first edition
1888 · San Francisco
by Harlan, Jacob Wright
San Francisco: The Bancroft Company, 1888. First Edition. Very Good. [8.75x6.25in]; 242 pp., frontispiece illustration of Harlan in later years; Gray-brown cloth covers on beveled boards with gilt stamped lettering on front and spine, rules on front with embossed illustration in black ink, dark green floral end papers, all edges trimmed, typical period rounded spine and concaveed fore edge; Light shelf wear to edges and corners and joint edges at top and bottom of spine. [Cowan64 p. 264, Graff 1783]. Jacob Wright Harlan (1828-1902) joined the Boggs-Moran wagon train to California in 1846. Once he arrive, he joined Fremont's California Battalion in the Mexican- American war. This book, California '46 to '88 contains Harlan's memories of his overland journey to California in 1846, acquaintance with rescuers and survivors of the Reed and Donner Parties, joining Fremont's battalion in 1846-1847, San Francisco milk and livery businesses, storekeeping in gold camps near Coloma and Sonora, farming and ranching in and near San José, San Joaquin Valley, Alameda, and Choloma Valley. He returned to the East in 1852 through Panama. The following year, he made a second overland trip to California as part of cattle drive and real estate development in the new community of San Leandro.
(Inventory #: 13924)