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THBCalifornia and Hawaii in 1850, Detailed Letter Describing Honolulu, the King, Queen, and California Gold Rush
About Seller
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Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
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About Auction
LiveSep 8, 2017 - Sep 9, 2017
Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
View Full Catalog (427)
- Lot Description
Allison, J.F. ALS, 4pp, 8.5 x 10.5 in., "Sacramento City," [California]. April 22, 1850.
J.F. Allison writes a detailed letter to his parents concerning his business ventures and adventure to the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. He writes:
After a tedious passage of 25 days arrived in safety...Honolulu is the capital of the Islands, it presents a pretty appearance from the deck of a vessel, it is situated on the west side of the island on the beach with the mountains in the background. It has quiet a novel appearance with its groves of Coconuts and grass houses.
He goes onto explain a tour of the city he took with a schoolmaster and goods he bought from a market. He mentions that Hawaiians "are a pleasant and rather pleasing people but the most immoral licentious people in the world," most can read and write thanks to visiting missionaries, and are intelligent. As for the government, he writes:
The government is something like the English, having a King an upper and lower house and a privy council composed of the premier the minister of France the minister of foreign relations the minister of the home department these with the exception of the premier and king are English and American by birth and two or three chiefs who hold offices....The King is a fine gentlemanly looking man the Queen is stout haughty piece of goods the Premier is a fine intelligent looking man he is the son of an English sailor by relation of the royal family.
After describing more aspects of his voyage and his return to California, he then shifts conversation towards his business interests in Sacramento City:
I cannot give you much news about the mines as there is not much doing in them yet the water is too high, but I think there will be an emmence quantity of gold taken out this summer'they are discovering new diggings almost every day there are great preparations of mining this summer'There are a great number of emigrants arriving every day in Sacramento City it is growing rapidly although fire and flood destroy...I think that if ever there was a chance of making money it is in California now.
A collection of letters from a J.F. Allison are currently housed at the Bancroft Library at the University of California Berkley. It is very likely that they represent the same individual, but this has not been confirmed.
It is also possible that the letters were authored by John Fall Allison, who was a pioneer settler, Justice of the Peace, Postmaster and Gold Commissioner in the Similkameen Country of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. He left California in 1858 to seek his fortune elsewhere in Canada and played an influential part in developing that region of British Columbia. He was the first European settler to discover Allison Pass, which was named in his honor.
Condition
Typical folds of the letter as well as some minor brittle edges and a tear at one of the folds. One page has clear tape affixed to it, but it does not affect the legibility of the letter.
For more information on John Fall Allison, please visit: http://knowbc.com/limited/Books/Encyclopedia-of-BC/A/Allison-John-Fall-and-Susan-Moir
Presently in excellent working condition. Some wear to painted decoration and veneer, including losses. The song list is not present. Cowan's does not guarantee the working condition of these items at the time of purchase.
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