Gold Rush Era Letters

door leading into an adjoining room. Coming back now to the side where the door is situated where you must fancy yourself standing, is a window which nearly completes my description. One side of the room is of iron the other sides of wood & the ceiling over head is of cotton cloth & the floor is formed of Fifty Four distinct pieces of board although the room is only about 9 by 13 feet. I will now leave you to judge of our appearance & of the appearance of our rooms.

For the last three days we have had beautiful weather but this evening is dull & rainy & for a month past nearly every other day has been stormy & old settlers predict a very wet winter, that is that we shall have a great deal of rain before Spring, which although rather unpleasant here with us will be of great benefit to the miners. Last Thursday was Thanksgiving in this state & I believe the same day was set apart for Thanksgiving & praise in the state of Massachusetts. If so how pleasant it would have been could we have all met once more & devoured the Turkey & all the good Fixins together which we have always done every year until now, & if I ever felt homesick I felt so last Thursday I would have given almost anything could I have got home on that day. You will probably remember that I had been absent from home just nine months at that time Nov 25th, I was invited to partake of a Thanksgiving dinner which invitation I accepted & had a nice dinner of Roast ducks Puddings &c. Every one could not afford a Turkey dinner as Turkeys sold at from 10 to 18 dollars each while ducks & geese sell for 3 dollars per Pair. -- I hope you were all well &

Mr W. says the "new minister" asked him if it did not seem good to get once more into a civilized country? Mr. W. abruptly answered in this wise: "God Almighty do you call this a civilized country? I think we might send missionaries from California, here" --

I think he answered him rightly for I know of no more disgraceful scenes that have occurred in Cal. since I have been here than have occurred in Massachusetts within this past year. What I would like to ask, has occurred here of late so disgraceful to a free and enlightened people as your slave riot in Boston or your Irish riot in Lawrence?

I think the Atlantic people can no longer boast over Californians, as being any more peaceful or law-abiding and for my part I should not wish to call this an uncivilized country. I will now drop my subject and retire.

Friday Eve Sept 29th

I saw Wm. T. Fisk [William T. Fisk] yesterday. He is well and wished to be remembered to you.

Today Mr Walton gave me a call, so you can imagine that I see my New England acquaintances quite often. They are all well and, I think San Francisco is a very healthy place. My health is as good as usual. I have not seen Mr William Shipley since I commenced this letter but presume he is well.

From your loving Son

H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

[written vertically in the left margin] Give my love to Miss Lewis also to Uncle Bradley and family, Mrs Betsey Tucker &c.

Tell Miss L. that I shall omit writing her this mail.

Since I last wrote you my health has been as good as ever, although they say that I have lost flesh within a few days past, but as I have been well all the time I think I am only wearing off the extra flesh that I gained while on my sea-trip to Monterey & Santa Cruz

We are having splendid weather -- clear and cool, like the weather experienced in Massachusetts towards the latter part of September and if any one favors a plenty of out door exercise here, it is just as healthy a climate I think as there is anywhere in the world.

Here it is, now the middle of winter although when you see pinks, roses, and flowers of every kind, in full blossom, and the high hills covered with green grass, it is hard for any one who has passed a winter in New England to realise [realize] that it is winter here at the present time.

Were you to arrive here now you would say that you was strongly reminded of May weather at home ---

For my part I like this climate very much and if I could be as pleasantly situated here in every respect -- be surrounded with all the comforts of Home

I saw Mr Shipley day before yesterday.

He is rather unwell but is so as to be about, as he walked from where he lives down to my stand, a distance of more than a mile.

I think he would like to go on to Massachusetts if he was so situated that he could go conveniently, but I guess he will not get away from here this season. Perhaps he will conclude to wait and go home along with me.

We are now just beginning to have our summer weather. Cold winds every afternoon blow in from the sea, so that is more pleasant in the winter season when it does not rain, than it is now, but I have got through two California summers and a part of a third very comfortably and if my life is spared, I am in hopes to get through the coming one in the same way.

Give my love to Chas. [Charles] & Hattie [Harriet] and accept a good share yourself from Your loving Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

To Mrs Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass

it seems as though more than double the amount of care and work comes upon me, when compared with the share I attend to when Mr N. [Ephraim Noyes] is here with me, still we are in hopes that his trip to Oregon, will prove advantageous to us both, so we are willing to work a trifle harder for a few weeks when we think it is for our mutual interests to do so. Mr. N. [Ephraim Noyes] will have a hard time of it as well as myself, but I hope he will return in good health, after having met with complete success in all of his undertakings.

I may have occasion to speak of this hereafter, when I will give you more full particulars, with regard to our business, as well as the result of it ---

This Day (Sunday) has passed very pleasantly with me --- . In the building where my stand is, are nine different occupants, eight of whom belong in Massachusetts. The lower story of the building is occupied as a paint store, and is kept by Mr. G. D. Wyman from Boston -- a good sociable man. Then in the upper story are four rooms, two of which are occupied by Geo. W. Dor [George W. Dor], Z. N. Dor, his father, and Volney Simmons his Brotherinlaw [brother-in-law], all formerly from Lawrence Mass. They too are good people and very friendly towards me. Mr. G. W. Dor is situated just the same as Mr Noyes [Ephraim Noyes] is in

[written vertically in the left margin and over the horizontal text]

Please say to Mrs Betsey Tucker that I recd [received] a letter from Sam last evening, and that he is well. He received a letter from his Cousin Wm L Chase [William L. Chase] last week, from Nevada, Wm C. was well