Willard, Emma:

$550 · Offered by William Reese Company

LAST LEAVES OF AMERICAN HISTORY: COMPRISING HISTORIES OF THE MEXICAN WAR AND CALIFORNIA. A reliable account of California and the Mexican-American War, describing causes leading to the war with Mexico, the conquest of New Mexico and California, Doniphan's expedition to Chihuahua, Scott's invasion of Mexico, etc. The second part treats the history of California, beginning with the missions, describing the Spanish and Mexican governments, Fremont's expedition, the Wilkes expedition, Stockton and Kearny's movements, and concludes with an account of the gold rush. This is the first edition, reprinted many times. The map, illustrating the United States and Mexico, was published for the book by J.H. Colton.The present copy bears a contemporary ownership inscription on the front free endpaper that reads, "Franklin Tuthill / Bot Albany Jan 11. 1850," and is likely that of Franklin Tuthill (1822–1865), a physician, newspaper editor, politician, and historian of California. Born in Wading River, New York, Tuthill served in the New York State Assembly before moving to New York City to practice medicine. He was the city news editor for the New York Times and upon moving to California in 1859, assumed the editorship of the San Francisco Evening Bulletin. The present volume contains numerous contemporary annotations—likely those of Tuthill—in both pencil and ink. Tuthill's own History of California was published posthumously in San Francisco in 1866.

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