Correspondence of Francis Trowbridge Sherman of Chicago, and his traveling companion, Henry A. Ballentine, documenting their travel overland to the California gold fields and experiences there, 1849-1850. Also photocopies of a few of Sherman's (colonel 88th Illinois Infantry) letters regarding the Civil War and his Chicago business, business and family correspondence of father F.C. Sherman, family records, and newspaper clippings.

Correspondence, writings, documents of Nathan Kendall and wife Abby J. Reed Kendall of Massachusetts, Indiana and Illinois, including many letters to each other before and after marriage in 1857, as well as numerous letters to and from members of their families, friends and former students. Some correspondence and documents concern travel to California begun in 1849.