Item #7679 [Original overland Gold Rush diary.]. Samuel McCoy, Alexander McCoy, inley.
[Original overland Gold Rush diary.]
[Original overland Gold Rush diary.]
[Original overland Gold Rush diary.]
[Original overland Gold Rush diary.]

Sign up to receive email notices of recent acquisitions.

[Original overland Gold Rush diary.]

Independence, Missouri to Yuba City, California, 19 May to 13 December 1849. 24mo (5.875” x 3.875”), original flexible black leather diary-style binding with flap and 21” cord. 63 pp. of diary entries in pencil, 3 pp. of trail notes with distances, 4 pp. of expense figures. Additional blank leaves. CONDITION: Very good, moderate wear, contents generally clean, with occasional small stains.

The original 1849 overland diary of Samuel F. McCoy of Chillicothe, Ohio, tracing his passage from Independence, Missouri to Yuba City, California via the central route.

One of four McCoy brothers who heeded the call to venture west, Samuel Finley McCoy (1820-1898) was a graduate of Miami University and an attorney. Following the discovery of gold in California, he left Chillicothe for Independence, Missouri, where he joined his brother Alexander’s company of 49ers, which was lead by noted guide James Hudspeth, and departed Independence on the 19th of May. The diary records their passage from Independence to Fort Laramie, South Pass, Sublette Cutoff, Soda Springs, Huspeth Cutoff, the Humboldt River, Lassen Cutoff and Lassen’s Ranch. Samuel’s account consists of the first sixty pages and is followed by three pages of entries in a different hand, apparently written by Alexander.

The company endures rough roads, bad weather, and yelping wolves during their first few days of travel, then passes “the mission of the Baptists amongst the Pottawattamies” where McCoy has “an interesting conversation with an Indian by signs.” They cross the Kansas River on the 24th and encounter “a violent storm” with “thunder & lightning incessant.” Reckoning with such challenges as an axle break, short tempers, and wavering health, they make their way along the Little Blue River to the Platte. McCoy soon reports “trouble in camp” and a “division & split” in the company (“They were apparently sorry to lose us.”) The now smaller party proceeds along the Platte, sighting “50 or 60 Buffalo” on June 16th, one of which they manage to shoot and dine upon. On June 22nd, McCoy is thrown from his mule, but escapes injury “thru the mercy & goodness of God.” The party gets a first glimpse of “Court House, Chimney Rock, and Laramie’s peak” on the 26th, camping opposite Court House that night and three miles beyond Chimney Rock the following. Passing through “a valley or artificial basin,” McCoy notes the “fantastic shapes” of the bluffs (Scott’s Bluffs), whose “appearances or deceptions was [sic] much heightened by moonlight.” They arrive at Fort Laramie on July 2nd and camp in the “high hills” a few miles beyond. Encountering “country more regular & less broken” than usual, the company arrives at “the Mormon Ferry” on the 12th and find the Mormons “accommodating & willing to do anything in their power” to help. On the 16th they come to the Sweetwater River and noon at Independence Rock, “a high rock on which many names were written.” They soon begin seeing the snow-capped peaks of the Wind River Mountains in the distance, and encounter ice and frost.

The party reaches South Pass on the 25th, then takes the Sublette Cutoff, arriving at Green River on the 28th (”the mules were badly fatigued. The road intolerably dusty & the wind blew it in our faces.”) On August 1st they camp on Ham’s Fork, where they dine upon “ground squirrels” with a French trader and “a couple of Indian Squaws.” After ascending and descending a number of mountains, the party arrives at Soda Springs on August 7th (”the springs bubbled out of crevices in the rocks & from the apex, of course, formed by the water flowing over & hardening”), proceeding to the Bear River and soon taking the Hudspeth Cutoff (“we travelled over a level country on Bear River 3 or 4 miles when we struck off to the left thro a basin…) By August 22nd they begin encountering hot & arid conditions and arrive at what McCoy believes is the St. Mary’s River, along which they proceed. On the 30th they come to “ground strongly encrusted with carbonate of soda” and on the 8th McCoy reports traveling “over a desolate and dreary plain,” their animals “Faint & exhausted.” The next day they reach Great Boiling Springs and trudge on through the heat and sand and dust, then begin to “ascend by gradual elevations the western range.” On September 21st the party travels “along the base of the Sierra Nevadas” and they “camp under a pine tree close to a mountain rivulet. The water bright and sparkling.” The next morning they ascend, then camp that night “in a valley at the base of the mountain,” where some of their stock is stolen.

On October 11th the company reaches the Feather River, where they “cut grass for the desert said to be 50 miles or more” and linger for a day, cutting more grass and hunting. They enter the Sacramento Valley on October 20th, camping that night near Lawson’s ranch, staying there for a couple of days. On the 29th they travel down the valley and enjoy salt salmon for dinner that evening. The party crosses Feather River on the 31st, passing “several places where they were digging.” The first week of November brings heavy rain and horrible muddy roads. McCoy reports that on the 4th they spent all morning hunting for some of their horses, which had apparently run off. After they cross the river again on the 13th, McCoy meets “John Zane who told me my box was waiting in the city for me.” The party arrives at the Yuba River on the 15th of November and the Bear River on the 19th. On the 26th, McCoy reports “Started for Sac City in advance of the wagons. Followed the bank of the river…took a boat to the city.” He stays a day, then boards a steamer to catch up with Alexander, who had gone ahead. After camping for three nights “3 miles above in Feather River,” the brothers proceed to Yuba City, arriving on the 12th, McCoy noting “The boat not coming up we were without blankets or covering. Building up a fire, we laid down and slept on the bare ground until morning.” His account ends with their encampment at Yuba City.

The three entries made by Alexander, at the beginning of their passage, are dated 19, 20, and 21 May. On the one hand he notes that he is “suffering from great weakness,” but on the other describes himself as “Now mounted on a mule, accoutered as a mountaineer bristling with deadly weapons.” He provides an appreciative description of the beauties of the prairie.

The notes at the back include a list of expenses, mainly for flour, $120 of which was owed to Wm Waldo and “was paid over to A McCoy in Feby before starting to the mines.” The three pages of brief trail notes characterize daily travel, including the distance covered, e.g. “cross desert to Truckee River 45” or “over sand hills leave & return to the river good grass 14.”

A much amplified and extensively edited version of this diary was published in Pioneering on the Plains (Kaukauna, Wisc., 1924). McCoy evidently edited his journal prior to his death in 1898, altering much of his trail language and adding a great deal to it as well (some of it apparently from memory and some from other sources), the result being more of a retrospective literary production, and one lacking the immediacy of the original offered here. The diary as written in the field has not been published, and as nearly as we can determine has never before been on the open market.

SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES:

Tuesday, May 22nd. Rose before daylight. Cooked & started before sunrise. Passed several teams. Camped at noon for an hour or so began the descent. Cold…wind N.W. crossed Shuwangunk with some trouble & camped for the night a mile beyond. Alarmed by the morning watch.

Wed., May 23rd. Rose early. A stormy day. Roads slippery. Bad travelling.  Passed the mission of the Baptists amongst the Pottawattamies. Had an interesting conversation with an Indian by signs. Concerning his tribe, Pawnees etc. His signs very expressive. Crossed several small streams. Camped on the banks of Kansas [River]. Rain, the night stormy.

Friday, June lst. Laid in the wagon still…crossed a small stream about 6 miles from our camp. The country a succession of ridges. After crossing the creek rose on a high ridge. Wind n. or w. Crossed Big Blue, camped a mile beyond. The stream is rapid clear and gravelly bottom. Some trouble in the camp. Must pay regard to my temper more. Spoke too freely.

Saturday, June 2nd. Travelled all morning on the dividing ridge, wood and water scarce & distant from the road. The St. Joe trail came into the road about 10 miles from Blue. Nooned Wolf Creek, a fine spring of water there. Travelled until sundown. Camped for the Sabbath off the road about a mile & a quarter.

Monday, June 25th. Rose early & traveled on until 9 o’clock A.M. & remained until 4 in the afternoon. Heavy travelling, soil arid & sandy, mosquitoes very troublesome as they have been for several nights in succession. Vegetation sparse, grass poor. The Ridges some 2 or 3 miles from the River covered with growth of pine.

Tuesday, 26th. Started before sunrise & travelled until 10. & then nooned. First had a view of the Court House, Chimney Rock, and Laramie’s Peak which last appeared as a small white cloud just rising on the western horizon. Travelled until opposite the Court House where we camped for the night. The evening showery with thunder & lightning.

Thursday, June 28th. Rose early & started at sunrise. Travelled until nine o’clock. The trail here left the river & ascended the bluffs. Late in the afternoon we again started & travelled thro a valley or artificial basin. The bluffs on both sides taking the most fantastic shapes, castles, fortifications & walled cities &c. &c. Their appearances or deceptions was [sic] much heightened by moonlight, & the fancy here had food of the daintiest kind. Camped at 10 P.M.

July 7th. Passed over a desolate region volcanic in its character. Disrupted & torn. Stratum in regular layers on one ridge & on another close at hand very irregular. Conical hills 20 to 60 feet in height composed of masses of rocks as [if] it were thrown together. These we found in a basin or crater. Pinks of delicate purple ranges in the afternoon along a range of rock which appeared set on edge.

Thursday, July 26th. Started at 5 & travelled over the same character of country as yesterday till we reached Big Sandy, distance 6 or 8 miles, & camped for the day on its banks. Sent stock off several miles to grass preparatory to striking across to Green River. Came up with Courtney’s train.

Wednesday, Aug. 1st. Started early & travelled over a hilly country until near noon when we camped for the day on Ham’s Fork where grass & water were abundant. Close to us were a French trader with a couple of Indian Squaws. Went down in the afternoon to a supper cooked by them of ground squirrels whose appearance was something like a rat. The mess was not very clean.

Tuesday, Aug 7th. Started about 7 o’clock A. M., the morning foggy & cool. During the time spent in the Valley we have had excessively cool nights with some frost & warm days. Travelled over a broken country & nooned at the Soda Springs, the water of which was acidulous. The springs bubbled out of crevices in the rocks & from the apex, of course, formed by the water flowing over & hardening. One, a gaseous vapour, came forth by the side of which was a small bird dead. A mile & a half from these was a spring bubbling forth of the same character just on the side of Bear River. Indeed, the whole basin or valley partook of the same character. We travelled on over a level country on Bear river 3 or 4 miles when we struck off to the left thro a basin until we reached the base of the mountain & camped after dark without water.

Wed., Aug 29th. Rode the ridge which was barren & covered with sage. Grease Spring. Commending the descent, we found at the distance of 10 or 12 miles several springs of pure cold water. Nooned in a rocky canon. Having started earlier than the rest of the company, we did not witness an affray between two of the members of the company in which one was stabbed with a knife. We ascended another & gradually descended to the river & followed it several miles. Camped in poor grass.

A complete transcription is available upon request.

A marvelous artifact of a 49er’s epic passage overland to the gold fields of California.

Item #7679

Sold

See all items in Autographs & Manuscripts
See all items by , ,