Francis Hanford Russel Collection

The Francis Hanford Russel Collection consists of four letters and a diary-type notebook. One of the letters is a letter of introduction to General Persifor F. Smith and signed by then ex-president, James Buchanan. The other letters are dated from 1849, and describe Russel’s journey to California by sea, and his time in San Francisco and Sacramento. The notebook is primarily a list of accounts and addresses. The only diary entries are from Russel’s wedding date and the few days following when he and his new wife went to New York to embark on the return journey to California. Please note that historical materials in the Gold Rush Collections may include viewpoints and values that are not consistent with the values of the California State Library or the State of California and may be considered offensive. Materials must be viewed in the context of the relevant time period but views are in no way endorsed by the State Library. The California State Library’s mission is to provide credible information services to all Californians and, as such, the content of historical materials should be transcribed as it appears in the original document.