Dear Brother:

After a long and tedious journey of about five months we arrived at this place on the 27th July. I should have writen long ago but I expected to hear from you every mail[.] a thought it was not best to write until I herd from you. I have wated until I begin to think the letters have been miscarried or taken out by some other person and it is not best to wate mutch longer. After I mailed you a letter at Ft. Laramie we started on our journey and traveled along smoothly until we arrived at Green River[.] at that place a waggon belonging to four men that was in company with us had a little difficulty and thay divided thair team and one of the men staid with us, the other three drove on a head. in cours of the day we passed them again and drove some two miles when one of the men rode up and passed a few words with the one that was traveling along with us and drew his gun and shot him, the charg taking effect in his Breast which killed him instantly. We took the man and kept him intill another train came up and agreed to carry him to Hams fork. When we arived we found several companies camped thare[.] thay called a counsel and the man was tryed and shot. the men were Both from Boon Co Ky[.] When this was settled and we was ready to start again Mr. Kipp was taken sick with the Bilious dioria and was not able to walk or help himself after that[.] he lived until we reached the Humbolt River whare he died on 30th June[.] it is an dredful place to be sick and still worse to be Burried[.] on the plains a hole sunk 3 or four feet deep and a Blanket wraped a bout him that is all the coffin that can be furnished[.] thare is not a tree to be seen for miles. I have traveled weeks to geather and not see a tree, nothing but one barron plain. We bult many a good fire from Buffalow chip as thay ar called when thare is any ladies present. We saw several Bufalow on the hils as we was passing along.

Now I sppose you would like to hear a little about callifornia. I cannot tel you mutch for I have not seen mutch yet[.] not being in verry good health and the weather verry warm[,] I have not loked around mutch[.] the mines as far as I can learn have been as rich as they were reported to be[,] for thare is not a canion in the country as far as I have been but what has been turned up sid down several times - but I think the best days are over for many. I have ben out a few days a prospecting as they call it and have dug out a few dollars. I found one piece that weighed one dollar. but on the whole a man cannot make mutch at mining at this season of the year - thare being no water to wash the dirt. I think[,] as I have got here[,] I shal spend a year or two here if I do not make mutch[.] I hav not yet been into the farming part of the country but think shal go this fall it is most to warm for me. The thermomater ranges from 96 to 106. Write me as soon as you receive this and let me know how Wright is getting along and also if Charles started for Callifornia. McDonald left for home befor I got here. Direct your letters to Placerville Elderado Co.

Note: Bracketed [ ] items indicate a change added for clarity. Please note also that some portions of the transciption which were confusing or were seemingly missing portions of the text, are accurate to the original letters and brackets have not been used as the correct interpretation was either obvious, or converse. In places where the original text was too ambiguous, no changes were made.

Letter Index

- EXPLANATORY NOTES -
Compiled by P. Davidson-Peters (2005)
(Any errors are therefore the result of my own deficiencies and interpretations).

- OUTSIDE LINKS -
Historical accounts & places relative to John's journey to Placerville, California

Fort Laramie National Park

Memoirs of Travel - Newton G. Finley Journal of 1852 trip from Missouri to California

Trip to California, the Ferguson Family (April 1849)

Monroe County Historical Museum

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Updated 27 Jan 2010
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