Manuscripts

George McKinley Murrell correspondence

Description: The collection consists of letters written by George M. Murrell describing his overland journey in the spring of 1849 as far as Fort Kearny, Nebraska. Other topics discussed are river travel, life along the wagon trail, wagon train organization, and interactions with Native Americans. After his arrival in Sacramento, California, in September 1849, the letters deal with mining and business ventures in California Gold Rush country near Coloma. The collection also contains two photographs of Murrell, approximately 1860.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1849-1854
Call number: mssHM 36338-36403
Creator: Murrell, George McKinley (1826-1872)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Gift of Clifford C. Burton, 1969.
Restrictions: Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
Rights: The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.
Find out more: View in the Library catalog(Opens in new tab); View in the Online Archive of California(Opens in new tab)

George McKinley Murrell correspondence

Manuscripts

The collection consists of letters written by George M. Murrell describing his overland journey in the spring of 1849 as far as Fort Kearny, Nebraska. Other topics discussed are river travel, life along the wagon trail, wagon train organization, and interactions with Native Americans. After his arrival in Sacramento, California, in September 1849, the letters deal with mining and business ventures in California Gold Rush country near Coloma. The collection also contains two photographs of Murrell, approximately 1860.

mssHM 36338-36403

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Andrew McKinley letter to John McKinley

Manuscripts

In this letter addressed to "my dear father," Andrew McKinley writes he is stricken with illness which "has somewhat increased my expenses....I would be obliged if you would send me some money." He also says he is thinking over his father's suggestion to move his business to the Eastern cities.

mssHM 29252

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Fifty-Nine Years After, Or Recollections of My Adventures by Sea and Land While in Search of Gold in California [typescript]

Manuscripts

Cheney's reminiscence covers his voyage to California on the ship Pacific, his arrival in San Francisco August 6, 1849, and his time living in California until he left for Australia in February 1853. Cheney discusses the weather conditions during his voyage and some of the events that took place on board, including the removal of the ship's captain while in Rio de Janeiro; he also discusses his visit to Callao, Peru. Of his time in California, Cheney remembers his attempts at mining and at some other ventures such as selling lumber. He gives detailed descriptions of his time in San Francisco, Coloma, and Sacramento, California, and in the mining towns Bidwell Bar and Antoine Canyon

mssHM 63644

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Typescript : the forgotten battalion

Manuscripts

Chronicle of Army life on the plains and specifically life at Fort Phil Kearny in present-day northeastern Wyoming along the Bozeman Trail with emphasis on the Fort Phil Kearny Massacre or Fetterman Fight of 1866 and the Wagon Box Fight of 1867. Written by William Murphy of Spokane, Washington, approximately 1937.

mssHM 19828

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Journal [of an overland journey to California by way of the Oregon and Lassen trails]

Manuscripts

The diary contains Bruff's descriptions of his overland journey across the plains in 1849 with the Washington City and California Mining Association and his activities in California after their arrival

mssHM 252

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George Gregory letters

Manuscripts

George Gregory wrote these 10 letters to his fiancée, Anne Hemings, in London after his arrival in New York. He talks in detail about: his attempt to find work, his financial problems, his lodgings, his meals, the trials of separation, etc. He also talks a lot about the Americans in New York, their manners and their clothes.

mssHM 81175-81184

George McKinley Murrell correspondence

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George McKinley Murrell correspondence

Andrew McKinley letter to John McKinley

Fifty-Nine Years After, Or Recollections of My Adventures by Sea and Land While in Search of Gold in California [typescript]

Typescript : the forgotten battalion

Journal [of an overland journey to California by way of the Oregon and Lassen trails]

George Gregory letters