Life Sketches of a Jayhawker of ‘49; Actual Experiences of a Pioneer told by himself in his own way

San Jose: Self Published [San Jose Notta Bros.], 1916. First Edition. Good. , limited to 300 [9.25x6.25in]; 68 pp., [2], six leaves of halftone portraits of Jayhawkers and illustrated scenes; Brown stiff paper wrappers with gilt stamped lettering on front, brown endpapers, stapled binding, covers extend beyond text block; Age wear to paper covers with creases and chips on all edges and corners, missing 1/4" bottom spine, several small stain and ink spots on covers faded and gilt lettering dulled, offset of 1920 newspaper article tipped in on the death of Stephens and prior owner ink signature on front leaf, oval stain on upper fore edge of first 12 pages, age toning of text throughout; Overall condition of this type and material quality is Very Good. [Kurutz 601, Cowan II p. 613, Graff 3972, Howell 50 1636, Adams 2136]. Lorenzo Dow Stephens (1827-1921) was part of a an Illinois company that left for California in March 1849. The company traveled to Fort Laramie, South Pass, Fort Bridger and Salt Lake City. They were late in arriving and would not make it through the northern Sierra passes before winter. As typical, the large caravan was segregated in groups and Stephens group selected the name "Jayhawkers" to give the group an identity. They choose to take a southern route and along the way the group had many arguments on the routes and separated. Stephens was part of the Wade party that barely survived through Death Valley and the Mojave desert. William L. Manly, known for his book, Death Valley in ‘49, was part of Stephens Jayhawkers. Stephens settled in Santa Clara county and was the last surviving Jayhawker.

From Kurutz, "Stephens spent time in the diggins along the Merced River and at the mining towns of Chinese Camp and Fine Gold Gulch. With the begining of the rainy season in the fall of 1850, Stephens took up farming and freighting. A restless type, he joined the mining rushes in British Columbia in 1862 and the Klondike in 1898.