R. J. Boylan, Gold Rush Letters, 1850-1853

Sep 7th

Dr [Dear] Son James I enclose A few lines to you I expect to get A letter from you by next express. I sent to the office expecting to get A letter of last June but was disapointed [disappointed] May 28th being the last, you are not sensible of the deep anxiety I feel to hear from you all. I can work much more cheerfull [cheerful] and may be at night is not so hard. I hear Simington has got home -- I hope you got the package of letters &c

My Dr [Dear] Son I cannot give you now any new advise [advice] respecting what plan of life you had better persue [pursue] but onely [only] repeat act honest and upright and establish for yourself A good character recllect [recollect] that the friendship of A good honest business man is worth more to you than that of A dozen rowdies and do that, which will resound to your own interest and wellfare [welfare] if the stock business does not suit you. I am perfectly willing for you to engage in any honourable [honorable] pursuit that will suit you -- as for myself I shall do all I can in the stock trade I never intend to rais [raise] grain for A living but stock growing and dioving [dividing] is as lucrative and honourable [honorable] burden as I want

Mr Bowen & James wishes you to inform Steven they intend sending some funds by me. Think I shall start for home as soon as I get through with the claims we have on hand or rather as soon as the Snow drives us out of the mountains -- We bought one share in A claim for $155 and one of us work on it. the claim paid for itself in one week ending last night. we have another paid for and A large amount of work done such as striking clearing off, &c and have A fair prospect, but every thing [everything] is prospect in California. Some men are making piles some doing nothing others spending all they get. Mr Bowen & James think the will not start for home before Spring they feel very anxious to make something to compensate them for the journey. wages is five dollars per day here -- our pump cost $32 - shovels $8. pick 6$, we paid $11 for A piece of sheet iron 18 by 30 inches punched full of 3/4 inch holes for a sive [sieve] or screen our living costs about one dollar per day. I wish you to look after the mules see that they do not stray off. The last I heard from home you was attending School in Joliet I wish you to go to school this winter at home and take care of things till I return. If you can do better for yourself, I wish you to do so but some person must be there. I wish if hay can be had to have A good yoke of oxen and A faithful hired man could be well employed in hauling manure on the first ten acres East of the turn rows -- and on the orchard. I am determined to have any load out as soon as possible it could be come much better this fall than next Spring and I leave it as you may think best. Your Affectionate father R J Boylan

Nachez [Natchez], Hou Cut, [Honcut] California November 27th, 1851

Dr [Dear] Wife & children I am well and enjoy good health. I have just returned from a trip down to Sanfrancisco San Francisco. I went down to see what could be done about gitting [getting] Quartz machinery we are quite sanguine that we have a good quartz vein -- but quartz veins in California fail as well as other mining. I purchased a morter [mortar] for pounding quartz and other impliments [implements] for prospecting so that we can quite well satisfy ourselves of the quality of the quartz. one gentleman of Capital has has called on us to day made an engagement to return in a few days and prospect the quartz and if a Steam engine and crushing machinery can be obtained he will furnish the capital and take an interest at his own risk if not he has an engine and machinery East that he has ordered forwarded to California but will not be here before Spring. The machine -ry at the present time will cost counting transportation about fifteen Thousand dollars. There are now ten of us in company and we have by purchase and discovery over two shares to the man and we offer two share or take in two men that have capital and pay them back on the cost of erecting machinery out of the first proceeds 10/12 of the whole and then all be equal partners. I should like very well to have J A Matteson, here. I think he would find plenty of room for his ambition and I hope make that pile that would satisfy any reasonable minded man

I have wrote home semi monthly [semi-monthly] since I returned to my old winter quarters in my last I gave you a detail of my quartz prospect but O dear I have had no letters from home since July 22.

I expected one at sanfrancisco [San Francisco] what can be the matter I tremble at the thought if my dear Wife and family were all sick i [I] should think some person would write. I feel as much disapointed [disappointed] at not returning home this fall as any of family are but it appeared to me to be my duty when the door was opened for me to engage in an enterprise that was likely to succeed, to make a still further sacrifice of my most ardent wish that is to again embrace my darling wife and children.

I shall now remain until I succeed in getting machinery started or abandon the concern if it succeeds well I will send funds to James and have him come and take my place and what future arrangements I cannot tell -- I think you had better make some arrangements about the farm but what I do not Know. I at present think it would be well to let Mr Sawyer have it or Mr Bass. They perhaps can make some arrangement about the division fences but do not let it to any person and be accountable for damages sustained.

I would much rather the farm would lay idle than you should have any trouble about it but if it lays vacant Sawyers stock will have the fall feed

the money in brother Freers hands I presume is so that you can get it when you want money. I hope you will make yourselves comfortable and contented make some arrangement to get a good suply [supply] of wood and be as careful of the timber on the lot as possible -- we have not had any rain to raise the water in the ravines yet. I fear that we will not be able to get any machinery before Spring on account of bad hauling since writing this, five teams loaded with quartz machinery have passed my cabin going up about nine miles. There are three quartz veins that will be worked within three miles quartz is all the rage now the streams are nearly all dug out. I think by what I can learn that most of the quartz that is worked by good heavy machinery are doing verry [very]. I shall continue to write home every mail. I sent a newspaper from sanfrancisco [San Francisco]. I hope you will continue to write I look for some reason for my not getting any letters since July. I do Know my darling wife would not neglect me -- There has been some daring roberies [robberies] and horrid murders comit [commit] in this vicinity done by Mexicans the mode by throwing a lasso around a mans neck and then putting spur to the horse drag the poor fellow off into the chaparals [chaparrals] -- We all go in companies and go armed to the teeth -- You are aware of my bump of Caution. I assure you I shall not expose my self I have A rifle a comon [common] pistol and have just purchased a fine Colts revolver at Sacramento for $40 so you see I make quite A formidable appearance