Going for the Gold

August 1, 1851 Letter, Gold Rush Era Correspondence from Lee Lewis in Georgetown, California to G. Brownlee in Missouri. Lee and his father Charles left Missouri in June 1850 to go to California in search of gold. He starts by saying he received George's letter on April 7th and it was the first he had gotten since he left for California. He goes on about how they should write more often and then moves on to, "I was verry sorry to hear that your tobacco was ruined by the hail storm (sic)." He answers some questions with, "I do not like this contry for a home altho I expect to remain here some time yet. It is a long wais to come for nothing. I am here now and want to make a sufficeint trial. I have not made much. I am now in the citty of Marysville riging a team and wagon to do my own hawling. I am going to put up a store and a boarding house and quit the mines on account of my health. I expect to keep that up as long as I remain in California (sic)." He rambles on and then starts writing to another person, Mr Alfred Harris and says, "I was verry sorry to hear of Cuff being sick of the chills and feaver for I know how it feals. All the chills and feaver is nothing to what I have in duered since in California. I never got well untill I went in the mountains and holed in the snow a bout three months. I am not able to mine it yet all tho I have bin larger than I ever was in Missouri. I wayed 1.KG pounds (sic)." He states, "I am glad that Chris and Peat (his brothers) enjoys them selves with girls...(sic)." and then, "...I will be there after awhile and if the girls is as thick as hops I will be with them." There is no mention of gold. This letter has little paper loss. It is 7-5/8" x 9-7/8" and written on three pages. (personal reference #4216)
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1850's Marysville California Letter, Gold Rush Era. Coorespondence from Lee Lewis in to his brothers, Chrisman and Fielding Lewis in Linn County, Missouri. This letter is in response to hearing that his sister Jancy and her husband, Young had been causing his mother grief. He says, "... it appears that Young is doing all that he can to aggrevate mother. I request you to tell him for me that I don't want to hear of him a doing or saying anything to fret mother any more, If so I will make it my business to attend to it all tho I am in California 2000 miles from home but he can rest assured that I mean just what I say (sic)." He goes on to say, "Mother requested me to rite how much that I owe Young, it was a new idea to me if I am owing him a red cent (sic)." Lewis Lee and his father Charles went to California in search of gold. There is no reference to gold in this letter and there is no date on it. I do know that this letter is from the 1850's because of other letters in my possession and of knowing family history. This letter has been folded and it has some small holes. It is 10" x 7-3/4", written on 1 and 1/3 pages. (personal reference #4201)
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June 30, 1853 Letter, Gold Rush Era. Coorespondence from David Moor in Claibourne County, Tennessee to Squire Moor in Linn County, Missouri. This letter contains info about hardship, deaths and family news. He speaks of Charles Lewis who went to California in 1850 seeking gold and of not hearing anything of Fielding Lewis ";...since went over the Oragin (sic) mountain and we hear that his wife was dead and three of his children all died a going over the Oragin (sic) mountain ". He tells of, " One of your sisters Sarah Lebo sons got killed at Knoxville this spring. Her oldest son his name was John Lebo, another man stabbed him (sic). " There is no mention of gold in this letter. This letter has been folded. It is 7-3/4" x 12", the letter is written on one and a half pages. (personal reference #4210)
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January 21, 1851 Letter, Gold Rush Era. Coorespondence from Lee Lewis in California to his mother Elizabeth Lewis in Linn County, Missouri. This letter contains references to California and hardship. Lee and his father Charles left Missouri in June 1850 to go to California in search of gold. He tells of fever and delirium, of hunger and discouraging chances of finding gold. He states that if a man were to find gold "...he had better start for home for fear that some doctor will fall heir to it.", as there is so much sickness. He adds to the letter February 13, 1851 that he is in Sacramento on his way to the northern diggings on the Feather, Scots or Henley rivers. He states that "...as for making fortunes here by digging in the mines is a verry (sic) uncertain thing." It is 7-5/8" x 10", written on three pages. This letter is in very good condition.
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February 5, 1853 Letter, Gold Rush Era Correspondence from David and Margaret Moore at Lone Mountain, E. Tennessee to Esquire Moore in Linn County, Missouri. David Moore is the author of this letter. This letter contains info about hardship, deaths and family news. He states, "...we are glad to learn that you arived safe at your home and was blest with good health all though your haserdous jorney (sic)." He speaks of, "...the hand of affliction is still apon us. Andersons health is much as it was when you left here. There is no improvement on him in any way that can be perceived. He is confined to his bed and is intirly destitute of the use of his body from his hips down. He is worn out with confinement and oftem seams to discouruged that he ?* bee wishing to leave this world of troubles and difacutlties (sic)." He goes on to say, "...David was taken sick and also Margaret was taken sick a few days a go. They are both confined to their bed and have high fevers. The doctor thinks they are taking the fever. What will be the result the lord only knows. It seams that our cup of sorow is quite full but we are in the land of diseas and death...(sic)." He speaks of caring for the bedridden Anderson and what a pleasure it is to have his "councel" and he also speaks of, "...you thought that if I was left alone I ought to come to your country to see you. The lord only know what the result will be but I hope that I never bee left a widow for I see trouble enough as it is (sic)." He speaks of the nedd for other family members to take over the care of his parents as he is overburdened. He reports, "They have some money and enough to support them for some time if manged write and I think one of the boys aught to think enough of them to come and make some provision for them and releas me of such a charge (sic)." There is a passage saying, "We were ?* to hear that Jancy had to have hur childs arm taken off (sic)." On half of the third page of this letter he adds a message to Elizabeth Lewis (his daughter). Her husband Charles and son Lee left Missouri in June 1850 to go to California in search of gold.There is no mention of gold in this letter. This letter has been folded and it has some small holes. It is 10-3/4" x 7-1/2", written on 3 pages. (personal reference #4204)

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March 11, 1852 Letter, Gold Rush Era Correspondence from Lee Lewis in California to his brother, Chrismon Lewis in Linn County, Missouri. Lee and his father Charles left Missouri in June 1850 to go to California in search of gold. He starts out with, "Dear Brother I assume this opportunity to wright you a letter mearly to let you no that I am well at this time and have bin since June fifty-one and all so Charly has had good health all tho I have not seen him for the last three weeks. We live 50 miles a part. He was working for wages at one hundred dollars per month (sic)." He goes on to say, " I am driving a teem for one hundred dollars per month. I expect to continue twelve months at that business and then I expect to go to farming for I much rather live hear than in Missouri all tho I expect to come to that country some time or other. Whether I stay thare or not, I don't pretend to advise any person to come here..... It suits me better than Missouri ever did or ever will I expect (sic)." He references news from home with, "I was very sorry to hear of so much sickenss in the family last fall and all so the scarcety of corn. I am fearful you lost your stock owing to the bad season and hard winter. It is different hear. If you had your stock hear you would not have to feed them at all, consequently this must be the best country. Value of cows is one hundred dollars on an avrage some as much as $150. Oxen from $150 to 250 per yoke, frsh pork 50, its per pound. Board is wourth ten dollars per week at the hotells in the sitties. Good mules, what I mean, large mules suitable for harness is worth 200 dollars. Large horses aboput the same. Bearly (Barley) now is half leg high. Most any kind of vegetables grows well hear (sic)." He then offers advise, "...if any of you comes to this country a cross the plaines bring as much stock as you can. It is better than money at the prices you can by at there. Tell George that if he was hear he would have no occasion of useing corn dodges at all, be caus it is not used hear but very little (sic)." He talks about pain of frost bitten fingers and toes being less in California and, "...the fever and ague that you have had to incounter with would stay on the east side of the rocky mountain." He discusses aquaintances in California and says, "I supose Jack has changed her name since I left home. I was a little suprised of such changes taken place. Tell Jack she new that she was some what homely but that doesnt make any differance. I allways thought she was worthy of a respectable fellow (sic)." He asks that one of his brothers to be sure and pay the taxes on his land and also says, "Tell the young ladies that Lee is in California but to not marries yet but if some of them would come to the citty of Marysvill in the state of California and county of Yerba, that it wouldnot be long till ?* provided they would have him....", and " Tell Mrs. Powers to keep Mary for me for I expect it will be three or four years be fore I get back (sic)" There is no mention of gold in this letter. This letter has been folded and has little paper loss It is 8-1/2" x 10-1/4", written on three pages. (personal reference #4217)
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June 1850 Letter, Gold Rush Era Coorespondence from David and Margaret Moore in Tennessee to Spencer Moor in Linn County, Missouri. This letter contains info about hardship, sickness and family news. They write, "I have nothing neary particular to rite to you only we want to no what Charles Lewis and his son Lee is gone to California for (sic)." (David and Margaret Moore were the father of Charles Lewis' wife, Elizabeth. Charles and his son Lee left Missouri to go to California in search of gold in June of 1850.) David goes on to talk about other family members and news including the death of Anderson Jennings daughter Minerva. He ends the letter with, "I want you to no how far it is from where you are to California. They say it is a great place of money. That is what Charles Lewis and his son is gone after I expect and I wish the ?* get as much money as they can carry home (sic)." There is no mention of gold in this letter. This letter has been folded and it has some small holes. It is 12" x 7-3/4", written on 1 and 1/2 pages. (personal reference #4202)
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May 14, 1850 Letter, Gold Rush Era Correspondence from Charles Lewis somewhere in Missouri to wife, Elizabeth Lewis in Linn County, Missouri. This letter seems to be the first letter written after Charles and his son Lee left Missouri to go to California in search of gold. He states, "...we have got over the Mysouri river safe and I will in form you that our wagon and team has both held up verry well. We have had to give one dollar per bushel for corn... (sic)" He also says, "I will inform you that I had to go back to Liniuos the next morning after you left me and thei told me that you was all most hart broken which causes me not to be well satisfied. I have lost a good deel of sleep sense I left you. When I ly down at night I can not sleep for thinking of you and my deer little children...(sic)." He tells her, "I also want you not to neglect to gard a gainst fier. Git new chimnes built to your houses this fall (sic)." He ends with, "I must conclude by subscribing my self your loving husband til death (sic)" There is no mention gold in this letter but of the journey and his heart ache of leaving his family. This letter has been folded and it has some small holes. It is 12" x 7-1/2", written on 1 page. (personal reference #4199)
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