Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader.
Description
Available also in the original handwritten form in the member's Biographical File, and online Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader Autobiography & Reminiscence of Capt. Albert Smith Hall, San Francisco, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers Albert S. Hall, born in Nobleboro, Maine, on March 28, 1832, with nearby Damariscotta being a shipbuilding town, Hall was drawn to the sea. In 1840, Hall made his first sea voyage as a seaman on "The Aldebaran" with Capt. Charles Comery, from Waldoboro, Maine. By 1845 he was second-mate of the ship "Terian". From 1843-1848 Hall was shipping cotton and coffee in Mexico and Central America. Jan. 6, 1849 Hall left New York on the "Albany" for the gold rush to California, going around the horn, stopping in Talcahuano, Chile and anchoring in S.F. on July 5, 1849. Hall and friends camped in S.F. at Happy Valley, building a boat to go to the mines in Stockton, mining at Calaveras Bar. Having no luck they went to Hunts Gulch. In 1849 Hall returned to S.F. piloting the schooner "Star" between S.F. and Stockton, but sold the ship and then helped build a boat for the river trade (The Hudson). In February 1851, Hall became Capt. of the steamer "Oregon" heading east. In Panama, he left the ship and took control of "Prometheus" for New York. Hall married Matilda Henrietta Cotton (Aug.14,1851)and the next April, left for California on the steamers "Golden Gate" and "George Law". In S.F. he resumed carrying freight to Stockton and Sacramento. In 1853, Hall returned to Maine and brought his wife to S.F. In 1857 Hall began trading with Oregon. He returned with his wife to Maine(1860), staying until 1863 when they moved to Vineland, New Jersey to farm. In 1873 Hall sold the farm and moved his family to California back to the hay and grain business(Scott & Hall) Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p.137-169, Vol. 1. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume, of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers. The original handwritten version exists in the member's Biographical File. This reminiscence includes a reference to a photograph of the member in a set of bound volumes, but there is no longer a photograph of this member in our collection. This reminiscence covers from 1840-1901 of Hall's life. He names the ships sailed on and details of voyages and ports. He briefly mentions the campaign and election of President Lincoln. Hall gives an honest account of early San Francisco, especially in his comparison of the S.F. of 1849 and 1873.
Hall, Albert Smith--1832-1902 Pioneers--California--Biography Seafaring life Gold mines and mining Voyages to the Pacific Coast Voyages and travels Shipping--California--San Francisco Bay Area--History California--History--19th century California--Commerce--History
Time Period
California -- History -- 19th century
Place
Pioneers California Biography Shipping San Francisco Bay Area History 19th century. California, Northern. Commerce
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