Finding Aid of the Captain Augustine D. Carpenter Journal C058778
Finding aid prepared by Nick Scales
Society of California Pioneers
August 4, 2015
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA, 94107-1272
(415) 959-1849
pkeats@californiapioneers.org
Title: Carpenter, Augustine D., Captain Journal
Identifier/Call Number: C058778
Contributing Institution:
Society of California Pioneers
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
1 bound lined journal 59 pages of daily entries handwritten in ink. legible
Date: Feb 14 to Dec 15, 1849
Abstract: This is an original journal, handwritten in ink on 59 pages, providing a daily record of the round the Horn voyage of Capt.
Augustine D. Carpenter from Boston to San Francisco. The voyage took 210 days (7 months) and commenced on February 14, 1849
and ended on September 12, 1849 on arrival in San Francisco Bay. The last journal entry, after a 3 month pause, was on Dec
15, 1849 written at Upper Springs, Redding Diggings where Carpenter was engaged in trade and mining. After 2 months he was
able to send $500 in gold dust to his wife in Boston, where he planned to return.
creator:
Carpenter, Augustine D., b. 1819, Captain
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of Harold A. Vincent, January 1953.
Very little could be found on Captain Augustine D. Carpenter. Since the donor of this journal is unknown, we cannot use the
donor's family to search Carpenter's ancestry. His name appears in the Rhode Island Historical Society's papers of T.K. Carpenter,
as Augustine D. Carpenter. The ship, or brig, he sailed on, the Colonel Taylor, left from Boston, and in the diary he sends
gold dust back to his wife in Boston, linking Carpenter to that city and confirming that he was married when he left for San
Francisco. Carpenter arrived in San Francisco on September 12, 1849, and according to his journal (a section written after
a 3 month gap from his arrival date in San Francisco), Carpenter was at Upper Springs, Redding Diggins - where he engaged
in trade and mining. This may be the Reddings Diggings between Marysville and Sacramento. At the end of his journal, he notes
this complete's his "thirtieth year", writing in Dec. 15, 1849, so that makes his date of birth 1819. The only other published
record found on Carpenter, was in The Argonauts of California, by Haskins - where he is cited as: Carpenter, Augustine D.,
on page 365, as an Ex-member of the S.F. Pioneer Association. This reference may be to the Society of California Pioneers
- they were sometimes referred to as the SF Pioneer Association, since Carpenter appears in our early member records as Augustine
D. Carpenter, being elected to membership on October 7, 1867.
This is an original journal, handwritten in ink on 59 pages, providing a daily record of the round the Horn voyage of Capt.
Augustine D. Carpenter from Boston to San Francisco. The voyage took 210 days (7 months) and commenced on February 14, 1849
and ended on September 12, 1849 on arrival in San Francisco Bay. The last journal entry, after a 3 month pause, was on Dec.
15, 1849 written at Upper Springs, Redding Diggings where Carpenter was engaged in trade and mining. After 2 months he was
able to send $500 in gold dust to his wife in Boston, where he planned to return.
The journal is fairly stark reflecting the repetitive nature of days at sea. On August 11th, Carpenter describes his daily
routine: arising at 4a.m.; reading the bible; studying Spanish; praying along and with friends; meals; sewing clothing; and
retiring at dark.
Col. Taylor cleared the Straits of Magellen on May 24, made land only once at Talcahuano, Chile
Captain Carpenter became a member of the Society of California Pioneers in Oct. 7, 1867.
Conditions Governing Access note
Collection open for research
There are no restrictions on access
Carpenter, Augustine D. Journal, The Society of California Pioneers
Existence and Location of Originals note
The Society of California Pioneers.
Related Archival Materials note
There is a photocopy of the original journal in the Society's Biography File.
Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Atwood, Mr.
Bacon, H, Mr
Bean, Mr.
Canfield, M., Mr
Chaplin, JP, Mr
Crosby, Wm, Counsel
Fidler, Mr
Hunt, M, Rev
Lovett, Captain
Spalding, Mr
Stevenson, Mr
Upham, Mr
Weber, Mr
Woodside, Mr
California, Northern - History - 19th century.
Journeys to the Pacific Coast
Voyages to the Pacific coast