Rothwell's diary of his homeward trip begins with an account of his travel expenses and a summary of his California experience. He describes the trip by stage and steamer from the mines to San Francisco, his stay in town and the local steamship business. During the voyage Rothwell writes about seasickness, marine life, and sailing conditions. He describes the trip across Panama and voyage home via the Mississippi River. In the back of the volume are short essays on "The Ocean" and "The Whale," as well as remarks on fellow passengers.
Description:
Purchased from John Howell, 1972., Rothwell, of Callaway County, Missouri, traveled to California in 1850, mined for gold, returned to Liberty, Missouri in 1851, and became a member of the faculty of William Jewell College. He wrote a guidebook for travelers to California., and Rothwell's trip to California is documented in his diary, letters, and guidebook. See William Renfrom Rothwell Papers, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, WA MSS 409.
Subject (Geographic):
California--Description and travel., California--Gold discoveries., Mississippi River Valley--Description and travel., Panama--Description and travel., and San Francisco (Calif.)--Description and travel.
Subject (Name):
North America (Steamer), Rothwell, William Renfro., and West Point (Steamer)
Subject (Topic):
Gold mines and mining--California. and Steamboats--California.
The diary records the trip from Missouri to California by way of the Platte, the Sweetwater, Sublette's Cut-off, the Humboldt, the Carson, Pleasant Valley, and Weaverville. It also contains expenditures, accounts of gold mining and Krill & Bamber's grocery trade in California.
Description:
Accompanied by a daguerreotype of Krill & Bamber's grocery and provision store near Hangtown., Gift of William Robertson Coe., Krill, who lived in Washington Township, Wood County, Ohio, traveled to California in 1850., Original binding., and Two diaries and daguerreotype stored in a case.
Subject (Geographic):
California--Gold discoveries--Personal narratives. and West (U.S.)--Description and travel.
Subject (Name):
Krill & Bamber and Krill, Abram.
Subject (Topic):
Gold mines and mining--California., Grocery trade--California., Overland journeys to the Pacific., and Overland journeys to the Pacific--1850.
