Gold Rush Era Letters

I have received in all three letters from you and this makes the third one answered directed as you have have instructed each time if they do not reach you there must be some fault in the direction someway I write this letter under the impression that you may never receive it as you say you have received none from me and I cannot expect a better fate for this than the former ones You write about thinking of going to see J.C. Ayer of Lowell. I would do so if I were you if for nothing else than an adventure. Make yourself known to him and see if you cannot rake up a relationship with the Dr I am much indebted to his medicine as I believe it has saved me from being a perminant resident under ground insted of a worker there, and I assure you I have no desire to retire from active life and go into such exclusive retirement, at least not yet The incident you [unclear] about concerning helping Loretta off the fence has passed from my memory I was quite young then although there are many things that transpired at that time which I yet recollect distinctly. Give her best wishes and say to her I should much like once more to see her although judging from present indications some time may elapse ere such time may be convenient. No more As ever Your Brother O Ayer

Friends at home

Forgive me for so long neglicting my most sacred obli -gation, viz. writing to you But like all who err in respect to duty I have my excuses, but will spare you the perplexity of detail, and proof which after all might not convince your better judgement that I might not have written sooner But here I am at last at it with nothing very entertaining to offer, but with the resolution to try and do better in future. For the last three or four weeks we have been hemed in by one of the most voilent storms that I have witnessed for a long time the snow fell here to the debth of three or four feet in less than thirty hours since which it has rained and snowed alternately, but the snow has gradualy disappeared while the ground begins to appear on the hill sides again Christmas and new years passed almost without a note of the gala time we are wont to look for one such occasions I was however

strongly reminded by the whitened face of old nature, of the jeneral appearance of the same time in old N.Y. But there were no merry ringing bells to usher in its advent No smiling belle's without which festivity looses its charm, or sinks more often to mere debauchery I spent my my Christmas at home, on new years day I vistied Jowie Hill on business for the Co Partook of a very excellent dinner without any particular invitation from any one, but after was strongly urged to settle and did So you see there is not so much difference only a reversion of older customs, there with you the invitation comes before, and here after meals I cannot enumerate all that was served up on the occasion but there were Turkeys Chickens Venson Fruit Cake and a variety of other kinds together with some very delightful beverages called Egg-nog Cola Wines &c. so you see even here, one want supplies another and all are cared for, who pay for their care Today is sunday, the first in the new year It has been raining all the morning and on the whole is rather a gloomy morning here I have not done but three or four days work in three weeks

Our [Col? Cor?] have not yet commenced operations in mining, having been delayed beyond all expectations, we shall however commence this week to raze dirt evrything being now complete and the water pumped out of claim. Our slope is in all 267 feet in length running from surface to bed rock at an angle of forty five degres At the surface, we have an engine of ten horse power with hoisting gear and pumps sufficient for all purposes required all this has been done at an immense cost far exceeding evry calculation of ours, but we are hopeful that we may yet surmount the swelling tide of embarrassments which we have had to encounter True this but a miners hope and subject to innumerable exceptions doubts etc. I believe I told you of my cabin being crushed in by a falling tree will it is all right now we have another erected on the same spot better than the first, but we miss some of our furniture a new stove and good clock and a variety of smaller traps necessary to a miners mansion all regrets are useless however and we must trust

in Providence and milder weather hereafter By the way I have not had a letter for the last two mails past I have no right to complain as I have written none myself but I am anxious always to know how you all are there often Please let me know all the passing wents and something evry one I know there You have a world of interesting matter of which to form an interesting letter to me whil I am as it were isolated from all matters of interest within your range of knowlege I have to write in order to get letters but I always think how dry and meager of news my letters must seem - and the only cosolation you find is after wading through a long prozy one to find at last the End will ever Yours Truly

Osborn Ayers Jan 5th / 61

Grass Valley. January. 17. 1857

Dear Sister

we recived your letters and was gald to hear of your good health it found us as it left you as we have ben all of the time since we left home and it is something strange that so many as there is of us and all well but we had aught to have some good luck if we cant make money if we have good health we can make a firstrate good living and wil make some of that slow money that you spoke about there is but little news this time thing move after the same old the weather is colder this winter than any presvious one since I have ben in this county the weather being so very cold with sudin changes had caused more sickness than usual there being several cases of fevers whitch is uncommon for this climate and the disease goes verry hard

I thought last fall that I should not like to come home in the fall but as it has turned out I think we shal see as much cold in this country as you will in New Hampshire though we have our advantage over you if we like we can travel out of the cold in an day where it wil take you three or four, the Danbury Boys are all well as far as I know wont see any of them but. Geill and Tilton they are both well and doing well in the mines Frazies is in the sonthern mines C. C, Dudley is at sanfrancisco he left Iowa Hill three weeks ago what he is going at dawn at the Bay I cant say Tilton cant colect any thing on that note from Felps to Brown yet and it is rather doutfull whether he ever will or not Felps is prospecting

Dear Cousin

Do not think think I have forgotten you by my not writing to you before let me asure (sic) you I have not or even will I did not Return to the Springs as soon as I expected. I staid (sic) to Sandy Hill until the 20 of January I was afflicted with the tooth ache for it long time. I injoyed myself yuit (?) and should if I could have had your letter but Relieve me Dear Cousin I delayed no time when I got here to go to the offace and was very happy to find it letter from you with it joyfull heart I broke the Seal and was happy to hear that you was in good health for with out it we are poor mortals for good health and good companey makes this life very agreeable for my part I am very fond of both and if I could have the company of my friends I should be very glad but as I can not it is A great pleasure to think that though we are far A part yet we can converse with each other with the pen it is A pleasure for me to write to one that I esteem as Dear as I do you but I should be happyer to See you but Alas I can not so I must content myself by writing to you and hope if we live we Shall See each other before long when in Old Dutchefs Dear Cos I comenced this the 11 and now it is the 14 and I try to finish it do excuse me for i have for I have ? quit ? to work and that is not all I have made it Bargeira (?) to go to California with A young man in the next ship that sails. I thought best to let you know. I think I shall not go with out first calling for you so I will bring A Lady for you the more the merryer we will be

Strawberry Valley Yula Co, Col, Mar 29th 1857

My Dear Aunt, After looking a long long time in vain a few weeks since a letter came from Aunt Calista Oh! it did me so much good to hear from her and learn the welfare & prosperity of the greater part of the friends - Letters are precious treasures to me. I know you cannot realize my feelings although you may imagine what they must be. Situated as I am far far from every families face save one, in a strange land so different from Home, & surrounded by scenes which I am perfectly unused to - I watch with eagerness the arrival of each Atlantic Steamer & not infrequently learn with a heavy heart that it bore no tidings for me. April 26th

Again I attempt to write Aug 15th 1857 so I was interrupted almost as soon as I began & this has of necessity remained unfinished until now - I will go back to last winter & give you a sketch of my doings up to this time.

[Following writing goes around the edge of the paper Dear Aunt if we ever live to return I think we shall visit you as we go on west I love Cheese as well as ever but seldom get any good here. Have one or two ready by the time we drop in. I don't know as one would do me for a meal - unless it was a Monster.