Manuscripts
Letter to Jay Amos Barrett
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Wm. R. (William R.) Drinkard letter to Messrs. Samuel & Allen
Manuscripts
Letter from Acting Secretary of War William R. Drinkard to Samuel & Allen of St. Louis, Missouri. Drinkard writes of a contract with Russell, Majors, and Waddell for transporting military supplies to Utah during the Utah War.
mssHM 74759
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Jacob Sturn memoir and related material
Manuscripts
The memoir, which was written in 1945, covers Jacob Sturn's life from his childhood in Austria to his death in California. Joseph M. Sturn discusses in detail his father's experiences as an immigrant in New York City; a coal miner in Davenport, Iowa; a miner in Colorado and Virginia City, Montana (where he joined a vigilance committee); on the Oregon Trail with Russell, Majors & Waddell; in Kansas during the dispute over its statehood; and wheat farming in Rice County, Kansas. Included with the memoir are Jacob Sturn's naturalization records from Iowa and Kansas, which were issued to him in 1856, 1858, and 1860, as well as letters by Joseph M. Sturn, Jr., requesting copies of those records
mssHM 68336-68341
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Lyman Belding autobiography
Manuscripts
The autobiography begins with Belding's childhood in West Farms, Massachusetts (near Amherst College). He recalls his early days of school, camping at a nearby lake, and his first crush on a girl. Of his life in Wyoming Valley, Pennyslvania, Belding talks about his bout with typhoid fever in 1846 which led his doctor to advise him to go on a sea voyage. He talks about his first voyage on the ship Zion and his first long voyage on the whaling ship Uncas (going to the Arctic for whales). Of his voyages, Belden talks about the conditions of life on the ship, their food and drink, stops along the way, sea animals they saw, and the whales they killed. Belding also talks about hunting in the Sierra Nevadas, a meeting with Mark Hopkins, and a bird collecting trip he took to Baja, California.
mssHM 75097
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Joseph Hickox letter to Laurence D. Peabody
Manuscripts
This letter was written by Joseph Hickox to Laurence D. Peabody (a member of the U.S. Army who was stationed in Germany at the time). Laurence D. Peabody was the son of George W. Peabody, a friend of Hickox's. In the letter, Hickox talks about Albert Einstein's trip to Mt. Wilson in the 1930s. He talks in detail about conversations they had and how he and Einstein would play pool. He also states that he would demonstrate "a practical application of the Theory of Relativity when I rotated the 100 inch dome while he stood on the moving platform." He also talks about Einstein's interest in astronomy.
mssHM 80438
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Reminiscences of a gold miner
Manuscripts
Fisk starts his reminiscences in 1850 when he left Illinois for California. He describes his overland journey in a party of 20 wagons. He mentions the Native Americans they passed (specifically the Utes and Otos), Fort Laramie, and how the group had to leave items behind to speed their pace. He also talks about Salt Lake City, buffalo herds, and the group's constant search for water. Fisk then describes arriving in Hangtown (Placerville), his experience mining on the American River and leaving California to mine in Colorado. He writes briefly about his time with the 2nd Iowa Regiment. He also discusses his decision to travel to Alaska to try his hand at gold mining one more time. Following the reminiscences are typescripts of several letters from Fisk to his sister written while on his journey to Alaska.
mssHM 68417
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Frank Loucks letters to George R. Loucks
Manuscripts
Loucks wrote the two letters on August 11 and October 2, 1898, from Camp Dewey; the letters are addressed to his brother George. Frank talks about Manila, the conditions at the camp, and his dealings with his fellow soldiers. He also talks about problems obtaining supplies for his regiment. He also talks about a possible battle and states, "we are looking for Dewey to get a move on and do something."
mssHM 67898-67899