The Finding Aid of the Thomas Mulford Diary C058774
John Davis
Society of California Pioneers
05/09/2018
101 Montgomery Street, Suite 150
Presidio of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94129
pkeats@californiapioneers.org
Note
B-V-8f / B001633
Contributing Institution:
Society of California Pioneers
Title: Thomas Mulford Diary
Creator:
Mulford, Thomas W., Captain, 1829-1907
Identifier/Call Number: C058774
Physical Description:
1 folder
1 Hard bound journal
Date (inclusive): 1849-1850
Abstract: This file contains the hard covered, hand written in ink diary of Captain Thomas W. Mulford.The journal is in good condition,
with the spine intact, and the hand writing is clear and legible throughout. The diary also includes, glue to an inside page,
the "Constitution of the Patchogue Mining and Trading Company", and a photograph of Capt. Mulford. The journal has his printed
obituary and page 949-950 from the book, "History of Alameda County" by M. W. Wood, which contains a "biographical sketch"
of Mr. Wulford.
Language of Material:
English
.
The Diary of Captain Thomas W Mulford describes the 224 day passage of the barque "Keoka" from New York City to San Francisco,
via Cape Horn. The ship left New York on February 5, 1849; it arrived in Rio de Janiero on April 4; Valpariso on June 20;
and made San Francisco on September 17, 1849. The volumn also contains a listing of the 34 passengers on the voyage. It begins
with the Constitution of the Patehogue Mining and Trading Company. It also has a photograph of Captain Mulford, a biographical
sketch on Capt Mulford from the Weekly Commerce Record (Jan 30, 1890) and another biographical record from the History of
Alameda County, 1883
Most of the daily entries in the journal describe the weather, sailing progress and sea conditions. Frequent reference is
made to the unsatisfactory behavior of the ship's Captain McGuire. The log also includes descriptions of Rio de Janiero, Valpariso,
and San Francisco on arrival in September of 1849.
Captain Thomas W. Mulford was born on Long Island, New York April 25th,1829 and he died in San Francisco on August 12th, 1907.
Thomas Mulford was a farmer in New York until the news of gold's discovery in California reached the East Coast. Soon he left
New York state on board the "Barque Heoka", with a man named "James Maguire as master", on February 5, 1849. His diary includes
a full list of the passengers on board and their places of residence. The ship sailed to San Francisco via Cape Horn, stopping
in Rio and Valparaiso, entering the Bay of San Francisco on September 17, 1849. In 1850, Mr. Mulford went with the "Briggs
party" to mine for gold a "Rose Bar". He and his team had little success and he mentions making more money from selling the
game he has hunted. By 1853-4 he had left the mines and went into farming full time. He would go onto become a very successful
farmer and land owner within California. In 1866 he married Miss Hannah Hudson, whom he had two daughters with. One survived
and one died in childhood. Mr. Mulford was also a lifetime member of the Society of California Pioneers having joined October
5th, 1863.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source and Date of Acquisition Unknown
Existence and Location of Originals
The Society of California Pioneers, 101 Montgomery St., Suite 150 The Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco CA, 94129
Thomas Mulford Diary, The Society of California Pioneers
Collection open for research
There are no restrictions on access
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Society of California Pioneers.
Frontier and pioneer life – California
Pioneers -- California -- History -- 19th century
Gold mines and mining -- California -- History.
Voyages to the Pacific coast
Navigation -- Chile -- Horn, Cape
Valparaiso (Chile)
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Alameda County (Calif.) -- History.
Agriculture -- California -- Alameda County
Heoka (Barque)
Briggs, Abel R
Faning, LD
Green, Israel
Whiting, Edw H
Overton, Elias P
Wiggs, Moses
Terry, Edmund