Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Manuscripts
David Twigg Emanuel letter to Winfield Scott
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Manuscripts
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Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
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Manuscripts
In these two letters addressed to "My Beloved Wife," David Saville writes that he hopes to make enough money in San Francisco to "make us independent and pay all our obligations." As business is slow, he has become homesick, as he has "too much time on my hands." He writes "if only Congress would pass a Rail Road bill it would give us new life." Dated 1860, May 14 (HM 16640) and June 1 (HM 16641).
mssHM 16640-16641
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Manuscripts
Two letters sent by David Shaw Shrode to his brother William, written shortly after David's arrival in California. The first letter was sent from Milquatay, California, and is dated December 27, 1870. David writes of the "long and tiresome and dangerous" trip to California, of leaving his cattle and various supplies in Arizona, describes the land in the area ("a very good Stock country but no farming Country"), writes of the "wickedness and ignorance" of Arizona and New Mexico, writes disparagingly of the Pima and Maricopa Indians, and notes the state of the cattle business. The second letter was sent from El Monte, California, and is dated April 23-24, 1871. David and his wife Mariah write of their general happiness in California despite drought conditions, describe the climate and agricultural prospects, and note the prices of land. In a postscript David writes of the lack of timber and of his plans to move "to a new colony 25 or 30 miles from here, [where I] can get land...for 13 dollars per acre."
mssHM 16734-16735
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Manuscripts
Set of letters written to David Coverstone in Shenandoah County, Virginia, by acquaintances in California. The first 8 letters were sent by Andrew Cullers between 1874 and 1887, when he was living in Colusa, Leesville, and Little Stony, California. Cullers writes throughout of life in California, including his first impressions, land he has purchased, agricultural prospects, and the price of produce and livestock. He also comments frequently on Southern politics, including his refusal to take an oath of allegiance in Missouri ("I refused to swallow the damnable teste [sic] oath," he wrote on May 10, 1874), his firm stance as a Democrat and hatred of Republican politics and Ulysses S. Grant in particular, and a poem he composed on the death of Robert E. Lee. There are also 9 letters sent by Milton M. Ritenouer to David and Harvey Coverstone from 1853-1856. Ritenouer writes from Virginia of securing passage to California, from the Isthmus of Panama about his journey, and from Columbia, California, about working in the gold mines, lacking enough water to run his claims, and how much profit his fellow miners have made. One of the letters is also signed by Joseph Keyser. Also included is a letter from Morgan, Charles and Sons in New York, written on New York Steamship Line via Nicaragua letterhead and regarding a sea voyage (1857).
mssHM 16840-16857
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Manuscripts
In HM 16646, dated 1861, January 31, Saville writes to his wife that he is confident he will be able to provide for them both financially. In HM 16647, dated 1861, April 30, he writes that he regrets some of his investing, and of the importance of preserving the Union "even if it should cost all the Treasure in the Country."
mssHM 16646-16647
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Manuscripts
David Turner is heading west from Connecticut to settle in California, and asks for Rockwell's expertise regarding California, such as any information, maps or documents, that might be of use to him concerning his move.
mssHM 4156
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Manuscripts
In this letter, Hungerford writes of the annexation of Texas to the United States, and the issues of slavery that might be affected as a result.
mssHM 26629