest of the way, on board a charter ship from San Francisco by the name of Northern Light, arriving in California at the end of May. Goodman and his son take to the country and begin searching for gold. He ponders the mentality and circumstances of the California gold miner. He eventually gives up mining and spends two years "acting as Magistrate and Post Master" in Sierra County, and obtained shares in quartz and granite mining operations. He writes in detail of the various mining processes, and also relates the "Story of Logan," whom he calls "the Prince of the Mines."

  mssHM 50578

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  Journey of an overland trip from Missouri to California

  Manuscripts

  This volume is Gorgas' diary of his journey from St. Joseph, Missouri to Placerville, CA, and his return trip to New York via the Panama Canal as part of the California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Much of the early entries are concerned with weather conditions and landscape and route details. Gorgas and his party finally reach Placerville on July 26, the ninetieth day of their journey, and begin digging for gold outside Sacramento in August. On February 1, 1851, Gorgas boarded a ship, the Olive Branch, bound for New York by way of the Panama Canal, intending to return home to his much-missed family. He lands at Jamaica on April 1, and arrives at New York on April 8. Dated 1850, April 28 through 1851, April 8. Notes include price charts and signatures of people Gorgas may have met during his travels. Includes newspaper clipping with picture of Placerville, CA, circa 1850, and a four-page handwritten timeline of Gorgas' journey (not in his hand).

  mssHM 651

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  George Bruce Upton letters to his father

  Manuscripts

  This is a series of nine letters written by George Bruce Upton, Junior, to his father, describing his journey to California and his experiences therein. The first two letters, HM 24681 and 24684, were written in February and April, 1852, while the younger Upton was en route to California aboard the ship "Great Britain." By the next letter (HM 24683, dated April-May, 1852), the ship has landed at San Francisco. HM 24684 (written May 31) sees George Junior in San Francisco, attempting to order goods for the opening of a store. In the next letter, (HM 24685, dated June 15), he travels to gold mines out of curiosity, and to check on an acquaintance, whom had gone there to search for gold. Putnam, the would-be miner, was found not doing well. George Junior likes what he has seen of San Francisco, though he is not enamored with its government. HM 24686, written in San Francisco on November 15, tells of a fire in Sacramento that, according to Junior, will "enhance the value of almost every description of merchandise" in San Francisco. The rest of the letter is concerned with the shipping and prices of goods, and details of the purchasing of a boat and insurance. The next letter in the series is dated January 15, 1854. George Junior is living in a shared house in San Francisco, and he writes "the city has improved wonderfully." The following letter was written May 31, 1854 (HM 24688) and contains George Junior's description of his visit to gold mines, and his own successful attempts at panning and digging. He also mentions quartz mining as a potential and relatively untapped source of revenue. In his opinion, he considers "the idea of the mines giving out, in the usual acceptance of the expression, as highly improbable." The final letter in this series is HM 24689, alleged to have been written in San Francisco in 1854, as only the final eight pages of the twelve-page letter remain. George Junior reports that "the mining population has diminished greatly," and that the market for goods has also fallen. He worries about the long-term prospects of San Francisco, despite its rapid growth during his stay there.

  mssHM 24681-24689

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  Sea journal of Captain Moses J. Mulliken

  Manuscripts

  This sea journal records the travels of Captain Moses J. Mulliken in New England, to California, and to Singapore. The journal begins with tracking local voyages to and from Boston, New York, Wilmington (South Carolina), Newburyport (Massachusetts), Bath (Maine), Havana, and Charleston (South Carolina). Most of these records revolve around bookkeeping for costs and tracking of cargo (mainly box shooks and lumber). The majority of the journal itself consists of more detailed accounts of several long voyages, including those from Boston to San Francisco on board the "Mary Wilder" from January to August 1849 (with stops on Quiriquina Island and in Conception, Chile); from Boston to Sacramento City on board the "Rachel Stevens" (out of Pitston, Maine) from March to August 1850; from New York to San Francisco on board the "Mary and Jane" from May to December 1852 (including a stop in Valparasio, Chile); and a journey from San Francisco to Singapore via the North Pacific and from Penang back to New York from February to November 1853, also on board the "Mary and Jane." While many of Mulliken's entries focus on recording the ship's headings and weather conditions, there are also a number of personal passages. Most of these revolve around Mulliken's perceived failings as a ship's captain and reflections on his life's regrets and hopes to do his "duty to God." Also included in the journal is a newspaper clipping with a poem written "upon arriving at the Island of San Fernandes, May 4, 1849;" a copy of shipping instructions from Daniel Deshon to Mulliken, dated November 5, 1847; a description of a rule for finding time by the setting sun; and several sketches of ports, including an annotated sketch of San Francisco towards Humbolt Bay.

  mssHM 72342

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  James S. McMurphy letters to his family

  Manuscripts

  This is a series of six letters written by James S. McMurphy to his family documenting his journey from New England via Panama to California to seek his fortune as part of the Gold Rush of 1849-1850. The first letter in the series (HM 52732, dated before 1849, April 8) is the last page only, and written from Panama. McMurphy writes that he has been in Panama for a good time, and is thinking of working on a railroad while hoping for passage to California. He is discouraged by the dishonesty, and wishes he had chosen to travel around Cape Horn. HM 52733 is written between April 8-25, 1849, and is addressed "To the household of Robt. McMurphy." There is a marginal note which reads "Father in this letter you will find five watermelon seeds I want you to plant." James McMurphy is still in Panama. Many of his company are sick, but he has not yet fallen ill himself. He describes a native religious ceremony in which an elaborately decorated statue of the Virgin Mary was paraded through a village. This may have been in observation of Easter. He has found passage on a ship bound for San Francisco, and writes that his next letter will come from California, so if anyone plans to send him a letter, it should be addressed there. He estimates there are currently three thousand Americans in Panama, but that number will soon drop by half as they board ships for California. James' next letter, dated 1849, December 9 (HM 52734), is written from California, and addressed to "Capt. Robert McMurphy." He has purchased provisions, including potatoes to ward off scurvy. The weather has been very rainy. HM 52735, written 1850, March 15, is also incomplete, as it contains only the final page of the letter. He has been searching for gold, and discusses his supplies. HM 52736 (1850, April 3), finds James still working in California, retaining good health despite the poor weather, which has caused an interruption in his work. He considers scurvy to be the most dangerous disease in his environment, but unlike others, he has kept himself mostly free by eating potatoes daily. The warm weather has caused snow to melt, and the rise in water levels has impacted the progress of their drilling and blasting. He has heard that the government is planning a new route in Panama to help make the journey to California easier. He writes that there all types of miners from all over the country, and that many find gold, but "where you show me one man who saves his gold I will show you ten that squanders away his time and money at the Rum Shop & the Gambling Table." He has not, he writes, succumbed to such temptations. The last letter is this series is HM 52737, and dated 1850, May 11; one year to the day since James left Panama. The water level of the Sacramento River is still high from the melting snow. He is tiring of the disposition of the region, and looks forward to leaving. He writes of California becoming part of the United States, and of various details regarding other miners.

  mssHM 52732-52737