goldfields

Captain William Whitfield and his wife took Manjiro in, treated him like a son, and sent him to school, where he excelled. Then when he was nineteen years old, Manjiro went to sea once again aboard an American whaling ship. For three years, from 1846 to 1849, he sailed the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans as the Franklin, commanded by Captain Ira Davis, searched for whales.

At one point in their voyage, as the ship sailed close to Japan, Manjiro spotted a group of Japanese fishing boats. Captain Davis gave his permission for a boat to be lowered, and  eagerly Manjiro approached the fishermen, hoping to be taken home. But fearing the authorities, the fishermen would not even speak to him, let alone take him on board. He returned to his ship.

Captain William Whitfield of New Bedford, Massachusetts, looking every inch the whaling ship captain.

Later the whaler docked in Honolulu, where Manjiro’s companions had been left when he went on to New Bedford with Captain Whitfield. One of the men had died, but three were left, working as servants and hoping for the day that they could return to Japan. Manjiro consulted with them about how they might someday make the return voyage.

By the time the Franklin reached New Bedford in September 1849, the entire nation was talking about the discovery of gold in California. Manjiro saw his chance. If he could get to California and strike it rich, he would have the money he needed to return to Japan and his mother.

He signed on board a lumber ship bound for California. Such was the competition for passage to California that Manjiro worked for no wages as part of the crew, and paid $25 besides for the privilege.

Arriving in San Francisco, Manjiro wasted no time in making his way by steamship to Sacramento, and then by foot to the goldfields. He found a job working for $6 a day digging for gold. After a month he bought his own tools and went off to try his luck.

Two months of panning gold in a mountain stream, and Manjiro had what he figured would be enough. Living frugally, he avoided the gambling dens and dance halls and kept a close watch on his pile. He took his gold to San Francisco and traded it for $600 in coin. Then he bought passage on a steamship bound for Honolulu. He was homeward bound.

Next time: What Kind of Welcome Awaits?

P.S. I first discovered the story of Manjiro when I read Rhoda Blumberg’s book for young readers: Shipwrecked: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy (2001). Two adult books on his experiences are The Life and Times of John Manjiro, by Donald R. Bernard (1992) and The Man Who Discovered America, by Hiskazu Kaneko (1956).

Manjiro’s adventures have also been fictionalized in Heart of a Samurai, a novel for young readers by Margi Preus (2011), and Manjiro: The Boy Who Risked His Life for Two Countries, a picture book biography by Emily Arnold McCully (2013).

Coming soon! A picture book biography of John and Annie Bidwell for young readers. I want to show you some samples pages.

John Bidwell’s first days in California.

Ever since I did my book on John Bidwell in 2010, teachers have asked me for an easier book that they can use with 3rd grade classes. It’s in the works and should be available shortly. It covers the Bidwells’ lives from the time John left Missouri to journey to California, to the day Annie gave Bidwell Park to the city of Chico.

The illustrations are by Steve Ferchaud, a talented local illustrator who has illustrated many books, as well as doing pictures for magazines and newspapers. It’s been a delight to see how he can translate my text into lively, informative pictures.

John and Annie’s romance.

The book will be 8.5 by 11 inches and 32 pages, with color illustrations throughout. It includes an afterword and timeline that add more information about John and Annie’s lives. Steve and I have worked hard to make sure that the text and illustrations are as historically accurate as we can make them.

Camping with the Bidwells and John Muir.

The book will be for sale at Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park and in other local outlets. I hope you enjoy it!

Continuing the recollections of D. F. Crowder. The following appeared in the Chico Enterprise for December 27, 1917. Crowder came to Chico in 1856, at the age of twelve, so he saw it before it was even a town.

Bidwell had a flour mill which was run by water power. It was located on the creek about a hundred yards from where the present Sperry flour mill stands.

Rancho Chico in the 1850s, with Bidwell’s Store, adobe house and hotel, and flour mill.

Both flour mills are gone today, but they stood next to the creek next door to where Northern Star Mills is today.

Flour was $1.75 a sack of fifty pounds, but no one kicked in those days. I used to see a good deal of John Bidwell. He was always busy with the ranch affairs and was seen very little about the hotel. He never was behind the bar himself, that I know of. Drinks we’re told were 25 cents each.

The hotel was Bidwell’s two-story adobe that he built after his log cabin burned down in 1852.

There was no bridge across Chico creek but there was a ford near where the present bridge now stands. The Shasta trail, now the Shasta road, lead off almost due north as it does now and it was black with immigrants — just like ants, coming and going. Some had ox teams, some were afoot and others drove mules. I don’t remember ever seeing a burro at that time.

John Bidwell’s adobe with Chico Creek in foreground.

It must have been a busy place in those days with plenty of traffic and people stopping all the time at Bidwell’s house for a meal or a drink or a rest.

In September 1889 John Bidwell wrote to his friend E. Nelson Blake:

Your memory is good — true, 39 years ago we brought the news of California’s admission into the Union. Where are those who were our fellow passengers? Except for yourself, I cannot recall the name of one living! We ought to be thankful that our lives have been spared to behold the wonderful march of events of this prolific age!

Unfortunately, Blake’s letter to Bidwell recalling the great day does not survive. Blake had a very good memory for his California days, and it would be nice to have his recollections.

Headline of the Daily Alta California, Extra Edition, Oct. 18, 1850.

Both were passengers on the steamship Oregon, arriving on October 18, 1850 with the news that California had become the 31st state on September 9th. Bidwell was traveling in a first class cabin, while Blake, a farm boy on his way to the goldfields, was in steerage.

Bidwell carried with him the statehood documents. Traveling with him were his Maidu valet Rafael, Samuel J. Hensley, H.A. Schoolcraft, who had traveled to Washington with Bidwell, Mrs. Elijah Crosby and her daughter Helen, and Bidwell’s brother Thomas. By 1889 all these but Helen Crosby, who had married Hensley, had passed away.  And John Bidwell, who had been Hensley rival for her hand, had forgotten all about her.

The Oregon steamed into San Francisco Bay, firing cannons and decorated “from stem to stern and from the taffrail to the maintop” (as the Daily Alta California reported) with fluttering flags to announce the long-awaited news. Jubilation erupted throughout San Francisco as the citizens celebrated with bonfires, marching bands, booming cannons, and all-night balls.

We don’t make much of Admission Day presently, which is too bad. If you want to celebrate, there is an event on Wednesday, Sept. 9th at 11:00 a.m. in Oroville at the Liberty Pole at Montgomery and Huntoon Streets.

A story told by D. F. Crowder in the Chico Enterprise, December 29, 1917—

Of women in those days there were very few. In fact, women were somewhat of a curiosity. Men would go many miles just to look at a woman and when a woman, a pretty one, came in to camp, the news flew for miles . . .

I remember one woman, a Mrs. A. M. Sadorus, who afterwards settled on Rock Creek and died later in Nevada, who told about the curiosity her presence caused when she came West. . . . It was mooted about that a very comely woman was in camp and one miner, more venturesome than the rest, said his eyes were just watering for the look of a pretty woman  . . .  it would do his heart good to see one of God’s fair creatures again. So he went to the Sadorus camp where Mrs. Sadorus and her husband were resting for a few days. Mrs. Sadorus was in the tent and the miner who wanted just to see her approached the husband who stood outside.

“See here, pard,” said the miner, “If you don’t object I’d like just to look at your woman. I ain’t seen one since I left home, back in the States five years ago. No offense meant and you can tell her for me that if she will come out of that thar tent and let me look at her for just one minute I’ll give her ten dollars in dust.”

Sadorus, being a man of humor and appreciating the situation, and likewise acknowledging the reason for the miner’s whimsicality, laughingly told his wife about it. Mrs. Sadorus entered into the spirit of the occasion and putting on a pretty dress came from the tent and stood before the enraptured miner who had removed his hat in awe.

“God Almighty,” he said, “you air a purtty woman. It does my old heart good to see one of your kind again.”

For a full minute the old miner gazed upon the lovely vision and, pulling out his wallet, he handed her a $10 pinch of dust and took his departure.

I have heard Mrs. Sadorus tell this story many times and there are those here yet who will vouch for its truth.

D.F. Crowder 1909. Photo courtesy Special Collection, Meriam Library, CSUChico.

D.F. Crowder came to Butte County in 1856 at the age of 12. He became a farmer in the area of Mud Creek. I suppose the event related here happened before he arrived. Women were exceedingly scarce in the mining camps and diggins.

From December 28, 1917 to January 28, 1918 the Chico Enterprise printed his recollections in a series entitled The Eventful Yesterdays: The Story of Early Chico. Some very interesting reading there — I’ll share some more soon.