Gold Rush Era Letters

of Whiskey which was handed to him by bloated looking toper when he crossed his right leg over his left an [and] commenced smoking his cigar also the ardurous [arduous] task of watching the Ballot Box now I have given you a description of Election which I think will amuse you. I will give you a [an] amusing incident or rather accident that occurred to me. I started to go to placerville Placerville on Friday Dec 2d a distance from here about thirty Eight miles over a more mountainous country than you ever beheld. the first mountain I had to climb was from one mile And a half to two miles in height and so steep that a person cannot go straight up but has to wind round the mountain several times before he gets to the top. I got into Georgetown about noon took dinner and started for Culloma Coloma a distance of ten miles by the waggon [wagon] road but unfortunately we were informed that by taking a left hand trail we could cut off two or three miles of the journey. we accordingly took into the mountains at this point and after traveling six miles we arrived at peru Peru, California where we were informed we were farther from Culloma [Coloma] than we were when we were at Georgetown. now this was vexatious for as when we left Georgetown it commenced raining in torrents and when we arrived at Peru we thorouly [thoroughly] wet through. my partner wished to stop at Peru that night but as we started for Colloma [Coloma] I determined to get there that night rain or shine so we started from Peru about one hour before dark and about dark we got back on the main road about one mile from where we left it and

Business is very full there Has been a good deal of excitement in this County about the Removal of the county seat a special Election was Held and we Beat Placerville by 1500 votes majority

give my love to mother and the Children write to me as often as you can your in F. S. T

J. C. Brown to His Father Charles Brown

Buffalo Erie County

Coloma March 16, 1857

Dear Father

having Leasure time I will try and improve it in writing a few Lines to you I have nothing of interest to write about. we have had quite an exciting time in our County upon the acct [account] of the Legislature passing an act of Removal of our County Seat from Here to Placerville, 3 times By a Direct vote have the people Located the County Seat here ad Coloma and now the Legislature have moved it and it will Ruin this town Completely my property will not be worth anything and our taxes will take all of that is left well, but they Do not spend anything Scarcely I Recd [received] a letter from Morgan the last mail it was a Dunning letter the first time I have heard from him in the last 18 months or more I will Pay him what I owe him as soon as I can but I do not think I ever ought to pay him, one cent. I sold my Claim for $75⁰⁰ dol [dollars] that I Bought by his advice which cost me over $1200⁰⁰ dol [dollars]. I have made a very nice garden I have got some peach trees and apple trees some Current [currant] Bushes and grapes growing and my peach trees and Strawberies [strawberry] vines are in Blossom I think I shall Have what grapes we will want to use this summer The weather is very Hot I have Planted the garden and the Corn and other things are up and growing finely