Manuscripts
Sir James Houblon's notebooks regarding international trade
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James Doty letterbooks
Manuscripts
HM 312 is an autograph manuscript containing details about the Northwestern Expedition under General Cass in 1820. There is also a report from Doty to Michigan territorial governor Lewis Cass, written on November 5, 1820. The report was published as "Northern Wisconsin in 1820" in the Wisconsin State Historical Society Collections, 7 (1873-76). Extracts of the report, with an introduction contained herein, were published as "Notes on the North-Western Part of the Territory of Michigan, 1820-1822" in an 1822 issue of the Detroit Gazette. Also contains a narrative headed "On the Manners and Customs of the Northern Indians" and a letter to the editor of the Gazette. HM 313 is the Commonplace Book of James Duane Doty. This autograph manuscript contains Indian words, summaries of Indian speeches, topographical details of Wisconsin, lyrics and anecdotes. HM 314 is a letterbook contained in two volumes. HM 315 is an autograph manuscript unofficially titled, "Words and Sentences Used in a Canoe Voyage and Journey by Land." This volume contains vocabulary and grammar of the Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, and other Northern tribes and extracts from various writings on European rights to Indian land. HM 316 contains notes on the history of Wisonsin. There are mostly extracts from Alexander Henry, Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Territories...1760-1776 (New York: I. Riley, 1809). Also extracts from the Pierre F.X. de Charlevoix, Journal of a Voyage to North-America (London, 1761). Collection has a folder with a map of the Southwester borders of Lake Superior, 1820 November 5.
mssHM 312-316
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James N. O'Neill notebook
Manuscripts
James N. O'Neill's notebook contain miscellaneous remarks and drawings about medicine. Some of the subjects that O'Neill touches upon include comments on fractures, thyroids, gonorrhea, and gastric surgeries. There are also a number of loose leaves that are contained in an envelope at the back of the volume. Written in pen.
mssHM 80502
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James Clarke letters to his family
Manuscripts
This series of letters were written by James Clarke to his family in Maine, mostly his brother and his wife, from California between 1854 and 1856. The letters will be described chronologically. HM 21248, written 1854, May 16, and addressed to "Dear Brother," writes of acquiring room and board in San Francisco. HM 21310, dated 1854, September 3, sees Clarke moving to Los Angeles in search of more money. He wishes to eventually purchase a lot of land outside the city and build on it. HM 21353 (dated 1854, May 31; the letter is incomplete, being the middle four pages only) describes his journey to San Francisco. HM 21244 (1854, October 7) is partly written from Santa Barbara, and is also addressed "Dear Brother." Clarke writes of his profits from farming, but he thinks he may have to relocate. The second part of the letter finds Clarke in a boarding house 130 miles outside of Santa Barbara, where he has found work as a carpenter. The next letter is dated 1854, October 7 and 12, and is written in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles (HM 21245). The first part, written in pencil, is addressed to "Mrs. James Clarke", and Clarke is leaving Santa Barbara for Los Angeles, where he hopes to find better fortune. In the second part, Clarke writes he has arrived in Los Angeles after a fifty-day overland journey, and that he hopes to remain there for the rest of the five years of his stay in the West. HM 21247, dated 1854, November 3 and addressed once again to "Mrs. James Clarke," Clarke writes he has sent "some half dozzen letters" home but has gotten nothing in response. The following letter (HM 21246) was written November 1854, and is addressed "Dear Family." Clarke is now also working in a vineyard, and describes the Los Angeles orange groves in detail, and speaks in glowing terms of California produce. HM 21351 is written to Clarke's brother, and dated 1854, December 6. In it, Clarke describes the produce of Los Angeles, as well as the "exceeding agreeableness" of the area's climate. HM 21352 is dated 1855, March 1, and is also addressed to Clarke's brother, and discusses his work in a vineyard. HM 21242 is addressed to "Mrs. James Clarke" and is dated 1855, July 22. He is concerned that the letters and money he is sending home is not making it there, as "every thing is unsettled in Cal. now." He would like to make more money, but says "there is no money to be had." He remains confident that his stay will be financially productive. HM 21243, written to his family on 1856, March 7, contains Clarke's report that after a year's hard work, he now has a house and lot in El Monte, which he calls "the Egypt of California." He is excited about the prospect of farming on his land.
mssHM 21242-21248, 21310, & 21351-21353
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Collection of deeds and indentures
Manuscripts
This collection contains six deeds and indentures. HM 82924: Quitclaim of lands..., in Latin (1383); HM 82925: Counterpart of a Bargain and Sale of a London tavern (1554, Apr. 17); HM 82926: Lease for a year of a messuage...(1683, Oct. 8); HM 82927: Assignment of a statute...(1699, Apr. 3); HM 82928: Lease of several messuages...(1704/05, Mar. 22); HM 82929: Surrender and Quitclaim of one messuage...(1752, Apr. 29).
mssHM 82924-82930
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John S. Southworth diary of Colorado River trip
Manuscripts
The first volume (HM 74297) is Southworth's diary that he kept while on the river trip. The diary begins in Green River, Wyoming on June 20th and ends near Boulder City, Nevada on August 22. Southworth talks about the trip: the conditions along the river; the weather; the scenery passed; the people, ranches and animals along the route; and injuries among the group. There are also two newspaper clippings in the diary. The photograph album (HM 74298) contains over 400 black and white photographs taken on the river trip. There are several photographs of Monument Valley and two photographs of Native Americans. The photograph album also contains a newspaper clipping about Southworth and the trip.
mssHM 74297-74298
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James S. McMurphy letters to his family
Manuscripts
This is a series of six letters written by James S. McMurphy to his family documenting his journey from New England via Panama to California to seek his fortune as part of the Gold Rush of 1849-1850. The first letter in the series (HM 52732, dated before 1849, April 8) is the last page only, and written from Panama. McMurphy writes that he has been in Panama for a good time, and is thinking of working on a railroad while hoping for passage to California. He is discouraged by the dishonesty, and wishes he had chosen to travel around Cape Horn. HM 52733 is written between April 8-25, 1849, and is addressed "To the household of Robt. McMurphy." There is a marginal note which reads "Father in this letter you will find five watermelon seeds I want you to plant." James McMurphy is still in Panama. Many of his company are sick, but he has not yet fallen ill himself. He describes a native religious ceremony in which an elaborately decorated statue of the Virgin Mary was paraded through a village. This may have been in observation of Easter. He has found passage on a ship bound for San Francisco, and writes that his next letter will come from California, so if anyone plans to send him a letter, it should be addressed there. He estimates there are currently three thousand Americans in Panama, but that number will soon drop by half as they board ships for California. James' next letter, dated 1849, December 9 (HM 52734), is written from California, and addressed to "Capt. Robert McMurphy." He has purchased provisions, including potatoes to ward off scurvy. The weather has been very rainy. HM 52735, written 1850, March 15, is also incomplete, as it contains only the final page of the letter. He has been searching for gold, and discusses his supplies. HM 52736 (1850, April 3), finds James still working in California, retaining good health despite the poor weather, which has caused an interruption in his work. He considers scurvy to be the most dangerous disease in his environment, but unlike others, he has kept himself mostly free by eating potatoes daily. The warm weather has caused snow to melt, and the rise in water levels has impacted the progress of their drilling and blasting. He has heard that the government is planning a new route in Panama to help make the journey to California easier. He writes that there all types of miners from all over the country, and that many find gold, but "where you show me one man who saves his gold I will show you ten that squanders away his time and money at the Rum Shop & the Gambling Table." He has not, he writes, succumbed to such temptations. The last letter is this series is HM 52737, and dated 1850, May 11; one year to the day since James left Panama. The water level of the Sacramento River is still high from the melting snow. He is tiring of the disposition of the region, and looks forward to leaving. He writes of California becoming part of the United States, and of various details regarding other miners.
mssHM 52732-52737