Diaries kept by a farmer in San Benito County, California, presenting a detailed picture of rural life for the period. Comments on weather; farming operations; happenings in the community; economic conditions; social life; trips the family took in their wagon to Monterey, Santa Cruz, Yosemite, etc.; Democratic politics in the county and the state; and the prohibition movement. Entries for the fall of l888 and l890 describe his campaigns for sheriff and for assessor on the Prohibition Party ticket. The diary for l899 and 1900 covers his activities in coppper mining near Panoche, San Benito County. Volume for l878-1883 contains copies of letters written by him. Accounts at end of volumes for years l874-1876 and l884-l885. The last volume contains copies of letters written by various members of the family, l852-l859, and loose pages from his diary covering his voyage from San Francisco to Alaska, Apr. l898. reel 1 contains volumes 1-6, July 1869-May 1883; reel 2, volumes 7-13, June 1883-Oct. 1900 and letterbook.
