Description
The diary and 13 letters concern Eastland's overland trip from Nashville, Tenn. to Mazatlan
where he boarded the steamer Oregon for the remainder of the
trip to San Francisco.
Background
The route followed by Eastland was through Texas and Mexico, but after 4 months enroute
West Eastland wrote to his wife "...we are still 170 miles from El Paso...gross ignorance or
willful design has governed those who induced the government to make a road this route...".
On Sept. 11,1849 Eastland decided to strike out on his own--to continue to Chichuahua and
there book passage to San Francisco. He arrived in San Francisco aboard the steamer Oregon on Dec. 1, 1848. By 1850 he and his son had formed Eastland
and Son, a diversified business venture. Thomas Eastland returned to his family in Nashville
in 1853. In addition to his business venture with his son he had purchased mining claims in
Chinese Camp and Indian Gulch and lots for resale in the short-lived town of Ora in what was
then Sutter Co., now Placer Co.
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to The North Baker Research Library. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the
Library Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The North Baker
Research Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or
imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates:
https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/