The collection contains John Gish’s correspondence, 1850-51, which describes his journey west and experiences in California, letters to Gish from associates in the mines, 1852-56, describing life in the mines and conditions in California, and an 1850 agreement of partnership to search for gold in California.
Subject (Name):
Gish, Mary, Hill, Joseph, Hodge, John S., Mays, Abraham, Mekemson, Joseph S., Singer, Jacob, and Wise, John H.
The diary describes a journey from Albany, Illinois to Aspen, Colorado in the summer of 1886. The author and several other men drove horses overland to Kensaw, Nebraska, transported the stock by rail to Denver, and finally took them overland to Aspen. In Aspen, the author worked a mine with Ira Bacheler and others. Eddy comments on the towns they visited as well as the fields and crops. He occasionally mentions his partners, A. H. Hendrix who they met on the road, and the men he worked with in Aspen. The journal ends with the arrival of Eddy's wife and child in Aspen.
Description:
Diary has been written in from both directions. and The lower half of the first page of the journal has been torn off. Within the text, there is evidence that three pages were removed, but the narrative does not seem to be affected.
Subject (Geographic):
Aspen (Colo.), Colorado--Description and travel, Davenport (Iowa)--Description and travel, Glenwood (Iowa)--Description and travel, Homestead (Iowa)--Description and travel, Iowa City (Iowa)--Description and travel, Iowa--Description and travel, Nebraska--Description and travel, Plattsmouth (Neb.)--Description and travel, and West (U.S.)--Description and travel
Subject (Name):
Eddy, James A, Hendrix, A. H, Hightman, George, and Wagoner, G. A
Subject (Topic):
Horse industry--United States and Silver mines and mining--Colorado--Pitkin County
Autograph manuscript diary of the greater part of Baird's journey by stage, ship, and railroad from Serbin, Texas to Trinidad, Colorado Territory in June of 1867, which he notes on the title page is "affectionately dedicated to his beloved wife and children." Baird's route included New Orleans, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; Columbus, Kentucky; Cairo, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; and Kansas City, Junction City, and Salina, Kansas. He describes the scenery, weather, hotels, and individuals he meets along the route. His Confederate sympathies are reflected in bitter comments regarding the destruction of property by Union soldiers during the war and the freed slaves he enounters. He closes "volume first of my diary and narrative" in Salina, Kansas, and notes that he will complete the balance as soon as he can. The diary entries are followed by The Lord's Prayer, Psalm XXV, and notes regarding distances between points along the travel route.
Description:
Spruce M. Baird was born in Glasgow, Kentucky in 1814, and taught school there prior to moving to Texas before the Civil War. He practiced law in Nacogdoches, Texas, served as judge in Santa Fe County (in what became New Mexico), was Indian agent to the Navajos, and was appointed attorney general of New Mexico. Baird returned to Texas during the Civil War and served as a regiment commander in the Confederate army. In 1867 he moved to Trinidad, Colorado where he opened a law office. He died at Cimarron, New Mexico in 1872. He was married in 1848 to Emmacetta Bowdry of Kentucky and was the father of Andrew Bowdry Baird.
Subject (Geographic):
Illinois--Description and travel, Kansas--Description and travel, Kentucky--Description and travel, Louisiana--Description and travel, Mississippi--Description and travel, Missouri--Description and travel, Tennessee--Description and travel, and Texas--Description and travel
Subject (Topic):
Railroad travel--United States and Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
Sarah Davis's diary records her 1850 trip across the plains with her husband. Entries describe the scenery and trail conditions. Several pages of notes by her husband at the front of the diary indicate he had traveled to California once before in 1849. The journal is accompanied by three photographs of Sarah Davis.
Description:
46v-47r, 68v-72r blank. Blanks not digitized. and The journal is difficult to read due to the faint pencil lead and the handwriting.
Subject (Geographic):
West (U.S.)--Description and travel
Subject (Name):
Davis, Sarah Green
Subject (Topic):
Overland journeys to the Pacific, Overland journeys to the Pacific--1849, and Overland journeys to the Pacific--1850
The second volume of a personal journal of a young lady from Independence, Missouri, who follows her husband, a Santa Fé trader, to the Southwest in the early stages of the Mexican war. She describes people, events regarding the acquisition of the New Mexican territory, caravan trading, Gen. Kearny's conquest of New Mexico, the Mexican War, her experiences of trail and pioneer life, hunting, and encounters with Indians. The first 49 pages of the journal consist of copied and original poetry.
Description:
32 loose pages (1847 June-September) with discreet pagination from front of journal are presented chronologically following p. 206. and Blanks at end (26 p.) not digitized.
Subject (Geographic):
Bent's Fort (Colo.), Chihuahua (Mexico : State)--History, El Paso (Tex.), Fort Macy (N.M.)--Description and travel, Little Arkansas River (Kan.), Pecos (N.M.)--Description and travel, Saltillo (Coahuila, Mexico), Santa Fe (N.M.)--History, Southwest, New--Description and travel, and Taos (N.M.)--History
Subject (Name):
Chavez y Castillo, Mariano, Cushing, Caleb,--1800-1879, Davy, Cornelius, Donaldson, James Lowry,--1814-1885, Doniphan, Alexander William, Gilpin, William,--1815-1894, Gregg, Josiah,--1806-1850, Howard, John Eager,--d. 1862, Hunter, David,--1802-1886, Kearny, Stephen Watts,--1794-1848, Kendall, Geo. Wilkins--(George Wilkins),--1809-1867, Magoffin, James Wiley,--1799-1868, Magoffin, Samuel,--1801-1888, Magoffin, Susan Shelby,--1827-1855, McDowell, Sarah Shelby,--1785-1847, Mexico.--President (1846 : Paredes y Arrillaga), Ortiz, Ramon, Ortiz, Tomas, Owens, Samuel D.,--d. 1847, Peck, William--(William Guy),--1820-1892, Pino, Manuel, Prentice, George D.--(Geroge Denison),--1802-1870, Prentiss, James H.,--1809-1848, Price, Sterling,--1809-1867, Robidou, Antoine,--1794-1860, Santa Anna, Antonio López de,--1794?-1876, Shelby, James,--1784-1848, Shelby, Thomas Hart,--1789-1869, Stanley, John Mix,--1814-1872, Stockton, Robert Field,--1795-1866, Swords, Thomas,--1806-1886, Taylor, Zachary,--1784-1850, Trias, Angel, Urrea, José,--1797-1849, Warner, William Horace, Washington, John Macrae,--1797-1853, Wool, John Ellis,--1784-1869, Worth, William Jenkins,--1794-1849, and Wright, George,--1803-1865
Subject (Topic):
Apache Indians, Comanche Indians, Indians of North America--Social life and customs, Mexican War, 1846-1848, and Navajo Indians
James Blood’s pocket diary (84 p.) contains brief entries for his 1850 wagon trip across the plains to Sacramento. He describes the trail, landscape, and his companions. In the back of the volume are what appear to be the scribblings of a child.
Subject (Geographic):
California --Gold discoveries and West (U.S.) --Description and travel
