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LaVerge Knapp

Program from the Delaware Literary Institute in 1883

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This envelope did not contain aletter.

Ouleout, Dec. 6, ‘83Dear Brother,Don’t see what in thunder andlightning you are thinking of if youquit college now. You better go onthrough.Enclosed find a check for $14.42State time.

E.S. KnappExpect another check in a few dayswill send it as soon as it comes.

Ellis Knapp

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Ouleout Jan. 14/ 1884Dear Brother,

Yours received. How do youlike it out there?

How long did you stay atCorning?

Did you stop at Niagra?What kind of a place is it out

there?Got 13 more days school year.

E.K.I took a load of 23 from CharlieWheats and my school down to Millsschool house to a spelling schoolThursday evening. By time got home3 o’clock a.m. I am going to haveone a week from Thursday night.

School time. E. Knapp

The above letter was to LeVergeKnapp in Ann Arbor, Michiganfrom Ellis Knapp.

Ouleout, N.Y.I don’t know the date but I

guess it is about the middle of Mar. Itis Sunday night anyhow.

Have had three letters from yousince I wrote. Have been so busy Icouldn’t get time to write. Workedabout sixteen or eighteen hours perday for the last three or four weeks. Have been alone since two weeks agolast Thursday. Seymour is at Corningand Ma at Susquehanna. Supposeyou have heard that Grandpa was

dead.Have been getting wood from

down to Grandpas. Chopped off thewood brush and willows betweenFisher Creek and the Ouleout and runenough off the side hill to last a yearor more. (Seymour has bought theupper half of Legrand’s part of theSouth Mountain). Orley has beenhelping draw it up here. Have got 15lambs from 9 sheep. One had 3. They take a heap of time when Iought to be sleeping. Haven’t lostany yet. Had one cow (“Old Star”)die since Pa went away. Expect hewill about die when he gets back andfinds it out. Are milking 7 cows now. Got 7 calves. Made 5 parts of buttergot 33 cents for the last.

I and Orley are sure by going toAlaska. Think we shall start about ayear from next May, going to take myshot gun (it if gets done in time)Henrys double barrel gun and aWinchester rifle.

Tis 10 oclock and I must to thebarn and feed a pair of new lambs.

Will try to get time to writemore next time.

E.K.

Ouleout, Mar. 30 ‘84Dear Brother.

Yours of 21 received Monday. st

Pa has got one since. Think thebankers out there better “go west”.

I and Riley are going to Alaska

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( or that way) as sure as next springfinds us alive and able to kick. Youbetter go along. We can get aWinchester rifle 45 cal. 12 shot forabout $23. Have got some old filerfor Jay to make us some big knives. Got some snow white dekin skin tomake clothes to wear in winter. Expect to walk right up to a deer andjab him with them on. Are going tohave our outfit pretty well completedby next fall.

Am working the place the sameas last year. Had a little over $700left after paying expenses last year,got $00 or 500 bushels of oats and300 or 400 bushels of potatoes to seelyet. But potatoes don’t bring muchthis spring. Oats about .50 cts. Myhalf is pretty small after paying Coraand Herman and taking out what Ispent at Franklin. Got 23 lambs,milking 8 cows, made 8 pails ofbutter, got 8 calves and 2 cossetlambs. That is about all the moneymaking material so far this year.

Grand has got his wood jobabout half done.

Had a letter from “Old Bartlett”the other day. He is making andburning maple sugar. He thinks thewarm weather for the ppast twoweeks is caused by his having hisbush tapped.

Think he must have gatheredthe buckets and pulled the spoutsyesterday for we are having a regular‘blizzard’ today.

Carrington is not in school thisspring. Orley is working atcarpentering for Boughton. Gets $20per month and a month for haying.Chore time. Write soon.

Ellis Knapp.

Ouleout, May 13 ‘84th

Dear Brother,Received your letter yesterday.

Haven’t got much money but will tryand get some off of William. Will get$20 if he has it and you must get theWinchester rifle without fail. Get a44 cal (45 if it is the U.S. Militarysize) long magazine & 12 shots in allin the big Cal. Gun I guess.

Tell them there are three of usgoing “up” and we will get the rest ofour outfit of them when we start ifthey will come down. If they havereloading tools they will sell cheapget them.

All Well.Pa is waiting for this. Sold the

calves at $8 per head. 7 of them tookthem to Franklin yesterday.

Brintman says you had betterwrite to him.

E.R.He’s going to get $40 for you of Wm.has it besides the $20.Enclosed find sixty dollars.

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I and Orley find our selves in Sull.Co. Been here a week. Had notracking snow till last night. Killed 7ducks and about a dozen partridge. Killed most of them on the wing. Saw one catamount but couldn’t get ashot at him. Think we could if therehad been snow. Got a 45 cal. Marlin. It’s the boss. Am at Livingstonwaiting for cartin it gets to comefrom N.Y. Your. E.K.

Sidney Centre May 10. (18)85Dear Brother.

I have received two letters fromyou that are not answered. I am atSidney yet. Got two more weeks toteach. Going to have a exhibition aweek from Friday night.

Like it first rate here. Think Ican get the school again if I ever wantit.

Had a vacation of a week at theclose of the winter term. Haven’tbeen to Franklin since Cal went homewith me 4 or 5 weeks ago. We had a

race eating warm sugar. It was quiteexciting for about an hour. And attwo hours we both give up. Calthought we must have eaten aboutsixty lbs as near as he could judge. (Wm. furnished the sugar).

Have had one bit fishingexcursion. Let out school a week agoThursday and started with three other“Pards”. The Hotel keeper, Druggistand Harness maker. We started about2 o’clock Friday morning for a creekcalled the Dryden, in the town ofTompkins. It’s about 20 miles Ishould say; with 4 of them over amountain that was so rough we had toget down in the bottom of the wagonand hang on with all our might andthen we got spilled out twice. Nevercould have stuck in at all if it hadn’tbeen for the “pinters” furnished bythe Hotel keeper and Druggist (agallon in all). We got over to theplace where we wanted to fish about7 in the morning and stopped withchap we were acquainted with. Fished till 3 p.m. Caught 240 trout. Got back here about 9 in the evening. Worked till after midnight dressingfish. Are going again I & Orley. Have give up our trip through BristishAmerica but are going to California inabout 4 weeks. Don’t know as weshall come to Ann Arbor. It will costtoo much extra. Orley wants to go toNew York and from there to SanFrancisco by water across theIsthmus. And from San Francisco to

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Alaska by steamer. Don’t knowexactly the route we shall take yet. What time do you intend to comehome? We will start early in June.

There is a good deal more towrite but I haven’t time to write it.

Write soon.E. Knapp

Weedsport, N.Y. Oct. 1, ‘85Dear Brother. I started from homeThursday of last week bought a firstclass passage. Paid $125. Got here toFalts Friday noon. Haven’t felt veryboos since. Stopping the use oftobacco. Raised the duce with me. Have lost about 25 lbs.

Haven’t been fishing much buthave seen fish more than 3 ft. long. Will come to Ann Arbor as soon as Iget braced up. You must not writehome about my being off the nut. Write to Savannah.

EllisHave found a pestle. 2 nicespecimens of pottry and 7 or 8arrows.

Savannah, N.Y. Nov. 7, ‘85Dear Sister Hattie.

Rec’d yours last night. I oughtto have written you before - havebeen able to write for a week in bed. Well I may as well tell you what I’vebeen doing since I started on mypleasure trip. Stopped at Weedsport; washn’t feeling very boss when I gotthere. Kept around for a week and

was taken with pueumonia. It giveme a pretty good one for a week. Then I had left. Material a fever thatlasted two weeks more. Waited for orfive days and came on to Savannah. Was same a little before I leftWeedsport 3 weeks today. When Igot to Savannah I could hardly walkthe jar of riding hurt the nerves thatare troubling me now. When I got toUncle Adams I went to bed andhaven’t been dressed since. For aweek I could move only my arms andone foot. Got so I could turn over inbed in two weeks and can get out ofbed now but can’t walk on crutchesyet. Can’t raise up my right foot. Have a good appetite and the malariais all gone. Guess I’ll be all right in acouple weeks. The Dr said it wasneuraliga in the main nerve thatleaves the base of the spine. Don’tlike being sick. Think the initiatorypretty tough. Must go to bed. Beenup 2 hours.

E. KnappWill write in a few days. Unclesfolks are well.

Susqa. Penna. Nov. 29 . 1885th

Dear Sister Carrie,I received your letter some time

ago, was very glad to get it & hearhow you were geting along, but havenot had time to answer before. Hopeyou will write just the same if you

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feel well enough. We are all as wellas usual except Cora & she is feelingsome better then she did. Has onetooth through. Does not creep yet. Ellie & Euna are flying around asusual. Henry has been diging ditcheslately.

We have had a very snowy timelatly. Snowed every day last weekuntil Friday. It has been quite warmbut is colder & frozen now.

Jennie is here now is going tostay this week & perhaps next. I amgoing to try to get along alone but Iexpect a good share of the work willgo without doing. Have had oneletter from Ellis. He was geting betteras fast as he could expect to under thecircumstances.

We are looking for Father &Mother or shall before long. Ellis ison a regular tare & Euna is not doingmuch better. Cora is siting by me &very uneasy so you will excuse ashort letter with mistakes. Ellis saystell you that he took a sleigh ridetoday on bare ground (up to ourplace). That there was lots of snowbut none of it in the road. He feelsabout as big as they make now he haspants.

Euna says tell you Jennies beenhere tonight. I must close & put thechildren to bed & myself like wise asI did not get much chance to sleep lastnight. Cora is very restless a goodshare of the time & I get very tiredsome times. She is just as sweet as

ever & her Papa likens her to a bigdoll. Will close & take care of thatextraordinary mischievous boy ofmine. I sometimes think that it is agood thin the other children are girlsfor I don’t know how I could takecare of many like him. Write soon. H.I had a splendid visit at Savanna &Corning but have not time to tell youabout it tonight. H.

This above letter is from HarrietKnapp Persons to her sister, MaryJane Munson.Harriet Knapp married HenryPersons in Dec. 1871 and moved toSusquehanna, Pennsylvania.

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The next few letters are aboutthe experience of the Knapp boys asthere adventure begins in the west.

San Francisco. Jan. 26, ‘86Dear Brother,

Excuse my delay in writingyou. Rec’d your letter and order Sat.

Have had a very interestingtime here. Have got the streets downfine. Can’t get lost if I try. The cityis not as large as I had an idea it was. Tis very compactly built. Have beenover to Oakland twice. It is justacross the bay from here. Have beenup on telegraph hill. Had a very fineview of the city, bay, Strait andOcean. Haven’t been out to the beachyet. Have got acquainted with adozen or more good chaps. One ofthem got me a job on the streetcarpenter. Line. Expect to go to workin a few days. I telegraphed homelast night for $50 by telegraph. Theywill think I want it to get out of jailwith. Have got to get uniform andpay board till I earn some money. They pay from $14 to $17.50 perweek. Can get lodging and board for$3 or $4 per week.

Had a ‘big” time coming outhere. Was about broke when I leftKansas City. A Minn. chap on thetrain lent me $8.00. I’ve been solidall the time but didn’t have much tothrow away. The same chap hasroomed with me since I’ve been here.

We cam through 600 miles of

country where goat couldn’t live inthe flush of the season. The RioGrande is about the size of theOuleout at Col. Millers in dryweather. Saw one coyote.

You want to come here sometime just for the ride. Calvin wouldgo crazy over the mountains and“Cat-cusses”. The latter grow aslarge as the biggest apple tree onSeymours farm. Cut the limbs 6 feet

from the body of the big corner appletree in dads old orchard and you havea picture of one. I have mad up mymind to work till next fall and by thattime I can find where the goodhunting ground is. Can save $40 permonth or more.

Write soon.Ellis Knapp

San Francisco, Cal.

Letter sent to LaVergeKnapp from Ellis Knapp whileboarding at the Revere House inEureka, California

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Eureka, Cal. Feb. 16 ‘86Dear Brother,

Yours of 6 rec’d yesterday. Ith

have changed by base from SanFrancisco to Eureka. It is about 250miles up the coast from San Franciscoon Humboldt bay. Left the latter Feb.3 on steamer Ancon. My chum-Lizzy( I’ve just found out his right name Itold him my name was A. LincolnShields and I lived in Great Bend, Pa. He told me his name was M. E.Lindsay of Maine. Neither of uslearned the others right name till wewent to the Post Office yesterday)came with me.

Had a good time coming up. Ittook about 2 hours. Most of thepassengers were sea-sick as the devil. Tried to vomit themselves to death. All thought they would like to die justthen. I wasn’t bothered any with thatsea-sickness and was the only one ofthe steerage passengers (12 or 15)who eat any thing. The old cook saidthat if they were going on a longvoyage they would have to go backand get an extra lot of provisions.

Saw a school of 10 or 12whales.

The job I had in view in“Frisco” (as everybody calls it) wasconductor. But didn’t get the $50 intime to get uniform before anotherchap got it. The Supt of the Co is aFree Mason and he told me he wouldmake a vacancy for me in a week orso. At first I thought I’d wait and

take it but my chum was coming hereand wanted me to come too.

I found out there was goodhunting up this way so I didn’thesitate much about coming. Besidesthis is a lumber town and I can get asmuch clear money working here as inS.F. Have not hired for certain yet. Am going to Mad River (10 miles)Saturday. Can get work there in thewoods. They pay from $30 to $60and board per month. Am not sorry Icame here. Think it will put me in agood trim to tackle a grizzly.. 25miles N. E. of here is good huntinggrounds, in the coast range. A hunterbrought in 11 deer skins Sunday. Said he could make good wageskilling them for the hides. Saidbrown bear were plenty. Said hekilled 2 grizzly bears last fall back inthe Serre Nevada Mts. None in thecoast range. The deer are breedingnow. I shall make a dive for themsoon as it will do. They have no rainhere from May till Dec. Shall makeme a tent, get a blanket and lay forthem. Wish you and Orle were here. We’d have a h---- of a hunt.

Think I shall work late Aug. OrSep and then hunt till the rainy seasonbegins.

The rainy season is not quiteover yet. It is warm as June in N.Y. New potatoes and green peas & c. This is a town of about 6000inhabitants. Ships leave here withhundreds for Australia, S.A. And all

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parts of the world. They have drovethe Chinese all out of here. Attendeda big Anti Chinese meeting since I’vebeen here. Lizzy is a lumberman herefor his health. Have got acquaintedwith a lot of Eastern chaps here. Oneof them has been to Alaska. Says itsbig hunting there.

E. Knapp

Saw a big sea bird (pelican I think)the other day. Mighty under jaw. I’llshoot him full of holes if he don’tstop fooling around.

Haven’t got the mail you sent. Write me at Eureka, Cal. I’ll have itforward from here to me. Roomed ata private house. Board at Hotel here.

This postcard was sent from BlueLake, California on Feb. 22, 1886. From there the post mark showsSan Francisco, California andstamped Feb. 25, 1886 and arrivedin Ann Arbor, Michigan on Mar. 2,1886 all for the sum of a one centstamp.

Blue Lake, Cal.Dear Brother. I’ve moved to this, thismorning. It’s about 15 miles fromEureka. Rec’d the mail you sent. I’ve wrote Kauffman about thetomahawks you have. Keep it. Youwrite T. A. Beecher, Hamilton, Ind.And it he has a tomahawk get sendhim $1 and get it. Stay and get it.Write E. Knapp Feb. 22

Humboldt Co.Blue Lake, CalMarch 8 1886th

Dear Sister Jennie,(This is how they addressed MaryJane)

Your letter written in the forepart of Jan. has finally reached me inHumbold Co. Cal. Virg sent it to SanFrancisco. It was sent from there toEureka, Cal., Arcata, Cal. And finallyfound me at Blue Lake. Have justreceived some letters that werewritten in December. One of themhad the P.O. addresses of Jordan,N.Y., Ann Arbor, Mich., SanFrancisco, Cal., Eureka, Cal., Arcata,Cal., and Blue Lake, Cal. They haveto come from San Francisco bysteamer to Eureka on Humboldt Bay; then another by steamer across thebay to Arcata; then by R. R. to BlueLake. Making over 4000 miles fromNew York. So I can’t get a letterfrom home in much less than 3 weeks.

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Have been well paid for the troubleand expense of coming here.

Think that anybody who neverhardly gets out of their own statelooses about half this life. If yourhealth ever is good soon make a greatmistake if you don’t take a trip to Cal.sometime.

If it was not for my folks inN.Y. I don’t think I ever should goback to stay. But if I do I shall visitCal. again sometime. The ride fromKansas City is worth more than thewhole fare from N.Y. Will try andtell you something about it and thecountry & c here. Left Ann ArborDec. 31 arrived at Chicago Jan. 1 .st st

Can’t tell you much about this cityonly it is about 4 times as large asmost people think and worth goingthere to see.

Passing from Chicago toKansas City via the Chicago & AltonR. R., one sees some of the finestfarms in the country. Corn and wheatfields that reach as far as the eye cansee. Farm buildings as nice as anyseen in N.Y.

The Mississippi river is quite asight. About 1 mile wide. Full offloating ice when I crossed it. TheMissouri is about as large and verymuddy. Reached Kansas City 9:30

a.m. Jan. 2 . This city is built onnd

steep bluffs that overlook the Missouririver. The streets are very narrow andthe side walks were covered with 2 or3 inches of mud. Some of the housesare built on the very edge of banks thatgo straight down more than 80 feet. From this place I went through Kan.,Col., N.M., Arizona to Cal. (Left Kan.City Jan. 4) Couldn’t see muchbetween Kan. City an Topeka butbroken telegraph poles. The windblew very hard and the snow began toblockade the R.R.

Had a smash up at Nickerson,Kan.; both engines jumped the trackand rolled each way into the ditches. The rest of the train stopped a little tooquick for comfort. I got sent againstthe car door. Think the door got theworst of it. No passengers hurt. Hadto wait 6 or 7 hours. Then was takento Dodge City. Had to wait therenearly all day Jan. 3 . This city is notrd

half as large as Croton. Many of the

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stores, saloons (lots of them in theprohibition state of Kan) & c. arebuilt of rough boards and look aboutlike Frank’s old hay barn. Men werefrozen to death the night we got toDodge City.

Leave the evening of Jan. 5 . th

A Kansas farm is a most drearylooking place on a cold windy day. All that can be seen in the line ofbuildings is a hay stack and a houseabout twelve feet square. Sometimesonly the chimney of this in sight withneighbors 2 ½ miles one way and 4miles the other. This is about the ideaI got of the State except the SouthWest part where the houses are muchsmaller and farther a part.

Jan. 6 sight the Spanish Peaks,th

Cal in the morning about 40 miles tothe north. Prairie to the foot of them.

Ride nearly all day on theelevated prairie among the beautifulsand hills. This prairie is wild havinga few cattle ranges. Saw 3 or 4 flocksof antelope.

Reach Trinidad, Cal. in thep.m. This is a Mexican or Spanishtown about 200 years old. Most ofthe houses are built of mud or adobebrick or posts drove into the groundand plastered with mud between. It isamong the beautiful mountain peaks. The finest mountain scenery I’ve seenyet. Will try and get you a view ofthe place and surroundings.

From Trinidad the R.R. ascendsthe Raton Mts. to its greatest

elevation - 7600 feet. Here it takes tenminutes to boil an egg (the cook toldme, a little higher up the mts. it wasimpossible to boil beans). It was darkwhen we left the summit of Raton Mts.

Next morning Jan. 7 finds us inth

the valley of the Rio Grande, NewMexico.

This river greatly deceived me. I supposed it was nearly as large as theMissouri or Illinois; but where I firstsaw it twas no larger than CharlotteCreek. And the farther down we rodethe smaller it was until it was lost inthe sand entirely. The valley of thisriver is a sight worth seeing. In placesit is 30 or 40 miles wide, level asbounded on each side by sharpmountain peaks with no vegetationexcept a few sage brush.

In places this level plain isbroken by sharp, steep sand hillsthickly huddled together, making veryfine scenery. This valley is thinlypopulated by Spanish - don’t see whatin the world they get to eat. I couldsee nothing but sand. Sometimes for30 or 40 miles I couldn’t see a livingthing (except a coyote or a few crows)outside of the passengers on the train. This “Great American Desert” reachesthrough New Mexico, Arizona and150 miles into California. I wouldgive $10 if you could see some of thecactus plants in Arizona andCalifornia. Some of them are 1 ½ feetthrough and 12 or 15 feet high.

The first 150 miles in Cal. after

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leaving Yuma, is below the seal leveland the most barren place I’ve seen. Mount San Jocinda, 150 miles northof Yuma, lifts its snow cappedsummit high above the burning, sandydesert below. Here in an hours rideyou go from this barren waste to theorange groves and green fields asfresh as any ever seen in June, whereair is filled with the perfume offlowers.

But these fertile valleys onlyreach a little north of Los Angelesewhere the R.R. runs among small,steep sand hills (Like cones thick byset on a level plain), through severaltunnels to the Californian desert ofMojarve. This desert is over 100miles across and covered with Caccusplants as large as big apple trees.

Reached San Francisco Jan.10 . Stayed there till Feb. 3 . Had ath rd

good time in that city. Got pretty wellacquainted with the streets and placesof interest. Was at Golden Gate ParkJan. 14 , the flowers at that time wereth

the nicest ( ever saw. The GarfieldMonument is also very interesting. Was at Woodwards Gardens.

Saw the stump of the tree underwhich Capt. Cook was killed. Was inthe Mint and most everywhere. Theharbor scenery and islands are fine. Will send you some views if I getback to that place. Oakland is justacross the bay. When I was there inJan. the yards were green and flowergardens in blossom.

I might have had a good job ifI’d stayed in the city but I concludedto come to Humboldt and work in theredwood and be where I could have ahunt next fall.

Landed from steamer at EurekaFeb. 4 . This place is about the size ofth

Oneonta. Tis one Humboldt Bay. Farming is not very extensivelycarried on - too many mountains. Lumbering is the principle industry. Ships loaded with lumber leave thispost for South America, New Zeland,Australia and most all ports of theworld.

This county is noted formurders; three trials since I’ve beenhere; I attended two of them. Theydon’t very often hang anybody unlessJudge Lynch gets hold; he pulled up aman not 2 rods from this cabin doorlast fall.

March 23 . I’ve been writing ard

little at a time for two weeks. Will tryand close up no. Could see the Oceanfrom Eureka. One windy day the bigwhite capped waves would roll up likemountains. Sea gulls and ducks werevery thick and tame. They wouldswim up to the wharf within six feet ofany one. They drove off all theChinese (about 300) last winter. Theykilled the Sherriff and they had toskip. I attended a big Anti Chinesemeeting. It was more of a pow-wowthan anything else. They were hissingand Cheering at the same time.

All the speeches (about 20)

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didn’t amount to anything except theydidn’t want the Chinese and they‘must go’. Went from Eureka acrossthe bay to Arcata (8 miles) and fromthere by R R to Blue Lake (6 milesfurther) where I am now.

Am working in a lumber camp. The men (150) live in little cabinsfrom 4 to 8 in each and furnishedtheir own blankest. 1 cabin with menfrom Nova Scota, Azone Islands,Sweeden and Findland so you see weare al quite a distance from home. They all speak good English. Wehave great times telling about ourcountry - each thinks his the best.

I enjoy this kind of life, itmakes me think of school days. Wespend rainy days (they are plentynow) making furniture for the cabin;have two tables, two rocking chairs,stools shelves & c. Are close to theriver - Mad River. Can sit in thewindow and fish. Have caught somefine salmon. I have been here sinceFeb. 22 . Get $30 per month. Willnd

gt $50 when the rainy weather is over. Have worked on mill, drove horses ontrip-hammer, made roads, worked inpond, burned follow, wheeled dirt,chopped . Have a new job nearlyevery day.

Had my little finer drawn into apulley and broken twice when I firstcame here. It is nearly well now. Is asstraight as it ever was. Am as toughas I ever was - weigh over 190 lbs. Think if I stay here a few months I’ll

be in good shape to rough it in themountains.

Talk of going up in the redwoods to look for a claim to pre-empton homestead. Father and Mother maynot want me to do it for fear I’ll stayhere if I do, but I think it will be agood investment. 160 acres of redwood has from four to ten million feetof lumber worth from $1 to $2 perthousand on stump. Many of the treesare 16 feet through and 200 ft. high.some stumps in this vicinity are 30feet across.

It rains about half the time nowbut the wet season is nearly through. No snow falls here in the valley butcan see mountains from here that arecovered with snow the year around. The weather is not hot but about aswarm as the finest days you have inMay.

Think I’ll stay 2 or 3 yearsbefore I come back to New York. Have got a few Indian relics since I’vebeen in this state.

Some gold mines 2o or 30 milesfrom here. Think I can get a goodcollection of minerals & c. here.

Have got letters from Virg,Father, Mell Slawson, Bartlett andHattie since I came here. Virg sent mea lot to San Francisco that have beenlost. Father wrote me that Wm.Carrington had bargained for UncleStephens farm. Think he had betterbuy Fathers farm next. Also wrote methat LaGrand was sick.

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I’ve written this a little at atime in the noisy cabin so you mustexpect it to be mixed up.

Write all the news from yourbrother,

Ellis KnappBlue Lake, CalHumboldt Co.

Telegraph Hill, Humboldt Co, CA.

Blue Lake, California

Blue Lake, May 8, 1886Dear Brother,

I wrote you Apr. 11 . Have notth

got an answer yet. I am at work in thesame lumber camp yet. Drivinghorses. Had a little ‘spat’ with one ofthe bosses. Think I shall quit beforelong. Am tougher and stronger than Iever was before. Can ‘put up’ 109pound weight. Only one other man inthe 165 that can do it. Weigh 198 lbs. Think I can give a grizzley a hardtussel. I haven’t killed him yet. But Ihave the mighty salmon. He wasgoing over a rift near where I wasdrawing sand and I ‘knocked him inthe head’ with the shovel. He weighed18 lbs. How is that for a fish? Whoop! Have speared several thatweighed 10 t0 15 lbs. The Indians liveon them. Found a tree 100 feet aroundlast Sunday. It had a hollow 16 feet

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across. Had a hole burned in the sidelarge enough to walk through. It hasbeen used for a house by the Indiansor someone. Have specimens of it tosend east. Think some of going toEureka to clerk in a hotel. Shall makeup my mind inside of 2 weeks. Seymour will make a row if I do. Ihaven’t wrote them about it and don’tyou! Have you heard from Cal? Ihaven’t since I wrote you before. When will you start for home? Thiswill be a good place for you whenyou get ready to teach. Think you canget from $600 to $1000 a year. ThinkI could get $600 to $800. Had a letterfrom Father & Cora yesterday. Hethinks I’m going to get killed if I stayhere sure.

Had a letter from Henry lastweek. He is quite interested in theredwood here. He talks some ofcoming to Frisco to the G.A.R.encampment in Aug. And thencoming up here. Had a card fromKauffman. Am going to send him $2for the tomahawk.

Quite a row in camp lastSunday night. A chap tried to shootthe cook.

Am going salmon fishingtomorrow. Have been writing a chapin Santa Fe about relics. Talk ofgetting about a carload of him.

Has Sackett been ‘full’ since Iwas there? How did Johnson &“Bob” make it cutting up ‘stiffs’?

Do you ever see that ‘club

stove’? I am going to try and ‘swap’him some bark and wood specimensfor some more of his relics.

I suppose you will work forSeymour this vacation. Take goodcare of my boat. I’d give a V if I hadit here. Be careful and not break thoserelics going home. Write often.Love your brother, E. Knapp

Be sure and put on the county inaddressing.

Redwood Trees in California in 1898

Blue Lake, May 16, ‘86Dear Sister Jennie,

Yours duly received. Hope thiswill find you in better health than mylast letter did. I haven’t much to writeas I’ve been working all the time andhaven’t had a chance to see much.

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Have been up the river to the falls. Itflows down the side of a steepmountain. The bed of the river isfilled with loose rocks, some of them20 or 30 ft. high. The water poursover and between these making thefinest kind of a sight. It is bed timeand I must close for now.May 23 ‘ 86 - I’ll try and finish thisrd

today. It is Sunday here and I am upon the side of a mountain among thebig redwoods. Can see several fromwhere I sit that are 20 to 25 feetthrough. Can hear the ocean roar. Itsounds like the cars from where youlive. I think I wrote home about thebig tree I found. I will send you apiece of the wood. Will also send apiece of sea shell from San ClementeIsland, off the coast of southerCalifornia. ( I got it from a Portugesesailor). Am going to send some barkspecimens home. Think I canexchange them for relics. Have gotseveral letters already from easterncollectors who want to get specimensof it. It takes only a few minutes tosend all I can carry. Some of it is 18or 20 inches thick.

I intend to go up in ShastaCounty when I leave here. Indianrelics are very plenty there, Iunderstand. Had a letter from fatherand one from Mell Slawson last week. Haven’t heard from Virg since aboutApr. 1 . I suppose he will be home inst

about a month. I never engagedmyself better than I do here. The time

just flies. I have hard work to keepfrom starting for the mountains. ThinkI can hold myself till about Aug. Havehad great times fishing salmon. ThinkI wrote home about it. Father is verymuch opposed to my homesteading aclaim here. I would in a minute if itwas not for him & mother. Had aletter from Orley about a week ago. News is scarce and I will close.

From your brother, Ellis

One of the men saw a deer near thecamp today.

Snow Camp, Humboldt Co., Cal.July 22 , ‘86nd

Dear Brother:I presumed you are wondering

where I am and what I’m doing. I quitwork in the lumber camp the 3 inst. rd

Came up here 20 miles from the 4 . th

Found a ranchman who wanted somehay cut. So I went back and got my“Freight train” and went to work forhim. He is working in the camp I left. The grass I have been cutting is allhead down by deer. Have seen about adozen and killed two. Have see themwithin 150 yards of the house. Haveonly been out a couple evenings tohunting. It is no more trouble to find adeer than it used to be to find a graysquirrel on our hill. I only killedenough to keep us eating, as he was ina great hurry to have me get his haycut. Expected to have it about done

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now and then hunt around here acouple weeks till he gets throughwork down at the camp and then gowith him to Redwood Creek about 15miles on a 2 or 3 weeks hunt. But Igot a dose of poison oak and have notbeen able to even hunt since my legshave been swollen & I could not bendthem over 3 or 4 in. And my eyesnearly closed but the worst of thedoes was where the mumps hit youhardest. Am getting better and think Iwill go hunting in 2 or 3 days. Ididn’t know what it was or I couldhave stopped it with a little powder orsalt. There is a creek 3 miles fromhere, that is running over with trout. Icaught 60 the day I came up here. Itis about twice as large as Fisherscreek and is chuck full of big salmonin the winter. Quail, grouse,pheasants, squirrels, jack rabbits asbig as a mule are thick. Bear, wildcatand lynx are around quite plenty but itis a job to get them without dogs totree them. A few has antlers on thebiggest mts. Got a couple wild catclaws in a steel trap. A few elk 12 or15 miles north of here. I’ve just gotin the place I have been looking forand would give all my old tools if youwere here. Am going to learn to takebuckskin and have some moccasins tohunt in. Can walk still in them. Theold woman is ready to start for townand I must stop.

Write, E. Knapp

Rock Ranch, Cal. Sep. 28, 1886Dear Father,

I have a chance to send to thepost office this p.m. The ranchman -C.L. Magers, has just got back withhis family so I expect to start forRedwood Creek in a couple days. Shall probably be gone a couple weeksthis time; and then go back again. Have ‘grub-steak” enough to lastabout 3 months. Went over to locatemy hunting grounds last week. Killed2 deer coming back. Could have killeda dozen over there but could not takecare of them then so I concluded toleave them till I went over for a hunt. Am going to dry the meat.Ranchman waiting for me.Will write when I have a chance topost it.

E. KnappBlue Lake

P.S. Please send me the interest ongov. note.

Hunting Camp, near the head ofTrinity River, Humboldt or Trinity Co.(I don’t know which county it is) Cal.October 15, 1886Dear Father and Mother:

It is raining hard today. Aboutthe first I’ve seen since April. Havegot my camp work done up and willwrite you a little to have ready when Igo out where I shall can send it. Havehad a little snow since I camped here.(Can see lots of snow on the mt.

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peaks) Have got my pony in the cabinwith me during the storm. Have justbeen out about ½ mile and cut my beltfull of wild rye for him to eat. Havecome farther up in the Mts. than Iexpected when I last wrote. Amcamped in an old hunters cabin. Ithas been a noted place for deer for 25years. I could not get a partner so Istruck out alone. Found two hunterscamped here. They got their animalsloaded and left Wednesday. They leftme about 20 lbs of flour and a bigkettle. I shall have to go to “SnowCamp’ in a few days to get cartridges. Will have this sent out from there. Have killed some deer that had 15 or20 lbs of tallow. Have meat enoughdrying to make 125 lbs. I think. Shallstay here till the snow covers the feedfor the horse-about Nov. 1 probably. st

Then I mean to camp at the head ofBoulder Creek - between here andSnow Camp for the winter. Shall takemy horse down on the winter range,where he can take care of himself tillspring. There are quite a lot ofpanthers and bear around here. Haven’t been lucky enough to get ashot at any yet. Have seen onepanther. The sheep herders dog treedhim 3 or 4 times one night. But he gotaway finally. We chased him till aftermidnight. The sheep herder killedone about 2 miles from here. I boughthis skin and skull. Am going to bringthem home. The hide is 9 feet fromtip to tip. It is not skinned right to

stuff. It will make a fine mat. Havegot a lot of bear skulls and claws. Have also found a few Indian relics. Have not had a chance to sent to theP.O. since the fore part of Sep. Thinkof having my mail come to MapleCreek instead of Blue Lake but willwrite you if I made the change. I wishyou would send the interest on gov.note. If you have not already. It maycome handy next spring.

Have got about 20 buckskins. Tell Lagrand I’ll bring home enoughto make those breeches andwhiplashes Virg wrote about. Willsend you a copy of my diary since Ileft the Lewis Lake camp.

Monday Oct. 4' 86. Get out at daybreak for a hunt. Take a half mile tripand kill a big doe. Cut her up andleave for the head of Redwood at littlebefore noon. Arrive at camp beyondRedwood in evening. Find twohunters from Trinidad camped here.(Getting dark must close for tonight)

Sunday Oct. 17, 1886 - Will finishcopying my diary till late.

Tuesday. Oct. 5th-86. Hang upvenison killed yesterday and look uphorse a.m. Go down in gulch huntingp.m. Get running shot at buck andbreak a leg. Track him about 80 rods,by blood and get another shot butmiss. Track him about ½ mile fartherand give him up. Shoot a yearling doe

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on way to camp. Pack her up to edgeof prairie and hang her up. Tellstories till midnight. Jim and Mac(the hunters names) kill two bucks. Mac’s a very large one.

Wednesday Oct. 6. Go down towardGrouse Creek with Jim & Mac. Thedog starts a little forked horned buck. He tries to run over me and Mac. Weboth shoot at him when about 3 feetfrom us. I cut him across the lowerpart of belley and let his insides out. The dog bays him in gulch and Jimcuts his throat. Very green horns. Mac say he is a “Mah Hah” (Indianfor devil). They take the hide and Ithe horns. Very poor. Meat no good. I get running shot at big doe. Hit herbut don’t follow her up. Jim kills twodoes. Bring up the big buck mackilled yesterday and the two does onthe Jackass back. Load bigger thanJack. Go down and get deer hung upyesterday.

Thursday Oct. 7. I & Jim start forhard-scrabble. Get two shots atrunning doe. Get blood. Dog won’tfollow her. Get 3 shots at very largebuck running. Don’t get him. Verymad. See about a dozen deer andfinally get a shot at a big doe andtumble her. Jim gets out of cartridgesand I lend him some. He shoots 25times and gets two bucks and doe. Pack doe home on my back. Thisevening cut and hung up doe shot

Tuesday.

Friday, Oct. 8. We all go tohardscrabble. Mac sees two eagles ondeer carcas. I shoot young doe andbig buck running. I & Mac shoot atrunning buck and miss. Jim kills buckand doe. I & Jim get Jack and start fordeer killed in a.m. Have to go down avery steep and rocky trail. But Jack isgood for it. Jump a big buck comingback. Jim gets two good shots andwounds him in neck. The Jack tries toget away and give me plenty ofbusiness to hold him. So I don’t get achance to shoot. Jim follows himabout a mile into Boulder Basin andfinished him. Don’t get to camp tilldark.

Sat. Oct. 9. Storms all night. An inchof snow this morning. Storms all a.m. Skin deer killed yesterday and stay incabin a.m. Go out ½ mile on ridgewith Jim p.m. The dog starts a spikebuck. I break a hind leg and putanother shot through his ham. Thedog bays him in cannion and I cut histhroat. Pack him up to prairie just asthe dog brings two smashing bucks (3or 4 pointers) within 40 yds. of us. Iset two bullets through one and onethrough the other. Jim also hits themboth. They fall within 40 yds of us. Jim & Mac take the 3 pointer andspike and I the 4 pointer. Tin hornsawful fat. Feel fine. Skins him inevening.

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Sunday, Oct. 10. Get the horses inmorning. Go with Jim to get the buckhe killed in Boulder Basin Fridaynight. See two big does climbing asteep butte near camp. Get off myhorse and shoot the head one - 250yds. She runs around the butte andtumbles in the gulch where I finishher with my knife. We each get ashot at standing buck, in BoulderBasin but don’t get blood. Get backto camp at noon. Look after meatp.m. Jim kills a spike buck.

Monday Oct. 11. Cut and hang upmeat all day.

Tuesday Oct. 12. Work at meat a.m. Help Mac & Jim pack up and startout. They have 33 hides and about330 lbs of meat (2 weeks hunt). Goout p.m. kill a big doe near the spotwhere I knifed the spike Saturday. Pack her up to prairie. Go down thegulch ½ mile jump a band of five. Shoot at a buck & two does running. Knock one of the does down butdon’t get her. Start a big forkedhorned buck while looking forwounded doe. Bang it to him on thejump - about 30 yd. He runs about 20yds and tumbles. Have quite a timecutting his throat. He sticks a hornthrough my lower lip bats me underthe chin and tears my jacket nearlyoff. Stick my big hunting knifebetween his and get the fight out ofhim in a hurry. Got to look for the

wounded doe again. See two climbingthe hill on other side of gulch but thebrush are thick and I can’t get a shot. Jump two more does going home. Shoot at one about 200 yds wound herbut she gets away. Get the pony andbring the deer to camp. Pack the doeon my back. After dark when I get inskin them by light of camp fire.

Thursday, October 14. Take ponyabout ½ mile down prairie to findfeed. Jump 2 deer coming back butdon’t get a shot. Work at meat andtallow till 4 p.m. Go out a little whilein evening. Start a spike buck. Have afiar running shot but think he will stayso I don’t shoot and he gets away. Getin camp at dark. Bake dodgers inevening. Commences to rain.

Friday Oct. 15. Rains hard thismorning. Hang deer skins in cabin. Patch holes in cabin. Bring pony incabin this morning. Take him out tofee at noon. Tear down an old Indianwigwam and make a barn for him. Godown on prairie and cut belt full ofwild rye to feed. Bring him up inevening. Still raining. Commenceletter home.

Sat. Oct. 16. About 3 inches of snowthis morning. Work at meat till thesnow gets off the trees and brush. Take pony down to prairie at noon. Go down where I killed the buckWednesday. Start a deer in gulch,

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going down. Don’t get a chance toshoot. Jump a doe and spike fartherdown. Shoot the spike through theheart. Hang him up and come home. Get dinner at 3 p.m. and go outtoward Grouse Creek ½ mile. Starttwo big deer in gulch. Get good shots- at both. Think I have them layedout. Find lots of blood but no deer. Track them by blood till night. Haveto give them up at dark. Find wherethey layed down a couple times. Intend to go back in morning. Bakedodgers and take down meat inevening. Begins to snow again.Saw a panther back near campSunday Morning.

Snow Camp. Oct. 21. Left thehunting camp this morning. Arrivedhere at the ranch where I was last fallabout an hour after dark tonight. Brought out about 200 lbs of driedvenison and about 40 lbs of hides. The venison is very fine. Think I canget 15 cents to .20 cents per lbs. Shall keep most of mine to bringhome. Have written you a copy of mydiary from Oct. 4 to 16 . Since theth th

16 it has stormed most of the tillth

today. A big buck came near thecamp Sunday. I snapped at him buthad not cartridge In gun so he dugoff. Killed 3 fine bucks Monday. Haven’t hunted any since. Am goingto leave my dried meat here at theranch and go back tomorrow.

Found your letter of Sep. 12th

here tonight. Also 3 others one fromHattie. Haven’t time answer thembefore I go back. Send this to Virg asI haven’t got time to write him. Haveleft my blankets & c at the huntingcamp so I must get back as soon aspossible. Will be out again in two orthree weeks. Must close nearmidnight.

Ellis KnappA chap working here on the ranchwent out hunting this p.m. Has not gotback guess he is lost. I am going onthe Mt and fire a few shots and see ifhe is within hearing.

Hunting Camp near head of TrinityRiver, Cal. Nov. 4 ‘86

Dear Brother,Yours of Aug. 16 rec’d in fore

part of Sep. Have had but one chanceto get mail since. That was about aweek or ten days ago, when I went outto “Snow Camp” with a load of meat& hides. I worked on the ranch atSnow camp till Oct. 2. I was as d–dfool for staying there so long. Iwanted the ranchman to come along toshow me where to go. He kept puttingme off and finally I got a ‘grub steak’and started alone. Am in the mts. 15miles east of Snow Camp. Have 6 inof snow here now. Can see theCesque Mts. on the border of Oregonand the Shoakan Buttes beyond the

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Sacramento. The climate is fine andhealthy. I am fleshier than I ever wasbefore. Can pack a 175 lbs buck outof the deepest canyon in the hills -have done it too. It takes a dodger(loaf of bread) as big as your hat afrying pan full of venison and a quartof coffee to make me a meal. Havekilled between 40 and 50 deer. Over30 since I came up here Oct. 4 .th

(Could tell just how many by lookingover my diary) I sent Father a copy ofmy diary for a while and told him tosend it to you. It has been muchbetter hunting since the snow camethan it was before.

I killed 3 big bucks last Sat. 2of them would weigh 150 lbs eachdressed and the other 175 lbs.

I was on the edge of the bankof a canyon when I saw one step outof a thicket about 20 yds from me. Itdidn’t take me long to get my old gunup and put a ball into his breast ( hewas facing me). He give one jumpand turned. Just then another startedout and was running down the banktoward the bottom of the gulch. Igive him 2 shots in the rear and hewent out of sight in the brush. At thistime I saw 3 more running up thefarther bank about 100 yds off. Oneof them was a smasher with horns likea big oak tree. I give him 3 shots andsee I crippled him bad. I had justtime fill the magazine with cartridgeswhen I saw him again limpping acrossthe side hill about 200 yds away.

Fired two more shots and hit him oncebut he kept on (They are awful tough. Will go till they fall dead). Jut thenthe wounded one in the gulch showedhimself and I give him one thatfinished him (This was all done in lessthan a minute) When I went up whereI shot at the crippled on and found lotsof blood. Followed him about 200 ydsand saw him in a thicket. I bangged itto him and he come down. He was thebiggest one. Think I have 25 lbs oftallow from him. The next day Sunday(you must not tell our folks) I killed 4. Three does and a buck. So I had 7hanging up in camp at once. Went outto Snow Camp and back againMonday with a load of meat & hides. It took 2 hrs after dark to make it. Saw about 20 deer on the way. Onlyhad 2 cartridges. Shot one deer &wounded another.

Am in an old hunters cabin. Two parties of hunters have been heresince I came. They only stayed a fewdays. They took out their meat fresh. We had 15 hanging in camp overnight. I dry my venison. It is a gooddays work to cut and hang up 2 or 3deer. So I don’t have a chance to huntover a third of the time. Think whatmeat and hides I have will bring $50. Am going to town with them nextweek. A bear pulled down a deer Ihad hung up where I killed her and eatabout half the carcass. I set my gunfor him the next night but he didn’tcome. The next night it stormed so I

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didn’t set it. He come back and gotthe rest then. Have seen lots of tracksbut no bear yet. Think I can get onebefore I leave for good. Have seen apanther. We chased him 3 or 4 hoursone night. The dog treed him 3 or 4times but he got away. Have got a bitpanther skin a sheep herder killednear here. Have his skull too. Haveseveral bear skulls and a lot of claws. The old hunters say this the best deerhunting in the state. The game lawdon’t allow deer hunting after Nov. 1st

but this is so far from anybody itwon’t make any difference. I havegot to leave here as soon as my meatis dry as the snow is covering the feedfor the pony. Am going to leave mypony down where he can get feed allwinter and camp in Boulder Basinabout 5 miles this side of Snow Camptill the lumber camps start nextspring. So I will get a good wintershunt. This is the last sheet of paper inmy pad so I must stop. Write. E.KnappAm coming up here next summer andstay 3 or 4 months. Then I’ll get the“b’ar”. It is big fun. Wish you &Orley were Here. Am going to tryand get him to come. Have had towrite this by the light of camp fire. E. Knapp Blue Lake

Riverside Cal. Dec. 7 , 1886th

Dear brother,I came down from my hunt last

week.

Found your letter of Sep. 30 atth

the office of this Lumber Co. Amworking for the same Co I did lastspring. I concluded not to winter inthe mts. It is so rainy during the winter& that I could not get out after it fairlygot to raining on account of fordingthe rivers & c. besides I would haveto be careful almost killing deer out ofseason.

I left the hunting camp onGrouse Creek Nov 9 and came toSnow Camp where I stayed till I camehere last week. Found a letter fromCal at Snow Camp. Was gone fivemonths in the Mts. Killed over 50deer. Didn’t find the bear. Am goingfor him next summer. Intend to go tothe New River Mines. Helped a chapa kill a couple wild cats. His dog hadup a tree. Have the hides. Have left 11deer skins at Snow Camp to be tanned. It is raining this morning so we cantwork. Am going to Arcata this afternoon. Am going to try to get Orley tocome out here next summer.

I have over a dozen letters toanswer this a.m. so I must be at them.

Write SoonE. KnappBlue Lake, Cal.

A letter from Blanche Wattles datedFeb. 6, 1887 to her sister Aggie.

Bennettsville Feb. 6, 1887Dear sister Aggie,

I was very glad to hear that yougot home all right and dident tipover.

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Is the Baby lonesome without me toplay with her. I dident know but shewould be. I played with her so muchwhile she was here you don’t knowany thing about how lonesome I wasafter you went home. And oh Aggieyou will be surprised I know for Mrs.Davis she that was Nellie Broad hasgot a pair of Babys a Boy and Girland you never saw anything half sosmall in your life. Aggie and I wentover to see them yesterday. Youcould put a teacup over thair heads. Thair arm is about so wide (arm) andthair hands want a bit larger than myfingar and not half as long. Thair feetare an inch long and one of the Babysare 16 and the other 15 inches long. How I do wish you could see them foryou cant tell anything about thairbeing small untill you do. Butwonders never cease. Will Jones hasgot another girl that makes four girlshe wanted it to be a boy. But thairisent one of them half as nice as yourBaby not half. I found a lot of versesand they were so nice I copyed themoff for the Baby and I forgot to givethem to you when you were down. Iwrote them a good while ago so theyare not writen very nice. The name ofthem is Something for the Baby. Please tell sister Carrie that I shouldlike to have her paint me a picturevery much and tell her to pleaseforgive me for not writeing to her inso long. You can show her this onefor I love her just as much as if I

wrote to her every day and I am goingto write a grate long letter to hersometime. I want to see her so bad. Idon’t know what to do. Please givemy best love to Carrie and the babyand kiss them lots of times forgrandma and I Now I must close withlots of love.

Your little sister Blanche

A poem dated 1886 and written by“Auntie” Blanche(possibly Wattles)was found. I’m not sure who thiswas directed to but the poem isabout a little girl named “Aggie”.

Something for the BabyWhat a precious little pearl.Is our laughing Baby girl.Fairies playing hide-and-seek,Find within her dinted cheek-Find beneath her double chin,Sweetest spots to nestle in.

See her liquid loving eyes.Bright as bits of bluest skies.Clear as little silver lakesWhere no dimpling ripple breaks.Drooping fringes guarding well-Hiding half they have to tell.

Rosey lips whose curving showJust a tiny coral bow-Ruby gates that part to freeLute-like tripping tones of glee

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Not to speak, and not to crow.Not a pearly tooth to show.Only now to trill “ha ha”Trying vainly for “pa pa”.

Now her folded palms she claspsNow she stoops and quickly graspsSoft pink cushions fringed with rowsOf tiny curling taper toes.Now she pulls the flowing laceTwirls a collar out of place.Crumples in her doubled fistRibbon bows before they’re missed.Throws the pin her fingers freeOn the floor with laughing glee.Straightens out the glossy curlWith a sudden jerking whirl.And with curious look meanwhileWonders why you do not smile.

See her spring with joyous boundTo the home her heart has found.Cheek against her mother’s pressedOr nestling in a silken vest.Turning up her winsome faceTo enforce the close embraceSmaking with a hearty kiss.That whispers, “Won’t you love forthis”While the little asking eyeWaits for shaking in reply-Waits again to hear us sayThough she hears it every dayWhat a precious little pearlIs our Aggie winsome girl!

Frailest “earthen vessels” holdGems more precious far then gold

He who gave the jewel rareSon in love the casket sparethus we leave her to His care.

You don’t know how I love youFrom Auntie Blanche 1886

Ellis is still in California and “Virg”is still going to school in Ann Arbor,Michigan.

Riverside Lumber CampHumboldt Co., Cal.Feb. 7 ‘87Dear brother: Yours of 25 ult receivedtoday. Began to think you hadforgotten how to write. Had a letterfrom father and one from Link Eppslast week.

Ellis Knapp on the left seatedand Victor Epps on the right seated.

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This lumber camp discharged itswoods crew the first of Feb. I workedhere from the first of Dec. TillChristmas. Then went to the hills 2weeks. Three chaps went with me. We got 25 deer. I killed 8 of them. Itrained most of the time. There is apost office at Maple Creek now soyou may address to Maple Creek,Humboldt Co., Cal.

It is getting dark and it issupper time.

Will have more to write nexttime.

E.K.

Mountain Camp, Cal. Mar. 3, ‘87Dear Parents.

Have left the camp on MapleCreek and gone about 40 miles fartherup. Got an Indian to pack my gruband blankets on his horses as far asthe trails were passible. Are campedon the Mts. in an old sheep herderscabin. Deer are plenty. But we onlykill what we want to eat.

Expect to go back to Blue Lakeabout Apr. 1. Am well and having afine time.

Haven’t got any mail writtensince about Jan. 1 .st

Write to Blue Lake. Will sendthis to Jaque P.O. by an old hunter. He is waiting for me to finish.

Yours,E. Knapp

Ellis Knapp

Weaver, Trinity Co., Cal.July 16, ‘87

Dear Parents,We are camped 2 miles from the

mining town of Weaver for now. Mypartner has rode into town to see if wecan dispose of our meat and hidesthere and not have to pack them on toRedding or Red Bluff in theSacramento valley. We have fiveanimals loaded. If we can not sell it atgood advantage here, shall take it onto the valley. Have been on the roadfive days. Have traveled up the mainTrinity 3 days. The river is verymuddy from mining along the banks. In many places the base of themountains are washed away 600 to