Marcus Baker journal to California | Collections | The Huntington

Marcus Baker journal to California | Collections | The Huntington

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H. C. D. Baker letter to his family
Manuscripts
In this letter addressed to "Dear brother and sister," H.C.D. Baker writes of his current situation in Sacramento. With lithograph on final page depicting the plights of fictitious miner "John Smith."
mssHM 16548
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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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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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Madison Berryman Moorman journal of an overland trip from Tennessee to California
Manuscripts
This is the manuscript journal kept by Madison Berryman Moorman during his travels from Tennessee to California during 1850-1851. Upon reaching California, Moorman and his companions find the mining conditions to be rather poor, and they meet with little success. Outside Sacramento, they negotiate a trade with a squatter, receiving a deed for a small piece of land, upon which they built a house. The final entry of the journal is dated 1851, February 4.
mssHM 26348
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The history of Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Company
Manuscripts
This manuscript covers the entire history of Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Company, which began as the Baker & Hamilton Company, founded by Livingston Low Baker and Robert Muirhead Hamilton, two men who came to California in 1849 to mine for gold, but who eventually gave up mining to open a hardware store in Sacramento. Baker & Hamilton also sold farming supplies and equipment. They opened a second store in San Francisco in 1867, which was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. In 1918, Baker & Hamilton merged with Pacific Hardware & Steel Company to create Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Company. The author also discusses the history of agriculture in California and the agriculturist James L. L. F. Warren.
mssHM 66703
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Kimball Hale Dimmick letter to Sarah Dimmick
Manuscripts
Kimball Hale writes to his wife of the port of Rio de Janeiro, and asks how the children are doing. His ship will leave for California in about ten days.
mssHM 4011