William Wesley Boak Pocket Letter Book to His Wife Samantha
Thirty-seven page autograph signed filled-in Gregory's Express Pocket Letter Book, written by an Iowan gold seeker in California to his wife with an interesting detailed description of the mild climate and successful farming in the Santa Clara Valley, preceding its development as the world's leading fruit growing region in the early 20th century. An interesting detailed letter with an early first-hand account of the Santa Clara Valley, emphasizing its mild climate and favourable farming conditions. The author, William W. Boak, a son of Irish immigrants who ended up in Iowa in the 1830s, was "primarily a stock raiser and farmer." In 1852 he "caught up the gold rush fever" and went to California. "After arriving in California, he found little gold, and joined in the lumbering business with a friend. Sometime in 1853 he took a ship from California, traveled south around Mexico, crossed on foot through Central America, caught another ship which took him north along the United States coast to New York and finally back home to Iowa" (Panzer, D.B. The Beech Tree: A History and Genealogy of the Boake Family..., pp. 145-146). In the letter to his wife Samantha (1829-1927) Boak lists all members of the partnership he had joined in Santa Clara (apparently, lumbering business in the nearby mountains), gives detailed descriptions of the Valley's climate and agriculture, and lists the prices for main groceries (flour, pickled pork, mackerel, beef, molasses, coffee, butter etc.) According to the author of the family genealogy Dorothy Boake Panzer, William Wesley Boak kept a captivating diary of his adventures in California which was later transcribed by his son and in the 1970s was kept in the family (Panzer, D.B. The Beech Tree..., pp. 145-146). Overall an interesting early description of the Santa Clara Valley. [From dealer description].