Diary of a journey from Serbin, Bastrop Co., Texas to Trinidad, Colorado Territory, 1867 June 6-28 / by S. M. Baird [Transcript]
Found In:
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library > Diary of a journey from Serbin, Bastrop Co., Texas to Trinidad, Colorado Territory, 1867 June 6-28 / by S. M. Baird [Transcript]
Description
- Title
- Diary of a journey from Serbin, Bastrop Co., Texas to Trinidad, Colorado Territory, 1867 June 6-28 / by S. M. Baird [Transcript]
- Creator
- Baird, Spruce M. (Spruce McCoy), 1814-1872
- Abstract
-
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.
- Extent
- 1 v. (95 p.) ; 19 cm.
- Extent of Digitization
- This object has been completely digitized.
- Language
-
English
Collection Information
- Repository
- Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Call Number
- WA MSS S-2665
- Container / Volume
- Box 1 | Folder: Transcript
Subjects, Formats, And Genres
- Format
- text
- Genre
-
Diaries
Overland journals - 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
Texas--Description and travel - Subject (Topic)
-
Railroad travel--United States
Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
Access And Usage Rights
- Access
- Public
- Rights
- The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.
- Citation
- Spruce M. Baird, Diary of a journey from Serbin, Bastrop Co., Texas to Trinidad, Colorado Territory. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Identifiers
- Orbis Record
- 9734296
- Object ID (OID)
- 10577044
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