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Identifier: wwu:163

Identifier: wwu:111

Identifier: wwu:106

Identifier: wwu:108

Identifier: wwu:110

Identifier: wwu:107

Identifier: wwu:109

Identifier: wwu:35860
Title: 13th Century Book of Hours
Date: 1200-1299
Description: Circa 13th Century Book of Hours leaf, recto and verso images.
Digital Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Local Identifier: sc_mml_198

Identifier: wwu:36362
Title: 13th Century Psalter [item 18954]
Date: 1200-1299
Description: 13th Century Psalter leaf, recto and verso images.
Digital Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Local Identifier: sc_mml_18954

Identifier: wwu:36363
Title: 13th Century Psalter [item 18980]
Date: 1200-1299
Description: 13th Century Psalter leaf, recto and verso images.
Digital Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Local Identifier: sc_mml_18980

Identifier: wwu:36353
Title: 15th Century Book of Hours [item 598]
Date: 1400-1499
Description: 15th Century Book of Hours leaf, recto and verso images.
Digital Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: Medieval Manuscript Leaves, 1200-1500
Local Identifier: sc_mml_598

Identifier: wwu:2765
Title: 17th Annual Anacortes Arts and Crafts Festival
Date: 1978
Description: Poster for the 17th Annual Anacortes Arts and Crafts Festival, August 5 and 6, 1978; artwork and stamp by Ralph Aeschliman; printed by Clifford Burke
Digital Collection: Fishtown Collection
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Special Collections
Related Collection: Fishtown Collection
Local Identifier: Fishtown0146

Identifier: wwu:29289
Title: 1855-07-10 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1855-07-10
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18550710
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550710 [Page 1] Stone, 10 July 1855 [NOTATION: 23 years old – I was born in 1832] My Dearest Mother, This is my last day at Stone for which I am not sorry though I think, when it comes to the last moment, it will be more difficult to leave England than I expected. I am i
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550710 [Page 1] Stone, 10 July 1855 [NOTATION: 23 years old – I was born in 1832] My Dearest Mother, This is my last day at Stone for which I am not sorry though I think,
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18550710 [Page 1] Stone, 10 July 1855 [NOTATION: 23 years old – I was born in 1832] My Dearest Mother, This is my last day at Stone for which I am not sorry though I think, when it comes to the last moment, it will be more difficult to leave England than I expected. I am in first rate spirits as everyone considers me a lucky fellow, and my prospects seem very favourable. It is certainly much better than India in every respect, as all accounts agree that the climate is splendid and very healthy. The people seem also to be much better than they are generally supposed to be, for Nevada (my headquarters) will be 200 [Page 2] miles up the Country, north of San Francisco, and non but hard working men get so far up, all the riff raff staying in the large towns. If I like the country I expect to stay out 4 or 5 years so as to be able to bring back some fair savings; if not, I can come back in 12 months. I shall have good introductions to the most respectable people there, which will make it much more pleasant. All together I think, and everyone else seems to think so too, that it is a very good thing, and though it seems a long way off, there is no reason why we should not hear from each other as regularly and as often as hitherto. I am very glad to hear from Papa that [Page 3] Matthew is so much better, and that his squinting is probably only taking after you! Ahem! He looks very well, though much more grey and venerable. We spent [5?] days together in London and went to the Watts together. He is now in Manchester at Mr. Evans, but will move to Mr. Nicholson tomorrow as I am going there. I go to Liverpool on Friday evening and sail at 9 ½ on Saturday. The Directors gave us a farewell dinner [illegible] and I have been dreadfully dissipated since, having to dine out every day to say goodbye to my friends, but that will now soon be over. Everyone I have been connected with has shown a great deal of fond feeling towards me and seem sorry to lose me. I suppose Papa told you that I am to have £1000 [$5000] a year besides all travelling expenses, horses, etc. I expect my living [Page 4] to cost about 500, so that I ought to put by 500 a year. I shall have to keep 2 or 3 horses and shall be in my glory. I shall have no carriage, so you need not think I am drawing out of my old promise [illegible]. I heard from Mr. [Jno. Courtauld?] that Mrs. [Jno.?] has had an accident, being thrown off her horse and is not expected to live. He desired much to be remembered to you. Well, dearest Mother, next time you hear from me will be from New York when I shall probably stay 9 days. Write often and never think I shall like your letters less because you have no news. You shall often hear from me. I hope to say that I am well and happy and I hope always to hear the same from you. With best love to you and Matthew, believe me, Dearest Mother, Your ever affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29290
Title: 1855-09-17 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1855-09-17
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18550917
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only impatient to get to work. We are waiting here while the legal preliminaries are being settled and e
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18550917 [Page 1] United States Hotel, Nevada 17th September 1855 My dearest mother Here I am at last sain et sauf. I am quite well again in capital health and spirits, only impatient to get to work. We are waiting here while the legal preliminaries are being settled and expect to start for the mountains to view the site of our works tomorrow or the day after. This is a small town up in the mountains, 2700 feet above the sea and in the middle of the forest which covers the whole mountains and country. It is nearly entirely built of wood. There are, however, good hotels and shops, and much better accommodations of every sort than I expected so far up the country, though everything has to be paid for [en:?] Washing costs 16 s./ a dozen, blacking 1 pair of boots 1 s./, and so on. Though all these items seem tremendously heavy, I do not think living altogether will cost as much as I expected. We are now in the middle of the dry season and the sun is very hot and everything is parched up, but the country is very beautiful even now. I only stayed in San Francisco 3 days after I wrote to Charly. There was nothing more to see in the town, and though a great place for business and speculation, it is very droll and we were glad to get away. We took a nice ride one day to a place 10 miles along the coast and came back along the beach. To avoid going a long way round, we took a short (!) cut across the [Page 2] sand hills which extend for miles inland. We got into a perfect desert, hill after hill rising before us, each the same as the last. The sun set without our seeing any sign of track or anything else, and the sand was so deep that we had to get off and lead our horses. We began to have serious thoughts of having to pass the night there, when from the top of a high hill we saw a windmill about a mile off. We made for it and came across a track, which we followed and which brought us onto the road back. It was capital fun and so new to get lost that way. There are a great number of Chinese in the town. They have a quarter to themselves, built by themselves in Chinese style. It was very strange and interesting and dirty. We started from San Francisco on Thursday the 6th at 4 in the afternoon by steamer up the river. After getting grounded several times, we got up to Sacramento at 2 the next morning and went to bed. I had gone alone with Dr. H. The next evening Darcy came on and joined me. At 6 Sunday morning we both started by stage for Placerville, a mining town 50 miles off, where I wanted to see some existing [costerworks?]. People that have not been on them can form no idea of stage travelling here. The roads are simply tracks through the forest, which are pretty well beaten though every vehicle chooses its own line. As no road is made, but we run on the surface, taking stones, brooks, etc., all as they come, the ups and downs of life are dreadful, and it really was as much as we could do to hold on. As for the dirt (which is the same on all the tracks in the dry season), it is tremendous, and we could often not see our leaders at all. The Perriere dust sinks into complete insignificance beside it; it is often feet deep. In the winter I believe it forms mud so [Page 3] deep as to be impassable. It was the hardest days work I had had for a long time. The only redeeming feature is the horses, and they, like all the horses in the country, were very fine. We got in at 4 p.m. We had an introduction to the manager there who was very attentive. We took horses and rode all over his works with him and to see the diggings all over the neighbourhood. It seems very strange to see men washing whole hills down with water coming from a hose like that of a fire engine. We left at 4 the next morning and came over the same road. I saw my first rattlesnake, a fine fellow lying by the roadside. We stopped and a passenger got down and shot it from philanthropic motives. We had a race with an opposition coach, broke one of our springs, propped the coach up with a branch of a tree, and at it again and won. Coaches racing on a good English road is sometimes thought ticklish work. What was this? We got back to Sacramento at 1. We went on at 7 next morning up the river by boat to Marysville, when we arrived at 5 p.m. after being aground about every 5 minutes, as the water is very low. We went on at 6 the next morning and, going through the same kind of staging, got here at 5 in the afternoon. We are beginning to get accustomed to it, but when possible we mean to travel on horseback. Four miles from here we passed through a pretty little town of about 400 houses. At 10 p.m. we saw the sky illumined and in 2 hours every vestige of the place was gone excepting the cracked walls of one or two brick houses. Although almost every man lost all he had, I have not seen one look cast down. Before the fire had done its work, timber was being bought to build again. The next day when we rode over the ground, several houses were begun again, and the next evening a saloon was actually [Page 4] finished and opened. So much for Yankees. Where Englishmen would have cried over spilt milk, they set to work and made themselves too busy to be miserable. We rode over there the next day to go over some quartz mill and all the men we met said they were only sorry they had nothing to offer us. The quartz mills are very interesting and yield very large profits where properly managed and chosen. I wish I had £2000 to invest and make 600 percent with, as some are doing. We have met with great attention and civility everywhere, everyone throwing their works open to us and some their houses. There are several Englishmen out there for companies, but none of them pay. They set the wrong way to work completely, as far as I can judge at present from disinterested opinion. Our affair is likely to be a very profitable one, and water co's are decidedly the best investments in the country, though I doubt it realizing W. W. expectations. However, I shall be better able to form an opinion in the course of a month, when of course I will tell you (Papa) all I know (privately of course). We were lucky in our boat, as on the steamer that came this week from Nicaragua, 220 out of 800 died of cholera en route. We have capital horses here, some American ones that are the steadiest but expensive, and native or Mexican ones, vicious little devils, but beggars to go. My married friend prefers the former, but I do the latter. You would be much amused to see me galloping over the hills in a large Mexican saddle, all leather and wooden stirrups. They certainly are wonderful creatures (when they have got their master) and will gallop 30 or 40 miles almost without stopping. Wouldn’t Charly enjoy it. [Page 5] One of the Englishmen I saw yesterday, a very nice fellow, has his wife here, and she and her friends often go out on riding excursions with him. I must get this off for the mail. With lots of love to Papa, Charly, Mat and Lucy, Believe me, Dearest Mother, Your ever affectionate son M. L. Stangroom Do you know anything of the Chathamites? Don’t forget to prepay your letters, to write via New York, and to wafer them.
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Identifier: wwu:29291
Title: 1855-10-03 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his brother Charly
Date: 1855-10-03
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18551003
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if you saw me in my working costume. I had the high compliment paid me that one hour completed the transf
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if yo
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18551003 [Page 1] Nevada, 3rd October 1855 My dearest Charly, Vive la Californie! And the Californians! to which title I consider I have full claim, as you would think if you saw me in my working costume. I had the high compliment paid me that one hour completed the transformation thoroughly, which consists in looking as rough and dirty as possible. A fortnight ago we made a 3-day excursion into the mountains to look at the country we have to go through. We were 13, all on horseback, and formed a merry cavalcade galloping for 30 miles up and down hill all the way, through forests of most beautiful large trees. We had a good look at the country, and it is well worth it. Although there are no such high mountains, the detail of the scenery is as grand or more so than the Swiss scenery. All the country is cut up by rivers, each running in steep, rocky ravines from 1000 to 2000 feet deep. All the hills are wooded with tremendous pine and cedar trees from 100 to 300 feet high and the ravines are steep, rocky, slippery, and all together most uncomfortable places to stroll about on. The sun is very hot, but up in the mountains 3000 feet above the sea there is plenty of air so as to make it very pleasant, and the nights are very cool and beautiful. We came back to Nevada for [Page 2] a few days, and I then started back again with Darcy to commence surveying the Line. We stayed up there, 30 miles off, for a week and had tough work of it, having almost to hang on by our eyelids in some places, and often to climb up 800 or 900 feet to get round impassible points. The climbing was hard work for the wind at first, but I am already getting used to it and shall probably soon be able to do it without much fatigue. We slept at a ranch or farm in a place called Bear Valley, having to sleep in our own blankets and live on salt pork, which diet had the advantage of making us appreciate the fine water of the country (especially when we could not get any). As having to walk or climb 6 or 7 miles before and after our day's work, although very fine exercise, is no variety, as we are doing it all day, and as we do not consider salt pork and hard boards a sufficient inducement for such exercise, we are going henceforth to camp out and start tomorrow with our own gridirons and turn in to our blankets under the canopy of the heavens, wherever we happen to be at sunset. We rode down here yesterday for the mail and go up again tomorrow. We all have horses coming up from San Francisco. I have left Lane to buy mine, as he is a good judge of horse flesh. Hitherto we have hired them, and I have had the good luck to have mine go down with me 3 times already, once while going very fast. I ploughed the [illegible] soil or rock with my jackboots, but taking William the Conqueror as a precedent (as I was not hurt), I could but consider it as a good omen, and a fashionable way of taking possession. Coming down yesterday I was on a brute that commenced the day's work by going down on his knees and, seeming to like it, went stumbling about every 2 minutes. After about [Page 3] 20 miles I began to get tired of holding him up, so I thought I would let him have his own way for once. The first time he stumbled I let him go on his head and stuck in the saddle. It took him some time to get the dirt out of his nose, and after that, finding that I would not hold him up any longer he thought he had better do it himself. We got on better afterwards. We have taken a house together here for when we come down and in the fullness of our hearts thought that was sufficient, but when we got home last night, tired and dirty, I had to go with 2 pails to draw water from a well 200 or 300 yards off and after supper to lay my blankets on the floor and lay, like a warrior taking his rest, with my martial blanket around me. I had no idea how soft the floor [was] before. [I?] by leave to observe that our "maison de ville”" is to be furnished, but that part of the arrangement, excepting some chairs and a table, is looming in the future. Up in the mountains we have plenty of game and killed 3 rattlesnakes already. We have seen fresh bear tracks every day but have not yet seen any, though we hope to do so before long. The 2nd night, one came down into our valley and sent the mules and cattle running about our cabin like fun. As it was dark, we thought we were very comfortable inside and left him to his sport outside. Man is a creature of habit! Hem! For the first day or two, I was continually looking out for snakes and other unpleasant things, but I have already become quite indifferent to them and shall probably soon delight in them. In the morning, it seems as natural to put on my revolver as my boots, and it has the advantage of being cleaned periodically, which the latter have not. On Monday night, we left off at sunset and [Page 4] took a short (!) cut across hill and dale to get back to our hospitable roof. It soon got dark and we got into a dry ditch that we knew to run in the right direction. After 1 or 2 miles, however, we found the ditch changed into a wet one, and as it was too dark to be able to walk on the steep ravine on either side of it, we had to go along in water over our boots for more than a mile. We got in after a hard tramp of 6 miles, and, as our traveling luggage consisted of a comb and toothbrush, a luxurious Britisher might think it barely possible under the circumstances that we might catch cold. We rose superior to the circumstances, kept our wet things on – and didn't. This country is a fine school for a proud man and is indeed a land of equality. You shake hands with almost every man you meet and eat and live with your men who are even dirtier than yourselves, though many of them are tolerably well educated men. Tell Papa that from what I have seen this concern is likely to be a very profitable one, but everything is not yet quite square, as another company have commenced works on our ground and are in possession of our rights. I, however, think that they will soon be disposed of and if so satisfactorily, I shall take some more shares. I will let him know as soon as everything is safely settled. I have got no letters yet. I heard of one, I suppose from Wm. Nicholson, that has got lost between New York and here. I am looking forward to getting some with great anxiety. Be sure and write often and tell me all you are doing, how Mat is, and anything you can think of to fill a sheet. With lots of love to Papa, Mama, Grandmama when you write to her, Mat and Lucy. Believe me, Dearest Charly, Your ever affectionate brother, M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29284
Title: 1855-12-02 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1855-12-02
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18551202
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551202 [Page 1] Nevada, 2nd December 1855 My dearest mother I let [the] last mail slip by without writing, as I had not much to say and very little time to say it, as we have settled down for the winter in our peaceful cottage by the wood and are getting very comfortable
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18551202 [Page 1] Nevada, 2nd December 1855 My dearest mother I let [the] last mail slip by without writing, as I had not much to say and very little time to say it, as we h
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18551202 [Page 1] Nevada, 2nd December 1855 My dearest mother I let [the] last mail slip by without writing, as I had not much to say and very little time to say it, as we have settled down for the winter in our peaceful cottage by the wood and are getting very comfortable. We have built a stable and have our horses up at home and a manservant to look after them and do all the dirty work about the house, so that we live once more en messieurs, excepting cooking, making our own beds, etc. Shortly after my last letter, we, i.e., Darcy, myself, and a friend, went on an exploring expedition up the Sierra Nevada up beyond our corral. We started from here in our buggy, a kind of low phaeton with only one seat, very strong and light, built on purpose for these bad roads, I driving, Darcy and our friend riding. We drove to Bear Valley the first day, 25 miles off, and stayed at a ranch there all night. [Page 2] We left our buggy there and went on the next day on horseback, each having his blankets strapped on behind, and provisions (flour and salt pork), ropes, [illegible], etc., hanging in front, altogether in regular marching order. Your son presented something like the following appearance – [drawing of horse and rider with equipment]. The picturesqueness of the turnout is, however, easier conceived than described and wants colouring to give you an idea of it. My proud animal, as well as Darcy's, is a large piebald; my hat red flannel; my blankets blue, red, gray; large jackboots, revolver, axe, lasso, and flour bag completing the equipment. We only went between 30 and 40 miles to the summit of the Sierra Nevada range, generally following the Emigrant track from the United States through very rough and fine country, camping out at night and sleeping in the open air, round our fire in our blankets. I made the bread, making the dough into round balls [Page 3] and sticking them in the fire to bake. It was very good. The meat was not as easily done, as we had to toast it on long sticks, and it always fell in the fire several times before it was done and got burnt to a cinder on [illegible]. However, I enjoyed it amazingly. The only part I did not like was the night’s being so cold, there being ice ½ inch thick and all the ground being covered with frost. We could not sleep well for the cold and had to get up in the night to relight the fire and sit smoking round it till daylight, when we resumed our cooking operations and went on our journey. As we saw that the weather was going to change, we pushed back to Bear Valley, and it began to snow the very night we got there. The next day we got out of the Valley as quick as possible, as where snow once sets in up there, you must get out at once or stay there and starve. We had a hard day’s work driving home 25 miles through the snow covering up the road and our carriage breaking down twice getting up the hill. One of our horses [Page 4] had not been in harness before, and it took us 3 hours to get them up the hill, the road being so bad that I sometimes thought we should have to leave the buggy. The chemin des chevres, thickly covered with loose rocks [illegible] may it give you some notion of it. However, we got home safely at last, after a hard day's drive. We have been here since then, most of the time riding or driving about the country to look at different works 15 or 20 miles round. The day before yesterday I went out with Lane and a friend (a German physician) for a place 14 miles off for a day's quail shooting. I was driving over a piece of very bad road with a high bank on each side with a wagon before us. Lane, who is very impatient and was on horseback, said we should be all day if we did not pass the cart, and as the Dr. who sat behind me was game, I tried to pass, but the bank was too much for us and we had a regular capsize, I being thrown 10 or 12 feet off and the carriage turning completely over and covering the Dr. like an extinguisher. The front wheels luckily came off and the horses [Page 5] ran away with them and did not drag the carriage. I fortunately fell on my head, so was not hurt. The only damage done was breaking 2 bottles of wine that we had with us, and in 10 minutes we were going on again and laughing heartily at it. We had such good sport that we did not leave in time and got caught in the dark, which is no joke on these roads. It also set in to rain very heavy, which did not make things any the more pleasant. It was so dark that we could not see our horses' heads and had a job to get to the nearest town. We there bought a lantern and made our man ride slowly on in front with it. After a drive of 4 hours we got home drenched to the skin. We are getting very comfortable now that our parlour is furnished. We had 2 ladies up here to breakfast last week, one of them, Mrs. Colburn, [Page 6] is the lady who [illegible] Wm. Nicholson so long; she is a very nice woman. The other was her sister who is staying with her. She is a very nice girl indeed, about 20, very well executed and very sociable, altogether much better than I expected to meet in the country. They are Americans. She is a capital horsewoman, and I went for a long ride with her a few days ago on our horses. We had good fun when they came up; they helped to cook the breakfast and taught us to make buckwheat cakes. Mr. Colburn is one of [Page 7] the Californian Company and we do not like him, but that is no reason why we should not like his wife and sister-in-law. Our fellows chaff me rather about the fair horsewoman, but it does not at all affect my happiness. Perhaps I like her none the worse because her hair is light and long ringlets and her name is Emily. You need not be alarmed, as I fancy she is already engaged to some San Francisco gentleman, though that is not at all necessary to keep her safe from an old bachelor like myself, who has given up all thoughts of another state than single blessedness, and you need not be at all afraid of having an American (or any other) daughter-in-law till Matthew grows up. As Charly reads German, he can probably translate what Schiller and I say: [illegible German quote]. [Page 8] I shall have nothing to do for 4 or 5 months till the winter is over and till the lawsuits are decided, but I daresay we can manage to pass the time well enough till then. I got Charly’s letter to New York only a week ago. The post office here is detestable and I do not know if it is its fault or my correspondents that I get no letters, but I live in hopes of getting some some time or other. Give my best love to Papa, Charly, Mat and Lucy and to Grandmama when you write to her. Write soon and believe me your ever affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom Tell Papa that I could get 2 to 3 per cent per month on any amount of capital on perfect security (mortgage, no speculation). If he can, it would be worth his while to send me some to put out for him while I am here. We have just decided [Page 9] that Darcy is to [illegible] by this mail. He will be there for some weeks, and it would be a good opportunity of sending by him, should Papa think it advisable.
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Identifier: wwu:29286
Title: 1856-05-02 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his father
Date: 1856-05-02
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18560502
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over some works in the neighborhood of Volcano, Eldorado County. We went from Sacramento to Jackson and V
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18560502 [Page 1] San Francisco 2nd May 1856 My Dear sir We have just returned here from a trip through the southern mines, where Lane and I accompanied Little to look over some works in the neighborhood of Volcano, Eldorado County. We went from Sacramento to Jackson and Volcano. We stayed there 3 days looking over the ground. Rode 45 miles up the country into the Sierra Nevada and camped out one night. In the night I went down to the river for some water, and 3 of the party, seeing me on all fours by the dim light of the expiring campfire, took me for a grizzly and were just consulting about shooting at me when I luckily stood up and came toward them. I don’t know whether my [kit?] has impacted any of his appearance to me. If so, I should decidedly consider it a proof of qui s'assemble se ressemble. We went from there to Murphy's and to see the big trees, [Page 2] arbres, près de Sierra Nevada, in Calaveras County. They are truly one of the wonders of the world. There are about 30 monsters looking much like the cedar, or perhaps more like the arborvitæ, yet the foliage being distinct from either, the leaves being round like whipcord instead of flat. They are classed as "Taxodeum gigans" and called "Washingtonia gigantea". They vary from 20 to 30 feet in diameter above the roots and are from 300 to 350 feet high. They say the tallest is 400. On the stump of one that has been cut down, 24 feet di., a very respectable table dancing platform is made and a horseman can ride 100 feet through the hollow trunk of one that has fallen. They present a splendid appearance, being perfectly straight and without foliage for 200 feet above ground. They well repaid the visit. One day we left our horses to go down a [bad?] place to the river. On our return found them gone, or [Page 3] rather did not find them. So we had to trudge 7 miles home in the dark through the forest, losing the trail and getting into all sorts of difficulties. We managed, however, to get home at about 11 very tired and hungry and determined to have stronger halters for the future. The horses were found next day but it cost us 50$, as the saddles were lost. We went on to Sonora, and Columbia, looked round the mines and on to Stockton and from there by boat down here. I don't see much probability of any satisfactory arrangement being made with the old Co. as they are behaving in a not unaccountable manner and have perfectly disgusted Little. I think, however, that he will give them a fair chance if they are at all reasonable in their ideas. If that affair is broken up, I expect he will invest the money in some other speculations, several of which seem advantageous, and I think a very handsome income [Page 4] could be derived from some of them. If the whole concern were to fall through, I think I should turn to mining, but – sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof – I am not at all anxious on my own account, but should be very sorry on Wm. Nicholson's. The passengers of the steamer which has just arrived have had a dreadful massacre at Panama. It began by a dispute about 10 cents and ended in a general fight. The natives firing into the mass killed 25 and wounded 27 passengers, some of them women, plundered the railway office and some of the hotels and did much damage. An American steerage passenger was the aggressor, but it has the appearance of the natives having been prepared to do something. We have beautiful weather down here, nice and cool, but up at Nevada the thermometer was 91ᵒ in the shade in March. What will it be in August? It won’t bear thinking of at all [Page 5] – from what we see in the papers, I should think that peace really is more probable than I expected some time since, though I hardly think we are getting enough for the money and life spent. I suppose there have been great rejoicings throughout France about the new youngster with the big head. Flags are flying here in his honour, and a French frigate in the harbor is wasting a good deal of powder. The country is beginning to present a beautiful appearance, being covered with a carpet of wild flowers, some of them very beautiful. You can ride for hundreds of miles and see them as far as the eye can reach. I only came down here to get my letters and return to Nevada (alone this time) this afternoon. Lane and Little remain [Page 6] down here to settle some law business. I am glad enough to get rid of them for a short time as the amount of chaff I have to bear is more than enough. We have no facts to go on, but are very strong on inductive reasoning. I intended to send you a small map of this country on a sheet of letter paper. It is tolerably correct and would give you a good idea of the country. I have some at Nevada but find I cannot get any here. I will send one next time. With lots of love to Mama, Charly, Grandmama, Mat and Lucy, believe me, my dear sir, your affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom You had better continue to address to me under cover to the British consul, as I may not remain at Nevada.
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Identifier: wwu:29276
Title: 1856-06-18 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his brother Charly
Date: 1856-06-18
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18560618
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted any more or not. So I have at least 3 months before me. Lane is leaving for San Francisco, the amus
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18560618 [Page 1] Nevada, 18th June 1856 My Dear Charly As I told you in my last, I have engaged to remain here doing nothing, until we hear from England whether I am wanted any more or not. So I have at least 3 months before me. Lane is leaving for San Francisco, the amusements of that place being more congenial to his tastes. As for myself, I prefer the quiet of this place to San Francisco, besides being near Emily. We have left our house and yesterday sold by auction carriage, horses, furniture, and everything we had. I have moved to this house where I have a very nice room and board with Mr. and Mrs. Young. They are a very nice young couple, she plays [illegible] and sings very well. Her brother and another young married couple live with us and make up a very pleasant party. Mrs. Young is an intimate friend of Em's and has a favourite idea of making a match between her and her brother, who is a very agreeable and intelligent man, a lawyer and newspaper editor. I think, however, she begins to see [Page 2] which way the cat jumps and will have to give up her pet project. Having nowhere to keep him, I sold my bear on leaving the house. I had got him so tame as to lead him about by his chain, but had one or two fights with him. So it is perhaps as well to have got rid of him before I got hurt. I am sorry to leave our house, but it would be very lonely to stay there all alone. I expect to be very comfortable here and to be able to pass the time very agreeably. Mrs. Young is very agreeable, is always willing to sing for us and generally has the nicest people in town about her. They are American Catholics, but of course one of my liberal principles does not mind that. Last Sunday I rode over to see Em at Pass Valley, where she is staying and went with the ladies to hear high mass and confirmation. It was a great farce without the redeeming feature of beauty. We nearly got suffocated with the crowd and heat. Thermometer 104ᵒ in the shade, 130ᵒ in sun and very glad to get out of it. [Page torn away] I had a long [Page 3] letter from Aunt [Nan?] and Jessie lately. They were all well and happy. I also had today letters from Aunty Bessy, Alice, and Fanny. They seem to be anxiously expecting dividends. I am very sorry they should be disappointed. You talk in your last of having your eyes cured as well as Matthew. What is the matter with them? I never heard of it. I am sorry your Prussian friend has left, as you seem to regret him. Since my last letter, I stayed 5 or 6 days at San Francisco to see the end of the excitement. I saw the 2 men hung, but the excitement is far from ended yet. The government party (gamblers and scoundrels) are trying to resist and are getting stronger every day, but I do not think they will be able to do anything, though being mostly desperate men they may cause some bloodshed. Since my return we have had 4 men shot here, 2 by an acquaintance of mine in self defence. Coming back, we stayed at Benicia (30 miles up the bay). From there we (Lane, I, and Booker the attaché) rode over to Napa and the sulphur springs. We had a beautiful ride 45 miles through a splendid valley. One the way we saw a camp meeting – clergymen stay a week at a spot, camp out and [page torn away] [Page 4] "pot a biling" and making a tremendous noise. People crowd from 20 miles round to see the fun and make a regular picnic of it. We rode back the next day and came straight back here where I have stayed since with the exception of sundry rides and drives. Yesterday Lane, the German dr.'s wife and myself went for a drive and had a pleasant day. We had a good deal of climbing and I felt real palpitations for the first time so bad as to have to stop often. Tell Papa I have only just received your 2 letters of March and April. The Railway, now open, is not doing well because it leads to nowhere. If it continues, I should consider it a good investment, but not without. I will look round about securities and write to him. Tell him he may reckon on my being out here several years to look after any investment he may like to make here, as I don’t mean to leave this country for good without being tolerably well off, and fortunes are not made in a year or two and very often not at all. You must not think this [page torn away] short as I really think [page torn away] for writing [page torn away] [Page 5] when the thermometer is over 100ᵒ. You have no idea how lazy the last few degrees make one. With lots of love to Papa, Mama, Grandmama, Mat, and Lucy, Believe me Your affectionate brother M. L. Stangroom
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Identifier: wwu:29298
Title: 1856-08-02 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his father
Date: 1856-08-02
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18560802
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: stangroomletter18560802 [Page 1] Vos vos Nevada 2nd August 1856 My Dear sir – Since my last letter I have had a good deal of change and of excitement, so much so as to have taken away even some of the charm of variety. I am now writing in the house where Emily lives, a short distance out
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: stangroomletter18560802 [Page 1] Vos vos Nevada 2nd August 1856 My Dear sir – Since my last letter I have had a good deal of change and of excitement, so much so as to have taken away even
Show moreTranscript: stangroomletter18560802 [Page 1] Vos vos Nevada 2nd August 1856 My Dear sir – Since my last letter I have had a good deal of change and of excitement, so much so as to have taken away even some of the charm of variety. I am now writing in the house where Emily lives, a short distance out of town, where I have found a temporary refuge. But let us begin at the beginning. We started as arranged on the 14th. We were a large and pleasant party, 4 ladies, 11 gentlemen. One man (an English distinction) to look after the pack animals and 2 pack mules, of course all on horses or mules, each man carrying his blankets behind him. We went in easy day rides varying from 20 to 25 miles over the summit of the Sierra Nevada and about 40 miles the other side to Lake Bigler. We stayed there 3 days enjoying ourselves very much, fishing without success, getting wet on a raft in the day and sentimental round the fire in the evening. It is a beautiful sheet of water but very wet, as near as we could guess about 20 miles long and 6 to 8 wide. It is between 6000 and 7000 feet above the sea and surrounded [Page 2] by the peaks of the Sierra to the height of 2000 feet more. It abounds in splendid fish (salmon and speckled trout) and though we could not catch any, we traded with some Indians who could and exchanged divers old flannel shirts for sundry day's work spearing trout and got as much as we cared for. The Indians on that side of the range in the Utah territory are a fine, tall, handsome race, from all accounts very much like the Chippewas and other northern tribes. Those round us were the Sioux or Carson Valley tribes. They came round in such numbers as to be troublesome, and we had to keep good watch on everything and to mount guard on our cattle at night as they only wanted the opportunity to help themselves to anything from horses downwards. They made themselves so perfectly at home round our fire, to the exclusion of our party, that we considered them wanting in courtesy to their visitors to the Utah territory and taking the law into our own alien hands, made them vamoose ([illegible] mizzle) which, from the number of rifles and revolvers lying about, they judged prudent to do, though with ill grace. We were out 12 days travelling along slowly in the day, sometimes laying by while 2 or 3 went out to explore, [Page 3] the ladies sleeping in a tent and the men anywhere. The days were pleasant but the nights cold and frosty. On getting back to Nevada on the 25th, we found that on the 19th the whole town with the exception of 4 buildings had been destroyed by fire in a couple of hours. There were over 500 buildings, 30 of which were brick, supposed to be fireproof. I lived in one of them and lost everything, books, clothes, instruments, and papers. Mr. Young and Mr. Anderson, whom I lived with, were both fearfully burnt, but are getting on slowly. Eight lives were lost, 3 friends of mine. After looking at the heap of ruins for an hour, I got a message from a friend of mine dying 22 miles off. I immediately got a fresh horse and got down there in time to see him but too late to be recognized. I stayed with him till he died, had him buried, arranged his affairs as well as I could and am now going to let his friends in Hull know all about it and in due course have what money he had saved sent to them. I got back here on the 28th and have spent all my time since then helping to nurse my poor burnt friends. They require a great deal of attention, but they have many friends who do all they can for them. It is almost worthwhile to be burnt out once to see what generosity there is in the world. Every house and every purse are open to the sufferers, who in many cases are almost [Page 4] as well off as before the fire. There is hardly such a thing in the place as low spirits except with the friends of the wounded, though they bear it wonderfully well. I am very thankful I was away, as I should certainly have stayed as long as they in the house and probably shared the same if not a worse fate. Though it is rather awkward to have no clothes, I am in luck, having found 4 shirts and a suit of [holland?] at my washerwoman's. My instruments, books, and papers are difficult to replace, especially the latter, as all the county records are destroyed and nothing is left to prove my mortgages. I have, however, $1500 due to me if I leave the Co. and $1000 that I can depend upon (one of 2 mortgages) and perhaps the other $1000 if I am lucky, so I am well enough off after all. If I leave the Co., I shall not have to replace my instruments. If I do not, I can afford to. My matrimonial arrangements are put off for some time, of course. I just got yours and Charly's letters of the 3rd and 10th of June. I am sorry Mama was hurt at not being written to. I thought she of all of you understood that my letters were meant for all, whoever they happen to be addressed to. If it would make her any happier, I could address all to her. I am in a great hurry, having snatched a little time from my nursing duties. I will write again by next mail. With best love to all, believe me, your affectionate son. M. L. Stangroom I send you a paper.
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Identifier: wwu:29283
Title: 1856-12-18 Letter from M.L. Stangroom to his mother
Date: 1856-12-18
Digital Collection: Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
Type of resource: text
Object custodian: Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Related Collection: M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
Local Identifier: stangroomletter18561218
Text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin at the beginning: on Saturday the 6th instant at 8 a.m. we were joined together in the holy bonds of
Transcript text preview (might not show all results): Transcript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin
Show moreTranscript: Stangroomletter18561218 [Page 1] White Sulphur Springs, Napa 18th December 1856 My Dearest Mother At last we are married and, though not quite, tolerably settled for the present. To begin at the beginning: on Saturday the 6th instant at 8 a.m. we were joined together in the holy bonds of matrimony by the Right Revd. Bishop Kip, who is a friend of Emily's people in Albany and knew her there. We did it very quietly indeed at the house of a friend where she was staying. We had no bridesmaids or grooms and, to the horror of all those who delight in descriptions of the bride's dress, Em was dressed in a plain travelling dress without ornaments or nonsense of any kind. Her sister and brother-in-law, the Bishop's wife, 2 couples, friends of Mrs. Grant (the lady at whose house we were) and Wm. Booker, our acting consul, as my friend, were present [page torn away] [Page 2] some warm sulphur springs here which first made the place known and which have in addition to the beautiful scenery of the neighbourhood made it a very fashionable and (in the season) crowded place of resort. As the season has been over some time, there are only one or two men here besides the proprietor, his wife, and ourselves. It is a very large and comfortable hotel and they do everything in their power to make us comfortable and everything is very pleasant. We have very uncertain weather, but generally manage to get in a good walk every day, with a ride occasionally for variety. There is good shooting all around and I take my gun with me sometimes. Yesterday Emily went 8 or 9 miles with me and enjoyed the sport as much as I did if not more. She has adopted Charly's Chamouni style of dress, i.e., thick shoes (I firmly believe her to be the first American lady who ever wore thick shoes) and her dress tied up with a piece of rope about 9 inches from the ground, looking altogether like a "buy a broom girl" or a sensible woman. If you remember in one of my letters I [page torn away].
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