Approximately 10 items including Brass Spurs and Gold Rush Related Pocket diary belonging to Edward Dickson Hicks II (b. 1831- d. 1894), the diary beginning Jan. 1, 1850, at his home Devon Farm in Nashville, Tennessee. Entry March 13, 1850: "Have the California Fever on the high order. I am resolved to go." Runs through April 1851, describes his journey in detail. Notes of purchases in back of book (and one page that has come loose) including a mule for $40, whiplash, harness, etc. Note that the diary does not describe his return home, and the entries, which are in pencil near the end, become progressively lighter and harder to read. Also included are a scrap of paper with reference to a Trading Expedition in 1851 and two pages labeled by Hicks' great granddaughter Sarah Hunter Hicks Green as "Translations of Shoshonis Indian Tribe Language by Ed Hicks II - he kept this folded up in his diary." Pocket diary 4" x 2 1/2". This archive also includes a letter from Ed Hicks II to Alexander C. Robertson, written in Sacramento City Calif. Aug. 4, 1850, describing his journey from the St. Joseph area. "The amount of suffering on the road will be very great all of the emigrants started from the states with light loads of provisions and expecting to make short trips but all are doomed to disappointment, and as men on the plains eat twice as much as they do at home they are sure to get out of food. I have seen men offer one dollar for a hard biscuit, two dollars for three pints of water." Also included is Hicks' leather "bullet bag" mentioned in his diary on March 17, 1850 ("Horton presented me a Bible, Bullet bag"). In addition is a pair of Spanish or Mexican brass spurs with figural decoration, that Hicks wore when he went west for the Gold Rush (1-7/8" rowels, 6" L x 3" W x 2-3/8" D, circa 1840), and a family archival photo (8 1/4" x 10") of the same spurs together with his pistols (pistols not included). Provenance: the estate of Sarah Hunter Hicks Green, formerly of Historic Devon Farm, Nashville, Tennessee. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com)

Paper items exhibit toning. Edge tears and losses to Indian document. Wear and stains to bullet bag. Leather diary cover is worn with tape residue and losses. Interior pages are in good condition. Spurs in very good condition.