Scope and Contents

ALS addressed to friends at home describing a sea journey from the eastern United States to San Francisco, California via Panama by ship. His arrival to San Francisco and a visit to his uncle M.S. Martin's store are described.

Scope and Contents

Holograph notebook (plus 4 p. partial typescript containing only the journal entries) which contains a record of depts, expenses, and later experiences after Matthews left his home in Colon, Michigan on April 15, 1851 bound for California by boat. The journal describes his travels through Mexico from Vera Cruz to Acapulco, comments about the U.S. - Mexican War, and gives details of his boat trip to San Francisco.

Scope and Contents Handwritten correspondence from John Purdy to his brother, James, about his overland journey by ox team from Columbus, Ohio, to California in 1849. Purdy is an intelligent and detailed writer. He describes various companies' rules and regulations and his attempts to join a suitable group traveling to California. Purdy's company encountered Native Americans and two of his party were killed. He also mentions his visit to Salt Lake City and how the company made their own road to Los Angeles,...

Scope and Contents Handwritten journal of Cauthorn's overland journey by wagon train from St. Joseph, Missouri to Virginia City, Montana and Oregon in 1865. Detailed diary entries describe much of the daily routine, weather, and labor involved in the journey. Cauthorn mentions company politics, trouble with Indians, his feelings about leaving his wife and child in Missouri, and a group of Mormons apparently leaving Utah. Upon arriving in Virginia City, Montana, he found the towns almost abandoned, but observed...