Manuscripts
Robert Wyman Butterfield letters to Elsie Wyman Butterfield
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Robert Wyman Butterfield letter to his brother
Manuscripts
In this letter addressed to "Dear Brother," Butterfield reports that he and his companions have built a cabin and have established a mining camp. He is sending home a specimen of gold dust. His profession as a lawyer is becoming well-known, and he has been consulted for legal advice, but he has not complied, wishing to keep the details of his profession quiet.
mssHM 47863
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Robert Selden Garnett letters
Manuscripts
These are two letters written by American officer Robert Selden Garnett. HM 46544, dated 1849, August 23, is addressed to A. Somervail Garnett ("My dear Somervail," Robert writes), and is written following the wrecking of the ship Edith off the California coast. Robert assures Somervail that he will do all he can to keep Somervail enrolled at Harvard until his education is completed, and gives Somervail advice concerning his chosen occupational path, particularly the importance of mathematics and surveying. Robert urges Somervail to be steadfast in his studies, but not at the expense of his social life, which Robert considers as important as school. Robert closes by saying he hopes to return to Washington by December 1. In the second letter (HM 46545, dated 1849, September 30), Robert writes to Caleb Lyon concerning the authorship of a proposed "seal or coat of arms for the new state of California" as well as a constitution for the pending state. Robert claims to be the sketcher of the original seal, and gives Lyon the authority to reveal him as such, should he deem it proper.
mssHM 46544-46545
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Rufus Butterfield receipt of payment to Tulare County's Auditor's Office
Manuscripts
This is a receipt of payment made by Rufus Butterfield to Tulare County's Auditor's Office for $803.00 for a lot of land in "Visalia District."
mssHM 81289
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J.H. (John Holmes) Magruder letters to his family
Manuscripts
This series of six letters are written by John Holmes Magruder during his journey from New York to California in hopes of finding gold. In HM 16723, dated 1849, January 1 and written to his brother Thomas and his sister Olivia, John is restless, eager to get his sailing journey underway, and is excited by the prospects of finding gold in California. HM 16724 (1849, March 9) describes John's voyage over sea to Santa Catarina Island, and reports from California continue to be encouraging. In his next letter (HM 16725, 1849, June 27), John writes while on board the whaling vessel Tahmaroo, bound for California. He describes in detail what he saw of Brazil and Santa Catarina, and says that there are still positive reports of gold being found in California, but that Sacramento and San Francisco are "infested with gamblers, robbers and black legs from every nation." HM 16726, dated 1849, September 11, and written to his brother Ogden, finds John in Sacramento, where he has begun his search for gold, despite having been stricken with fever. He does not expect to be back for a few years. In HM 16727, to Thomas, and dated 1849, September 17, John is still recovering from fever, but hopes to be back to his search in a few weeks. The next letter (HM 16728) is addressed to Thomas, and dated 1851, October 7. John believes he will settle in California permanently, and has become interested in local politics. He is in business with his brother Lloyd, but aside from reporting that things are well, he gives no further details.
mssHM 16723-16728
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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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Robert E. Lee letters to Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee
Manuscripts
Five letters that Robert E. Lee wrote to his wife during his service in Virginia and the Midwest (the summer of 1835): 1832, April 17, Old Point Comfort, Va. (HM 20560); 1832, July 6, Old Point Comfort, Va. (HM 23236); 1833, November 27, Fort Monroe, Va. (HM 23096); 1835, August 21, Detroit, Mich. (HM 20561), and 1835, September 2, South Bend, Ill. (HM 20562).
mssHM 20560-20562, HM 23096, HM 23236