This file contains the hard covered, hand written in ink diary of Captain Thomas W. Mulford.The journal is in good condition, with the spine intact, and the hand writing is clear and legible throughout. The diary also includes, glue to an inside page, the "Constitution of the Patchogue Mining and Trading Company", and a photograph of Capt. Mulford. The journal has his printed obituary and page 949-950 from the book, "History of Alameda County" by M. W. Wood, which contains a "biographical sketch" of Mr. Wulford.

Captain Thomas W. Mulford was born on Long Island, New York April 25th,1829 and he died in San Francisco on August 12th, 1907. Thomas Mulford was a farmer in New York until the news of gold's discovery in California reached the East Coast. Soon he left New York state on board the "Barque Heoka", with a man named "James Maguire as master", on February 5, 1849. His diary includes a full list of the passengers on board and their places of residence. The ship sailed to San Francisco via Cape Horn, stopping in Rio and Valparaiso, entering the Bay of San Francisco on September 17, 1849. In 1850, Mr. Mulford went with the "Briggs party" to mine for gold a "Rose Bar". He and his team had little success and he mentions making more money from selling the game he has hunted. By 1853-4 he had left the mines and went into farming full time. He would go onto become a very successful farmer and land owner within California. In 1866 he married Miss Hannah Hudson, whom he had two daughters with. One survived and one died in childhood. Mr. Mulford was also a lifetime member of the Society of California Pioneers having joined October 5th, 1863.

1 folder 1 Hard bound journal

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