| 1852 |
|
| February 18 |
Volume 1 of Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England is published. |
| October |
Volume 2 of Walks and Talks is published. |
| December 10 |
Begins first journey through the South. |
| 1853 |
|
| February 16 |
First letter of the series “The South” is published in the New-York Daily Times.
|
| April 6 |
Ends first southern journey. |
| November 10 |
Begins second journey through the South with his brother, John Hull Olmsted. |
| 1854 |
|
| January 23 |
Kansas-Nebraska Bill is introduced in Congress. |
| February 13 |
Last letter of “The South” series is published. |
| March 6 |
First letter of the series “A Tour in the Southwest” is published in the New-York Daily Times.
|
| May 30 |
Kansas-Nebraska Act is signed into law. |
| June 7 |
Last letter of the series “A Tour in the Southwest” is published. |
| c. August 2 |
Ends second southern journey. |
| October |
Circulates appeal for funds for San Antonio Zeitung.
|
| 1855 |
|
| March 30 |
Proslavery, “bogus” territorial legislature is elected in Kansas. |
[484 ] |
| April |
Becomes a partner in the publishing firm of Dix, Edwards and Company and moves to New York City. Until January 1856, acts as managing editor of Putnam’s Monthly Magazine.
|
| October |
Buys mountain howitzer and ammunition for free-state settlers in Kansas, acting as agent for James B. Abbott. |
| 1856 |
|
| January |
Publishes A Journey in the Seaboard Slave States.
|
| February |
Leaves for eight months in Europe on business for Dix & Edwards. |
| March 29 |
Last issue of the San Antonio Zeitung is published. |
| March-May |
Travels on the Continent—from Paris to Marseilles, Nice, Genoa, Leghorn and Rome; then south to Naples, Pompeii and Amalfi; north to Florence, Venice and Trieste; and on to Vienna, Prague, Leipzig and
Dresden. |
| May |
Adolf Douai leaves Texas for Boston. |
| May 20 |
Lawrence, Kansas, is “sacked” by proslavery forces. |
| May 22 |
Charles Sumner is caned by Preston Brooks in U. S. Senate chambers. |
| May–July |
Lives in London and attends to publishing matters. Socializes with circle of editors of Punch. Frequently visits parks in London and vicinity. |
| July 21–c. 29 |
Meets father and stepmother in Liverpool and travels with them back to London via Wales, Chester, Coventry, Kenilworth, Warwick, Stratford, Leamington, Oxford and Windsor. |
| c. August 7–20 |
Travels with family to Dresden via Ostend, Bruges, Ghent, Mechlin, Lièges, Aix-la-Chapelle, Cologne, Bonne, Coblenz, Bingen, Kastel, Hesse-Cassel, Frankfort, Leipzig and Dresden. Returns to London via
Berlin and Hamburg. |
| September |
New territorial governor of Kansas, John W. Geary, begins program of “pacification.” |
| October |
Returns to New York from England. |
| December |
Writes “Letter to a Southern Friend.” |
| 1857 |
|
| January |
Publishes A Journey Through Texas.
|
| January |
John Hull Olmsted leaves for Cuba and Europe in search of better health. |
[485 ] |
| March 4 |
Governor Geary of Kansas resigns. |
| March 6 |
Dred Scott decision is announced by U. S. Supreme Court. |
| March–April |
Writes introduction and supplement for American edition of T. H. Gladstone’s The Englishman in Kansas.
|
| March 26 |
Robert J. Walker is appointed governor of Kansas Territory. |
| April |
Becomes partner in publishing firm of Miller & Company, with George W. Curtis and J. W. Miller. |
| May |
Begins to work with New England Emigrant Aid Company to promote free-labor colonization in Texas and “Neosho.” |
| June |
Publishes American edition of The Englishman in Kansas. Withdraws as partner in Miller & Company. |
| June 3 |
First letter of the series “The Southerners at Home” is published in the New York Daily Tribune.
|
| August 6 |
Publishing firm of Miller & Curtis fails. |
| August 12 |
Applies for post of superintendent of Central Park in New York City. |
| August 24 |
Last letter in “The Southerners at Home” series is published. |
| September 11 |
Appointed superintendent of Central Park. |
| November 24 |
John Hull Olmsted dies in Nice. |