Gold Rush Era Collections

Jacksonsvill [Jacksonville]], Tuolumnie river [centeered]

[right side] Sunday Feb {february]10^th 1850

More than five months have passed since I last wrote in this Book five months! how quickly they have passed. When ones time is fully occupied, time glides by un marked and mine has been every moment I might say, the last of September I left Sullivans and went south on a prospecting tour , crooped the Tuolunie round Mercede rivers and travelled over the MerryPorer diggings, there I found one piece of gold that weighed 6oz sold 3 gueneys was gone three weeks from Sullivans diggings, on my return found Pierpoint making arrangements to go down to San Francisco or some other place to look him up some land, intending to turn farmer. Heys & myself immediat3ly came over to Jacksonvill where we now are, there were many People here at that time working on the river & on woods erects Went to work on the river uner... with Percy Gardner from Sixth Adams NY and done very well for a while until the rains commenced which caused the river to rise which drove us out of our hole this was about the first of November our best days work was one pound and a quarter of gold took out nine pounds in three weeks, after leaving our place on the river we Pitched our tent over, and Prepared for winter, which we anticipated would be long cold wet and dreary but we have been hapily disappointed so far, we have had no snow that did not melt as fast as it fell here in the valley at least, although the mountains have been dressed in robes of white quite a number of times there has been but one heavy rain and that lasted but three days but there fell a great quantity of water, causing small streams that were nearly dry a week before to go forming and tumbling along like mighty rivers as they were, the river itself flowed on in all its pride with its banks full to overflowing

The weather has been so far as warm and mild as may the hills look fresh and green and banks of flowers are seen wherever you go, altogether the country looks far Pleasanter than in summer when everything is parched and dry.

We have passed the winter very pleasantly so far, doing something most of the time, Heys went down to San Francisco the last of December after letters, he was gone between three and four weeks as the travelling was very bad, his experience were a very little short of

about a month ago we bought a pit saw for which we paid $50,00 since which time we have been sawing boards and making cradles for washing gold. For a few weeks back the people remained here have been forming into companies for the purpose of damming the river & turning it out of the channell when it goes down in the dry season

San francisco May 21 1850

Brother Richmond at your request I write you I arived here on the 20 inst [instant] after a short pasage of 37 days from new york and in good health alll all the time and in good spirits It has been like a pleasure party all the pasage to me it has been so interresting to me though our living has been very Poor but it was so much the beter for us we are well prepared for the mines I would like to give you a description of all the paces [places] that I pazed [passed] threw but time will not permit as I must leave at 4 PM for Sacramento in the senator. I find your Brother in good health and spirits and up to his eyes in buisness I should think acording to apearan[ce] that he was in as good buisness as any one and plenty of money and makes loanes at 10 percent per month. I heard him make one man an offer to cash good paper for 60 days 3000 for 4600 I thought that prety good Intrist, he has plenty of money they all say as near as I can find out he is worth about 75,000 his Intrist amounts about $35. 00 per day I have talked with him some on this point as you requested me I have requested him to send money home to by the lot of land of Capt Bob Pery to the North of his house it can be bought for about 500 goes Back as far as his Barn goes it

it is Mortgaged to the Limerack Bank for about 4.00 Judge Cochran can tell you about how it stands. I think that your Brother will come home in September so he tells me and I think that he will and fetch you back with him so I expect to see you here the next time that I see you. I have been offered 2 1/2 ounces for my Boots to day I wish that I had brought one doz pairs with me you had beter send some as soon as you can across the istmass [isthmus] send me one pair at any rate by some one so that I can have them by fall fill the Botoms full of coper [copper?] nailes all over Just the same kind of thoes that I have got. (Give my Best respects to the Brothers of the temple and tell them that I am with them still although absent from them yet I hold to the principal I wish that there was a Temple in this plase for it neades one very much, so go on Brothers.) I have not seen any one of our town here Colson is at Bernecia ulmer at the mines & so is all the rest as far as I can learn, some are at the southern mines and are doing well. I shall go to Hangtown Sacramento, Suters [Sutters] fort. I have writen to my wife shall write to some of the rest of our folks after I arive at Sacramento, it will be rather wet crossing the isthmus for our June friends. I cloes and remain your Obedient

[on right] { James W Sayward

[postscript added on left]

15,000 given in to the assears [assayers] as money an Intrest

20,000 good on hand

10,000 stoar

5,000 from store } (he says I got of well that time)

_______

50,000

as he gave it to the assars [assayers] and I noted it down at the time

San Francisco May 22^d 1850.

My Dear Brother Arnold

Mr Sayward has written you a long letter and I see has told you a great story in regard to me, or our firm. As you well know Doct. Magguier has an interest with me. I have no other partner except him. I have drawn some capital from the firm and have loaned it here at a good interest, and now Brother I would not have you think of me as worth much, any way, have done well and hope this Summer to do better but let me impress upon your mind, that no one in California knows how much he is worth until he has settled all up and got the dust in his hair. I have been thinking about sending some money home to invest, but while it yields me the income it does I cannot make up my mind to. I hope to come home in September but before this Steamer leaves I will write you more about it.

Love to Larissa & all

Ever your Brother Cyrus

A Thousand thanks for those boots they suit me exactly Cyrus

[address, written in center-fold of page turned sideways]

Arnold Richmond

East Thomastown

Maine

[on right] San Francisco June 27/'50

My Dear Mother,

The Steamer leaves the 1^st and I must begin another letter to you. I have sent by this Steamer a draft to the Northern Bank Hallowell, to be collected and held in their hands subject to my own order. I have requested them to send you a duplicate certificate of deposit " also wishing them to send me one, but should I leave before it comes to hand you will have the duplicate which you will please Keep safe for me. I hope to leave here on the 1^st September yet I may not before October or the first of November. I have not heard one word from you for a great while. Why dont you write. You have never said one word, whether you are in want of money or not. If I knew I would send you a draft but if you want any money Mother you may borrow it and I will see it paid. I reckon, "your baby" as you use to call me, will yet see the day when he can take care of his Mother. I know I have worked hard enough, and if

dont save something, I Know that twill not be my fault, but you need not fear. I shall bring home a few of the lumps you read about. "what do you think of the samples sent." I want you to be sure and carry them to Hallowell so that some of my particular friends can take a look at them. You Know very well who I mean, if by chance you should meet my friend Mr Dwight, he will be very happy to see you. "I know" also Capt Watts, for he is a very particular friend of mine. Be sure & call there, the next time you go to Hallowell. Ask Mr Stinson to go up and introduce you for he and his wife would be delighted to see you. How do all the people in Winthrop; Do they still think that California is a hoax. Time will prove all things. Do not allow the box to be opened at all, but after you have looked at it, leave it in the Northern Bank. I will bring some specimens when I come home that will make all of you wish yourselves here. Business is first rate now, better than it ever was before. I only wish my store was brick, then I could rest easy; but as soon as this one burns up I will have

one built that cannot be burnt up George Snell is a clerk for me now, and I like him very much. I have four clerks besides a boy to sweep out & go of errands, then another store on Clarks Point where I have two clerks. You can imagine that I have a good deal to look after. Doctor & his wife are first rate and are anxiously looking forward to September or October when they intend to return and live in Maine, though I do not think in Winthrop. He will send by this Steamer a box similar to the one I sent you, tis to be left in Portland. I shall write you again by the Steamer of the 15^th and as I have you & write Arnold & Nancy to night I will bid you Good Bye

Remember my requests & make my regards to all my friends in Winthrop & Hallowell

And think of me ever

As Your Happy Son

Cyrus

[on right] San Francisco, May 12^th 1851.

My dear Mother,

I presume you will have seen in the papers, before receiving our letters, an account of the terrible fire that has again visited this City, and Cyrus has told you how warm a reception it gave us. 'Twas the first large fire I ever was in the midst of for so we rescued to be; and we were most fortunate to escape not only with our lives, but with all our baggage.

We arrived about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon May 3^d, after a most delightful voyage of seventeen days from Panama, and I really wish you could have come with us, for I know you could not but have enjoyed it. How I wished every day that all at home could see us, and know how comfortably, and with how little fatigue we got along. Going up the Chagres River, and the ride from Gorgeria [Georgia] to Panama, which is such a "bug-bear" to almost every one in the States, was a charming excursion, the scenery magnificent, the foliage on the trees, the vines and flowers, the natives "ranches" scattered all along the banks of the river, and on the sides of the mountains, every thing we saw and heard was beautiful and romantic, or seems (to me) and strange. Panama, I must confess I was disgusted with. 'Tis true, there [are] some things to interest me there, some pleasant walks, and some fine old ruins that

we see nothing like in the States, and some old Cathedrals to visit; but I think one day these would fully satisfy any curiosity, for with every natural advantage, except perhaps the heat of the climate, it is one of the most filthy, disagreeable places, I was ever in. Acapulco, where we stopped nearly two days, on our way up, is much smaller, but decidedly a much more pleasant Spanish town. It is a famous place for fruit, and you may be sure, Cyrus obtained a good supply of Pine Apples, Bananas, Limes and Oranges, upon which we have almost lived ever since. There was very little sickness on the Steamer we were on, but one death, an elderly gentleman who died the first Sunday out from Panama, and was buried immediately - It was the first, and I hope it may be the last, funeral at sea I ever witness.

At Acapulco we met Mr. Wing, from Winthrop, on his way home, who promised to see you, and also my Brother, and let you know that we were well, and enjoying ourselves much. This we thought much better than sending a letter, and I presume you will have seen him some time before receiving this. Cyrus carried me on board Capt. Abbot's barque to spend the day with Mrs Abbot, an old aquaintance of Mrs Magguier's She wished me when writing home, to send word to Mrs Magguier that she should be in San Francisco in August next, and would be most happy to hear from her.

I like San Francisco very much. 'Tis true, I think I could be well contented any where with my husband; but aside from that I think I shall like