William Wilcox letter: San Francisco, California, to Mary, East Hartford, Connecticut
Finding aid created by San Francisco History Center staff using RecordEXPRESS
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
2020
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, California 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
http://sfpl.org/sfhistory
Title: William Wilcox letter: San Francisco, California, to Mary, East Hartford, Connecticut
Dates: January 13, 1858
Collection Number: SFH 610
Creator/Collector:
Wilcox, William, d. 1862
Extent: 1 folder
Repository:
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
San Francisco, California 94102
Abstract: Letter from a 19th century ship’s captain to his wife
Language of Material: English
The collection is open for research.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
William Wilcox letter: San Francisco, California, to Mary, East Hartford, Connecticut. San Francisco Public Library. San
Francisco History Center
Purchase, 2019
Biography/Administrative History
William Wilcox was a native of East Hartford, Connecticut and worked as a ship's captain for his adult life. He married Mary
Hills in 1849; they had at least three children, William G., Fanny, and Ella. Wilcox died March 4, 1862 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Scope and Content of Collection
The folder includes letter (1 leaf, folded) from William Wilcox, San Francisco, to his wife Mary, in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Wilcox describes searching for, and locating, his brother-in-law Gilbert Hill's grave in Yerba Buena Cemetery, about two miles
from where Wilcox's schooner is anchored. Records of cemetery burials burned in a fire in 1854, and many markers had deteriorated
or bore no inscriptions. Wilcox has included a hand-drawn diagram of the location of Hill's grave in the letter. Wilcox
mentions being in the company of Mr. Sanders, of Deep River, Connecticut. On January 13, he writes that he "is about to sail
tomorrow" and it will be "some 3 months before our return."
Cemeteries -- California -- San Francisco
Gravestones – California -- San Francisco
Ship captains -- Connecticut
Hills, Gilbert, d. 1850
Wilcox family
Hills family
Yerba Buena Cemetery (San Francisco, Calif.)
San Francisco (California) -- Description and travel.