Category Archives: Uncategorized

“Now is the time for making money”

Posted on March 19, 2021 by nancyleek

Ann Eliza Brannan’s letter to her sister in September 1848 is a snapshot of life in California at the beginning of the Gold Rush. She was the wife of Sam Brannan, early pioneer and entrepreneur. They had come to San … Continue reading →

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Stories of the Humboldt Wagon Road

Posted on February 20, 2021 by nancyleek

According to the back cover, Andy Mark’s new book promises “Thrills, Chills & Mills.” You could say that it also features Spills, ‘Villes, and even Kills. In Stories of the Humboldt Wagon Road he tells the history of the road … Continue reading →

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Alvin A. Coffey, African-American Pioneer

Posted on February 18, 2021 by nancyleek

Alvin Aaron Coffey arrived in California in the fall of 1849 in company with his master, Dr. William Bassett. Coffey was born into slavery in 1822 or 1824 in Mason County, Kentucky, the property of Margaret Cooke. Bassett was his … Continue reading →

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Meeting President Lincoln

Posted on February 12, 2021 by nancyleek

John Bidwell believed fervently in the Union cause. In 1864 he was a California delegate to the Republican National Convention in Baltimore on June 7-8, where Lincoln was renominated for president. Bidwell was in the delegation sent to the White … Continue reading →

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Gold on the Feather River — A Timeline

Posted on February 2, 2021 by nancyleek

When did John Bidwell discover gold on the Feather River? As you can see from the following timeline, he made more than one discovery, culminating in finding rich deposits at Bidwell’s Bar. It is also interesting to notice how much … Continue reading →

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Best-Sellers at Bidwell’s Bar

Posted on January 27, 2021 by nancyleek

Take a guess — What were the best-selling items at John Bidwell’s store? When I wrote a biography of John Bidwell in 2010, I wanted to include a photo of a page from his 1849 store ledger. I paged through … Continue reading →

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Gold Rush Medicine

Posted on January 23, 2021 by nancyleek

Say you’re a young miner, come to Bidwell’s Bar to dig for gold in 1849. You are generally a strong and healthy young man, but the work is hard and your meals are not exactly mom’s home cooking. Beef and … Continue reading →

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Sam Brannan, Gold Rush Capitalist

Posted on January 19, 2021 by nancyleek

When news of the gold discovery on the American River reached Sutter’s Fort, John Sutter did his best to keep it quiet. He knew if word got out his sawmill would never be finished and his crops would never be … Continue reading →

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A Wicked War

Posted on January 10, 2021 by nancyleek

I do not think there was ever a more wicked war than that waged by the United States on Mexico. I thought so at the time, when I was a youngster, only I had not moral courage enough to resign. … Continue reading →

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Shopping at Sutter’s Fort, 1849

Posted on December 28, 2020 by nancyleek

Today in History — Courtesy of the Sacramento History Museum: December 28, 1848 On this day in 1848, John Sutter Jr., in an effort to raise capital to pay off his father’s looming debts, started to sell portions of Sutter’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Sutter's Fort, Uncategorized | 5 Comments