Guide to the Bancroft's California Gold Rush Digital Collections

Levi Richard French, like thousands of other men during the Gold Rush, came to California to seek his fortune. This collection of 31 letters from Levi to his father Richard French details his early exploits as a miner in California. Faring poorly as a miner, he returned briefly to Boston in 1851, returning later that year to California. His letters from Thompson's Flat, Onion Valley, Morris Ravine, New Philadelphia, and Marysville indicate a greater success as a businessman than a miner. French opened several stores selling goods to miners and wagons that his father sent from Massachusetts.

Contains 28 letters to his mother, Juliana Gardiner, his brother Alexander Gardiner and two to his brother-in-law, former President John Tyler. The letters describe his journey from New York across Mexico to the gold fields of California in 1849; life in early San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego; the California Constitutional Convention and politics; slavery; the people he encounters including Native Californians, Chinese, and African-Americans; the economy, including being a merchant, agriculture and whale hunting; and health conditions.

Diary of A.L. Baker during his time in Calif. during the gold rush as a miner and merchant, (Sept. 16, 1849 to June 1850.) He describes the conditions, prices of goods, politics, the Tuolumne Company's attempt at building a dam, Murphy's New Diggings, and the relations between different groups including Americans, Californians, Native Americans, Mexicans, Frenchmen and Bolivians. Also includes ledgers recording amount of gold collected on a particular day, costs for supplies and computations. Volume 2 consists of a typed transcription.

Printed daily register for 1848 used by an unidentified merchant in San Francisco, California to make handwritten entries (35 pages) between April and August or September of 1849. The dates of the entries do not correspond to the printed dates in the register. Entries concern various business transactions involving lumber, home building materials, dry goods, groceries, clothing, wallpaper, etc. The merchant apparently traveled between San Francisco, where he bought goods, and Sutterville, near the gold mines, where he would sell his wares. Some entries record payments made in gold dust and several involve prominent merchants in California including William Heath Davis, Robert King, Charles Ross and George Eggleston, and the firm of Woodworth and Davis. Printed pages include days of the week, calendars, and tables in English and Spanish. Tables are for calculating the number of days between dates, and itinerary distance, in leagues, between Veracruz and Mexico City. Originally published with two maps (missing from this register), one showing the different routes and positions taken by the American and Mexican armies in 1847, the other a map of the route between Mexico City and Veracruz.

Contains an agreement between Samuel F. Tracy, a New York City merchant and Orlando C. Osborne, for Osborne to refine gold found by Tracy's men in California. Also contains a memorandum of an agreement between Tracy and Leander Freeman, captain of the ship "Orpheus", as to the division of gold found in California.

Describes gold mining on Tuolumne River and advises against coming to Calif. Turner also discusses a deal he made to sell produce to the miners and how he was elected sheriff.

Describes life as a merchant in gold mining areas near Sacramento, Calif., also discusses theft of horses. Includes transcript.

A record (autograph manuscript) of Osborn's experiences mining on the Merced River; his move to Stockton in 1851, with a description of his brief stay first in San Francisco; his life in Stockton and his mercantile business. Entry, Dec. 26, 1850, comments on Chinese miners, and pasted on the page, is a specimen of Chinese writing from one of the miners. Pasted in at the end of the journal: clippings of letters he wrote from Stockton which were published in the Vineyard Gazette. Volume 2 consists of a typewritten transcript.

Includes expenses for voyage to California in 1859 and subsequent expenditures at Forest City, Sierra Co., California, with record of money lent and received, borrowed and paid; receipts; accounts relating to various mining claims; bank and stock transactions; and the number of letters received and sent, with note of postage.

Handwritten letter to a business partner in Connecticut on problems being encountered concerning their efforts to make money from the gold rush. Contains numerous details of difficulties encountered including flooding and unreliable contacts. Also includes typescript transcription of letter.

Handwritten letter written by the co-owner J.F. Osgood and signed on behalf of the firm, a commission and trading house, addressed to a customer who had hoped to cash in on the housing boom by consigning a shipment of corrugated "iron houses" to be sold. Osgood notes that the prospects for a good return are dim due to market conditions for the iron houses that has made selling them extremely difficult, even at auction. No one is bidding on them. He attributes the difficulties to the complete lack of lumber shipped with them that is required to erect them and general resistance by potential wholesalers who had difficulties with the first shipment. He expresses hope that the coming rainy season will cause an increase in demand for such assorted cargoes at auction and that, In the meantime, they have stored the houses on boats offshore at the cheapest rates possible. Includes a typescript transcription of the letter

Handwritten letter from a gold miner to his father, a boatbuilder in Rhode Island. He writes some about his efforts in mining gold but most of the letter is taken up with the business of buying and selling boats including urging his father to build a boat to be used for hauling cargo and passengers in California and giving numerous suggestions for desirable boat features.

Two handwritten letters, with integral addresses, to a business partner in Connecticut concerning a mismanaged voyage of goods aboard the Hartford and destined for California at the height of the gold rush and other business related to gold mining. The earlier letter, dated March 21, 1850, is addressed from Sacramento, California. The later letter, dated June 13, 1850, is addressed from San Francisco, California

Handwritten letter detailing a miner's debts, the precise location of quartz mining claims, and the men he has business with.

Originally used as a ledger by the Wells Fargo & Company for gold shipments out of Columbia, Calif. for D. Ogden Mills Company, Sleeper Company, and others. The ledger reflects business operations relating to gold as well as the general economy and growth of Columbia, Calif. The ledger was later used as a scrapbook by Adaline Irish Sullivan as a child. The scrapbook reflects the typical activities of a young woman during the second half of the 19th Century. The scrapbook items were removed from the ledger in 2001 and a description of the treatment is included as well as a history of the ledger.

Trading business; goods; election of Donaldson as Justice of the Peace; prospects in California.

The Belcher family lived in Tioga County, New York and consisted of the parents, Joseph and Wealthy Whiting Belcher and five children: three sons, Horatio, Flavel, and Galitzen, and two daughters, Lucy and Maryette. Flavel and Galitzen relocated to New Orleans, the home of their sister, Lucy Valentine. When the news of the discovery of gold in California broke, the two brothers were among the first to join the rush and started a mercantile business in San Francisco. After traveling to California near the start of the Gold Rush, Flavel Belcher and his brother Galitizen ran a mercantile business in San Francisco.which lasted until a fire destroyed their building on May 4, 1851. By the summer of 1851, Flavel was operating as an trader on one of O.M. Wozencraft's Native American reservations at the Forks of the Cosumnes River in El Dorado County. In 1852, Flavel left the river area and attempted several business ventures in Sacramento and San Francisco which fail. He then traveled to Central America and ended up in the civil service of William Walker's government in Nicaragua. In 1857, he joined Walker's second invasion of Nicaragua.

Letters relate to Flavel Belcher's experiences as a gold miner and Indian trader in California and as a member of Walker's filibustering expedition in Nicaragua.

Correspondence of George Bartholomew, his son, Harry, and Harry's friend, Dan Headley, from various Calif. locations and Bristol, Conn. Also includes letters from Angeline Bartholomew, Adna Whiting, and H.H. Porter. The 24 letters discuss local news, work in the gold fields, and health, business, and financial matters, with numerous remarks concerning the work habits of the Irish. Letter of 1852 June 26 from Harry to John Sessions describes his journey from Conn. to Calif. via the Isthmus of Panama, and of 1853 Nov. 13 comments on the construction methods used by Chinese laborers in San Francisco.

Contains 5 letters written by William Elder to various family members: 1827 Sept. 23, from Florida N.Y. to his sister in Scotland, describing life in America, geography of upstate New York, his teaching. 1837 Feb. 23, Florida N.Y. to Sarah Clayton, discusses articles in the Ladies Companion. 1839 Apr. 5, Florida N.Y., to his sister, describing his life since leaving Scotland, his employment, marriage, mercantile business, and birth of his son. 1851 June 22 - July 11, from Centerville/Grass Valley, Calif., to his son Alexander in Michigan describes California, his employment in mining, and the preparations to bring his family to California. 1854 July 31 to his sister discussing family finances and a land dispute. 1842 Sept. 15 written by Elizabeth Clayton, Plymouth, Mich., to William and Sarah Clayton Elder describing some business disappointments, price of land, family finances and their lives in general. Also contains a page by Joseph Clayton. 1849 July 30 written by Alexander and Catherine Elder to Uncle James Elder speaking about other relatives. 1852 Feb. 28 from Alexander Elder to Uncle James Elder describing the trip from New York to Grass Valley via the Isthmus of Panama. Also contains a page written by Sarah. 1853 July 21 from Alexander Elder to Uncle James Elder discussing preparations for selling their business.

March 30, 1850. Bill of lading for 750 ounces of gold (at $16 per) shipped from San Francisco to Panama for Macondray & Co. aboard the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. steamer, California, signed by Thomas Budd, the Captain. The value of shipment was placed at $12,000. With paper and wax seal of Macondray & Co. attached.
June 10, 1851. Bill of lading for one cask of merchandise, shipped from Liverpool, England to San Francisco, aboard the McGachen & Co. vessel, Salem, signed by Benjamin Hague, the Captain.
August 3, 1852. Bill of lading for seven sugar boxes earthenware shipped from Boston, Mass. to San Francisco aboard the Glidden & Williams California packet ship, Winged Arrow, Franklin Bearse, Master, and signed "Glidden & Williams for the Captain." In the upper left of the bill is a woodcut drawing depicting two Glidden & Williams Packets ships, the company name, and the name of their San Francisco agents.

Concerns shipment of houses and a hotel to San Francisco, California, to supply great demand for housing during the gold rush.

James De Fremery was born in Holland in 1826 and came to California in 1849. He was a Dutch Consul and businessman in San Francisco and co-founded the San Francisco Savings Union in 1862. Scrapbook includes materials in French and Dutch.

Letter from a man working as a store clerk to his friend back East who loaned him money to journey to San Francisco and take care of Whiting's shipment of tents to sell to gold miners. Low writes that "the mines are said to be richer than ever" and he is about to take possession of the tents and hopes to be selling them soon. Low also also writes of the imminent arrival of Whiting's "engine and pile driver", which he says are making $150 a day in the San Francsico building boom and bodes well for making good money.

A man working as a drayman moving goods to and from the port in San Francisco during the gold rush writes home to his father giving details of a fire in the city, the names of ships arriving, personal news, etc. Includes original envelope postmarked from San Francisco, California.

Handwritten letter from a man reporting to a [possibly silent?] business partner in Boston concerning the dissolution of a company that had been formed to go to the gold fields of California, The Bunker Hill Trading and Mining Association, and the circumstances he has found in San Francisco. Weaver reports that the company "died a natural but rather premature death." He further reports that the ship [Regulus] is about unloaded and will then head to Benicia, California. He goes on to describe the general conditions of business opportunities he has found in San Francisco including the cost of labor, wages, the cost of living, shipping, lumber sales, and gold mining. He ends the letter on a wry note, "I have not told you half I want to but can write no more. I will only add that if you have any notion of coming hear [sic] go hang your self at once."

Letter to mercantile company giving detailed descriptions of market conditions and prices for a wide variety of commodities and goods in San Francisco during the California gold rush." "Provisions are in good demand and the market is steady." "Raw sugars are dull." "Coffee is in demand ..." "Receipts of shovels have been heavy ..." They conclude that although they expect "large shipments of goods" in the near future and "an overstocked market with low prices ... a very large amount of goods will be required to supply the mining districts."

Handwritten letter to an unidentified acquaintance describing an optimistic view of business opportunities in San Francisco and Hawaii including real estate investments, shipping, and favorable weather but lamenting the social conditions accompanying them including crime and degeneracy.

Account of the author's experiences during his voyage around the Horn to California on the ship, Daniel Webster, his stay in the San Francis co vicinity, and his return to Boston via Panama on the steamer, California. Also includes typed transcript of journal. Hollingsworth's account includes much detail, including a list of the provisions required for passengers, and the cost of each item; names, ages and professions of passengers; incidents of the voyage; descriptions of Valparaiso; details of financial transactions and business in San Francisco (mostly relating to slate, shingles, and the retailing of provisions); the rapid growth of San Francisco; nearby cities such as Benecia; the return to Boston, with descriptions of Acapulco, Panama and Cuba.

Describes poverty in San Francisco.

Letters and accounts relating to duties as quartermaster and customs collector in San Francisco and to business affairs. Report of discovery of gold in California. A few papers concerning property in San Francisco. Some data pertaining to the Folsom estate.

Handwritten letter from a man identified only as Charles to his parents describing San Francisco as "a miserable dirty place," and other aspects of California life. He lists the extravagant prices for provisions and lodging in San Francisco.

Francis Edward Prevaux (1822-1860) was a Baptist missionary from Amesbury, Massachusetts. He graduated from Brown University in 1846 and Newton Theological Institute in 1849. He was ordained a Baptist evangelist in 1850 and was sent to California by the American Baptist Home Mission Society where he began preaching at Bethel Church, San Francisco, California and became the principal of the San Francisco Academy. He remained in California until 1859 and died in Amesbury, Massachusetts in 1860.

Gold rush era sketch of San Francisco from the California Street Hill, later known as Nob Hill. Telegraph Hill is at left, and the view encompasses the waterfront to the east (and many ships in the harbor), downtown, and the South of Market area. The vantage point is in the vicinity of Mason and Sacramento Streets.

D.P. Vail writes to his uncle Captain Robert F. Hand in Sag Harbor, N.Y. about the worsening crime San Francisco, the arrival of clipper ships, politics, etc. He writes about immigrants to California from the east and from China, mentioning that 5000 Chinese immigrants had arrived in the previous week. He also writes about Black laborers in the mines and reports on the high rate of unemployment and destitution in general in San Francisco. He remarks that returning to California after being home has made him less eager to stay in California.