Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Register of the John K. Wallis California Diary,
1851-1857
Mss131
No online items
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: John K. Wallis California Diary,
Date (inclusive): 1851-1857
Collection number: Mss131
Creator:
John K. Wallis
Extent: 0.25 linear ft.
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of
Special Collections
Stockton, CA 95211
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.
Collection is open for research.
[Identification of item], John K. Wallis California Diary, Mss131,
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific
Library
John Wallis was born in Cornwall (1828) and brought to Wisconsin while
still a child (1835). His family had been miners in Cornwall but farmed at
their new home. There, at age 13, John experienced a religious conversion which
influenced his attitudes and behavior for the rest of his life.
Following marriage to Elizabeth James (1851), he sailed for California
via Panama, arriving in San Francisco in January (1852). He went immediately to
Springfield, near Sonora, and there spent much of the next five years preaching
the gospel in his spare time and mining gold. Wallis also tried farming in
eastern Stanislaus county (1853-1854). In the fall of 1857 Wallis returned to
Wisconsin. His narrative ceases with a description of his first few days at
home.
The Wallis Diary entries are well-organized, and--though often
terse--form an easily understood, readable description of a miner's and
farmer's daily life. Wallis is particulary informative with respect to the
business aspects of early placer mining. He describes in some detail his claims
purchases, partnership agreements, gold sharing arrangements (including
specifics on the amount of gold shared), and his work agreements with various
employers. His descriptions of stock breeding and grain farming under the
adverse conditions prevailing in California at that time are both touching and
informative.