Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Marsh Smith Letters, 1832-1866
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Smith, John Marsh, 1818-1890
- Title
- John Marsh Smith Letters
- Dates
- 1832-1866 (inclusive)18481869
- Quantity
- 0.4 cubic feet, (1 document case)
- Collection Number
- Mss 325
- Summary
- Letters of prospector and businessman John Marsh Smith of Baltimore, Maryland, to his family and friends, detailing his experiences travelling, prospecting, and doing business in California and Oregon in 1850. Also includes family-related letters sent to and from Smith from other years.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Marsh Smith (1818-1890) was a Quaker from Baltimore, Maryland. He decided to prospect in California with his brother-in-law, Frederick Tyson, in 1850. In San Francisco, Smith became associated with merchant Joseph Hobson of Cross, Hobson & Company. Through this acquaintance he traveled to Monterey and to Sacramento, where for a short time he ran a hotel, partially financed by William Hobson (Joesph's brother).
Smith left for Oregon in September 1850. While there, he met notables Dr. John McLoughlin and Hugh Burns. He traveled throughout the Oregon Territory, all the time describing this journey in letters to Elizabeth, his wife. Smith returned home to Baltimore in 1851.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Letters from Smith to his wife, Elizabeth Brooke Smith, family, and friends describing his experiences as a prospector in the California gold fields and as a merchant in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon. Also includes letters received by Smith, mostly conveying family news.
Mss 325-1 contains copies of family letters including: letter from Smith to his father, 1832, requesting money and permission to visit home during a school holiday; letters, 1849, to Smith from his wife, passing on family news; letters, 1850 and 1851, to Smith from his father-in-law, Nathan Tyson, urging Smith to return home and reporting family news; letters from Hugh Burns, 1851 and 1853, asking Smith to buy crosscut saws and oysters, and requesting advice on butter in Baltimore; and incomplete letter from unknown South Carolina correspondent, 1866, relating writer's history since 1833.
Mss 325-2 contains photocopies of correspondence between Smith and his family members, 1832-1866, mostly relating to family matters. Includes an index and typed transcripts.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
John Marsh Smith Papers, Mss 325, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A:: Mss 325, 1849-1853Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Letters to Lizzie Smith |
1849-1853 |
| 1/2 | Typed transcripts and photostatic copies of letters to
John Marsh Smith |
1849-1857 |
Letters from John Marsh Smith to his family and
friends |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/3 | 1849 | |
| 1/4 | 1850 | |
| 1/5 | 1851 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/6 | Typed copies of letters from John Marsh
Smith |
1849-1851 |
| 1/7 | Typed transcripts and photostatic copies of letters and
documents relating to John Marsh Smith |
1849-1851 |
| 1/8 | Original papers and documents relating to John Marsh
Smith
Includes deed for property in Multnomah City, Oregon Territory,
1851
|
1849-1853; undated |
| 1/9 | Letters of introduction |
1849-1850 |
Series B:: Mss 325-1, 1832-1866Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/10 | Photocopies of letters
Contains photocopies of correspondence between Smith and his
brother, Robert; his wife Elizabeth Brooke Tyson; his father, Matthew; his
brother, Thomas; his mother, Catherine; John Curlett; his sister, Belle; Nathan
Tyson; his sister Sarah; Frederick Tyson; and Hugh Burns. Also includes two
letters to Frederick Tyson, one from his sister, Anne, and one from his sister,
Lizzie.
|
1832-1866 |
Series C:: Mss 325-2, 1832-1852Return to Top
Contains photocopies of correspondence between John Marsh Smith and his family and friends. Originals held by Mrs. A. Waldo Jones of Atlanta, Georgia.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/11 | Receipt |
1849 June 25 |
| 1/12 | Transcript of letter to Smith from his brother Robert
Smith |
1849 June 26 |
| 1/13 | Transcript of letter to Smith from his wife |
1849 July 26 |
| 1/14 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
father Matthew Smith |
1849 Aug. 14 |
| 1/15 | Transcript of letter to Smith from his wife |
1849 Aug. 19 |
| 1/16 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
brother Thomas Smith |
1849 Aug. 20 |
| 1/17 | Transcript of letter to Smith from his father, Matthew
Smith |
1849 Sept. 18 |
| 1/18 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
mother, Catherine Smith |
1849 Nov. 16 |
| 1/19 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from John
Curlett |
1849 Dec. 11 |
| 1/20 | Receipt |
1850 Feb. 18 |
| 1/21 | Transcript of letter to Smith from his wife |
1850 Feb. 25 |
| 1/22 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1850 Apr. 9 |
| 1/23 | Photocopy of letter to Smith from his sister Belle
Smith |
1850 Apr. 10 |
| 1/24 | Photocopy of letter from to Smith from Nathan
Tyson |
1850 Apr. 11 |
| 1/25 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1850 May 8 |
| 1/26 | Photocopies and transcript of letter to Frederick Tyson
from Lizzie Tyson |
1850 May 8 |
| 1/27 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Frederick Tyson
from Anne Tyson |
1850 May 15 |
| 1/28 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
sister Sarah Smith |
1850 May 15 |
| 1/29 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from Nathan
Tyson |
1850 July 12 |
| 1/30 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
sister Belle Smith |
1850 Aug. 26 |
| 1/31 | Photocopy and transcript of a receipt and
bill |
1850 Sept. 20 |
| 1/32 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1850 Oct. |
| 1/33 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from
Frederick Tyson |
1850 Oct. 23 |
| 1/34 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1850 Nov. 24 |
| 1/35 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from Nathan
Tyson |
1851 Jan. 9 |
| 1/36 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from Hugh
Burns |
1851 Jan. 30 |
| 1/37 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
brother Robert Smith |
1851 Feb. 24 |
| 1/38 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1851 Mar. 10 |
| 1/39 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from
Lowenstein, Gibson and company
Letter sent from San Francsico; includes description of
vigilante justice
|
1851 Mar. 20 |
| 1/40 | Photocopy and transcript of letter to Smith from his
wife |
1852 July 21 |
| 1/41 | Photocopies of miscellaneous letters |
1832-1841 |
| 1/42 | Index and typed transcripts of letters |
1832-1852 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Gold miners--California--Correspondence
- Gold mines and mining--California
- Merchants--California--Correspondence
- Merchants--Oregon--Correspondence
- Pioneers--California--Correspondence
- Pioneers--Oregon--Correspondence
- Voyages to the Pacific coast
Personal Names
- Burns, Hugh, 1807-1870--Correspondence
- Curlett, John --Correspondence
- Smith, Belle--Correspondence
- Smith, Robert--Correspondence
- Smith, Anne, b. 1821--Correspondence
- Smith, Catherine Marsh, 1790-1870--Correspondence
- Smith, Elizabeth Brooke Tyson, 1818-1905--Correspondence
- Smith, John Marsh, 1818-1890--Correspondence
- Smith, Matthew, 1779-1865--Correspondence
- Smith, Thomas Marsh--Correspondence
- Tyson, Frederick, b. 1828--Correspondence
- Tyson, Nathan, 1787-1867--Correspondence
Geographical Names
- Baltimore (Md.)--Social life and customs
- California--Description and travel
- California--Gold discoveries
- Oregon--Description and travel
- South Carolina--Economic conditions
Form or Genre Terms
- Letters
