Manuscripts
H. B. Lansing diaries
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John Henry Frederick Ahlert diary
Manuscripts
The diary covers the first trip Ahlert made to the Klondike. In it he describes his journey from Los Angeles to Dyea, including accounts of traveling conditions as well as descriptions of his surroundings. He also talks about the difficulties in mining gold as well as the frustration he experienced in registering claims along the rivers and creeks. In the last half of his diary, Ahlert describes Dawson and his life there.
mssHM 64258
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Lundy B. Hogue diary of a trip from Ohio to California
Manuscripts
Hogue began his trip to California in July 1875 from Belmont, Ohio. He traveled through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Nevada by railroad. He talks about the Missouri River, Cheyenne, Mormon villages, Fort Bridger, the Humboldt River Valley, and hundreds of Chinese workers he sees along the way. Hogue arrived in Sacramento and then he proceeded to travel to San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Ventura. While in California, Hogue purchased land. He returned to Ohio in January 1876. The volume also contains several entries from another trip Hogue took in 1882.
mssHM 82444
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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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Albert H. Prescott diaries
Manuscripts
Two diaries kept by Albert Prescott from 1869-1870. The 1869 diary covers Prescott's dissatisfaction with working in Hamilton, and his opening entry notes "I'm sick & tired of my job [at the S.F. Restaurant] it's too hard work" (he quit the next day and worked a series of odd jobs). The 1870 diary records Prescott's trip to San Francisco and subsequent departure, accompanied by a man named McCord, for Lima on board the French bark Glaneur, which was loaded with railroad ties. Prescott gives a detailed account of the voyage ("it being my first voyage at sea I had but a faint idea of the Ocean," he noted), including descriptions of a fistfight between two crewmen, the sighting of a whale, his distress at the monotony of ship life ("it is rather hard not being able to talk French when among Frenchmen"), and his first glimpse of the Andes Mountains. After disembarking in Peru on August 2 Prescott writes of meeting Mr. Heath, an "American from Ohio in charge of the Railroad being constructed at this place," witnessing bull fights, and his impressions of native Peruvians. Prescott and McCord stayed in San Jose and also traveled to Pacasmayo, Trujillo, and the Guanape Islands. Also included with the diaries is a cardboard sheet with penciled genealogical information on the Prescott family.
mssHM 75051-75053
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H. N. Rose travel journal
Manuscripts
The majority of H. N. Rose's journal covers his work as a cook on his journey from upstate New York to Texas. Rose left upstate New York on June 12, 1860 and traveled to Texas through Missouri and Indian Territory with his father, friends, and a herd of sheep. On July 2, 1862, Rose wrote that he was back in upstate Elmira, New York. Starting on page 335 is a travelogue based on the diary entitled "Camp Life in Western Texas," which reverts to Rose's expedition and informs others of necessary preparations. The spine of the journal reads "Private Journal" and "H.N. Rose Detroit."
mssHM 83110
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Charles H. Ort diary
Manuscripts
Diary that Ort kept during his stay in Alexandria and through the Rapidan Campaign, including Spottsylvania Court House and the Wilderness. The diary gives detailed accounts of minutia of camp life, paying special attention to daily diversions, such as "kicking foot ball," reading dime novels and "ten cent monthleys," and attending theaters, "bath saloons," houses of ill repute, and various drinking and gambling establishments in Alexandria and Washington, as well Ort's numerous love conquests.
mssHM 68422