Gold Rush Era Letters

Frezno [Fresno] river June 5th 1852

Dr [Dear] Wife & children first I am well & enjoy in good health and Spirits -- last Sunday night James Bowen returned from Mariposa and brot [brought] me Six letters two from that woman, in the stone house dated March 3 & 14th informing me of the receipt of the two drafts &c, also two letters from D. Oatman [J. C. Oatman] informing me of his intention to come to California he wishes me to write what I think of the place. Well he will find California verry [very] different from what it was when he left here but I have not a doubt but he can do well here and accumulate a fortune in a few years. I am glad to hear that he and James and Benjamin Bowen are a coming.

I have been very much in hopes that James would come ever since I have been on Frezno [Fresno] river for I think he could have a chance to do a good business this fall here and his having the advantage of having friends here we will do all we can for them. We have quite a large claim to work out and I shall be in favour [favor] of their Joining us I wish they were here now. I have directed two letters to James one to Sanfrancisco [San Francisco] one to Marysville informing him where I am. If it is James full determination to come to Cal he had by far better come while I am here and if he can have patience and economy & industry and by holding on to the quartz interest he can in time do well.

Stockton Cal April 10th 1852

D [Dear] Wife You will be some surprised at the caption of this letter but you must consider that we gold digers [diggers] are a sort of moveing [moving] planets. You Know I must give you a detail of all my movements &c. Well I am on what is termed by gold digers [diggers] (a dead wood) the true meaning a report of some new rich placer most generally proves a humbug -- My friend Major Jenkins has a brother and brother in law [brother-in-law] in this vicinity who are acquainted with a place on a stream called frisno [Fresno] about 125 miles from here and about 30 from Mariposa which they think is good and has never been worked but little. Seven men who were out prospecting last fall found the place and and have made it Known to their friends onely [only] and through Major Jenkins and his brothers my friend Bowers and myself in company with friend Jenkins and a select party set out tomorrow to join some others now on the ground. If we can do one quarter as well as the small party done at that place last fall I shall be satisfied it is not verry [very] high up in the mountains and but little further from Sanfrancisco [San Francisco] than Natchez but will be over 250 miles from Natchez. Steamboats run to Stockton. Mariposa is a large town being inland, 100 miles from Stockton. If we do not succeed in finding a good place to work we will go with Mr Zumwalt to a place he has in view, but I have strong reason to think we will find a good place to work and have water to work with