Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Murrell, George McKinley, 1826-1872
- Abstract:
- Correspondence of George M. Murrell who came to California in 1849 to mine for gold.
- Extent:
- 1.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. George McKinley Murrell correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists of letters written by George M. Murrell describing his overland journey in the spring of 1849 as far as Fort Kearny, Nebraska. Other topics discussed are river travel, life along the wagon trail, wagon train organization, and interactions with Native Americans. After his arrival in Sacramento, California, in September 1849, the letters deal with mining and business ventures in California Gold Rush country near Coloma. The collection also contains two photographs of Murrell, approximately 1860.
- Biographical / historical:
-
George M. Murrell left Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1849, to come to California. He was accompanied by the enslaved man, Reuben; George M. Murrell was his enslaver. They traveled by steamer on the Ohio and Missouri Rivers, and continued from Independence, Missouri, by wagon train with the Green River California Company. Murrell left the company, and they traveled to the Sacramento Valley by way of Lassen's Route, eventually joining the rest of the company in mining country. They settled in El Dorado County, where Murrell engaged in mining and business.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Clifford C. Burton, 1969.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Valerie Franco in the 1970s. In December 2024, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged chronologically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- African Americans -- California
Enslaved persons -- California
Enslavement -- California
Gold mines and mining -- California -- El Dorado County
Gold mines and mining -- California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Overland journeys to the Pacific -- Personal narratives
Pioneers -- California -- Correspondence
California, Northern -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Letters (correspondence)
Photographs - Names:
- Green River California Company
- Places:
- California -- Gold discoveries -- Personal narratives
Coloma (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
El Dorado County (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. George McKinley Murrell correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191