Letters concerning the Territorial Enterprise, Mark Twain, and the writing of his book on the Big Bonanza ; manuscripts of sketches written for newspapers and magazines; clippings; notes and notebooks; a few papers of other members of his family. The correspondence consists of a letter to his brother- in-law, Dr. J.M. Benjamin, Omega, California, 1860; 18 to his sister Lou (Mrs. Benjamin), 1874-1885; one by his daughter Mell to Mrs. Benjamin, 1878; and 37 letters received, 1875-1897; from Hiram C. Clark, 1878; Samuel Clemens ("Mark Twain") (3), 1864-1875; E.D. Cope, 1880; Amos J. Cummings (2), 1885-1886; Wells Drury, 1897; James G. Fair, 1875; L.W. Ferris, 1875; Henry J. Ford (2), 1887; Joseph Wasson, 1880; John Greenleaf Whittier, 1897; and B.B. Wiley (1887). With the Twain letters is a first draft of Twain's letter to W.K. Cutler, Virginia, May 28, 1864, offering to accept a challenge to a duel, and the cover of Twain's wedding announcement, with remarks to "Dan." Accompanying the correspondence are drafts of five letters written by his daughter, Lura G. Wright, from Newport, Oregon, ca. 1914-1915, in connection with proposals of George Wharton James to publish Dan DeQuille's sketches, a letter from her cousin "Harry," and from Edward E. Hale, Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1901, and biographical sketch of Wright. Miscellaneous family papers include four Civil War diaries written by Wright's brother, John M. Wright (1836-1918), while serving as a private in the Second Iowa Cavalry, December 9, 1861-September 23, 1864. He campaigned in Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi, fought at Corinth, and engaged in many skirmishes against Nathan Bedford Forrest. With the diaries are his honorable discharge, Davenport, Iowa, October 3, 1864; a deed to a lot at Newport, Oregon, 1910; and a deed to a cemetery plot at Newport 1914. Another diary, by Mrs. Benjamin, July 28-September 1, 1879, and July 29-August 5, 1880, describes vacation trips to the Eastern states and Minnesota from West Liberty, Iowa.
