Newberry Library - Journal 1860 May 24

Journal 1860 May 24 - Nov. 15

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Open book James P. Owen journal, May 25-November 15, 1860

Title Journal 1860 May 24 - Nov. 15

Creator Owen, James P

Date 1860

Place Colorado, New Mexico, United States--Overland Trails, United States--Saint Joe Road, West United States

Language English

Subjects Frontier and pioneer life, Gold miners, Gold mines and mining, Indians of North America

Description Forms part of the Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection (Newberry Library)
Formerly known as Ayer MS 670a or 670.5.
In box with title: Pike's Peak. Owen.

Summary Journal, May 24 - Nov. 15, 1860, kept by James Owen on his trip west to Colorado and return. Included are descriptions of the Platte River region; travellers (including returning Colorado miners) and Indians encountered on the road; Denver; poverty and lawlessness in the Colorado gold regions (Colorado City, Hamilton, Tarryall, and Canyon City); the route to New Mexico; Taos and Santa Fe; an Apache and Ute festival outside of Taos; and the return trip on the Santa Fe Trail amid fears of Indian attack. There is also a "Table of distances traveled as pr journal from St. Joseph ... to Denver," and an enclosed Jan. 21, 1861, letter from D.H. Soggs, a former Chicago neighbor Owen encountered in the gold fields.

Biographical/Historical Note Chicago resident and overland traveller to Pike's Peak, Colorado. Born in Wales and formerly residing in New York state, Owen was listed in the 1860 U.S. Census as a fifty year old Chicago merchant owning real property worth $10,000. In May, 1860, he and his son John (age 13), left Chicago with five others for the Colorado gold fields. They travelled by rail, riverboat, and wagon on the Platte River road and Pike's Peak trail. Leaving Colorado for Taos and Santa Fe, N.M., Owen and his son returned home via Fort Union and Council Grove, Kan.

Extent 1 v. (113 p.) ; 31 cm + 1 letter (2 p. ; 26 cm)

Format Correspondence, Diaries, Manuscripts, Transcripts, Travel literature

Archival Collection Title Edward E. Ayer Collection, Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Ayer MS 3144

BibID 131889

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 2253px × 3477px 22.44 MB

File Created 11/12/2013

Filename 991318898805867_Ayer_MS_3144_00001.tif

Unique Identifier NL11M2H1