Manuscripts
Peter Andrew Clapsaddle diary
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Andrew Henry diaries
Manuscripts
Two diaries kept by Andrew Henry while he was performing mission work in the United States and Great Britain from 1840 to 1843. The first volume begins with his departure from Nauvoo, Illinois, in November 1840, and focuses on his subsequent missions to Illinois, Ohio, New York State, and his departure and voyage to Great Britain. The second volume records his mission work in England and Ireland (including Northern Ireland) through August 1843.
mssHM 52739 (1-2)
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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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Diary
Manuscripts
Diary and memorandum book of a Boston merchant, probably Peter Verstille. The diarist sailed from Boston to London in October 1768, onboard the Amazon. The largest portion of the diary covers his stay in London from early December 1768 to late April 1769. Much of it is devoted to politics and political debates, especially John Wilkes and the Middlesex elections (the diary opens with an account of the Brentford riot on Dec. 8, 1768), and American policies of the cabinet. The author also recounts his visits to the relatives (one of whom asked him "whether people in America talk'd English"), sightseeing and social life -- coffeehouses, the Old Bailey, Parliament, St. Paul's cathedral, the Tower, etc (including admission fees). Included is a detailed account of a moderated debate at a "Temple Bar Disputing Club" on "whether or not it was to the honour of Britain to tax America." He frequently mentions "John Olds," probably John Olds (1725-1782) of Hartford and Thomas Bromfield (1734-1816), a Boston merchant who had settled in London in 1760. An intensely religious person, he attended services at various London churches, including George Whitefield's Tabernacle; the diary contains detailed records of sermons and preachers. This portion ends with a record of his voyage to Boston onboard the Paoli; he arrived to the city on June 19, 1769.
mssHM 175
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Jairus Beal diary
Manuscripts
The journal covers the voyage on the barque Apthorp from New York to Havana, then to Antwerp and then to Boston. Beal talks about the voyage and his crew members, but also reminisces about his youth and childhood days, talks about religion and his religious beliefs. He makes a few comments about his experience in Havana. Parts of the journal are written to Beal's wife; he often talks about their marriage, the prospect of having children and relationships and love in general. The second half of his journal is a daily log of the voyage starting March 31 and ending August 26 after their arrival in Sydney. Beal gives the ship's position, wind conditions, etc.
mssHM 72868
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Daniel S. Hayden journal
Manuscripts
The journal covers Hayden's voyage from Maine to California onboard the Brig Siroc, as well as his time living in California. Hayden recorded the voyage to California in detail. Because he had some previous knowledge of nautical science, he was asked by the captain to assist in keeping the ship's official log and records; his own table of longitude and latitude are recorded at the end of the journal. Hayden recorded in detail the everyday activities of everyone on board including his duties to care for the pigs and chickens on board, and the passengers' attempts to catch various sea animals such as porpoises, dolphins, and sharks. After he arrived in San Francisco, Hayden briefly tried his hand at mining, but his main pursuit is to sell the lumber he had brought along with him on the ship. Hayden also talked about the activities of the Vigilance Committee of San Francisco, and provided details about mining methods, tools and equipment. Hayden also gave descriptions of the places he visits including Rio de Janeiro, and Coloma, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Stockton, California.
mssHM 65753
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Viaje a la Costa
Manuscripts
This manuscript diary by Juan Francisco de la Boedga y Caudra accounts his third voyage in the North West Pacific, from San Blas to Nootka in 1792. During this important voyage, Quadra was commissioned to define the boundaries of the British and Spanish territory on the Vancouver Island (B.C.). There is an extensive vocabulary of the Nootka dialect and a table of the ship's course found on two leaves that displays the meteorolocial conditions on the journeys.
mssHM 141