Manuscripts

John Hovey journal of a voyage from Newburyport, Mass. to San Francisco, Cal

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Description: This journal follows the travels of John Hovey from Massachusetts to California. He departs from Newburyport aboard the vessel Charlott on January 23, 1849; a manifest of crew and passengers is included on pages one and two. Much of the seagoing details are concerned with the weather. The ship reached port on July 23, 1849. He journeyed along the Sacramento River and Mokelumne River with his companions, searching for gold. He was involved with separate disputes over claims with miners from Chile and France (see also HM 4384-4385 which are transcripts of these entries removed from this volume). Hovey departs California by ship on May 30, 1851. Bound volume, with many color illustrations.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1849-1851.
Call number: mssHM 322
Creator: Hovey, John(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Purchased from P.K. Foley, date unknown.

John Hovey journal of sketches

Manuscripts

This is a collection of thirteen sketches done by John Hovey during his journey to California. Also included is a one-page description of four of the drawings, in Hovey's hand. One of the drawings appears to be a facsimile. All of this content has been removed from HM 322, Hovey's journal of his voyage, and the drawings here have been replicated in the journal by Hovey, and in color.

mssHM 4386

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William H. Dougal journal of a voyage from New York to San Francisco

Manuscripts

This manuscript describes the journey of William H. Dougal, an engraver and artist, who traveled from New York to San Francisco via Cape Horn in 1849, as a passenger aboard the ship "Galindo." Much of the seabound content concerns the weather. Dougal goes ashore in Chile on November 17 and describes the land and its people. He is particularly impressed with the horsemanship of the Chileans. The final date listed is November 22, where Dougal reports the ship is eight miles from San Francisco. Published as "Off for California" (RB 277286), of which this manuscript appears to be a printer's copy. Typescript from original held by San Mateo Historical Society. Includes 20 photographs of drawings by the author, some with typewritten captions on verso, and a seven-page typescript likely intended to be included in the published version.

mssHM 50579

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Diary recording a voyage from Hong Kong to San Francisco, carrying Chinese passengers to California

Manuscripts

The unknown author begins the diary on October 22nd, 1850. The ship departs from the port of Hong Kong for San Francisco, California at 3 pm. Most of the entries are brief and primarily concern weather conditions, longitude and latitude of the ship, and daily duties. Two days after departure, the writer records fine weather. However, "The ship has leaked very much in the deck several packages much damaged with salt water...the contents had to be taken out to dry and pack in other trunks" (Monday, Oct. 24th). While on board, the author also records notes about the route of their voyage including various islands passed. Although the author rarely mentions other crew members, he does frequently write about Captain Lange and his need for sleep. "The Captain sleep all night on 10 to 12 hours and reads all day. The first officer takes it easy. The 2nd officer wants more experience" (Monday, Nov. 18th). There does appear to be some bitterness between the author and the captain, "...this outrageous management had the ship been kept free all night there would have been no necessity to reduce sail and would have made a distance of 200 miles north" (Tuesday, Dec. 3rd). The Chinese passengers are mentioned in one entry on Friday, the 18th of November. Initially, Captain Lange refused to allow the Chinese passengers to do any work. However, Captain Lange finally agreed to allow the Chinese passengers to cook, if the author promises to pay for the wood and use of the galley. He writes about the lack of sleep due to the rudder and sailors stealing oranges. The writer also logs details about sailing and maintenance of the ship. Concerning the repair of one sail, "...it was unbent and sent on deck the mate undertook to repair it with some old canvas but said he did not know where to begin as it was a worn out sail. The Captain then examined it, told the mate to repair it by covering it all over or rather stretching it so no Topgtsail of any value this passage" (Dec. 9th). The last entry was written for the 24th-29th of December. The author records the usual, "Light southerly winds and thick foggy weather on a wind to the east. No observation. 29th wind N.E. and clear weather."

mssHM 80959

Autobiography of Joseph Grafton Hovey, compiled by M.R. Hovey [microform], 1953

Manuscripts

Microfilm of a typescript version of Joseph Grafton Hovey's autobiography, adapted from his journals by his grandson M.R. Hovey in 1953. The volume opens with a note on "The Hovey Book" and a page tracing Joseph Hovey's descent from Daniel Hovey, the "First American Progenitor of the Hovey Descendants." The autobiography begins with as account of Hovey's childhood in Massachusetts, including the death of his father, his move to Boston, and his interest in religious revivals. It then describes his move to Illinois and conversion to the Mormon Church, includes Hovey's critical reaction to John C. Bennett, and describes the days leading up to and following the death of Joseph Smith at Carthage. Hovey then gives an account of Sidney Rigdon's departure from the Church, of Hovey's own ownership of shares in the Seventies Hall, and of his departure from Nauvoo in 1846. He then writes of traveling to Winter Quarters with Joseph Young and of his experiences there from 1846-1848, including the death of his wife from illness in 1847. The first part of the account ends with a description of his overland journey to Utah and his colonization of Iron County through about 1854. The rest of the volume consists of portions of Hovey's writings from about 1855-1856, which cover his life in Palmyra, Utah, and his mission to Provo. This portion of the volume is annotated by M.R. Hovey. The volume concludes with a portion of Hovey's wife Lusannah Hovey's record of the family's move to Cache Valley in 1860 and of Joseph Hovey's death in 1868. Also included is some Hovey family genealogy.

MSS MFilm 00070

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Charles Mason Hovey letter

Manuscripts

Letter dated July 4, 1882, from Charles M. Hovey, American horticulturalist, cultivator of fruit and ornamental plants. This letter, written from Boston, discusses his variety of strawberry, "Hovey's Seedling," and compares it to another famous variety of strawberry in detail. The clipping is an obituary of Charles Mason Hovey (1887).

mssHM 83473

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Journal of a voyage from New London to San Francisco, Upper California, keeped by Latham A. Brown

Manuscripts

Sea journal kept by Latham A. Brown aboard the schooner Odd Fellow during the ship's 1849 voyage to San Francisco. Some notable entries include an encounter with the the bark Flora, which reported "joyful news from the gold diggings, which revived our company very much" (March 22), and going ashore in "Patigonia [sic] called the Peninsula of St. Joseph...this day being the most pleasant of any day since I left home we ar[e] surrounded by Penguins and varios [sic] other Birds" (April 12). Also included is a journal entitled "Latham A. Brown's Book, 1847," which is a seaman's exercise book assembled by Brown and which includes rules of traverse sailing, mercator sailing, how to find longitude and latitude, predicting tides, star declination, and finding latitudes by the moon, each with tables, problems, examples, and sketches of ships. Other items include an American Ship Masters' Association certificate naming Brown an approved shipmaster (1865) and several abstract logs for the schooner Restless from travels in the South Pacific, including Honolulu, Tahiti, and Sydney, from the mid-1850s.

mssHM 74816-74819

John Hovey journal of a voyage from Newburyport, Mass. to San Francisco, Cal

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John Hovey journal of sketches

William H. Dougal journal of a voyage from New York to San Francisco

Diary recording a voyage from Hong Kong to San Francisco, carrying Chinese passengers to California

Autobiography of Joseph Grafton Hovey, compiled by M.R. Hovey [microform], 1953

Charles Mason Hovey letter

Journal of a voyage from New London to San Francisco, Upper California, keeped by Latham A. Brown