Visual Materials

Dwight Plympton Conklin

Description: Dwight Plympton Conklin (1829-1856) was a California settler and Gold Rush miner. Note with item reads: "Dwight Plympton Conklin, uncle of George Chandler Conklin." Photographer: Robert H. Vance. Imprint inside case: "R. H. Vance, Premium Daguerrean Galleries, San Francisco, Sacramento & Marysville." Date based on years Vance was operating in those three locations.
Type: Visual Materials(Opens in new tab)
Date: [approximately 1853-1855]
Call number: (photDAG 17)
Provenance: Acquired from various sources. Assembled into a collection by the Library from various sources. See finding aid for sources of individual items.
Restrictions: RESTRICTED. Items are fragile. Available with curatorial approval. Please view digital surrogates.

Mrs. Dwight Plympton Conklin wearing dark bracelets and necklace with cross

Visual Materials

Photographer: Robert H. Vance. Imprint inside case: "R. H. Vance, Premium Daguerrean Galleries, San Francisco, Sacramento & Marysville." Date based on years Vance was operating in those three locations. Sitter identified by unknown source at time of transfer.

(photDAG 18)

Dwight Plympton Conklin

Visual Materials

photDAG 17

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Dwight Plympton Conklin correspondence

Manuscripts

The collection consists of 16 letters, 14 by Dwight Conklin, one by his cousin Henry B. Janes and one by Henry's brother Horace P. Janes all of which are rich with descriptions of economic and social life in the Sierra county gold camps and Gold Rush San Francisco, with the exception of one, which was written before Conklin emigrated to California. Conklin's letters from Downieville contain detailed descriptions of prices of commodities and working conditions in the Sierra county Gold camps, as well as colorful descriptions of events such as a pistol duel. Conklin's San Francisco letters are largely focused on quotidian family issues, but include occasional commentaries on social issues. The letters include observations about the efficiency of the San Francisco Fire Department, a lengthy rumination on the mixture of races in the city, including a racist invective against the African Americans living there, a discussion of the social unrest in the local Chinese community spurred by the Taiping Rebellion in China, mention of the famed shipwreck of the steamer Yankee Blade and a description of the water shortage which plagued the Northern gold camps in 1855. The letters of Henry and Horace Janes both contain detailed ruminations on the actions of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856. Henry's letter, which has a tone of California boosterism in all its descriptions, describes the committee as a regrettable necessity, whereas Horace condemns it as an affront to democracy.

mssHM 74171-74186

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Group portrait of seven businessmen, taken in California

Visual Materials

Four of the men are identified in handwriting on a copy of this photograph in the Historical Society of Southern California photograph collection (photCL 400, box 36), by an unknown source: "Back row, left to right: William McKee, Charles Johnson, Alfred Robinson (?) and man seated, second from right: Robert Carlisle." Photographer's imprint on inside front cover: "Robert H. Vance, Premium Daguerrean Galleries, San Francisco, Sacramento & Marysville." Date based on years that Vance had galleries in these locations.

(photDAG 36)

Dwight Plympton Conklin

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Mrs. Dwight Plympton Conklin wearing dark bracelets and necklace with cross

Dwight Plympton Conklin

Dwight Plympton Conklin correspondence

Group portrait of seven businessmen, taken in California