Manuscripts
John D. Mitchell letters
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John Mitchell letter to Cadwallader Colden, London
Manuscripts
The letter describes Mitchell's involvement in publishing the London edition of Colden's History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada; his effort to further Colden's interest with Mitchell's patrons Archibald Campbell, the third Duke of Argyll and the president of the Board of Trade George Montagu Dunk, the second earl of Halifax; the outbreak of yellow fever in New York; Mitchell's plans for "the Natural & medical History of N. America;" his interest in American native plants, including plant pigments that "the Indians dye their Red & black colours with," and in "the New surveys the french have lately made of their Colonies."
mssHM 22340
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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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Daniel S. Hayden journal
Manuscripts
The journal covers Hayden's voyage from Maine to California onboard the Brig Siroc, as well as his time living in California. Hayden recorded the voyage to California in detail. Because he had some previous knowledge of nautical science, he was asked by the captain to assist in keeping the ship's official log and records; his own table of longitude and latitude are recorded at the end of the journal. Hayden recorded in detail the everyday activities of everyone on board including his duties to care for the pigs and chickens on board, and the passengers' attempts to catch various sea animals such as porpoises, dolphins, and sharks. After he arrived in San Francisco, Hayden briefly tried his hand at mining, but his main pursuit is to sell the lumber he had brought along with him on the ship. Hayden also talked about the activities of the Vigilance Committee of San Francisco, and provided details about mining methods, tools and equipment. Hayden also gave descriptions of the places he visits including Rio de Janeiro, and Coloma, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Stockton, California.
mssHM 65753
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John Augustus Sutter letter to Edward M. Kern
Manuscripts
Sutter writes that his stay in Sacramento was longer than anticipated, upon his receiving two separate subpoenas to appear in the United States District Court in San Francisco. The remainder of the letter is concerned with mutual acquaintances.
mssHM 20663
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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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Elizabeth Whitney Putnam letter to J.D. Whitney, Sr
Manuscripts
Typescript of a letter from Elizabeth Whitney Putnam to her father J.D. Whitney, Sr., written shortly after the arrival of Elizabeth and her daughter Katharine in San Francisco. In the letter Elizabeth describes the difficulties of ocean travel, her voyage from the east coast to Panama on board the Georgia, her experiences crossing the Isthmus of Panama on foot and riding mules, a detailed firsthand account of the wreck of the Tennessee in the Pacific Ocean, and her final arrival in San Francisco aboard the Goliath, which also hit rocks off the California coast.
mssHM 73686