Daniel S. Hayden journal | Collections | The Huntington

Daniel S. Hayden journal | Collections | The Huntington

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Charles H. Hayden letters
Manuscripts
The letters are written to Hayden's brothers and discuss his experience in the mining camp of Fox Creek, California including his attempts at mining and running a butchering business. He also includes details about the bad weather and its effects on the mines in the area. One of the letters is written by friends of Hayden, who also lived in California
mssHM 63723-63727
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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 Miller letter to William Miller
Manuscripts
Letter written from Daniel Miller near Petaluma, California, to his brother William in Newburn, Virginia. Miller writes of the difficulties of driving cattle over the Oregon Trail and through the Salt Lake Valley to California, and of cattle that were "likely stolen" by Mormons in Utah. He writes of stopping with the remaining cattle in the valley outside of San Francisco and of the trouble in owning land since "nearly all the country is claimed by grants made by the Mexican Government." He writes of his trip to San Francisco and details the high cost of goods in the area, but notes that he is also selling cattle for good prices. Miller also writes of gold mining and that he plans to avoid the practice since "many thousand dollars worth of [gold] dust...disappears in a few hours at the gambling tables." Miller concludes that "I have as yet not regrets about the move [to California], except the loss of our children" (Miller's three young daughters died during the journey to California).
mssHM 74319
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S. S. Haws letter to his family
Manuscripts
In this letter addressed "Dear Wife & Children," S.S. Haws describes his five-month journey. He stops at the Bay of All Saints on his way around Cape Horn, breaking up a potentially deadly quarrel between the ship captain and mate along the way. He arrives in California on September 15, 1852, and makes his way to Sacramento, where he began mining, and then on to San Francisco. Of the current condition of mining, he writes, "It is true much gold has been and is still being dug but when you take into consideration the numbers engaged and the vast amount of toil privation and suffering performed and endured to obtain it dwindles down into mere nothingness." He writes of the fire that very nearly consumed Sacramento in its entirety, and the ensuing effect on prices of goods. He also gives news of mutual acquaintences who have also made the journey from New York to California, and reports he has "become quite a practitioner in various diseases," owing in no small part to the continuing growth of the California cities.
mssHM 17476
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Theodore S. McLellan letters
Manuscripts
The letters, which are written to McLellan's wife, Mary, discuss McLellan's voyage to and life in California. He tried mining when he first got to California, but he eventually gave it up and took a job in a printing press. His letters also describe both the people and scenes of Sacramento and San Francisco. Two of the letters include pictorial lettersheets including "View of Sacramento City, From Washington Published by The Placer Times." Also included with the letters are five documents: three land deeds, a draft, and a bill of sale for the bark America
mssMcLellan
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Rocky Mountain Region Hayden Survey letters received :
Manuscripts
Photostats were published by the National Archives in 1945. The letters were received by F. V. Hayden from 1873 to 1879 during his survey of the Rocky Mountain Region.
mssHM 84346