Frank Godfrey letters
Scope and Contents
This collection contains letters from Frank Godfrey to his parents. The bulk of the correspondence dates from 1865 and 1866, with additional letters from 1858 and 1876. This results in a relatively incomplete history of Godfrey’s experience, though the letters individually touch on some interesting events he experienced. Of particular interest is his discussion of mining around Virginia City, Montana, as well as least one conflict with Native Americans while traveling with a “Yellowstone Party.”
Typed transcriptions are foldered together with the original letter. They were prepared by the vendor who sold the collection to USU in 2014.
Dates
- Creation: 1858-1876
Language of Materials
Material in English
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Frank Godfrey letters must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Biographical Note
Little is immediately known about Frank Godfrey outside of what can be gleaned from these letters. In 1858 he was a seaman on the Bark Salacia under Captain J.S. Higgins, before being released at Buenos Aires on December 13. After conducting some sort of business in Argentina, he returned to the States when the Civil War began and served in the Union Army under Generals Butler and Banks. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry before he resigned for health reasons. In 1865 he moved West, passing through Fort Dodge, Iowa; Sioux City, Iowa; Boulder Valley, Montana; and Virginia City, Montana. He speaks of quartz and gold mining while in Montana, but by 1866 he is trying to return East. The last letter, from 1876, shows him living in San Francisco and looking for a job as a lawyer. It appears that he is from Maine, and he also talks of his wife, Mary, whom he divorces in 1866.
Extent
1 box (.25 linear feet)
Abstract
Following the Civil War, Frank Godfrey moved West in search of work. This collection contains letters to his parents in which he talks about his travels.
Arrangement
The letters are organized chronolgically.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was purchased from Michael Vinson in 2014 by the Friends of the Merrill-Cazier Library.
Processing Information
Processed in September of 2015
- Title
- Guide to the Frank Godfrey letters 1858-1876
- Author
- Finding aid/Register created by Joanna Dobrowolska and Clint Pumphrey
- Date
- ©2016
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English.
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu