Pioneer notes from the diaries of Judge Benjamin Hayes, 1849-1875

Benjamin Ignatius Hayes (1815-1877) was a Maryland lawyer living in Missouri in 1849 when he decided to make the overland journey to California. There he became a leader of the Los Angeles bar. Pioneer notes (1929) is based on Hayes's diaries. The entries chronicle his trip west and his career as an attorney and judge in Los Angeles 1850-1877, including his experiences riding circuit to San Diego and San Bernardino. The volume also includes entries from the diaries of his wife, who recorded her trip to California in 1851 and the challenge of childrearing and homemaking in Southern California. As Catholics living in Southern California, the Hayeses boasted a wide circle of friends among their Hispanic neighbors, and their diaries reflect a special interest in the Missions and Mission Indians.