Monthly Archives: March 2017

Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson and his three comrades were not getting rich at gold digging. So they decided to try a new occupation–droving. Droving meant going down to the ranches and buying up cattle to herd back to the mines. Dawson … Continue reading →

After spending almost three years in California, Nicholas Dawson returned to the States by way of Mexico. He went back to Arkansas, where he had formerly taught school, and there he found a former pupil, Margaret Wright, who was now … Continue reading →

Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson spent about a year at Santa Cruz keeping store and supervising the shipping of redwood lumber for Job Dye. The business wasn’t making money, so Dye closed the store. He decided to try otter hunting instead and … Continue reading →

At that time Sutter was on the Sacramento, and wanted colonists; but I, with ten or twelve others who were in a hurry to get into employment, decided to try the Spanish settlements south of us, and after a day … Continue reading →

The Bidwell-Bartleson party of American emigrants arrived at the ranch of John Marsh on November 4, 1841. Now they at last knew for sure that they were in California. But it was not exactly what they had expected. Here is … Continue reading →