Manuscripts
Cornelius Cole letters to John Percival Jones
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Cornelius Cole letter to "Friend Avery,"
Manuscripts
In this brief note to the otherwise unidentified "Friend Avery," Cole writes that he has sent some papers that "may serve as a memorandum for Mrs. O." He is unsure if "pension was obtained" but "Mr. Olmstead will know." Signed "C. Cole."
mssHM 29227
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Cornelius Cole letter to Frank M. Rixley
Manuscripts
In this letter of recommendation, Cole writes to Rixley: "It affords me great pleasure to speak of your fitness in all respects for the Dist-Attorneyship for Cal[iforni]a.".
mssHM 21831
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Cornelius De Boom letters to John Townsend
Manuscripts
These three manuscripts deal with affairs of real estate between Cornelius De Boom and John Townsend during the year 1850. HM 35192, dated February 26, is an agreement between the two concerning the construction of buildings upon lots of land located within San Francisco. HM 35193, written August 11, carries further details of the agreement. De Boom requests that the ship bearing his brother may anchor within Townsend's water lots, and more details of this arrangement follow. At the writing of the third letter (HM 35194, dated August 23), De Boom is preparing to depart. His brother has not yet arrived, but he hopes to meet with Townsend to finalize business matters before leaving.
mssHM 35192-35194
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Phoebe Apperson Hearst letter to Mrs. John Percival Jones
Manuscripts
This letter was written from Hearst's home in Pleasanton, California to Mrs. John Percival Jones. In it, she reminds Mrs. Jones that she is expected to visit on "Saturday the ninth...[and] remain until Monday, the eleventh."
mssHM 82398
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William Lawrence Austin letter to Joseph Burn Austin
Manuscripts
William Lawrence Austin wrote this letter to his father, Joseph Burn Austin, in the midst of the Leadville silver boom. Leadville had been founded only two years earlier, but not all is well. Lawrie writes to his father in South America from a smelting works in Leadville, Colorado, seeking financial help. "My dear Papa, Can't you borrow the money to keep Cecil at Yale under a guarantee from me to pay it back with interest? It is really too bad for me to be taking all these chances...I am overworked, under paid, & tied up in such a way, than a human being can't be expected to stand it." One of his co-workers, Abarci, left some time ago and two more are going to leave the smelting works soon. He suggests, "Now I'll give you the boys' plan & you can see what a temptation it is to me. They intend to start an assay office up town, then add on a store, to consist of simply miner supplies, then do a general professional business besides. We will be working for ourselves..." He is confident that "...we will make the strongest team in the country." Lawrie is in despair because he must endure the dangers of the smelting works and shortchange his own future by attending to his brother's needs first, a brother who spends his time reading novels and his money on "pleasure seeking." He states, "You don't know how interesting life has been becoming for me, & I must stay in the poisonous fumes of furnaces, & give up every thing...I have to look far enough into the future, anyhow, in order to see a blue sky, but to think that I must give up my Leadville, & start again at some future day, possibly in some camp, & certainly without one cent to back me is very hard Papa." He concludes, "You must pay some attention to my case, as well at Cecil's. You could not keep one man in a hundred as you are keeping me, & there will be a final blow up, if you keep on, & that I want to avoid if possible." The letter is simply signed "Lawrie."
mssHM 80808
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Jones Chan letter to Joseph Chan
Manuscripts
Letter written by Jones Chan, a private, stationed at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to his brother, Joseph Chan, living in San Francisco, California. At the beginning of the letter, Chan admits his feelings were hurt when his brother made a sarcastic remark and "showed complete ignorance" about the geographic location of Dutch Harbor. Chan quotes his brother, "Mr. Jones Chan who is at present is so willingly serving his country by defending the North Pole" (p. 2). Chan proceeds to educate his brother on the location and significance of Dutch Harbor. He states, "Any student of military science will tell you the strategic & tactical importance of this harbor" (p. 3). He touches upon the harbor's strategic importance, weapons, supplies, and military life. He confidently states, "...we will have 5,000 soldiers to defend the island against sea & air attack...since we are defending it, the advantage is ours, & it will take the offensive several times that number to successfully destroy or occupy Dutch Harbor" (p. 5). He also discusses, "Order is to shoot to kill anyone prowling around - shoot first & ask questions later - especially the Marines who have machine guns by the Naval Radio Station. In all cases, the Battery Commander, & C.O., will back us up to the limit. So we never hesitate to fire our rifles at prowlers, imaginary or otherwise" (p. 9). He concludes the letter with "P.S. No Eskimo or Russian girls here - just Aleut...Indians. I'm afraid you'll have to find your ideal yourself..." (p. 11).
mssHM 80820