| Summary: | John Nevin King writes a letter to his mother to ask about the family's health, including her worsening eyesight. He discusses the weather in Alaska and tells her when he'll be able to write next stating that he will have to wait for a boat to arrive from San Francisco to send the next letter. John Nevin King (1827-1915) was a member of the Northwest Boundary Survey (1857-1861) John Nevin King (1827-1915) was a member of the Northwest Boundary Survey (1857-1861) whose assignment was to define the boundary between the United States and British Canada. . He lived in Sitka and Kodiak, Alaska for most of his time working on the survey, a territory that had recently been purchased from Russia. His letters to his family are of particular interest because they describe Alaska after the purchase from Russia and prior to the great gold rushes. Subjects include descriptions of the social dynamics between the Russian and Native American residents, as well as commentary on the land and lifestyle in Alaska at this time.
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