Manuscripts

Elias S. Ketcham diary

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Description: Diary kept by Elias S. Ketcham of Rondout (Kingston), New York and covers the first half of 1851. Most entries are summaries of his daily activities such as work, church meetings and visits with friends in and around Rondout. Ketcham was a very religious man and the majority of his diary is about what he needs to do to become a better Christian. There is some discussion regarding his decision to leave New York and join his brothers in California. In his last entry, June 12, Ketcham writes about the preparations he has made for his trip, and his feelings of uncertainty regarding leaving his friends and family to head West to search for gold. There are several entries dated 1861, 1862 and 1868 regarding Ketcham's boarding situation
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1851-1868.
Call number: mssHM 59423
Creator

Elias S. Ketcham diary

Manuscripts

Elias S. Ketcham of Rondout (Kingston), New York, kept this diary while living and working in the gold fields of California in 1853-54. He prospects for gold in Murphy's Camp, CA, but is not particularly successful in the mines. Ketcham often discusses his desire to return home to NY, his experiences as a miner, and his religious beliefs. The diary provides a colorful description of life in the mining camps: he describes his impressions of Indians, Mexicans, and Chinese and also discusses violent incidents in the mining communities

mssHM 58269

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Peter Andrew Clapsaddle diary

Manuscripts

In this diary, Clapsaddle writes daily entries while on his voyage from New York to San Francisco. In it. he talks about life on board the ship, seasickness, his asthma, three passengers dying on board, church services he attended and the meals he ate. He also gives the ship's position and course. He briefly mentions the ship's stops in Panama and Guatemala, the arrival in San Francisco and a job he obtained with the Evening telegram. With the diary is a typed biography of Clapsaddle, outline of his voyage, map of his voyage and typescript of the diary.

mssHM 75101

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Joseph S. Paxson diary

Manuscripts

This daily diary documents Paxson's struggle with business and gold mining. He discusses in detail his financial problems, his loneliness in the city, and his unhappiness with his living situation. Paxson also notes all the ships arriving in San Francisco and the actions of the vigilance committees. At the end of the diary is an 11-page essay about the murder of James King and the hanging of James P. Casey and Charles Cora in May. Accompanying the diary is an incomplete transcript only covering January 1 to July 14.

mssHM 68388

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Newton S. McAbee diary and correspondence

Manuscripts

This small group consists of one diary and twelve letters from McAbee to his family. The diary covers the period from February 21 through May 13, 1866. McABee describes his trip from New Mexico to Ohio, by the Santa Fe Trail. He was accompanied by a young woman named Lizzie. The entries describe stopovers at towns, forts, and trading posts, including Albuquerque, Algodones, Kozlowski, San Jose, Las Vegas, Fort Union, Viernes, Margo, and Segundo. He writes about various methods of procuring food, illnesses, cures, and encounters with other travelers and Native Americans.

mssMcAbee

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George Forby diary

Manuscripts

The early part of the diary details Forby's daily activities in mid-19th century New York, during which he visits friends, goes to concerts, sings in the choir of his church, and maintains his shop. He also meets and courts Elizabeth Dowd, whom he eventually marries. There is a considerable gap in the diary. There is an entry for August 24, 1851, with Forby still in New York, and the next entry in the diary is dated February 23, 1852, and Forby is en route to California via steamship. There do not appear to be any missing pages. Forby writes in detail of his journey, especially about his fellow passengers. His voyage takes him to Cuba, Panama, and the coast of Mexico, finally landing in California on April 1, and finds work as a painter in San Francisco. Here there is another gap in time, with no entries between November 30, 1852, and August 2, 1879, at which time Forby has been married to Elizabeth Dowd for twenty-four years, and had children, but she has passed away. He writes that he left California twenty-six years ago for lack of work. The first entry of the diary is dated January 5, 1851, and the final entered date is November 8, 1879. Included is a small scrap of paper with the writing "6/28-1824, Albany, NY, date of birth" on one side and "25 yrs old in '51" on the other side.

mssHM 16992

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George S. Mathews diary

Manuscripts

The diary, which covers two journeys taken by George S. Mathews, was written from notes he took along the way. The first journey is Mathews' trek from Waverly, Iowa, to Portland, Oregon, via the Oregon Trail in 1865, and the second is a voyage from Oregon to New York City via Panama in 1866. There is little personal detail in the overland portion of the diary; Mathews took note of facts such as weather conditions, number of people in the wagon train, campsites, mileage, and locations passed such as Fort Laramie and Fort Dalles. He also mentions several Indian tribes, such as the Winnebago, the Brule, and the Nez Perce, and their contact with the pioneers and the military (he briefly mentions the Battle of Horse Creek, June 1865). The voyage portion of the diary gives great detail regarding the conditions on the voyage and Mathews' experiences in San Francisco and Panama. After the voyage section, are more notes and mileage lists regarding Mathews' overland journey to Oregon. Also included is a cabinet card photograph of George S. Mathews

mssHM 63161-63162

Elias S. Ketcham diary

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Elias S. Ketcham diary

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