Hawks, Jabez D. Diary, 1849

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Summary

Title:
Hawks, Jabez D. Diary
Dates:
1849
Creators:
Hawks, Jabez Davis, 1811-1869
Abstract:
This diary is a daily account, written by Jabez Davis Hawks, of the trials his party endured when they left the schooner “San Juan” at San Domingo on August 11, 1849, and set out on foot for San Diego. The party initially had trouble obtaining mules and horses to pack their belongings; later, their guide stole a mule and abandoned them in unfamiliar surroundings. The resulting hunger and dehydration caused some of the horses to die. Eventually the party did reach San Diego on October 2, 1849, where they boarded a ship for San Francisco. The journey concluded on October 10, 1849, when their ship docked in San Francisco.
Containers:
Box: B001620
Folder: C059290
Extent:
1.0 folder (1 diary)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Jabez D. Hawks Diary. The Society of California Pioneers.

Background

Scope and content:

This diary is a daily account, written by Jabez Davis Hawks, of the trials his party endured when they left the schooner “San Juan” at San Domingo on August 11, 1849, and set out on foot for San Diego. The party initially had trouble obtaining mules and horses to pack their belongings; later, their guide stole a mule and abandoned them in unfamiliar surroundings. The resulting hunger and dehydration caused some of the horses to die. Eventually the party did reach San Diego on October 2, 1849, where they boarded a ship for San Francisco. The journey concluded on October 10, 1849, when their ship docked in San Francisco. The diary begins with a list of passengers upon the “San Juan,” followed by a list of those in the party that left the ship. Hawks writes of the food they are able to find, their troubles with the pack animals, foraging for mussels and wild plants, and drinking salty water they obtain by digging holes. Hawks wrote a description of every mission and ranch they visited, and in some cases drew illustrations. Daily entries were made in pencil and were later written over, in the same hand, in pen. Pencil drawings of Rancho Santa Martha, San Gertrude Mission, San Borgia Church, El Rosario Mission (including a drawing of the ruins of the church and the “Wm. Emmis Casa”), and El Descanso [?]. Accounts records, language translations (days of the week, cooking and eating terms), and lists of provisions and supplies are included. The handwriting is very small but legible in most places, although it does deteriorate significantly in the final entries. The last entry is in pencil and nearly illegible.

Biographical / historical:

Jabez Davis Hawks was born in Richfield, Otsego, New York on 11/21/1811 to James Hawks and Laura Davis. He passed away on 05/11/1869 in San Francisco, California.

The author’s account of his travels, written in the front of the diary: “The ‘San Juan’ was bot [sic] by J.D. Hawks and T.M. Kones for $24.00 and started for San Francisco from Panama April 21, 1849—in 49 days we made the port of Acapulco—Left Acapulco June 21. On the 11th of August 10 passengers left to go by land to San Diego—the schooner arrived at San Francisco [unreadable] the latter part of December. The ‘San Juan’ was 23 tons [burden]—and the passengers and crew suffered very much for want of provisions and water—being on an allowance of ½ pint of water per day for some three weeks, with a very short supply of provisions—the whole of the party arrived safely in San Francisco and in good health. This is one of the smallest schooners or ships that have performed so long a passage.”

Acquisition information:
Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Carolee Gilligan Wheeler
Date Prepared:
08/07/2003
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2014-04-24T16:17-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on access.

Preferred citation:

Jabez D. Hawks Diary. The Society of California Pioneers.

Location of this collection:
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107, US
Contact:
(415) 957-1849 ext. 160
mmdevine@californiapioneers.org
Website