Goldseekers - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

Shulienlove — 2013-05-08 18:39:31Z

Purchased property on Hancock rd, garden valley, ca in 2003. I was just doing research on mining on Hancock and came accross your query. I have title documents that show my property and all of Hancock rd in this valley was owned by Louisa Hancock of Nevada.

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

kathleenlacey111 — 2012-11-17 22:05:45Z

James Anderson Hancock gets his middle name from his mother, Nancy Anderson Lipscomb. Her father was Anderson Lipscomb, who was born in Virginia and died in Pulaski, MO.

So the Anderson is not really a Hancock line name, at least for James, and I don't have it as a surname in either line, only as a Christian name.

James Anderson Hancock arrived in Pulaski at age 17 from his birthplace in Grainger TN. He left for CA at age 22 as a newlywed. All the rest of his family remained in Missouri.

If he did learn of mining in TN it was as a child or teen.
Very interested to hear of whatever you learn.
Any chance Joseph had a Lipscomb connection?

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

pathowe171 — 2012-11-17 20:32:25Z

I've been researching James Anderson Hancock because he shares a lot of commonality with my ancestor Joseph Anderson Hancock (B Jul 1829 Tennessee) and I'm hoping to find some link by following the line. I know Joseph's history once he arrives in Texas, but hoping some other Hancock (such as James Anderson) might turn up more clues. Have any of you encountered other Hancock/Anderson linkages?
Thanks in advance.
PS, do you think James Anderson Hancock learned about placer mining in the East, and had some experience in Carolina mining?

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

gabeharville — 2012-07-05 00:29:18Z

Thanks, will email her!

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

bobhnck1 — 2012-07-04 22:40:03Z

The address for Betty is betnbil@sbcglobal.net

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

gabeharville — 2012-07-03 04:31:36Z

Hi Bob,
This is Kathleen again. (son's membership). So sorry I missed your reply last year, perhaps because my membership lapsed?

This is wonderful info. It turns out that my mother corresponded with Betty Hancock whom you mention, back in the 80's. She got some info and pics from her of Hezekiah & Emma, and of their three sons. I am hoping that Betty is still doing well.

I would love to get in touch with her if that is possible? You can message me at this account. I would love to have any photos. I have some old rather bad photocopies of the clan back in Missouri, from a book that my aunt had on the Hancocks. (Which I do not have, unfortunately, only these old copies.)

I have an old newspaper clipping that mentions Jasper and his work, which sounded quite interesting.

Kathleen

Re: Pierce Gold Mines?

millerz — 2012-02-21 02:01:03Z

I guess that my first reply was not complete. The Pearce Mines located at Pearce Arizona, Chochise
County are at the foot of the Chiricahua Mountain range and that is was not reasonable that timbers were hauled from the Chiricahuas to Hornitos, CA some 800+ miles distant. Pearce, Arizona is named for James Pearce.

Re: Pierce Gold Mines?

darose47 — 2012-02-20 17:54:38Z

The Pierce Mine is about 25 miles from me, four miles east southeast of Hornitos California, and 1.8 miles west of Corbet Creek. Total production reached between $600,000 – 800,000. Tailings from the mine can be viewed on Google Maps on the satellite view.

Googgle ~> Ruth Pierce Mine, California 95306

Re: Pierce Gold Mines?

darose47 — 2012-02-20 17:49:59Z

Re: William J. CREE - Mokelumne Hill?

BD_Sandell — 2011-08-03 16:48:04Z

Gary - please see this website for Mokelumne Hill - I think it will provide you with some of the information you need

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokelumne_Hill,_California

I'm aware this is a very old post, but I didn't see a response to it.

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

bobhnck1 — 2011-07-07 06:32:40Z

Thank you Kathleen. Hez was my Grandfather(Lester's) brother. Hez worked on the Diamond Caldor railroad hauling timber out of the mountains, and later went to Arbuckle. My cousin William (his Grandson) reciently passed, but his wife Betty is stil living,and is into family history also. I do have some photographs that you might be interested in. The Hancock (White Rock) placer mine is on Rock Creek just off Mosquito road near Placerville (Old Hangtown.) All of the brothers including Edward who you didn't mention plus James & Hulda are burried in union Cemetery in Placerville. Another brother Edward also had a gold mine near Gold Hill. Edward is the only one that I clearly remember growing up. My Great Grandfather Jasper passed from an injury before I was born. I have visited all of their graves. Thank you for the reply.

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

kathleenlacey111 — 2011-07-07 05:34:52Z

Hi all, James Anderson Hancock was my gr-gr-grandfather as well, descended through the youngest son Hezekiah Lester and his son Charles Aldrich Hancock (who was born in Placerviller but moved to Marin County).

My father and grandfather never shared stories from that far back, so whatever you have I would love to hear. Or photos ...

I have one photo of Hezekiah in his old age

I have a copy of Lester's obit from the Sun-Herald; he led a fascinating life.

If anyone has any documentation on Sarah Mahulda Decker as James' mother, I am looking for something in addition to the International Marriage Record.

Good intuition, Laurie!

Kathleen

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

lauriejean79 — 2011-04-11 16:48:06Z

I haven't done any research in years, haven't even logged into this site, and something told me just now on my lunch break at work to just sign in. And here's your message today. Thank you!

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

bobhnck1 — 2011-04-11 13:53:08Z

Laurie, My Great-Great Grandfather, James Hancock, owned and operated the White Rock Gold Mine on Mosquito Road near Placerville back in the 1800s. His ranch was at Union Ridge on Mosquito Road. It was an hydraulic(placer)mine, and as such left a scar on the land from the placer mining. A remnant gorge is still visible where Mosquito Road crossis it just as the road reaches the top of Union Ridge.There are many remains of placer mining near Placerville. Placer mining was outlawed, and that put a stop to the practice. I am descended from James' son Jasper, and his son Lester, and his son Raymond, all of Placerville,California.

Re: Pierce Gold Mines?

millerz — 2011-04-01 02:42:13Z

This would be unlikely. The Chiricaua Mtns are in So Eastern Arizona, abt 7-800 miles from 1900 Mariposa County.
Mariposa County would not have imported timbers as it was will forested.

Godd luck
Steve

Pierce Gold Mines?

libtech1 — 2011-03-31 22:27:41Z

My great grandfather wrote that he "hauled timbers from the Chiricahua Mountains to the Pierce Gold Mines." This would have happened around the year 1900.

Has anyone heard of the Pierce Gold Mines? Is it the same as the Ruth Pierce Gold mines in Mariposa Co., CA?

Thank you for any information.

Re: Hancock Gold Mine, near Placerville CA?

scwbcm — 2010-11-15 21:42:39Z

You may have already have found your answer but the Mountain Democrat has a writer who has extensive information and writes frequently about the mines in the area. You may also want to check with the Placerville Library or Placerville Museum. If you find out more I may be able to provide you with a photo of the area from the present.

Lewis Co., NY 2 gold mine companies some to area Lewiston, Trinity, CA

scwbcm — 2010-05-10 22:23:04Z

Franklin Hough in a History of Lewis county New York says there were two mining companies that went to CA in the goldrush. News accounts indicate some ended up in Trinity county, CA near Lewiston, CA. Among those who went were Seth Miller, A. Doig, Fay, and others. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who could shed light on this. I have about 15 names of Lewis co. men who to CA and would like to see or make a list of these.

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

vivemnott — 2007-08-08 04:29:33Z

I live in the midst of the Goldrush country in California
and also full access to Ancestry. Would be helpful to have ages. I'll give it a try for you. vivemnott@yahoo.com

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 17:30:18Z

attached clip

Re: William Hinksman

james_hinksman — 2006-12-24 16:08:50Z

no clipping came through that interesting that about the trip wonderful maybe i shall gewt somewhere with it you can email the clipping to j_hinks@hotmail.co.uk. Am actually going to Victoria in April to this chaps grandsons who i found a few years ago through this research, seems William Hinksman married a native lady called wills or somethng like that or it maybe this jack woman was a native american on her mothers side, thanks for the help, if you need help in scotland please ask me,

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 15:43:36Z

I just emailed a news clipping
1857 to Pennsylvania then on to Oregon then to BC (and back to Oregon.

I'm looking up ships lists right now.
Let me know if the clipping came through okay.

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 15:34:20Z

National Archives is NARA,

His sons attestation papers
http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc006/394599a.gif

Re: William Hinksman

james_hinksman — 2006-12-24 15:24:28Z

forgive me as you say nara, that some america site that am able to access, you said he sued Emanuel Jack same surname of his second wife,where can i get that information from. mmm we have thought that he may have been married before but didnt know who to, certainly no scottish records that i have seen see him marring here, theres no information on him in the local parish have checked that one out, as it goes he seem to have left scotland in rather a hurry for some reson he had too, wonder what that was about.

if its the last thing i do on this tree am going to find out the missing information as i just want to find out how he left scotland and where he went.

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 15:17:06Z

Whoo hoo 30 years, between 1851 and 1881

Searching for one person on a ship at *any* port in the US and poss Canada is a needle in a haystack.

I don't think he naturalized only show immigrated. Although I would get the file from NARA if he did NAT as that would have clues.

I would fill in the blanks with clues if it were me, he sued Emanuel Jack in Nanaimo...same surname as his 2nd wife.
Before he married her....also he had a land grant, those in Alberta anyway show date of immigration/arrival to Canada, last residence before arrival and all kinds of other things.
He appears a few times in gov of bc records and at pennies a page for copying I'd order every scrap of it.

It may be a wild goose chase, but could well lead to a clue.

At any rate ships lists are not complete for any port and it would be an overwhelming amount of microfilm rolls anyway.

You can also try his home parish records, often clergy made notations when someone left for US/Canada.
Some parish records are FILLED with facts depends on the clergy in charge. If there was a get together to send him off often there is notations and expenses for such.

Re: William Hinksman

james_hinksman — 2006-12-24 15:02:10Z

Thanks for that, i have along aith my relative this William Hinksman grandson been attempting to see if we can find information about him my timeline is as follows

1841-- born scotland William Hinksman
Parents John Hinksman Elspeth Hutchinson

1851--- Census for pittenween Fife aged 9

1861---- not on Scottish census

1870---- says he was naturlizsed on this year

1881 everything after this date we have, seem he left from somewhere to go to north america, we have looked and looked and cant find him anywhere on a ship passenger list etc, you would think someone in the states would have access to a record that showed where he arrived as he is recorded as immagration i 1870

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 14:52:07Z

Hi,
Yes the canal wasn't finished until around 1913 give or take a few years (1913 is stuck in my head it may have been a year or two later)

Major ports back then, or at least my best guess for his landing.
California if he had a bit of money, New Orleans if he had less and any east coast port if he were even poorer. The reason I am saying this is it was a terrible trip cross country from the east coast, dangerous, rough etc.

It was not a trip you'd take if you could avoid, sea trips were no princess cruise back then but were FAR better than a train or stagecoach trip. I'm not positive the transcontinental was complete at 1870 his year of arrival.
So it may have been a stagecoach/horse only trip.

Before sticking to the 1870 date and searching for his arrival then, I'd make sure.
Make a timeline for him. Then check for mining claims,voters lists and other documents in BC that list last address/year of immigration etc.

check sessional papers, he signed this petition;
Petitions Against the 'Settlement Act'
from Nanaimo and Comox
from the Sessional Papers of the British Columbia Government, 1883-4
PETITION
(Nanaimo)
To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the, Province of British Columbia. GENTLEMEN: We, the undersigned Electors of the constituency of Nanaimo, in the Province of British Columbia beg respectfully to, protest against the passage, by the Legislative Assembly of the Province, of the Bill entitled the "Settlement Act," and beg to submit for your consideration our objections thereto, as follows, viz.:- 1. That the "Settlement Act" virtually creates a monopoly, inasmuch as it makes no stipulation that the Dominion Government shall transfer the Railway Reserve to the Railway Company under provisions thaf shall secure to the public,the right to purchase Agricultural, Timber and Coal Lands at any fixed price or in any definite quantity, or that the regulations provided for the purchase of Coal Lands from the Dominion Government in other parts of the Dominion have not been made to apply to the Vancouver Island Railway Reserve; 2. That the said Act discourages coal mining by exempting from taxation, until occupied, all the lands to, be transferred to the proposed Railway Company; 3. Your Petitioners would impress upon your consideration the necessity of amending the Act so, as to provide against the - possible creation of a monopoly in the chief resources of the Province; And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c

NFS may be able to help.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/nfhs/

No Date Surname Forename Parent Names/Frame No. Sex Parish GROS Data Image Extract
1 13/11/1841 HINKSMAN WILLIAM JOHN HINKSMAN/ELSPETH HUTCHISON FR413 M NEWBURGH 450/00 0002

Re: William Hinksman

james_hinksman — 2006-12-24 09:39:50Z

Thank you very much indeed, very kind of you, Yes he did end up in BC, the problem we have here is attempting to find where he landed in America, as it does say there his immagration year was 1870, i have seen the census for 1851 from pittenweem fife and see william on it, i cant find him on the census for Scotland in 1861. Myself and this William Hinksman grandson have been looking for the arrival place and date for this William Hinksman for about Two years and still cant find him landed anywhere, do you know of anywhere we could find him, i think he may well as some family put it went via Panama to the west coast of America, but am not sure if the canal was built by then, as it is we are unable to find him leaving Scotland or arriving anywhere,

regards jim

Re: William Hinksman

genealogyresearcher — 2006-12-24 02:14:02Z

did he wind up in BC?

Name: William Hinksman
Gender: Male
Age: 90
Death Date: 5 May 1933
Place of Death: Nanaimo
Registration #: 1933-09-483790
bca #: B13148
gsu #: 1952855

Name: William Hinksman
Event: Born
Year: Abt 1844
Province: British Columbia
Place: Scotland
Source: Extracts from the 1891 Federal Census of British Columbia, Microfilm #T6290-T6292, National Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
Volume/Page: FN499

Name: William Hinksman
Event: Living
Year: 1881
Province: British Columbia
Place: Nanaimo & Noonas Bay
Comments: Miner.
Source: Extracts from the 1891 Federal Census of British Columbia, Microfilm #T6290-T6292, National Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
Volume/Page: FN499

Name: William Hinksman
Age: 9
Estimated birth year: abt 1842
Relationship: Son
Father's name: John
Mother's name: Elspeth
Gender: Male
Where born: Largo, Fife
Parish Number: 452
Civil parish: Pittenweem
Town: Pittenweem
County: Fife
Address: James Street
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 3
Page: 5 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 27
Line: 20
Roll: CSSCT1851_93
Household Members: Name Age
David Hinksman 7
Elspeth Hinksman 33
Jean Hinksman 10 Mo
Jessie Hinksman 5
John Hinksman 34
John Hinksman 3
William Hinksman 9

Name: William Hinksman <-----a coal miner
Home in 1900: Coaldeo, Coos, Oregon
Age: 55
Estimated birth year: abt 1845
Birthplace: Scotland
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Race: White
Occupation: View image
Immigration year: 1870

Goldhunters from Scioto Co., Ohio

DoloresRutherford58 — 2006-11-25 14:43:35Z

For those of you who might have people who came to CA for the Gold Rush from Scioto Co., OH, you can check the following website where I posted a listing of those shown in the 1850 Census of Scioto Co. as "Gold Hunters". Some of them are my husband's ancestors who later went back to OH and brought their families to settle in Butte Co., CA.

http://www.scioto.org/Scioto/Articles/goldhunters.html

Benjamin Sexton Goldminer in Alaska

@@slgrawrock@hotmail.com — 2006-06-30 06:07:56Z

Looking for any information on my gggranfather Benjamin Sexton, he supposedly died in a fire in Alaska. He was there about 1898 to 1906.

William Hinksman

2006-06-01 09:45:57Z

hi trying to find a William Hinksman Born scotland 1841 1844 that took part in seeking gold in california can anyone help
j_hinks@hotmail.co.uk

Colorado,California Goldseekers

lindabonnell13 — 2005-07-30 20:56:40Z

John TenEyck was born NY circa 1840-1860.Came out west,
may originally have been out a bit late for 1859 Gold Rush.
Settled in Leadville,CO. County was called Lake county.
Who else of his family came with him? Leadville became big with silver strikes but in 1893 the silver market crashed. John died in Denver about 1920.Who were his parents,
siblings?
Anybody know what TenEyck bunch settled out in Santa Rosa,
CA?

Cleveland, Crusen, Death, & Funk-CA Gold Fields

2005-07-30 20:55:15Z

My paternal grandmother Sarah Maria Funk was born in 1867 in Columbia Hill, Nevada, CA in the gold fields; SMF's fa was Samuel Silas Funk who owned a sawmill in that area; SSF's brother Lemuel N Funk was a miner there; SMF's mo was Susan Ann Crusen; SAC's par were David H Crusen & Mary Death, who owned and operated a toll road prob named Little Grass Valley Toll Road or Crusen Toll Road with their son William; the road ran E from Columbia Hill about 7 mi and is prob present day Cruzon Grade Rd; SSF, SAC, DHC, & MD came out of OH originally.
My maternal gggrandfather, John Wesley Cleveland, left a wife and children in NY or MN to seek his fortune in Yuba Co CA (the next county N of Nevada). He never came home, dying shortly after arrival in CA, prob from pneumonia; he prob d in Downieville, but the grave has never been found.
Any info about these 8 people and their families, area toll roads, etc would of course be helpful. The basic facts are pretty well known, but I'd sure like to know "the rest of these stories", even though they're pretty good stories already.
Also, there is a wonderful private, historical library in Nevada City you need to know about if you're researching the Nevada Co area. I found 7 legal documents involving the above ancestors, and the stuff in this library will never be on the Inet.

Re: Goldseekers in the Dakota Territories

2005-07-30 20:53:32Z

Nothing yet. Am still hoping though!

Goldseekers in the Dakota Territories

libbygene — 2005-07-30 20:52:30Z

I am wondering if there is a webpage or some resource for info for the early Dakota Territories (before statehood) for goldseekers that went there. I have two missing Smiley brothers who went there (according to the family legend) but can not find out what happened to them. Any suggestions? Were other states included in this area before statehood?

James Bryans - Gold prospector - Canada 1920s

jackstorey10 — 2004-12-20 19:56:46Z

My wife's uncle went to Medicine Hat in the 1920s while there was a "gold rush" in the area. He returned in the 1980s to re-visit the places he knew. We asked him upon his return to Ireland if he had met any of the people he knew in the 1920s. His reply was that they were all dead. He lived to 96 and we have often wondered who he knew and how he accumulated so much money during his time in Canada.
He often referred to Calgary & Kicking Horse as places he knew.
Any possibility that somebody in any of these places has heard of him ??????

Re: Goldseekers in the Dakota Territories

raneeegee — 2004-10-31 11:22:19Z

Since your posting, have you located any info on the Dakota goldseekers? I am trying to find out what my Great-grandfather was doing about that time.
The family info says Walter "Bitey" Gould went "out west" from Massachusetts in 1880 aat age 14 and panned for gold, struck it rich, was robbed of all he had, was in a fight and killed a man. He was back in Massachusetts by 1892. I find the whole thing hard to believe, I remember him as a sweet old man, but feisty.
The Homestake Lode in the Black Hills in 1876 sound like news could have leaked back east and tempted a teen-ager by 1880. But no data, much less proof, of where he went "out west".
If you or any of the llisters knows more of any gold-seeking in the 1880's in the Black Hills I would be interested in learning.
Ranee

Re: Klondike Gold Rush of 1899

joanne_bledsoe — 2004-04-26 15:07:13Z

Hi

There was a wonderful web site called filson panning for gold which had a wealth of information on the Yukon gold rush.
Unfortunately it shut down. The Dawson City Museum is
trying to get it back up and running. It is partially up now.
Check out www.yukongenealogy.com
I found several possiblies for your Mumford.
R.H. Mumford, entered Yukon territory May 30, 1898
boat 336 lists home as Buffalo. Later found in 1900 in Nome.
H.W. Mumford entered May 20, 1898 from Seattle.

Try contacting the Dawson City Museum, I have found them very helpful.

Joanne

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

playtrains — 2003-12-11 02:30:35Z

Other counties with significant numbers of miners are Colusa, Shasta, Sutter and Trinity.

Gary

William J. CREE - Mokelumne Hill?

playtrains — 2003-12-08 23:47:20Z

I'm researching my ancestor William J. CREE. He travelled to California in 1849 with the expedition led first by Col. Henry Webb, and then by John Woodhouse Audubon. William is known to have made it to CA with Audubon, and he was back home in Elizabeth, NJ by August of 1853, but I haven't found anything to document his time in between.

According to family tradition, he established a hotel in the gold fields known as the Great American Hotel, but lost all of his money in an Indian raid outside of St. Louis on his return to NJ.

Just before William left for California, on January 29, 1849, his mother gave him a bible which he carried with him to California and back. In the bible is written in pencil "Mokelumne Hill, Cal" and the date August 21, 185-, the last figure in the year being too faint to be read. Since William arrived in San Diego in October of 1849 and was back in Elizabeth by 1853, the only Augusts William could have spent in California were in 1850, 1851 and 1852. So William was almost certainly in California when the 1850 Census was taken that year. But I can't find him.

I just discovered last night that Ancestry's 1850 CA census (and presumably the prior AIS book index) skips most of Calaveras County. I spent 5+ hours going through the county for people born in NJ but didn't see William.

I have a few questions:

Does anybody have any ideas how I can follow up on whether he ran a hotel there?

Were there any newspapers that at the time?

Were claims recorded like land records in the county or elsewhere? Were they lost in the fire at the courthouse, or had the records been moved?

Are there any other gold country counties that are known to be missing from the Ancestry index?

And finally, I'd love to compare notes with descendants of the other members of the Webb / Audubon expedition.

Thanks!

Gary

Lists of participants CA goldrush?

sksmith_nl — 2003-10-31 17:44:50Z

Family tradition has that my ancestor was in the '49 Gold Rush - that's all we know. Does anyone know if a census or other list was ever taken of the men who were in the gold fields at this time?
Thanks

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

sksmith_nl — 2003-10-31 17:44:50Z

I always wondered whether or not a census taker would have bothered to go into the goldfield camps and enumerate all those people, knowing they were there temporarily, and some probably hard to reach.
I do have access to the census. Can you tell me which counties were involved in the '49 Gold Rush?
Thanks

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

sksmith_nl — 2003-10-31 17:44:50Z

Thanks so much for the reply and the offer to do a lookup. My ancestor's name is Edward Kelley (or Kelly), born 1804, Ireland. He would have come from Wabash Co., Indiana, where he was living at the time.

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

millerz — 2003-09-14 21:09:25Z

You are still in the abstract, Ca had 8 Counties with gold mining in 1850, then add the support counties, for supplies transport or wintering over you can add another 12 or more.

Yes, extensive attemps were made to get a good count, even to the enumerators traveling into the gold camps, hotels and brothels. The count was done during the fall months of Oct and Nov. Since some of the camps were in the mountains over 7,000 ft elevation, these camps closed up once the snows started.

If you have access to ancestry.com, search your name, US, CA keyword 1850 and then followup on the name matches.

Counties in existence with heavy 49'r populations were:
Butte, Calveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Tuolumne and Yuba. In 1852 these counties were subdivided to create new counties.

If you don't have ancstry.com, post your name and state or country of origin and birth date and I take a look.

Re: Lists of participants CA goldrush?

2003-09-14 16:09:54Z

California was covered by the 1850 US Census, if your 49'r was there in 1850 he had as good a chance of being enumerated as anywhere else. There are several sources to check, ancestry.com s census images and AIS census transcript and many of the CAGenweb county sites have links to a searchable 1850 CA US census. Post more info and I'm sure other can give more directions to search CA.

Swiss 49er

barbsidler — 2003-05-26 07:06:05Z

Looking for information about the Yreka Ca. gold fields and mining. Caspar Weist from Switzerland lived with his wife and children and worked the mines for several years in this area. Seeking information on the family.

James Clements Hart

oldphd — 2003-05-22 23:23:46Z

He left Berks county,PA around 1850 to look for gold. Family legend says he was going to Alaska, but in that time frame I think California is more likely. He was born in 1831. His father Joseph worked at Hopewell Furnace in Union twp,Berks cty PA. Any help gratefully appreciated.

Re: Alexander Mills from Logan County, KY to California 1850's

2002-10-01 16:23:59Z

Mary, Im am searchibg the same info please email me if you find anything. impocahontas68@msn.com

William Boyd,trapper, trader,goldseeker 1835 - 1850?

JaneGrezlik — 2002-09-09 17:08:39Z

Help!!! I am trying to locate any information on William Boyd. I have a family letter that states that he wrote home in March 1850 with a Sacramento City, California, and told the family that he was well and had not had one days sickness since he left home in 1835 and arrived in the Orgen teritorytry in 1840 near Vancover Island on the shores of the pecific oshen. He went into the fur trade and did very well, until he heard about the gold rush in Californey, some hundreds miles south. He went into the mines and said that he had more gold than a Jackass could carry and that he would be home in the "corn of the year" (fall). The letter goes on to say that their Mother died without ever seeing him and the family has not heard of him since. The letter was dated 1853. I have letters dating until 1872 and William is never mentioned again. William was the brother of my 3-great grandfather, and born about 1797. (mis-spelling above is from the letter) Thank you in advance.