Manuscripts

"John" letter to "my dear aunt,"

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Description: Typescript of a letter sent from "John" to "my dear Aunt," written while he was at sea heading to San Francisco on board the steamer Tennessee. He writes of leaving New York on the steamer Cherokee, canoing across the Isthmus of Panama, the scenery and native people of the area, and conditions on board the Tennessee. He concludes the letter on April 16 after his arrival in San Francisco, and briefly describes lumber and mining prospects.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1850, April 12.
Call number: mssHM 73059
Provenance: Gift of Edwin F. Gay, March 22, 1940.
Find out more: View in the Library catalog

Edward W. Syle letter to "My dear Aunt,"

Manuscripts

Edward W. Syle wrote this letter from "Oakland, near San Francisco," which was where his family settled as he did missionary work with the Chinese community in San Francisco in 1855. In his letter, Syle mentions the S.S. George Law which took him and his family from Shanghai to California. The California weather was "very pleasant" and healthy for the children, but his missionary work was "trying" and "perplexing," unlike his rewarding efforts in China. Syle described Oakland as "peaceful & retired." Once a week, Syle crossed the Bay in a Ferry Boat to teach an evening class to the Chinese, but he spent his Sundays in a "little parish" he had just organized, the Oakland Parish of St. John's Episcopal Church.

mssHM 83406

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Arthur H. Taylor letter to my dear Terrill

Manuscripts

Letter from Arthur Taylor in Santa Cruz, California, in which he writes of his legal actions against an anti-Chinese labor boycott. Taylor concludes that despite winning the case "I never tried to collect...I only sought to establish...that the boycott was illegal."

mssHM 74644

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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

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John Groom letter to "My dier Wife and Children,"

Manuscripts

This letter was written by John Groom to "My dier Wife and Children," on September 22, 1850 from Georgetown, California. In this letter to his family, Groom describes his difficult journey from the Missouri River to California. He opens the letter about the hardships of his journey, which includes contracting the flu and mountain fever. He passes numerous graves while crossing the plains, which disheartens him. In California, he states that the prospects of mining for gold "looks very Gloomy." According to Groom, the chances are very slim. "I am speaking now of the late emegrtion per haps 1 in 20 makes theire half ounce a day and 1 in 50 is doing what we all expect to do that is to do well by hard work and aconemy while 1 in a 1000 is makeing there fortunes..." He reveals the harsh reality of the California Gold Rush, "...I tell you now that the dark side of callafornia has been kept hid while the good side has been mutch Exagerated there is not 1 man in 100 but wishes himself at home of this years emegration and every man almost without exepttion that can Raise the money is a going and has gone already for my part I am here without the means to get home..." He also includes details about the costly supplies in California. He concludes the letter, "...be content to stay where you are doing well or not for God forbid that I ever should be the cause of any man coming to Calafornia to get Gold..."

mssHM 68184

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M. Brown letter to "My Dear Sir,"

Manuscripts

This letter, written from Valparaiso, Chile is dated March 7, 1849. M. Brown wrote it on board the USS Independence to a former shipmate aboard the USS Ohio stationed in San Francisco Bay. In the letter, Brown discusses difficulties in Chile, life aboard Commodore Shubrick's vessel, naval politics and news from the rest of the fleet in the Pacific.

mssHM 81273

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John Scott Eldon letter to "My dear Lord,"

Manuscripts

In this letter, the 1st Earl of Eldon is talking about politics and clearly shows his lifelong antagonism towards any form of republicanism. He states "The plant of Republicanism grows rapidly and I grieve to hear that some good & true men are meditating hard on what Regulations it can be best encouraged...."

mssHM 80797

"John" letter to "my dear aunt,"

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You might also be interested in

Edward W. Syle letter to "My dear Aunt,"

Arthur H. Taylor letter to my dear Terrill

Elizabeth Whitney Putnam letter to J.D. Whitney, Sr

John Groom letter to "My dier Wife and Children,"

M. Brown letter to "My Dear Sir,"

John Scott Eldon letter to "My dear Lord,"