Southard, Nial Letter MC361
Vanessa Cardona Ocegueda
University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections
2023
1st Floor, Shields Library, University of California
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
Telephone: (530) 752-1621
Fax Number: (530) 754-5758
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Southard, Nial Letter
Creator:
Southard, Nial
source:
Globus Books
Identifier/Call Number: MC361
Physical Description:
1 letter
[2] pp., with integral blank docketed on verso in pencil.
Date: April 10, 1853
Abstract: A letter written by Nial Southard, a California pioneer and a native of New York State who arrived in San Francisco in 1852
and mined for gold near Sacramento.
Physical Location: Researchers should contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased form Globus Books, 2023.
Nial Southard (ca. 1820 - 1914), was a California pioneer and a native of New York State who arrived in San Francisco in 1852
and mined for gold near Sacramento. After leaving California in the mid-1850s, he moved to Michigan and raised seven children
with his wife, Mary Taylor. On 14 December 1914, "Nial Southard, one of the oldest residents of the Tennessee Valley, died
in Limestone County. Mr. Southard was 95 years and 5 months old and for thirty-seven years was a resident of this section,
having moved here from Michigan in 1877." (Chattanooga Daily Times. 14 December 1914. P.3)
[Identification of item], Southard, Nial Letter, MC361, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of
California, Davis.
Vanessa Cardona Ocegueda created this finding aid with information supplied by Globus Books.
Dated 10 April 1853, the letter is written by Nial Southard (ca. 1820 - 1914), a California pioneer and a native of New York
State who arrived in San Francisco in 1852 and mined for gold near Sacramento. After leaving California in the mid-1850s,
he moved to Michigan and raised seven children with his wife, Mary Taylor. On 14 December 1914, "Nial Southard, one of the
oldest residents of the Tennessee Valley, died in Limestone County. Mr. Southard was 95 years and 5 months old and for thirty-seven
years was a resident of this section, having moved here from Michigan in 1877." (Chattanooga Daily Times. 14 December 1914.
P.3)
The author addresses the letter to his wife back home in New York. In the text, full of spelling mistakes, Nial meticulously
describes his job as an assistant cook in one of the earliest local gold mining camps and talks about his daily menus and
hectic schedule ("i hafte wosh my close evry Sudaday and help Coock so it make mee lisey"). The author notes, "I can wash
dishes as fast as any women," and complains about the lack of ladies in the Gold Rush State: "I haven't spoke to only three
or four ladies since I have been in California." In the text, Nial also writes about his health and comments on California's
smooth & fast mailing services. In the rest of the letter, the author details his financial matters and plans for the future,
contemplates Mary Taylor's possible arrival in Sacramento, and shares news about his family members and relatives.
Full Transcript
My dear wife i recived your leter last week your leter wos dated feb the 23 i - to work for Robrot Pamer i a garden eatin
vegbills and exspect to stay till i mve hom nex fall my helth is good at presant i hafte work vary had i will yell you how
wee live seven of our famly and i am one of the coock wee hav no wimon in our famly i havent spouck to only three or four
lady sence i have been in California i hafte wosh my close evry Sudaday and help Coock so it make mee lisey all the day long
- - our day work and coock for the rest i can wosh dishes as fast as any women i hav lent Pary - fifty dollars and mister
Aron abbott of Dover one hundre dollars he has turnaout a morgague an mister Colinge farm for security i hav about one hundre
and fifty dollars moare - i wont you to lete mee now how mis ficher gites along with his farming you can send a leter evry
week to California the mail comevry week to California is that boy biganouf to go tochool or is baby yet i wood like to see
him and his mother to day i hav not hirdany thing of miner Brown sence i lefte but whot you Whot is our - an comin to meet
mee or the way i whod like to have you meet me if cood tell when i cood bee at new york But meby it will com rit for mee to
meet you whod liketo hav you com and visit my for week i com home mrs Caroll is well
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to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Archives and Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is
not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gold mines and mining -- California
California -- History -- 19th century
Correspondence
Globus Books