Show your Americana / Non-Sports Memorabilia

[thekingofclout]

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[smokelessjoe]

Terrific thread... I feel I could go on and on with this thread.

I have 50+ historical documents related to Louis John Frederick Jaeger (Iaeger) also know as "Don Diego". Jaeger was a big part of the early history of Yuma Arizona, helping soldiers (Fort Yuma), Indians and thousands of people cross the Colorado "gold rush"!. Jaeger owned and operated a ferry across the Colorado of which the town essentially grew up around. Many of the documents are associated with mining, claims, deeds, letters etc. Jaeger survived several Indian arrow wounds including one to the back of the head. Jaeger met Olive Oatman (she was an Indian captive since childhood who appeared as an adult with a tattoo on her chin that showed she was not native) and many other historic people. A real pioneer!

I am trying to gather all the info I can, and trying to decipher what I have.
If anyone has any additional info or contacts, your help is much appreciated.

Now the good stuff:

1. The first scan is a letter written by Jaeger to his wife - You can just feel the urgency Jaeger writes with having not heard from her - Jaeger even mentions that he sent letters to her via an Indian named Carabe???

2. Second scan is a letter from Frank P Clymers wife written to Jaegers wife - Beautiful penmanship written in Spanish - If anyone can translate I WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL!

3. This is a letter written by Jaegers son (Jaeger Jr.) to his sister back home. Interesting that Jr. was in Washington DC two months after his father had passed away in DC. The father was in DC trying to settle a federal claim in regards to his ferry being destroyed by the Indians.

4. This is a interesting article I found online about Don Diego!!

I have more I will post,

[smokelessjoe]

Here is the first letter... Larger this time, so you can read it.

[smokelessjoe]

Here are some more... Please feel free to ask any questions.

[smokelessjoe]

Here are some pictures of Jaeger with some Yumans. These are not mine.

[smokelessjoe]

I have attached an original hand written document that appears to be the voting results from San Diego County etc. in relation to the Judicial Election of 1871. The document is rather large, so I could not scan it in color (the paper is actually blue). I also had to scan the document in two halves. I also attached an advertisement for the Election that I found in an online newspaper. My main problem is deciphering the witness signatures at the bottom of the paper - Do you recognize any of the names? Of course I do see LJF Jaeger but am not sure on the others.

Also, the document has more writing on the back...

Please excuse the large scans, its hard to get it where you can read it.

My best guess on the names:
A. J. Neeley
LJF Jaeger
Homer Hubby
Tom Freeman
A. L. ?????

[smokelessjoe]

Here is an invoice from the Fort Yuma Store. Gabriel Martinez married Jaeger's daughter.

This is just half of the invoice.