Manuscripts
Henry Prince letter to Edward Davis Townsend
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Henry Wetherbee letter to Schuyler Colfax
Manuscripts
In this letter to Colfax, then serving as Vice-President of the United States, Wetherbee's opinion is that "jealousy of your popularity" is the cause of the reason why newspapers are "so down on you." Wetherbee, of course, believes none of it, and would have printed a rebuttal of his own but "thought it might produce more harm than good." With printed letterhead of the Office of Macpherson & Wetherbee, Lumber Dealers.
mssHM 47982
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William R. Prince papers
Manuscripts
The collection consists of letters and documents related to William Robert Prince and his horticulture and mercantile business in Sacramento, CA. Along with news and descriptions of the city of Sacramento, there are also materials regarding the mining interests of Prince and his associates near Marysville, CA
mssHM 2301-2364
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Israel N. Prince letters to Elizabeth E. Hodsdon
Manuscripts
Series of letters written by Israel N. Prince to his sister Elizabeth E. Hodsdon in Falmouth, Maine. Prince's first letter traces his journey by boat from Boston to Charleston in 1850. The next several letters provide a detailed look at the hardships of frontier life in the Nebraska Territory, where Prince lives humbly ("our dogs have a more comfortable house," he writes), holds low a low opinion of many of his neighbors ("the character [of frontier people] is not what I could wish it might be," he laments), works briefly on the Burlington Railroad (which ended with "considerable loss"), and is disinterested in in the California and Kansas "excitement," although he later thought about moving to California or Oregon. Prince also urges Elizabeth and her family to come west, answers her questions about when he will return home by saying "when I came into the western country it was my determination not to go back till I had done something," writes of his many uncertainties ("I seem to myself to be peculiar in some respects," he noted, "At times I hardly know what to make of myself"), and shamefully admits his failures ("I hated to tell you that I was too poor to own a farm of any description"). Beginning in 1861 the letters describe "the great war feeling around" and Prince's enlistment in Company "C" of the 1st Nebraska Volunteers in June 1861. He was initially stationed at Pilot Knob, Missouri, and guarded bridges on the Iron Mountain Railroad, and writes of a difficult march to Springfield and an enemy raid at Georgetown, Missouri. Most of his time was spent near the Tennessee/Mississippi border between Savannah and Danville. Prince writes of his participation in the Battle of Shiloh and of the Army of Southeastern Missouri, which in early 1863 had just finished "one of the hardest campaigns of the war" (probably part of Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign). He alludes to "daily skirmishes," although also notes that his sister probably knows better than he what is happening since he has little access to newspapers or outside information. In addition to chronicling the movements of his regiment, Prince outlines the difficulties of army life, including long "forced marches," the shortness of supplies, his many illnesses, the possibility of his death, and the unpopularity of the men in command. In his last letter Prince writes that there is little hope for a promotion since "I don't believe I am a great favorite with some of the officers." Specific references are made to General John Davidson, Secretary of War Simon Cameron, General John C. Frémont, and General Justus McKinstry.
mssHM 75851-75872
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Sir Francis Henry Evans letter to Isaac Sherman
Manuscripts
This letter concerns the American presidential election of 1876 and the implications for the United States in the international bond market of Samuel J. Tilden's presumed victory in that election. Evans writes, "I trust Mr. Tilden will feel advisability of still further reducing the interest on the govt loans there is no reason why more than 4% should be paid - if the proper means were taken to please the public and meet this requirement." Although Democratic Party candidate Tilden eventually lost the Electoral College vote to his Republican opponent, Rutherford B. Hayes, that decision had not yet been made at the time of this letter. Also referenced is the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway: "...high dividends in time of bad trade are generally ominous and the P + R seem fairly to have rushed to destruction."
mssHM 80838
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Emelie Melville letter to Tempe E. Allison
Manuscripts
In this letter, Emelie Melville writes that she is very interested in Miss Allison's research, but sadly all the archives of the California Theatre were lost in the great earthquake and fire of 1906. She goes on to write that she could relates many things of interest in that regard as she was an original member of the Company. She invites Miss Allison over for a visit and would be glad to assist her in her research.
mssHM 26066
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John Kern letter to Richard H. Kern and Edward M. Kern
Manuscripts
In this letter to his brothers (the letter is addressed to "Dick & Ned"), John Kern writes of various business matters, including the journal of a Henry King which was said to have been given to Captain John C. Frémont, but then lost. John Kern hopes his brothers might have some information regarding the diary's whereabouts. Dated 1850, May 30-31.
mssHM 20654