Charles Plummer letters to his family

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  Charles Plummer diaries

  Manuscripts

  Two diaries kept by Charles Plummer, one while he was traveling from Boston to San Francisco in 1849 and one while he was sailing from Boston to Brazil in 1863-1864. The 1849 diary begins with Plummer's preparations to leave Boston and his joining of the New England and California Trading and Mining Association. He departed from Boston on the ship Lenore in February 1849 and while on board recorded notes on brigs he has seen (including his tracking of the brig Charlotte), a minstrel's concert on board, his stop at the Port of Talcahuana (Chile), and notes on the flying fish and birds he has seen, including the capture of an albatross. He also writes of difficulties with the Association, noting that various members had been tried on board for "deception, falsehood, neglect of duty, intemperance &c." In July the Lenore put down anchor near Benicia and Plummer was chosen to join a "pioneer party to the mines" which traveled up the Sacramento River to the Feather River and set up a "gold washer." The trip was ultimately disappointing, and things did not improve upon the party's return to the Lenore, where on September 10 "a mutiny...result[ed] in the dissolution of our company." In November the Lenore was sold and Plummer stayed for a few months in San Francisco, which was "truly a dark time," as his companion Morris had dysentery and Plummer suffered from a "bad cough [and] two very sore fingers." He wrote that their only opportunity for the winter might be to "go to the mines," which he hoped to avoid at all costs. In December Plummer came down with dysentery and began taking opium pills, and made few further entries in the diary until he gave it up completely on December 18.

  mssHM 75054-75055

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  Charles Plummer journal

  Manuscripts

  This journal is an account by Charles Plummer documenting his travels and gold mining experiences California, which took place in 1850-1851. The majority of the volume concerns the trip, which lasted from 1850, May 2 to 1851, October 1. While Plummer was digging outside Stockton, there were several instances of theft and murder in the town and the surrounding mining claims. He describes digging for gold as "very poor business." Bound leather volume. Journal entries begin in 1842; most of the early entries are financial notes, such as bills paid.

  mssHM 2017

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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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  James Clarke letters to his family

  Manuscripts

  This series of letters were written by James Clarke to his family in Maine, mostly his brother and his wife, from California between 1854 and 1856. The letters will be described chronologically. HM 21248, written 1854, May 16, and addressed to "Dear Brother," writes of acquiring room and board in San Francisco. HM 21310, dated 1854, September 3, sees Clarke moving to Los Angeles in search of more money. He wishes to eventually purchase a lot of land outside the city and build on it. HM 21353 (dated 1854, May 31; the letter is incomplete, being the middle four pages only) describes his journey to San Francisco. HM 21244 (1854, October 7) is partly written from Santa Barbara, and is also addressed "Dear Brother." Clarke writes of his profits from farming, but he thinks he may have to relocate. The second part of the letter finds Clarke in a boarding house 130 miles outside of Santa Barbara, where he has found work as a carpenter. The next letter is dated 1854, October 7 and 12, and is written in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles (HM 21245). The first part, written in pencil, is addressed to "Mrs. James Clarke", and Clarke is leaving Santa Barbara for Los Angeles, where he hopes to find better fortune. In the second part, Clarke writes he has arrived in Los Angeles after a fifty-day overland journey, and that he hopes to remain there for the rest of the five years of his stay in the West. HM 21247, dated 1854, November 3 and addressed once again to "Mrs. James Clarke," Clarke writes he has sent "some half dozzen letters" home but has gotten nothing in response. The following letter (HM 21246) was written November 1854, and is addressed "Dear Family." Clarke is now also working in a vineyard, and describes the Los Angeles orange groves in detail, and speaks in glowing terms of California produce. HM 21351 is written to Clarke's brother, and dated 1854, December 6. In it, Clarke describes the produce of Los Angeles, as well as the "exceeding agreeableness" of the area's climate. HM 21352 is dated 1855, March 1, and is also addressed to Clarke's brother, and discusses his work in a vineyard. HM 21242 is addressed to "Mrs. James Clarke" and is dated 1855, July 22. He is concerned that the letters and money he is sending home is not making it there, as "every thing is unsettled in Cal. now." He would like to make more money, but says "there is no money to be had." He remains confident that his stay will be financially productive. HM 21243, written to his family on 1856, March 7, contains Clarke's report that after a year's hard work, he now has a house and lot in El Monte, which he calls "the Egypt of California." He is excited about the prospect of farming on his land.

  mssHM 21242-21248, 21310, & 21351-21353

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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