4 Replies Latest reply on Dec 23, 2019 12:44 PM by Joseph Duxbury

    Seeking records of Duxbury, 1849-1856

    Joseph Duxbury Newbie
    Joseph Duxbury Nov 30, 2019 11:03 AM

      I came across Andrew Begley’s article “Searching for Captain Blye”, and it prompted me to see if he could help, as I am involved in a similar search. I am trying to find what happened to the ship Duxbury, that sailed from Boston to San Francisco during the gold rush of 1849. After her ‘Argonaut’ passengers left to seek their fortunes, she left San Francisco (according to newspaper reports) for Mazatlan in November 1849. The reports described the Duxbury as ‘sold’, but still an American vessel. I have received copies of her certificates of registration (in Record Group 41) from the National Archives in Washington, DC, but nothing about her final ownership. The staff at Washington were able to tell me that the Duxbury was lost in 1856, but have not uncovered the documentation that verifies this. I have asked, but of course they do not provide a general research service.

       

      I have looked in the National Archives in San Francisco, but the records there in RG 36 and RG 41 don’t go back as far as 1849. I would be grateful for any suggestions as to where else I should look.