Gordon C. Cone diary
Scope and Contents
Handwritten diary of Cone's overland journey by ox team from Waukesha, Wisconsin to California in 1849. Cone is a descriptive writer and proud to record "only facts." Diary describes traveling conditions, encounters with Indians, cholera outbreaks, fellow travelers, and government assistance at the end of the trail. Cone also spent time in Salt Lake City and wrote about his unfavorable impressions. After arriving at California, Cone made several trips to Sacramento. Life in California was unsatisfying, despite some success in the mines, and the diary includes Cone's return trip to New York by boat via the Isthmus of Panama.
Dates
- 1849-1850
Creator
- Cone, Gordon C., 1807-1882 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Diary must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
Biographical / Historical
Hardware merchant and county treasurer from Waukesha, Wisconsin, he was also a prospector who participated in the California Gold Rush of 1849.
Extent
1 item (215 pages) + 1 typescript (158 leaves)
Language of Materials
English
Appraisal
19th Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts.
- Bear River (Utah-Idaho)
- California -- Gold discoveries
- California -- History -- 1846-1850
- California National Historic Trail
- Cone, Gordon C., 1807-1882 -- Diaries
- Diaries
- Expeditions and Adventure
- Fort Bridger State Historic Site (Fort Bridger, Wyo.) -- History
- Fort Kearny (Neb.)
- Fort Laramie (Wyo.)
- Gambling -- California
- Humboldt River (Nev.)
- Illinois -- Description and travel
- Immigration and American Expansion
- Indians of North America -- Social Life and Customs
- Latter Day Saints -- Utah -- History -- 19th century
- Mississippi River
- Missouri River
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
- Nauvoo (Ill.)
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- Overland journeys to the Pacific
- Panama -- Description and travel
- Placerville (Calif.)
- Platte River (Neb.)
- Polygamy -- Utah -- History -- 19th century
- Rocky Mountains
- Sacramento (Calif.)
- Saint Louis (Mo.)
- Salt Lake City (Utah) -- Description and travel
- South Pass (Wyo.)
- Utah -- History -- 19th century
- Wind River Range (Wyo.)
- Wisconsin -- Description and travel
- Title
- Register of Diary
- Author
- Leslie Evens
- Date
- 2011 December 9
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States