Got a hunt in this week and got a merc, silver rosie, two toasted buffalos and toasted V nickle along with a 1909 (dagnabit no S or VDB 
), some marbles, but the neatest find was a two piece button (Scovill backmark) from the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company (PMSSC).
The Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company (PMSSC) (1848-1925) is synonymous with that of San Francisco, where the line was based throughout most of its history. Its history is also synonymous with Gold Rush transportation and with Pacific Basin trade and migrations. PMSSC was established in 1848 with lucrative U.S. mail contracts, and the first steamship to sail into San Francisco Bay was the PMSSC steamer CALIFORNIA, arriving on February 28, 1849.
Here is one of the great ironies of history: Departing from New York before the discovery of gold in California had become well known, the wooden side-paddle-wheeler stopped in Panama to pick up a few passengers on route to San Francisco. But at Panama, the ship instead found hundreds of gold-seekers waiting to board. They had made their way down the East Coast after hearing of the discovery at Sutter's Mill, and crossed the Isthmus. Upon reaching San Francisco, all the passengers disembarked for the gold fields east of Sacramento. To the captain's disdain, so did most of the crew!
Pacific Mail also became the principal means of transport to California in the 19th Century for Japanese immigrants, and for the Chinese immigrants who built the trans-continental railroad. Both migrations vastly enriched California's economy and culture. And PMSSC was vociferous in its defense of the rights of Chinese crew members and workers.
Pacific Mail transitioned into Dollar Line, also San Francisco-based, and in 1938, Dollar Line's name was changed to American President Lines (today's APL, a global container-shipping company).
PMSSC in essence represents the origins of the steamship business on San Francisco Bay. But more important, the company -- born more than 150 years ago in Gold Rush days-- played a critical role in the development of San Francisco, the State of California, the United States, and the Pacific Basin.
The "Tennessee" was on Pacific Mail's Panama-San Francisco run when she ran aground at Tennessee Cove in Marin County in 1853. This Sarony & Major litho, ca. 1850, belonged to Renee Pierre Schwerin of San Francisco, the company's VP and General Manager in the late 19th Century.
Pacific Mail Company's offices on the southeast corner of First and Market, 1896.
), some marbles, but the neatest find was a two piece button (Scovill backmark) from the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company (PMSSC).
The Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company (PMSSC) (1848-1925) is synonymous with that of San Francisco, where the line was based throughout most of its history. Its history is also synonymous with Gold Rush transportation and with Pacific Basin trade and migrations. PMSSC was established in 1848 with lucrative U.S. mail contracts, and the first steamship to sail into San Francisco Bay was the PMSSC steamer CALIFORNIA, arriving on February 28, 1849.
Here is one of the great ironies of history: Departing from New York before the discovery of gold in California had become well known, the wooden side-paddle-wheeler stopped in Panama to pick up a few passengers on route to San Francisco. But at Panama, the ship instead found hundreds of gold-seekers waiting to board. They had made their way down the East Coast after hearing of the discovery at Sutter's Mill, and crossed the Isthmus. Upon reaching San Francisco, all the passengers disembarked for the gold fields east of Sacramento. To the captain's disdain, so did most of the crew!
Pacific Mail also became the principal means of transport to California in the 19th Century for Japanese immigrants, and for the Chinese immigrants who built the trans-continental railroad. Both migrations vastly enriched California's economy and culture. And PMSSC was vociferous in its defense of the rights of Chinese crew members and workers.
Pacific Mail transitioned into Dollar Line, also San Francisco-based, and in 1938, Dollar Line's name was changed to American President Lines (today's APL, a global container-shipping company).
PMSSC in essence represents the origins of the steamship business on San Francisco Bay. But more important, the company -- born more than 150 years ago in Gold Rush days-- played a critical role in the development of San Francisco, the State of California, the United States, and the Pacific Basin.
The "Tennessee" was on Pacific Mail's Panama-San Francisco run when she ran aground at Tennessee Cove in Marin County in 1853. This Sarony & Major litho, ca. 1850, belonged to Renee Pierre Schwerin of San Francisco, the company's VP and General Manager in the late 19th Century.
Pacific Mail Company's offices on the southeast corner of First and Market, 1896.
