The Hutchings-Newsom Collection, 1813-1912
The Hutchings-Newsom collection of letters, documents, artifacts, and ephemera covers roughly 100 years of history between extended family and friends, from 1813-1912. Geographical coverage extends from the East Coast, Mid-West, Southern, and Western United States.
A majority of letters center on Missouri (from about 1813-1853) and California (1853-1912).
This exhibition focuses primarily on the period from 1853-1888.
Charles Hutchings (1791-1871) is shown on the right in an undated image.
Charles Hutchings was in his early sixties when in 1853 he made the arduous journey from Missouri to California with his family. Like many people during this period, he was swept up in the excitement of making his fortune in gold in California. Hutchings had years of experience in both silver and lead mining in the Mid-west, but by the time he came to California the most lucrative discoveries of gold had passed.
Many of the letters from the period of 1853-1888 originate from Stanislaus County and greater Central and Northern California. These letters provide a rare glimpse into the early history and development of the region along with daily life, social norms and historical events through the words of the various correspondents.
Left: John M. Newsom was among the first Stanislaus County Supervisors. He was also a California Assemblyman and Justice of the Peace.
Left: Mary E. Newsom was the daughter of Charles Hutchings. She is a central figure in the collection with many letters written to her by family members and friends.
The Hutchings-Newsom Family in Hills Ferry
Illustration of Hills Ferry, 1881.
The town of Hills Ferry in Stanislaus County was a central location for Charles Hutchings and his immediate family after arriving in California. The town has almost completely disappeared from history, however, and cannot even be classified as a “ghost town.” Though it was once a bustling port town during the mid to late nineteenth century, the original site has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature. It was here, within a vibrant and colorful community, that Charles Hutchings, farmed, fished, and sold salted meat to miners and members of his family up the river in Ukiah and down river to Fort Miller.
This 1864 advertisement for steamboat travel between Stockton and Hills Ferry, demonstrates the vibrant riverboat culture that was once a part of Stanislaus County.
Steamboats could only navigate the San Joaquin River six months of the year during the winter and spring. This shortened season of navigable waters required the storage of wheat until it could be transported via the river. Steamboats drawing 2 feet of water or less could safely make the journey to Hills Ferry and other towns along the route.
With the decline of the Gold Rush in the 1850s followed what's sometimes referred to as the “golden harvest” of wheat grown throughout California and especially in the Central Valley where Hills Ferry resided. The industry would also find an international market, as the Franco-Prussian war (1870-1871) impacted a desperate need for wheat in Europe. It was during this time that California began to export large amounts of wheat to England and Australia. Storage warehouses were built for the protection and storage of harvested wheat in Hills Ferry until the winter and spring when the steamboats could safely transport the lucrative and abundant grain.
During the 1870s, Hills Ferry was one of the largest towns in Stanislaus County. There were two hotels, a restaurant, seven saloons, a tin shop, two blacksmith shops, a wagon maker, two apothecaries, and many other businesses and amenities.
The Newsom family would move along with the rest of the Hills Ferry township starting in 1888. This is because the railroad station was built near the town of Newman, a little less than 4 miles away.
Over 20 structures were moved along with the people. This image shows the process of moving a structure with a steam-powered tractor and mules, circa 1888-1889.
Hills Ferry today
History of a Collection
A collection can experience a "rocky" journey before its ultimate destination to an archive. The Hutchings-Newsom collection is no different, having passed through at least 5 different "hands" before it ended up at Stanislaus State in the mid-1960s.
Rebecca "Becca" Newsom, shown on the right, was the original archivist of her family's history, devoting herself to its preservation from the later 19th century through the 1940s.
R. Dean Galloway, Stanislaus State College Head Librarian, helped locate the forgotten collection in the Stanford Library and transfer it to Stanislaus State in the mid-1960s.
Robert "Bob" LeRoy Santos, Stanislaus State Librarian and University Archivist, mid 2000s