Manuscripts
E.B. Winans letter to J. Sterling Morton
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Winans family correspondence
Manuscripts
There are 16 letters by William M. Winans to his mother and sister Sarah M. Winans Thornley written between 1860-1874. The six letters written during his service in the war discuss camp, foraging expeditions, war news and politics. The latter include an account of Forrest's second ride (Dec. 11 1862 -- Jan. 3, 1863) and dark pronouncements on the "gloomy future of our glorious government" undermined by Illinois Democratic legislature "opposed to the administration" and "Copperheads in the north". The post-war letters concern his life in Rochester, Ind., plans to move to Kansas, his second marriage, and the education of his sons.
mssHM 71521-71549
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J. Barker letters to Kirk Barker
Manuscripts
These two letters were written by J. Barker to his brother, Kirk, describing his search for gold in Australia and South America. In the first letter, HM 16535, dated 1853, March 13, J. Barker is in Melbourne, Australia, after a one hundred and ten day voyage. He writes that the prices of everything, including gold, is much higher in Australia, and says there is "plenty of gold to be had but the state of society is awful." In Melbourne, he writes "robery and murder is of comon occurrence" and yet he is "determined not to leave here without making something." The second letter, HM 16536, is dated 1853, October 11 and 14. J. Barker is on board the ship Lady Juliana, about to land in San Francisco, California. He is glad to be out of Australia, and laments that so many miners left good claims in California to travel to Australia. He has received no letters from home, despite having sent six himself. He has heard that gold has been discovered in South America, and he plans to depart for the Amazon River to search for himself.
mssHM 16535-16536
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Gustave E. Genthner letters to his family
Manuscripts
Twenty-nine of these thirty letters were written by Gustave E. Genthner to various members of his family, located in Boston. The letters were written between 1860 and 1867, from various parts of California. The lone exception is HM 16665, written by Barnas A. Genthner on 1845, January 2, from New York, to "Father and Mother." The names of the relatives are never given. In the letters, Gustave Genthner describes his experiences working on a farm outside San Francisco, and as a soldier during the Civil War. In HM 16642, dated 1860, September 14, he writes, "I am very lonesome sometimes and home-sick too but then the novelty and diversity of life here soon drives it away." He sends money home as often as he can, and writes of his toils ploughing in the fields. In August 1861 (HM 16651), Genthner reports that he has become a soldier of Company B, 1st Brigade for the Union, and writes passionately of his pride defending "one of the most glorious governments that the sun ever shone upon" (HM 16653, 1862, September 29). He does well as a soldier, and writes with pride of receiving a pair of pistols as a gift from the citizens of San Jose (HM 16657, 1863, October 7). In mid-1864, he writes from Fort Yuma, "I could never have advanced myself at home as I have here" (HM 16660, 1864, May 21), but by June, he has resigned from the Army due to his poor health (HM 16661, 1864, June 5). Following his discharge, Genthner works for the San Francisco police force. Soon after, he has a family of his own, as he writes in HM 16668 (1866, March 11) that "Sarah and the baby are well," and in HM 16669, refers to "my darling wife and sweetest of babies."
mssHM 16642-16645, 16648-16673
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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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J.D. Duncan letters to A.H. Campbell
Manuscripts
In these two letters to his brother, J.D. Duncan writes that he has arrived in the town of Stockton, California from Wisconsin and plans to head north to the gold mines. A year later, he writes that he has found work with "a large Ditch Company." He writes of the current state of crops, of the scarcity of gold, and the danger posed by Indians. Nevertheless, J.D. believes there is still "plenty of gold to be had." HM 25788 is dated 1857, February 4, and HM 25789 is dated 1858, September 13, and both were written in Stockton, California.
mssHM 25788-25789
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John Whittaker letter to Cincinnatus Hiner Miller
Manuscripts
Whittaker congratulates Miller on his tales, calling them "some of the boldest flights of imagination I ever saw as any man could conceive of" and lauding Miller for his "fixed reputation as among the first of novelists." He writes of the situation in Oregon: "Gold discoveries and Gold excitements - Gold Humbug - form the staple of our local news." He also writes of the state of local and national politics, in the wake of the Civil War.
mssHM 20707