Stangroomletter18550710_1 |
Save page Remove page | Previous | 1 of 86 | Next |
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
|
Loading content ...
Object Description
| Rating | |
| Title | M.L. Stangroom Correspondence |
| Creator |
Stangroom, M. L. (Marc La Riviere), 1832-1913. |
| Description | Correspondence documenting the early career and activities of M. L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom, later an engineer for the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railroad. In letters to his mother and siblings, Stangroom describes his travels and experiences in the western United States. In a letter dated 1855, Stangroom writes of his plan to go to the United States from India to enjoy better business prospects. Subsequent correspondence documents Stangroom’s experiences in California and the Sierra-Nevada region circa 1855-1873. His letters include reference to the Chinese quarter of Sacramento, the Placerville mining community, and the adverse road and weather conditions he encountered during his travels. Stangroom describes his experiences prospecting for gold in the Sierra Nevadas, life in the mining town of Michigan Bluff in Placer County, California, and the mining processes of the 1850s and 1860s. He writes of a town destroyed by fire in 1856, and also of interactions between white settlers and Native Americans. A June 1858 letter describes how Californians are driven “stark raving mad” by the lure of gold in British Columbia, with hundreds of men leaving daily for the Fraser River. Later letters from 1865 and 1866 refer to Stangroom’s work for the Western Pacific Railroad, and to surveying a line between Sacramento and Stockton. Stangroom’s letters provide rich description of western landscapes including California redwood forests and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The correspondence reveals aspects of his personal and family life, including his courtship and eventual marriage to Emily Stewart in December 1856 in Sulphur Springs, California. An 1857 letter reflects the isolation of many miners and California settlers: when Emily Stangroom falls ill, there is no physician nearby to attend her. |
| Date | circa 1855-1873 |
| Type |
correspondence |
| Identifier | XOE0239Stangroom_StangroomLetters |
| Publisher | Center for Pacific Northwest Studies |
| Rights | Permission to publish, or display this resource (other than for non-commercial and educational purposes) must be obtained from the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123. All materials cited must be credited to the M.L. Stangroom Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123. TO request a copy of this resource, please cite the title and/or individual file name. |
| Language | eng |
| Contributors | Brion, Laurel (transcriber) |
| Format |
Text |
| Archival Collection |
M. L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers |
| Repository |
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies |
| Subject |
Gold mines and mining -- Sierra Nevada Region (Calif. And Nev.) -- History -- Sources Mining camps -- California -- Placer County -- History -- Sources Prospecting -- Sierra Nevada Region (Calif. and Nev.) -- History -- Sources Railroad engineers -- United States -- Correspondence -- Sources Railroads -- California -- History -- Sources Railroads -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources |
| Coverage |
California -- Description and travel -- Sources Placer County (Calif.) -- Description and travel -- Sources Sierra Nevada Region (Calif. and Nev.) -- Description and travel -- Sources |
| Digitization Specifications | Images scanned as 300dpi TIFF files, with jpeg access copies. |
Description
| Title | Stangroomletter18550710_1 |
| Creator |
Stangroom, M. L. (Marc La Riviere), 1832-1913. |
| Transcript | 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 |
| Date | 1855 July 10 |
| Identifier | Stangroomletter18550710_1 |
| Publisher | Center for Pacific Northwest Studies |
| Rights | Permission to publish, or display this resource (other than for non-commercial and educational purposes) must be obtained from the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123. All materials cited must be credited to the M.L. Stangroom Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123. TO request a copy of this resource, please cite the title and/or individual file name. |
| Archival Collection |
M. L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers |
| Repository |
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies |
Tags
Comments
Post a Comment for Stangroomletter18550710_1
