An archive of autograph material, mostly letters from Plumb, mostly written from Colorado, many from Central City

COLORADO Territorial Era Pioneer. -  Francis Merrill PLUMB (1806-1899) and others.[Central City and elsewhere].

[Central City, Colorado Territory, and elsewhere] An archive of autograph letters, the majority written by F.M. Plumb to various family members, covering local events (deaths, robberies, a dispute with 'Mark Twain', mining), family problems, tragedies and triumphs, business (timber and mining), weather, farming. [c.1852-1884, but most from c. 1867-1872].

Over 50 letters running to a total of approx. 247 octavo or quarto close-written pages, with occasional related ephemeral material (7 printed and/or manuscript receipts; a printed 'Family Record').

The most important group, dating betweem October 1869 and March 1871, are written by Francis, from Colorado, to various family members as he tries to set up at least two businesses to take advantage of the mining boom in Colorado (initally in Central City). With the help of two of his sons, [Ezra] Nelson Plumb (1833-1911) and John B. Plumb (1844-1921) he sets up a quartz grinding mill, this is followed by a timber mill. The fortunes of both enterprises are perilous: at a certain point John takes a job as a typesetter on the 'Central City Register' (Francis is not impressed by the 'fast-living' lifestyle of the typesetters), but by May 1871 John is back helping with the lumber mill and promising to turn over a new leaf. By early 1872 Francis has moved to Streaor, Illinois, a city which was virtually founded by his brother Ralph Oberlin Plumb (1816-1903).

Local events include mining accidents, the robbery of the U.S. Mail, a killing followed by the suspect being hunted down, escaping, then cornered and killed by the 'posse', snow storms, droughts, etc.

Also, intriguingly, in a letter dated 'Central City ... October 16th 1870' Francis mentions Samuel Clemens: "John has got a n..... in the woodpile and he wants to get him out. The n..... is this Mark Twain (Editor of the Buffalo Express) says he has a half Brother in Busti [Chautauqua County, N.Y.] and his name is Orrin Davis. Now what John wants to know is whether that  Orrin Davis is cousin to Salomon Andrews and wants you to ask Austin... Jones for John thinks Austin would know."

Many, but not all, of the letters include location and date. Chronologically these are as follows: Kinsman, Ohio (March 1852); Pontiac, Illinois (Feb. 1867); Kenosha, Wisconsin (Feb. 1867); Kinsman, Ohio (March 1867); Orangeviille, Ohio (March 1867); Dover Plains, Dutchess Co., NY (May 1867); Patterson, Putnam Co., NY (June 1867); Denver, Colorado Territory (Oct. 1869); Central City, Colorado Territory (Nov. 1869, Jan. 1870, March 1870, Oct. 1870, Nov. 1870); Denver, Colorado Territory (Dec. 1870); "Plumbville on the Divide, El Paso Co., Colorado Territory (Jan. 1871); Denver, Colorado Territory (Feb. 1871); "At the Mill on the / Divide in Col. T.Y. / Sixty Miles from anywhere" (March 1871); Kiowa, Colorado Territory (May 1871); Streator, La Salle Co., Illinois (Feb. 1872); Streator, Illinois (Sept. 1876, Jan. 1877. March 1877); Joliet, Illinois (March, 1884).

Letters not by Francis Plumb: Hyde Plumb (d.1854: Findlay, Hancock Co., Ohio writing to his father Francis Plumb [Nov. 1853])

Mr. Nichols, L.W. Nichols father. from Westfield, Mass., family news. L.W. Nichols was Francis Plumb's son-in-law (April 1872)