Scope and Contents Approximately 130 documents from the Biswell family of Randolph and Linn Counties in Missouri. It includes letters, financial documents, and military papers from the early 1800s, and newspapers containing family obituaries. Of particular interest are the letters written by brothers Jonathan and Norvell Biswell on their way to, and while in, the California gold fields, 1850-1852. Of the six series, the Gold Rush letters, Series 1, are the most frequently used as they convey the story of a...

Scope and Contents

Joseph Darrow's 1812-1825 account book and 1847 court summons, as well as an 1864 Civil War diary, militia accounts book and post war County Collector's ledger maintained by his grandson, Lt. Edwin Darrow. Typed transcripts of Joseph's account book and Edwin's diary accompany the originals, but it is unknown who completed them or when they were added to the collection.