Cook (Eli) Letters, 1849-1856, bulk Bulk, 1849-1852

Collection context

Summary

Title:
Cook, Eli Letters
Dates:
1849-1856, bulk Bulk, 1849-1852
Creators:
Cook, Eli
Abstract:
This folder contains two booklets with 21 letters stored in them. The letters are mostly from Eli Cook and addressed to his wife Sarah and their children. These letters have no specific subject matter and simply detail his daily life. They date from 1849-1852.
Containers:
Box: 3-18C
Folder: C057958
Extent:
1.0 folder (21 letters)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Eli Cook Letters. The Society of California Pioneers.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 21 letters written by Eli Cook, all adressed to his wife, Sarah Cook. The first two are from St. Louis, Missouri and dated 04/1849. He travels westward and reaches California by October of 1849, where he stayed in Sacramento for a time before moving on to Nevada City in January of 1851. The majority of his letters are from Nevada City and deal with his day to day life, including his dry goods business which he operated with success in Nevada City for a number of years. The letters authored by Eli Cook run from 04/1849 to 12/1852.

There are two additional letters included, one addressed to Sarah Cook from Hiram C. Hodge concerning money sent to her from Nevada, dated 04/24/1853. The other is also addressed to Sarah Cook and is from her friend Julia Leslie (?) in Sacramento, California, and is dated 07/26/1856 and mentions the passing of Eli Cook but gives no date.

Biographical / historical:

Eli Cook was married to Sarah Cook (maiden name unknown), and had multiple children, daughters Adeline, Angeline and Emeline and a son, Franklin. His family lived in Springfield, Illinois and he travelled west from St. Joseph, Missouri in 1849 without them. He travelled to Sacramento, California before settling in Nevada City and operating a dry goods business. He lived in Nevada City until at least December of1852. While living in Illinois he was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge.

His birth and death dates are unknown.

Acquisition information:
Mrs. Marjorie A. Howard 04/04/1961
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Michael Lange
Date Prepared:
10/11/2011
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2014-02-21T12:08-0800

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on access.

Preferred citation:

Eli Cook Letters. The Society of California Pioneers.

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