Gold Rush Era Letters

Vena, Clara, and Mr Albert I hope will kind good children obedient to their mother take good care of little darling bess [Bess] -- I have the kind -est feelings towards all my friends have A deep anxiety to see and hear of their doing well. I mail A letter to Br. [Brother] J. C. Oatman also to my warm friend J A Matteson -- probably it will come out in the signal we have not had any more rain this last fall and winter than usual if as much in Illinois. if I thought it would be for James interest to come to California I would give him encouragement. could he see the many unsuccessfull [unsuccessful] unfortunate miners he would not wonder at my feeling as I do. Stillman says write to Mr Oatman to stay at home but he is competent to judge for himself. it is the last place for [page torn] bring my darling wife and family. I should [page torn] to have my letters direct to Marysvill [Marysville] being onely [only] 30 [page torn], should I go to feather river [Feather River] it would be on the way to [page torn] them by express then being A regulaur [regular] post office at Marysville and daily mail. Old Tom and Jack ponies came through fine by good care, grain &c. and sold in Weaver for $310 they came in the first of July -- I have never seen them nor dont [don't] want too. I wish the stone quarry to be carefully preserved and not worked by every person let it alone onely [only] as you or James may direct. James must be industrious and try to provide for himself. If he should wish I should be willing to purchase A team. I think oxen the best and have him work as much land as he can to advantage till I return. I leave the matter to you and him the profit would be but little.

Your Husband 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