Gold Rush Era Letters

Think I will write you a few lines more however before I retire to bed. I received a letter from Sam P. Tucker [Samuel P. Tucker], this last week. He was still at work mining near his old location. I saw, (several days before I received his letter) by the papers that "Tucker and Company had struck it rich in their claim above Hatch's Junction" and I thought at the time it might mean Sam, and it turned out that he was the "lucky hombre"

He writes that for two or three weeks their claim paid them larger wages, but since then it has only paid good average wages. When he wrote he thought some of seeling [selling] off his chickens, claim, &c and going to work in a River Claim which he in company with seven others had taken up. His health remains good, and I think he is doing very well, and I hope he will continue to do well so as to get pay for coming out to this country.

He never writes when he thinks of returning home --

Your cousin Wm. E. Shipley [William E. Shipley] is well as usual as are all the Pepperellites. I saw James Bolles yesterday. You probably remember who I mean, as he is a nephew of Mr. James Bolles of Pepperell and used to live with him. He has been here in the mines for two years nearly, but has not done very well. He has shipped in the Barque Archibald Gracie and is going to the Sandwich Islands, and then back here again

He would like to have you inform his Uncles folks of what I have written you about here. He says he has written them three times since they last wrote him and he is now waiting to hear from them.

I must now draw to a close. Please give my love to Charles and remember me to my friends.

From your affct [affectionate] Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker].

Mrs. Ann Parker E Pepperell Mass

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Tuesday morning, August 1st The mail arrived yesterday by which I received letters from J. A. T. [J. A. Tucker] and Miss Lewis but as yet I have not received yours, but think I shall find one from you today. I am as well as usual this morning and I hope you are all enjoying good health at home. I have just heard from Sam Tucker [Samuel P. Tucker] by way of Charles Valintine who has just come down from Gold Springs. Sam is well.

James Bolles did not go to the Sandwich Islands as he expected to do I have not seen him for two or three days.

Tell Chas I have sent him some Papers --- Your Son H. A. P. [Henry A. Parker]

mony [money] very fast. Now I should like to know how they got their information for they appear to have found out more about my business, than I know of it. I gave you a pretty correct idea of what I was doing two or three months ago, but if I remember rightly I then told you that I was then but little better off than I was when I first landed in California and I can say the same now, for a part of the time within the past three months I have done but little aside from the Book and Cutlery business which continues to pay us about the same as when I wrote you about it, soon after I went into business with Mr Noyes. So you will tell the Truth if you tell them I am but little better off as far as mony [money] is concerned than I was when I left home for I am not. My prospects are very fair for doing very well for a year to come, still I may be worse off instead of better for I have got $3000 invested in risky property. (I mean vessels,) so risky at any rate that it is impossible to get them insured without paying about as much every year as the vessels are worth. For my part I cannot imagine where Valentine got his news to write home that I owned a share in four vessels and

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James Bolles did not go to the Sandwich Islands in that Bark as I wrote you that he intended to do. He is now in the United States Revenue Cutter Jefferson Davis. He is well as are the rest of the Pepperellites