Manuscripts

Charles Bolivar Sterling journal and documents, (bulk 1842-1851)

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Description: Journal kept by Sterling while Clerk on the ship Preble, from 1842 to 1846, along with documents, letters, and family genealogy from the 1970s.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1842-1970s.
Call number: mssSterling
Creator: Sterling, Charles Bolivar (1825-)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Provenance unknown. In library as of February 2020.
Restrictions: Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
Rights: The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.

Charles Bolivar Sterling papers

Manuscripts

Sundry autobiographical and daily notes that Sterling jotted (on the back of muster rolls and returns), in August and September 1847, whiling away time onboard of the Preble. Three manuscripts (HM 66241, HM 66244, and HM 66245) describe the minutia of the life onboard of the Preble (including an account of a duel). The remaining two are devoted to the recollections of the author's childhood, chiefly the time he spent at his uncle's plantation in Sterlington, his school years at Lafayette Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and his travels through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Kentucky. One of the autobiographical manuscripts (HM 66243) is a collection of anecdotes and reminiscences, including a story of two Irishmen whom his uncle had hired to dig a ditch; a short story titled "The First Night of Marriage, or the Happy Return: A Domestic Narrative," and "Early recollections" about his life in Louisiana, (including accounts of the plantations slaves), and the school. The second miscellany (HM 66242) contains Sterling's attempts at humorous prose, presumably autobiographical: short stories "A Ghostly Night," "That Boy Jo and the Art of Catfiring [sic]: Sportsmanlike Habit," two Irish anecdotes "Keeping the Pledge" and "It's all the Priest's Fault," and a letter to "Dear Samuel" dated "Sept. 14, 1847" and subtitled "Melancholy recollections."

mssSterlingb

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Charles Plummer journal

Manuscripts

This journal is an account by Charles Plummer documenting his travels and gold mining experiences California, which took place in 1850-1851. The majority of the volume concerns the trip, which lasted from 1850, May 2 to 1851, October 1. While Plummer was digging outside Stockton, there were several instances of theft and murder in the town and the surrounding mining claims. He describes digging for gold as "very poor business." Bound leather volume. Journal entries begin in 1842; most of the early entries are financial notes, such as bills paid.

mssHM 2017

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Charles Hoyt Thorpe journal

Manuscripts

Charles Hoyt Thorpe's journal, autobiography, and genealogy, kept from 1913 until 1938 and intended to be a family record for his daughters. Includes detailed accounts of his family history, including ancestors on his father's side back to William Thorpe, a settler in New Haven, Connecticut in the 1630s, and on his mother's side to Massachusetts in the 1640s. Continues with a biographical account of his parents and an autobiographical account of his childhood and young adulthood, including his courtship of Mary Moore (with references to their attendance of the Tournament of Roses in 1907) and his experience of the San Francisco Earthquake. The majority of the volume consists of journal entries from throughout the Thorpes' married life, including a flood that destroyed their orchard in 1914, trips to Oregon and Michigan, and their move to Malibu. Also included are references to World War I (of which Thorpe writes "While I have not offered my services, I have purchased...each series of bonds as issued"), including the death of Thorpe's brother Harvey while in transport to Europe in November 1918, and the influenza outbreak of 1918-1919. Included in the volume is a watercolor of the house Thorpe was born in in Iowa, a photograph of his first schoolhouse in Whittier, and a photograph of his and Mary's "trysting place" in a woodland clearing. Also included is a pamphlet from Los Angeles High School's 1896 graduation ceremony.

mssHM 74524

Appleton Milo Harmon's early history and journal for his travels through the United States, England, and Scotland in 1850, 1851, and 1852... [microform]: c.1842-1853

Manuscripts

Microfilm of Appleton Milo Harmon's autobiography and journal of his British mission from 1850-1853. The autobiography traces his childhood and his family's early conversion to Mormonism; their travels from Pennsylvania to Kirtland, Springfield, and Nauvoo; Harmon's 1842 mission to New York; his journey form Nauvoo to Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters, recalling the winter of 1846-1847; and detailed accounts of his overland travels from Winter Quarters to Utah and back. Some of the specific incidents he recounts include the violent backlash of "enemies" after the election of Brigham Young as Church president in 1845; the formation of the Mormon Battalion; and encounters with Indians, particularly the Omaha. The rest of the volume contains diary entries from Harmon's mission to England and Scotland. After a detailed account of his slow overland trip and ocean crossing, Harmon records his mission experiences in Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Sunderland, Carlisle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Most of the entries focus on Harmon's attendance of Church conferences and notes on baptisms, births, marriage, and deaths. He also describes his trip to London (which included visits to the Thames Tunnel and British Museum) and sinful behavior he believed was caused by a "fever" for gold in Australia. The volume ends with an account of his return voyage to the United States in 1853.

MSS MFilm 00053

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Sidney W. Hardy journal

Manuscripts

This volume chronicles Hardy's voyage from New York City around Cape Horn to San Francisco. He includes details regarding the conditions on the ship and problems among the crew leading to the dismissal of the second mate while the ship was at port at Valparáiso, Chile. The journal also covers Hardy's attempt at mining as well as his experience in owning a store that sold supplies to miners. Hardy makes a specific reference to some Indians who came to his store regularly to trade gold for supplies; these Indians were probably the Yokuts who mined for gold along the Stanislaus River.

mssHM 62959

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Charles L'ainé's logbook

Manuscripts

Concerns operations in the West Indies as well as Yorktown, Va. Contains watercolor drawings of a ship, an armillary sphere, and points of the compass. The journal has sometimes been identified by a title page on the first page of the text, "Receuil Contanans les Campagnes..." Covers the period from January 1781 to August, 18, 1782. Text in French.

mssHM 551

Charles Bolivar Sterling journal and documents, (bulk 1842-1851)

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Charles Bolivar Sterling papers

Charles Plummer journal

Charles Hoyt Thorpe journal

Appleton Milo Harmon's early history and journal for his travels through the United States, England, and Scotland in 1850, 1851, and 1852... [microform]: c.1842-1853

Sidney W. Hardy journal

Charles L'ainé's logbook