Manuscripts

The Story of Captain Jonathan Dow

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Description: Memoirs, largely based on the ships' logs, diaries, and family records, which are embedded in the narrative, detail the voyages on the Clytie (1866-1869 (Boston, Philadelphia, Antwerp, Naples, Palermo, Boston, Marseilles, Mobile, Genoa, New Orleans) and the Clarissa B. Carver (1876-1878, Bangor, Liverpool, Calcutta, London, New York, Yokahama, San Francisco), including detailed accounts of the vessels and the family's visits to Naples, Mount Vesuvius, Calcutta, London, New York, Yokohama, and San Francisco.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Publication date: May 1948.
Call number: mssHM 63404
Creator: Dow, Scott Jonathan (1869-)(Opens in new tab)
Additional description: Also included are brief histories of shipbuilding in Maine, New England lighthouses, and the transition from sail to steam; pictures of the Clytie and Clarissa B. Carver, and some poems

Letter book of Jonathan Scott

Manuscripts

The letter book contains records and letters of Jonathan Scott. Most of the letters pertain to his business and the local church mission. The letter book contains a detailed index marking the names and page numbers of all correspondents. In fragile condition. Some pages are loose.

mssHM 74822

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Sea journal of Captain Moses J. Mulliken

Manuscripts

This sea journal records the travels of Captain Moses J. Mulliken in New England, to California, and to Singapore. The journal begins with tracking local voyages to and from Boston, New York, Wilmington (South Carolina), Newburyport (Massachusetts), Bath (Maine), Havana, and Charleston (South Carolina). Most of these records revolve around bookkeeping for costs and tracking of cargo (mainly box shooks and lumber). The majority of the journal itself consists of more detailed accounts of several long voyages, including those from Boston to San Francisco on board the "Mary Wilder" from January to August 1849 (with stops on Quiriquina Island and in Conception, Chile); from Boston to Sacramento City on board the "Rachel Stevens" (out of Pitston, Maine) from March to August 1850; from New York to San Francisco on board the "Mary and Jane" from May to December 1852 (including a stop in Valparasio, Chile); and a journey from San Francisco to Singapore via the North Pacific and from Penang back to New York from February to November 1853, also on board the "Mary and Jane." While many of Mulliken's entries focus on recording the ship's headings and weather conditions, there are also a number of personal passages. Most of these revolve around Mulliken's perceived failings as a ship's captain and reflections on his life's regrets and hopes to do his "duty to God." Also included in the journal is a newspaper clipping with a poem written "upon arriving at the Island of San Fernandes, May 4, 1849;" a copy of shipping instructions from Daniel Deshon to Mulliken, dated November 5, 1847; a description of a rule for finding time by the setting sun; and several sketches of ports, including an annotated sketch of San Francisco towards Humbolt Bay.

mssHM 72342

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James Scott log of the Brig Lydia: handwritten manuscript

Manuscripts

This log covers seven trips of the "Lydia" across the Atlantic during the years 1764-1766 between London and Boston.

mssHM 987

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Nautical charts

Manuscripts

Includes charts of the "Meteor" from Boston to San Francisco, the "John L. Stevens" from San Francisco to Panama, and the "Illinois" from Panama to New York.

mssHM 41741

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Boston to San Francisco

Manuscripts

Briggs handwritten manuscript covers the first half of his trip from Boston to San Francisco in 1886. He talks about his visits to Niagara Falls, Omaha, Denver, Cheyenne, Reno, and Salt Lake City. He specifically describes the hanging of a man in Denver, and the climate in California. The manuscript might be the source for some of Chapter Eight "A Trip to California, 1886," in Briggs' book entitled Arizona and New Mexico 1882, California 1886, Mexico 1891 (1932); however, Chapter Eight covers the entire trip to San Francisco and back to Boston.

mssHM 68057

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Sampson & Tappan letter to Captain George Sweetlin

Manuscripts

Interesting letter showing trade and commerce of the Gold Rush era. Sampson & Tappan write to the captain of their ship "Fanny Forester" (no doubt a nod to the nom de plume of the then popular author Emily C. Judson), stating that they had received the news of his charter party who had promised to send a fee of $1500. The charter party was Alfred Robinson (1806-1895), a businessman from Boston, who sailed to California in 1829 in the employ of Bryant, Sturgis and Company, a firm in the hide and tallow trade. Robinson was the author of Life in California (1846), an influential early description of the politics of the region under the Mexican Republic. Sampson & Tappan also write: "We are much pleased to hear that the ship is in such good order & That the leak is not so troublesome. We notice what you propose doing with the provisions & doubt not that you will manage them to best advantage." They note that they will soon be boarding the Carthage for San Francisco and "she will get away about 15 to 20 September."

mssHM 82559

The Story of Captain Jonathan Dow

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Letter book of Jonathan Scott

Sea journal of Captain Moses J. Mulliken

James Scott log of the Brig Lydia: handwritten manuscript

Nautical charts

Boston to San Francisco

Sampson & Tappan letter to Captain George Sweetlin