Author Archives: nancyleek

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About nancyleek

Nancy is a retired librarian who lives in Chico, California. She is the author of John Bidwell: The Adventurous Life of a California Pioneer.

Bidwell, Kelsey, and Mary Ray King

Posted on April 11, 2017 by nancyleek

I haven’t been blogging much lately, but I have been working on several projects—- An article for The Diggin’s: If you live in Butte County you probably know that The Diggin’s is the quarterly journal of the Butte County Historical … Continue reading →

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One Last Thought from Nicholas Dawson

Posted on April 7, 2017 by nancyleek

On how to NOT get rich in California: While I was slowly accumulating, the majority of fortune seekers in California were saving nothing. If they mined, they were shifting from place to place, or squandering money in impracticable ventures, such … Continue reading →

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Beautiful Northern California

Posted on April 6, 2017 by nancyleek

It’s a rainy night all over the North State, so here is some beautiful scenery from Table Mountain to brighten your evening. We were there on a sunny Tuesday and hope to go again soon.

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Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson Heads for Home

Posted on March 24, 2017 by nancyleek

In the spring I began to think of home, sweet home. I put my Stockton lots in the hands of an agent, sold part of my teams, and left the rest in charge of John Crow. I had now about … Continue reading →

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Dawson in the Gold Rush

Posted on March 22, 2017 by nancyleek

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 →

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Nicholas Dawson in ’49

Posted on March 21, 2017 by nancyleek

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 →

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Nicholas Dawson — Hunting Otter on the Santa Barbaras

Posted on March 19, 2017 by nancyleek

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 →

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Breaking News (1848)

Posted on March 15, 2017 by nancyleek

On this day in 1848 The Californian newspaper of San Francisco broke the news of gold discovery.   Gold Mine Found. –In the newly made raceway of the Saw Mill recently erected by Captain Sutter, on the American Fork, gold … Continue reading →

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Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson in California, part 8

Posted on March 13, 2017 by nancyleek

If you were an American coming to California in the 1840s, where did you go to find a job? If you were a hunter or trapper or cowboy, like many of the men in that first emigrant train, you went … Continue reading →

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A Miner Forty-Niner and his Blue Jeans

Posted on March 12, 2017 by nancyleek

Randy Taylor will recognize this advertisement for Coats’ thread. I bought it yesterday at the Chico Bottle Show. I don’t collect bottles, but I think they are interesting and pretty, so I stopped by the show. What I do like, … Continue reading →

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