The following letter was written by William Wallace Hanscom (1839-1888) the son of Isaiah Hanscom (1815-1880) and Sarah Cutts Frost (1812-1865) of Kittery, York county, Maine. The letter was datelined from the Navy Yard at Mare Island, California, where “Wallace” had arrived some six weeks earlier in company with his mother and his younger brother, Weldon LeRoy Hanscom (1843-1919) after a journey of 25 days via two steamships and a train across the Isthmus of Panama.

Researching the Hanscom family, I discovered that the entire family had relocated from Maine to California in July 1854—three years earlier—where Wallace’s father found employment supervising the construction of dry docks and railway at Vallejo for the US Government. Wallace’s older brother, John O. Hanscom also worked on the same project for his father. In 1857, John left for San Francisco to take a job with Goddard and Company in the machinery and foundry business.

So it appears this letter described the return trip to San Francisco from a visit East to visit family and friends, most likely. In the 1880 US Census, Wallace was enumerated in San Francisco employed as an Engineer.

One of the more curious observations made by Wallace during this journey occurred when their steamer stopped in Kingston, Jamaica, to take on a load of coal. “There is one circumstance which to a New Englander seems rather strange [and] that is the manner in which labor is performed. That is [done] altogether by females—even carrying coal on board the vessel is performed by them by carrying it on their heads in half barrel tubs, while the males merely go around selling fruit or baskets or some such light work as that.”

Transcription

Navy Yard Mare Island, California
September 10, 1857

Dear Madam,

Have you ever written the first letter to a stranger. If so, perhaps you can imagine my thoughts just at this moment when you try to think of the most suitable manner in which to commence, when one particular form continually arises before your imagination yet your mind convinces you that it is unfit. Such is my position. Therefore, let not this commencement surprise you as strange for I may write stranger things for I am considered by some as strange—and in fact I know I am in some things, yet there is a certain feeling which controls me and cannot be put aside.

Perhaps some of the incidents of our voyage from New York to San Francisco may be interesting to you, although if you examine the September number of “Putnam’s Monthly,” you may find it more interesting as I understand that is to be published in that magazine. We sailed from New York on the 6th of July with about 50 passengers in the first cabin, 150 in the second, and about 200 in the steerage which all together amounted to about 400 and which was very fortunate and pleasant—they the most quiet set of passengers which was ever on that steamer Illinois.

On the 13th of July we arrived at Kingston, Island of Jamaica, after a pleasant voyage of 7 days, for the purpose of taking on board 400 tons of coal which detained us about 16 hours. In the meantime several of the passengers including myself started from the vessel on a tour through the city as all the passengers went on shore. After traveling about a few minutes—for the sun was so hot that we were glad to get into the shade—we called at the house of an English lady who agreed to get up a dinner for us, or our party which consisted of 18 persons, and after waiting about four hours, we sat down to a fine dinner including almost all the fruits natural to the tropical climate.

After dinner, it then being about 5 o’clock, the male portion of the party took a troll around the city, it then being cool and comfortable walking after which I proceeded on board of the steamer and after a short while the rest came. Immense quantities of fruit were brought on the wharf near the vessel for the passengers to purchase of they chose, and which of course was done.

There is one circumstance which to a New Englander seems rather strange [and] that is the manner in which labor is performed. That is [done] altogether by females—even carrying coal on board the vessel is performed by them by carrying it on their heads in half barrel tubs, while the males merely go around selling fruit or baskets or some such light work as that.

On the morning of the 14th of July at 4 o’clock in the morning, a signal gun was fired warning the passengers to be on board and at 5 o’clock the steamer left the wharf of Kingston for Aspinwall which place we reached at about 7:30 o’clock p.m. of July 16th when we immediately went on shore to stop at the hotel. As the only chance which they have of doing business is on the arrival of a steamer, we of course had to go on shore and at our own expense obtain rooms for the night and breakfast in the morning. As the cars started to cross the Isthmus on the next morning at 8 o’clock, I accordingly engaged room for Mother, self, and Weldon at the most moderate price of $3.00 each. But of course we had to stop on shore and whatever was charged, we had to pay.

Next morning at 8 o’clock we left Aspinwall in the cars for Panama where we arrived at 11 o’clock and were immediately taken on board the steamer Golden Age by a small steamboat, as the water was not deep enough to allow the Age to come to the wharf. We sailed from Panama that afternoon at 6 o’clock and at 8 o’clock on the morning of the 24th, we arrived at Acapulco where we stopped about 5 hours for the purpose of taking on board provisions and coal. We sailed from there at 1 o’clock p.m. and the next afternoon at 4 o’clock we arrived at the Port of Manzanillo where we took on board $400,000 in silver bars and coin. ¹

We left there in about two hours and arrived safely at the City of San Francisco at 1:30 o’clock Friday morning, July 31st after a most pleasant passage of 25 days.

At the present time we are settled down at the Navy Yard with a prospect of stopping here for some time. Brother John is at present in San Francisco where it was my intention to go had not I been taken sick with Panama fever from the effects of which it will probably take me some six months to recover. But my letter is getting to a most tedious length, therefore I will close.

Truly your humble servant, — W. Wallace Hanscom

P. S. Please accept the kind regard of my Father & Mother for yourself and all who may inquire. — W. W. H.

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¹ There were silver mines in this region of Mexico.