Manuscripts

English emigrant woman letters to sister

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Description: These letters, written to Mary's sister back in Wisconsin, are written from Cheyenne, Wyoming and Denver, Colorado. The first letter describes a trip from Cheyenne to Estes Park, Colorado and back by wagon. In the following three letters, Mary talks about her life and the conditions in Wyoming and various family and domestic matters.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1877-1882.
Call number: mssHM 83131-83134
Provenance: Purchased from Michael Brown Rare Books, September 2016.
Find out more: View in the Library catalog(Opens in new tab)

Frank Hubbard letters to family

Manuscripts

These seven letters were written by Frank Hubbard to his family back in New Jersey. The letters are addressed to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hubbard, and his brother William C. Hubbard. Hubbard wrote these letters from Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado. He talks about trying to find employment, traveling in the area, going to social events, etc. He also mentions that observing the Sabbath is making it difficult to find a job. Hubbard also talks about perhaps going further west to Wyoming or Nevada.

mssHM 78272-78278

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Jervis Joslin letter to D.A. Smally

Manuscripts

Letter from Jervis Joslin in Denver to his brother-in-law D.A. Smally. Joslin writes that business has been "dull," but that work is about to begin on a railroad connected to the Union Pacific at Cheyenne, Dakota Territory (Wyoming), which might lead to the creation of more jobs. He also writes that Colorado is "producing more gold than ever before" and of the opening of new mines on the Cimarron River in New Mexico. He concludes that his expenses have been reasonable and that he is optimistic about the future, writing "I believe the chances are better for a young man here than in any place I know."

mssHM 75899

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Laura Oakes letters

Manuscripts

The letters are written to Laura Oakes, of Denver, Colorado, from three of her cousins (a girl called "Chuckie," Grace, and one whose name is unknown) and her boyfriend Willie Bennet. The letters are from Colorado Springs, Denver, and Mann Creek Ranch near Leadville. The letters discuss ranch life in Colorado, the cattle trade, and horse riding and wrangling. The letters also include gossip and details about the cousins' social lives.

mssHM 68274-68277

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Boston to San Francisco

Manuscripts

Briggs handwritten manuscript covers the first half of his trip from Boston to San Francisco in 1886. He talks about his visits to Niagara Falls, Omaha, Denver, Cheyenne, Reno, and Salt Lake City. He specifically describes the hanging of a man in Denver, and the climate in California. The manuscript might be the source for some of Chapter Eight "A Trip to California, 1886," in Briggs' book entitled Arizona and New Mexico 1882, California 1886, Mexico 1891 (1932); however, Chapter Eight covers the entire trip to San Francisco and back to Boston.

mssHM 68057

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W. H. Wheeler letters to his father

Manuscripts

Three autograph letters written from Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming Territory; the letters were written over a three month period in 1871. W. H. Wheeler wrote to his father with great enthusiasm about the many opportunities for prosperity he sees surrounding him in Wyoming and Utah territories. Although especially enthusiastic about the possibilities of outfitting miners hoping to exploit the region's mineral wealth, he also describes in detail the fabulous returns being made through the sales of mining claims in Utah as well as the steadily rising values of building lots in Evanston, Wyoming. Wheeler worked in the city's Union Pacific office, but was anxious to quit his desk job and to become a Western businessman in mining and outfitting ventures; in the letters, Wheeler requests money from his father for these ventures while extolling the many opportunities of realizing great profits. Two of the letters are written on Union Pacific stationary or forms and all three are in fragile condition with tearing along the folds.

mssHM 84048

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I. Brearley letter to "my dear wife,"

Manuscripts

Letter from I. Brearley to his wife in Fullerton, California, written shortly after Brearley's arrival in Denver, Colorado. He writes of his ill health, describes the scenery of Denver, and alludes to the uncertainty of his finances.

mssHM 73693

English emigrant woman letters to sister

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Frank Hubbard letters to family

Jervis Joslin letter to D.A. Smally

Laura Oakes letters

Boston to San Francisco

W. H. Wheeler letters to his father

I. Brearley letter to "my dear wife,"