Manuscripts

Newton S. McAbee diary and correspondence

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Description: This small group consists of one diary and twelve letters from McAbee to his family. The diary covers the period from February 21 through May 13, 1866. McABee describes his trip from New Mexico to Ohio, by the Santa Fe Trail. He was accompanied by a young woman named Lizzie. The entries describe stopovers at towns, forts, and trading posts, including Albuquerque, Algodones, Kozlowski, San Jose, Las Vegas, Fort Union, Viernes, Margo, and Segundo. He writes about various methods of procuring food, illnesses, cures, and encounters with other travelers and Native Americans.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1864-1887.
Call number: mssMcAbee
Creator: McAbee, Newton S (1840-1894)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Gift of Mary McAbee Lysle, 1950.
Associated people

Amasa M. Lyman diary

Manuscripts

Typescript of Amasa Lyman's diary, covering the years 1847 and 1858-1863. The first part of the diary is dated April-September 1847 and describes the overland travels of Lyman and his company of Mormon pioneers. It begins with their departure from Winter Quarters, Iowa, and describes camping near the Platte River, finding an abandoned Pawnee village, sighting buffalo, crossing the North Fork above Laramie, and camping in the Salt Lake Valley. On August 9 the diary notes, "city named 'Salt Lake City, Great Basin, North America'." The 1847 diary was recorded by Albert Carrington and refers to Lyman in the third person. The second part of the diary, identified as Journal #16, covers 1858-1863 and describes Lyman's travels from April 18-July 2, 1857, along the California Road and Indian Trail from the Rio Virgin. It continues with his participation in an exploratory party that traveled south from Cedar City, Utah, to Las Vegas, the Vegas Fort, and the Mojave Desert from January-May 1858, and also charts its return to Salt Lake City. References are made to Hyatt's war with the Apaches and Lyman's encounters with an Indian chief he calls Oat-sen-a-wantz. The final section of the diary, kept from December 1862 to April 1863, describes Lyman's daily life near Farmington, Utah, including his attendance of the local theatre, a listing of the books he was reading, and his encounters with John Taylor. Includes a description of the original diary.

mssHM 27980

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Elias S. Ketcham diary

Manuscripts

Elias S. Ketcham of Rondout (Kingston), New York, kept this diary while living and working in the gold fields of California in 1853-54. He prospects for gold in Murphy's Camp, CA, but is not particularly successful in the mines. Ketcham often discusses his desire to return home to NY, his experiences as a miner, and his religious beliefs. The diary provides a colorful description of life in the mining camps: he describes his impressions of Indians, Mexicans, and Chinese and also discusses violent incidents in the mining communities

mssHM 58269

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Joseph S. Paxson diary

Manuscripts

This daily diary documents Paxson's struggle with business and gold mining. He discusses in detail his financial problems, his loneliness in the city, and his unhappiness with his living situation. Paxson also notes all the ships arriving in San Francisco and the actions of the vigilance committees. At the end of the diary is an 11-page essay about the murder of James King and the hanging of James P. Casey and Charles Cora in May. Accompanying the diary is an incomplete transcript only covering January 1 to July 14.

mssHM 68388

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George Washington Bean diary

Manuscripts

Typescript of Bean's 1855-1856 diary, which details interactions between Mormon missionaries at Las Vegas, New Mexico, and local Indians, including baptisms, trade, and some hostilities. Included are Bean's account of a journey from Las Vegas to California across the Mojave in October-November 1855 (which included stops in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Mission, and El Monte) and of travels between Las Vegas and the "Colorado Muddy" in 1856. Bean also references an encounter with the "murderers" of J.W. Gunnison, an Army captain killed in an Indian massacre in 1853; remarks on the camp visit of explorers Jules Remy and Julius Lucius Brenchley, who published "A Journey to Great Salt Lake City" in 1861; mentions his attendance of a performance of J.H. Martineau's "Missouri Persecutions;" and describes various interactions with Las Vegas Mission President William Bringhurst. The diary concludes with a series of prayers/poems dedicated to "The Wives and Families of the L.V. Missionaries," "The Pioneers of '47," and "Pres. B. Young and His Counselors," as well as the minutes of a meeting held "under the Bowery" at Las Vegas on June 24, 1856 and minutes of a celebration of the Fourth of July at Las Vegas, and a song entitled, "I Got Drunk Again."

mssHM 72278

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Elias S. Ketcham diary

Manuscripts

Diary kept by Elias S. Ketcham of Rondout (Kingston), New York and covers the first half of 1851. Most entries are summaries of his daily activities such as work, church meetings and visits with friends in and around Rondout. Ketcham was a very religious man and the majority of his diary is about what he needs to do to become a better Christian. There is some discussion regarding his decision to leave New York and join his brothers in California. In his last entry, June 12, Ketcham writes about the preparations he has made for his trip, and his feelings of uncertainty regarding leaving his friends and family to head West to search for gold. There are several entries dated 1861, 1862 and 1868 regarding Ketcham's boarding situation

mssHM 59423

Diaries of Thomas Judd [microform] : 1876-1908

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the diaries of Thomas Judd, covering the years 1876-1878 and 1906-1908. The first two diaries, dated 1876-1877 and 1877-1878, cover Judd's mission to Britain. The 1906 diary covers Judd's activities in La Verkin, his business trips around Washington County, and a trip to Las Vegas and California, including Los Angeles, Pasadena, several beaches, and Santa Catalina Island (where he took a glass bottom boat ride). The 1907 diary describes a second trip to California, including San Francisco, as well as Utah business activities, and the 1908 diary traces Judd's sea voyage from New York to Los Angeles. Portions of the diary are very faint and may be partially illegible.

MSS MFilm 00043

Newton S. McAbee diary and correspondence

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Amasa M. Lyman diary

Elias S. Ketcham diary

Joseph S. Paxson diary

George Washington Bean diary

Elias S. Ketcham diary

Diaries of Thomas Judd [microform] : 1876-1908