Gold Rush Letters of Henry A. Parker

of my abilities, & I hope that when you receive this letter you will feel satisfied that I am doing my best to regain respectability. And now dear Mother I wish you health prosperity & happiness & may the cloud which I have caused to hang over your happiness be soon dispelled & may the remainder of your days which I hope will be many, be passed in happiness & I hope that I shall never again cause you unhappiness but on the other hand, I hope to conduct myself so that you may take pride in speaking of me to my friends who I think have not all deserted me judging from the letters which I received this last mail. I received letters from Yourself Mrs Tucker, P. P. Kellogg, C. Jewett [Esq. C. Jewett], & Lize T--r having previously written to all of them, & I find as you say that there are a plenty of respectable people who will correspond with me. Thus far I have written you & Mr Tucker by every mail & shall continue to do so & I shall expect & no doubt receive letters from you as often in return.

I was happy to hear that you were all comfortably well & I hope you will continue so. For my part I continue to enjoy the best of health & am careful in order to retain it. Samuel Tucker left here Tuesday the 28th Sept since which time I have not heard from him but expect to soon as I am to forward his letters to him & I have already recd four letters & one paper for him which doubtless he is anxious to receive. I think that you must have had a very dry time from what you write but I hope you will have a plenty of Hay, Corn & Potatoes for your own use.

There has been no rain in this city since last April but there is no vegatation [vegetation] here to speak of which drought would injure. I was sorry to hear that Aunt Betsey & Cousin Wm. [William] had been so sick but was glad to hear that they were fast recovering & I think that occasional showers which you will now probably have will revive you all as well as vegatation [vegetation]

Please give my love to all my friends & ever believe me to be

Truly Your affct. & loving Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

Oct 19th 1852

San Francisco Tuesday 9..PM

My Dear Mother

As Mr Walton [Henry Walton] was going to send letters to his partner Mr Turnbull (who left him for the Atlantic States last Friday) tomorrow morning he kindly offered to see one forwarded to you if I wished to write & as I had business which I wished to write you about I thought I would improve the opportunity of doing so.

About two months since I wrote Esq Jewette [Esq. C. Jewett] desiring him to send me some money & I shall expect to hear from you & him with regard to the matter by next mail which has been expected to arrive here for two days past, but as I am in need of the money & fear that he may not have it on hand to send me at present I am a going to make the following proposals to you which I hope you will be pleased to agree to.

If Mr Jewette [Esq. C. Jewett] has not got $500. on hand that he can send me. I wish you would lend me the money from your own property for six or nine months. If I remember rightly you have now got $500 lying in the Concord Savings Bank on which you recieve 5 per cent per annum. Now if you will draw that from the Bank & send it to me I will pay you California interest on it that is 10 per cent per annum or I should be willing to pay even more & will return it to you in six months or any time after that you may wish & I will enclose a Note for $500. in your favor & if you see fit to send me the money please do so if not -- destroy the Note.

I have borrowed today of Mr Wm Walton [William Walton] $700. which

I have promised to pay one half of in sixty & the other half of in 90 days with interest at the rate of 3 percent per month. This money together with $200. I had on hand I have invested in business which I will tell you all about next mail. So in order to meet the payments of these Notes & to keep my credit good I have thrown myself upon your kindness with the hopes that you will assist me, & should you send me the money please do so as soon as you can conveniently after receipt of this & send it in the following manner,, Ask Mr Tucker for me to draw your money from the Bank & forward it on to Mr Turnbell [Mr. Turnbull] or Mr Henry Walton who will then send me a draft on Turnbell [Turnbull] & Walton of this city

Should Mr Turnbell [Mr. Turnbull] chance to be in Pepperell you could give him the money & he would forward me a draft immediately. At any rate if you will only send it to me I will pledge my word that you shall never be a loser by so doing. Of what I have written you at this time however say nothing about to no one Save Mr Tucker & say to him to keep it a secret.

I am well & think that after I get fairly started in my business I shall get along nicely. Give my love to Chas & Hattie also reserve a good share for yourself.

Kind Regards to all my friends,,

Hoping that you will comply with my request I remain, Your afct [affectionate] Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

This letter will be sent by Express to Mr Turnbell in New York who will forward it from there to you in East Pepp

San Francisco Oct 28th,, 1852

My Dear Mother

Your kind letter dated Sept 19th I received the 20th inst. Was glad to hear that you continued to enjoy the best of natures gifts Health. You wrote however that you had been rather unwell for a few days but I think the cool weather will benefit your health & revive you all For my part I continue as usual to enjoy the best of health and I am careful to retain it

How different is my situation from that of my friend Saml Tucker [Samuel P. Tucker] "Poor Fellow" He returned again last Monday evening to this city from the mines, sick discouraged & completely worn out & he hardly knew what to do, or cared what became of himself. This is the third time he had returned from the mines & the second time he has had the Fever & Ague, & he says now that he shall never leave this city again until he returns home.

I was surprised to see him as he & John [John Keep] & Wm Keep [William Keep] calculated when they left here to remain at the mines until Spring & then to see him back here again within four weeks so changed, pale, face & limbs much swollen weak & debilitated, was to me unexpected, but I went to work & assisted him what I could & finally took him to Mrs Millers where I used to board & his health is now fast improving, but he wishes himself at home again I assure you & I think that if he or I ever live to see the good old town of Pepperell again (which I hope we

shall do) we shall then be satisfied to remain there & enjoy those comforts which can be enjoyed at no place but a good home, & thank Heaven that we both got a home & kind friends which we may well feel proud of.

I was pleased to hear that you had been visited by so many of your old Friends during the past summer as it must be pleasant to meet with those who were your friends & school mates in your youthful days & relate to each other the scenes of life through which you have passed during your separation from each other & I think as your health has been pretty good this summer, that you must have enjoyed yourself very well at least I hope you have done so although I fear I have caused you to pass many unhappy moments, but I hope in you receive this you will rest assured that all my resolutions are such as will tend to make me what I once was "good & respectable" & if I ever again am allowed the privilege of reaching Pepperell & meeting you all, I shall endeavor to return your kindness which you have continually shown me.

By last mail I received a few lines from Esq Jewett [Esq. C. Jewett] also from H. A. Walton N.Y. containing a draft on Turnbell [Turnbull] & Walton for Four Hundred Dollars & it came in good time as you will see by the letter which I wrote you the 19th inst. by Express informing you that I had again made up my mind to go into business & as I have done so the money from Esq Jewette [Esq. C. Jewett] was very acceptable. I have bought one half of a Meat Stall with the Fixtures, Horse, Carb &c. The Stall is situated in what is called "The New World Market. So you see I am now engaged in the Butchering business. All the particulars I will not related to you until I see how I prosper. Suffice it to