goldfields

Here is John Bidwell, about to go searching for gold on the Feather River, in this letter to George McKinstry. Lots of interesting tidbits here — see notes further down.

Hock June 19^th 1848

Dear Sir,

I have been up to my Ranch, moved camp down to the bend of Feather river with a quantity of meat and coarse flour, and have come down to take up the things that were sent up in the canoe. Tomorrow I shall land in the “diggings”. I wish you would get me a summer coat like yours. – What do you call it “blows” or “blouse” made by Mrs. Zins if she can do it from that piece of calico if you have not sold it.

I have been able to get a shovel for one of the Picks, and a Packsaddle for a blanket which I was very glad to do under present circumstances.

I see the necessity of procuring horses for our service – we cannot do without them, and I would suggest the propriety of getting Iron made while old Hookenburger is in a working mood.

Thomes, Toomes, Dye and some others are on their way down to Feather River to work at the mines – they have about 50 Indians with them.

I hope you will be able to come up soon; as there is no one with me but Mr. Dickey. The men who were on my farm go down to see their people before they get off for the salt lake – but have promised to return.

Yours truly,  J. Bidwell

Bidwell is writing from Sutter’s Hock Farm on the Feather River just south of Yuba City. This and Cordua’s Ranch at Marysville are the only places he could have received shipments or sent letters.

“Up to my Ranch” means to his ranch or farm at Butte Creek, where he first settled on a portion of the Farwell Grant (as he thought; actually he was on the Hensley Grant.)

In 1877, describing his gold discovery he said, “On reaching Chico an expedition was organized but it took some time to get everything ready. We had to send twice up to Peter Lassen’s mill to obtain flour, meat had to be dried, and we had to send to Sacramento for tools.”

A calico sack coat, c. 1850.

Mrs. Zins was Dorothea, wife of George Zins, and a survivor of the Donner Party. He was a brickmaker at Sutterville. Seamstresses were scarce in early California and I expect her skills were in demand.

I think Bidwell is asking for a light cotton coat. It was called a “blouse” because it was loose, not fitted. Calico was a medium-weight cotton cloth, heavier than muslin and lighter than denim. Today we think of calico as cotton printed with a design of flowers or other figures, but at this time it would have been just a light-colored cloth, not printed.

Hookenburger may have been the blacksmith at Sutter’s Fort, but I can’t find anything about him. Probably he didn’t spell his name like that, whatever it was.

Thomes, Toomes, and Dye were Tehama County settlers: Robert Hasty Thomes (Rancho Saucos), Albert G. Toomes (Rancho Rio de los Molinos) and Job F. Dye (Rancho Primer Cañon o Rio de Los Berrendos). Robert Thomes was well known to John Bidwell as one of his companions in the Bidwell-Bartleson Party of 1841.

William Dickey, who at the time was the owner of Rancho Chico, was Bidwell’s partner in mining at Bidwell’s Bar.

“The men who were on my farm” were his two employees, Thomas Frazier and Edward Wade. They were members of the Mormon Battalion who had ended up at Sutter’s Fort. They worked for John Bidwell at his farm on Butte Creek for a while, but in the summer of 1848 they left to go east and join the Mormons who were settling near the Great Salt Lake. Although they may have intended to return to Bidwell’s employ, they never did.

In 1848 things were happening in California. John Bidwell had been quietly and steadily developing a ranch on Butte Creek. He was also still doing occasional jobs for John Sutter — drawing up contracts, surveying, laying out lots in Sutterville.

Then gold was discovered and the world rushed in.

The big rush would come in 1849, but already in 1848 the Californians, plus men from Mexico and Oregon, were flocking to the hills to get rich. The quiet life was over.

John Bidwell made an expedition to the Feather River with some friends in the summer of 1848 and he found “the color,” as they used to say. He would spend the summer of ’48 and ’49 prospecting for gold, hiring Indian workers to sift the sands of the Feather River, and setting up a trading post to supply other miners. One of his partners in these ventures was George McKinstry, who had come to California in 1846 with a printed copy of John Bidwell’s 1841 journal as his guidebook.

Several letters from Bidwell to McKinstry are in the California State Library, and they shed light on life in the goldfields. This first one predates Bidwell’s own gold discovery. Instead he is at New Helvetia, as Sutter’s land holdings were called, and he has been busy surveying Sutter’s new project of Sutterville.

New Helvetia, 21^st May, 1848

Dear Sir

Having been confused by the continual arrival of Gold Diggers from all quarters, which made my room, in spite of my determination, a little too public, I made a hasty finish of the map.

I made an index to the map in which you will see lots 2 & 3 of Block 48, and 6&7 of B.59 marked with your name.

This is followed by more instructions about lots. Then he continues:

Mr. Leese is on his way here to enter into the mining business, and wishes me to join him, and form a company – but I have declined on acct. of reasons which I did not state to him.

I foresee the great struggles which are going to be in the mining regions which impresses me with the importance of finding if possible, a more retired place above.

To this end in your absence I shall make every endeavor: We ought to make early arrangements for cattle for beef, because every thing in the provision line is about to command an exorbitant price, and unless we guard in time against it we shall lose a great deal.

I have the key to your room behind the picture in the S.W. corner if the hall.

The form book is in the lower drawer of the bureau.

Yours etc.   J. Bidwell

Bidwell is thinking about the money to be made from miners — they are going to want beef and other provisions.

Mr. Leese is Jacob P. Leese, early (1834) settler in California, San Francisco merchant, and husband of the sister of General Vallejo. Evidently Bidwell had plans of his own.

I like that little note about where to find the key.