Scope and Contents From the Collection: The John H. Benson diary [typescript] (1849) details his journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California. The diary was kept daily for 142 consecutive days. Benson started out traveling with the Louisa Company, but he and one other broke away to go at it alone on the 107th day of the record. Benson records his surroundings, mileage traveled, animals, food prices and loads, the weather, and Indian encounters.