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.
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, and Texas--Description and travel
Subject (Topic):
Railroad travel--United States and Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
The second volume of a personal journal of a young lady from Independence, Missouri, who follows her husband, a Santa Fé trader, to the Southwest in the early stages of the Mexican war. She describes people, events regarding the acquisition of the New Mexican territory, caravan trading, Gen. Kearny's conquest of New Mexico, the Mexican War, her experiences of trail and pioneer life, hunting, and encounters with Indians. The first 49 pages of the journal consist of copied and original poetry.
Description:
32 loose pages (1847 June-September) with discreet pagination from front of journal are presented chronologically following p. 206. and Blanks at end (26 p.) not digitized.
Subject (Geographic):
Bent's Fort (Colo.), Chihuahua (Mexico : State)--History, El Paso (Tex.), Fort Macy (N.M.)--Description and travel, Little Arkansas River (Kan.), Pecos (N.M.)--Description and travel, Saltillo (Coahuila, Mexico), Santa Fe (N.M.)--History, Southwest, New--Description and travel, and Taos (N.M.)--History
Subject (Name):
Chavez y Castillo, Mariano, Cushing, Caleb,--1800-1879, Davy, Cornelius, Donaldson, James Lowry,--1814-1885, Doniphan, Alexander William, Gilpin, William,--1815-1894, Gregg, Josiah,--1806-1850, Howard, John Eager,--d. 1862, Hunter, David,--1802-1886, Kearny, Stephen Watts,--1794-1848, Kendall, Geo. Wilkins--(George Wilkins),--1809-1867, Magoffin, James Wiley,--1799-1868, Magoffin, Samuel,--1801-1888, Magoffin, Susan Shelby,--1827-1855, McDowell, Sarah Shelby,--1785-1847, Mexico.--President (1846 : Paredes y Arrillaga), Ortiz, Ramon, Ortiz, Tomas, Owens, Samuel D.,--d. 1847, Peck, William--(William Guy),--1820-1892, Pino, Manuel, Prentice, George D.--(Geroge Denison),--1802-1870, Prentiss, James H.,--1809-1848, Price, Sterling,--1809-1867, Robidou, Antoine,--1794-1860, Santa Anna, Antonio López de,--1794?-1876, Shelby, James,--1784-1848, Shelby, Thomas Hart,--1789-1869, Stanley, John Mix,--1814-1872, Stockton, Robert Field,--1795-1866, Swords, Thomas,--1806-1886, Taylor, Zachary,--1784-1850, Trias, Angel, Urrea, José,--1797-1849, Warner, William Horace, Washington, John Macrae,--1797-1853, Wool, John Ellis,--1784-1869, Worth, William Jenkins,--1794-1849, and Wright, George,--1803-1865
Subject (Topic):
Apache Indians, Comanche Indians, Indians of North America--Social life and customs, Mexican War, 1846-1848, and Navajo Indians
James Blood’s pocket diary (84 p.) contains brief entries for his 1850 wagon trip across the plains to Sacramento. He describes the trail, landscape, and his companions. In the back of the volume are what appear to be the scribblings of a child.
Subject (Geographic):
California --Gold discoveries and West (U.S.) --Description and travel
The manuscript describes an 1856 journey from Wisconsin to California starting by train to Chicago and Iowa City, then overland by Council Bluffs, the Platte, Fort Laramie, Malade River, the Humboldt, Lassen’s Cut-off, and the Sacramento Valley. The account reports hardships and sufferings, the friendliness of Mormon women and fellow travelers, but gives few details about the route.
Description:
Autograph manuscript. and Transcribed for the North Western Home Journal.