Gold Rush Era Letters

on the evening of the 12th it snowed and blowed [blew] so that we were obliged to stay here all night about 10 o Clock [o'clock] this day we were almost destroyed by fire on the 13th we started and only made 80 miles all day and at night was obliged to put into the Island of Mantau [Mantua] and and stay all night on account of the Storm. we started about 10 o clock [o'clock] on the 14th and arrived at Shebovgen Sheboygan at 11 o clock [o'clock] the same night the next morning we arrived at Milwaukie Milwaukee at 5 O clock [O'clock] and at Racine at 8 arrived at Chicago 10 o clock [o'clock] and left for La Salle at 3 arrived at La Salle at 2 o clock [o'clock] on the afternoon of the on 16th we started from thence at 7 the next morning landing at Peru at 9 and Peoria the same Evening. We started from here on the 18th at daylight landing at Pekin and Bardstown on the 19. We landed at Naples and at 11 last night Came to the mouth of the Misissippi [Mississippi] and arrived here at 2 o clock [o'clock]. on this morning about 9 o clock [o'clock] I went to the court house and seen the two brothers Montesquiou that have been tried for Murder and about Whom there was so much talk last fall they are two fine looking fellows and the last men that would generally be suspected of any crime. I must now close as i have told you all I know. My love to father Mother and all the folks tell ann [Ann] this letter by rights belongs to her but as I have forgotten her number She must read this one twice and that will do as well as if i had wrote another letter tell Matilda and Caroline to be good girls and Elizabeth she is not forgotten

from your affectionate Brother

John Cornock