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John Carlton (1809-1895) from Troy, New York tried his luck in the gold fields. Below are
some of his letters:
To Mr. A. G. Howard, foster father of his 14 year old son, Henry James.
Coloma Sept. 11 / 52
Dear Sir,
Having a feeling of Friendship and good will toward My Friends and neighbors I thought
that I would address you a few lines to Let you Know that I am still in the land of the
living, I have been a Striving to Get the Shining Gold ever Since I Came here But with
little Success. It is Most Uncertain Business in the world and if Folks only Knew what
they have to Under go here and the Poor Success attending the Hardest Kind of Labour in
the world as a General Thing, they would not swap the Blessings of Good Society and
Friends at Home---for One Chance in Five Hundred to Better their Situation. The Over Land
Emigration is Estimated about Twenty Thousand Besides those that Come by Water. --- The
Poor Fellows say as the Soldier did What a fool I was I did not Mind my mother and Stay at
Home. Wages are low and but a few that wants hire. Provision is very high whitch makes it
Still Worse for those out of employ. We have had a very hot Summer and hot weather hangs
on. It is quite Sick!
ly here at this time. There has been a number of Deaths. Some have the Fevour and some
the Cholera Morbus. I suppose you frequently read this one and that one Digging out their
Thousands in a few days --- but you never Hear the Unlucky men's story. ---
John Carlton
dear Henry,
I have just wrote to John and Alzina each a few lines and now I Address a few to you. You
are aware that Mountains and Oceans Separate us But my Dear Boy a Fathers Love for His
Children is the Same where ever he Be. --- I trust that you are under the Guardian Ship
and Care of those who take an interest in Your Welfare and Happiness here and here after.
--- treasure up My dear Boy in a good and honest heart all the Good Instructions you hear
Take Good Advice Kindly --- I feel that I am Not half as Capable of giving you Advice as
those whose immediate care you are under. --- Treasure up what good advice you may hear
from these few lines, remembering they are from your Father who Loves and wishes his Henry
well.
John Carlton
Coloma Feby the 24/53
My dear Henry
You wished me to give an account of the Country but should I attempt to, I Am Sure I
should Fall Far Short as I have not Been Mutch of a Traveler. I have not been through the
Mines But a Very Little. In the first place I will give you a Short History of our Voyage.
We had very fine weather and all went smoothly except That some were Sea sick although I
did not suffer mutch myself. Off Cape Hatteras we had a Little Squall and some Hail whitch
Lasted But a few Moments. It was very pleasant along the coast of Florida We sailed some
Days in sight of the Coast One day we discovered a Schooner Some Three or Four Miles off
that was wrecked upon the Beaches her sails all hoisted and a Signal Hoisted of Distress.
The captain ordered the Ship to stop and he sent his mate to the schooner to see if he
could Help them. He found them in distress Sure Enough their vessel fast upon the Rocks a
large hole stove through her Bottom. The captain took the crew on Board and carried then
to Havann!
ah the place from whitch they sailed a few days before. The vessel was loaded with sugar
and wine. She was bound for some Port in Spain. The first of May I have forgotten the day
of the Month we landed at Havannah. Now by the way Havannah is the Handsomest Place that I
Ever Saw Although the buildings are very different from those at Home. No windows in any
of their Houses There. The climate is very Hot. There were ripe mellons Oranges and Fruit
in abundance. We staid there two or three days. We were then transferred to an Other Steam
Ship and on the tenth we landed at Shagres the Most Miserable hot Unhealthy Place in the
World perhaps. We staid there but a few Hours Befour we started up the River. We suffered
with the heat and also for the Want of Water. The river water is salt for some Miles and
when it becomes fresh it is very warm Bad Water. We travelled untill Dark in a thunder
shower. Stopped at a miserable hut but could not get food nor Lodging. With our clothes
drenc!
hed with rain We spent the Night about a fire. In the morning started
on about one o'clock we arrived at Panama. Now Panama was once a very Strong Fortified
Place walled in. We staid at Panama a Bout three Days and then started a long and Tedious
Voyage of Some Three Thousand Miles. We stopped at Acapulco and Sandiego and Montera. On
this side we saw a great many Whales and some Sharks and other fish of different names. We
were a number of days out of sight of Land and Some three or four days in sight of the
Coast of Lower California. We left Panama on the Fifteenth of May and on the First of June
we arrived at Sanfrancisco whitch is not a Very Handsome Place. It is rather broken uneven
ground But is bound to be a Great City. We stayed there But one day and then Started For
Sacramento. Now the valley of Sacramento is Beautiful and Rich. Sacramento City is on the
Sacramento River and in the Dry Season is a very Pretty Place But in the rainy season it
is Some of the Time inundated with water So Mucth that they Pass through the streets in
Boats. !
We staid in Sacramento one Day then Started for the Mines. Now a bout the mining country.
It is very Broken and Hilly Cut up by ravines. The hills are very high and ruged. When one
ascends to a very high one he can see down to the Sacramento Valley and the Coast Range of
Mountains Whose Tops are always Covered With snow. We have had no snow to speak of but
Have Had a great deal of rain through the month of December and part of January.--- Now I
must tell you about the wild Beasts of California. The Grizly Bear is perhaps the Most
Ferocious Beast that Inhabits this part of the country. They are very large weighing from,
six to twelve Hundreds. I saw one fight a Wild Spanish bull. There is what they call the
California Lion But I have not seen any yet. The wolves here are small. I have seen
several but the mountain Cat is the prettiest thing you ever saw, They are small slim
Bodied animals. Some of the cat look but a very large bushy tail Something longer than the
body Grey !
stripes running around the body. There is Birds of different Plumage B
ut among them all there is none that reminds me of Home But the robin. They are not very
Plenty But there is wild Geese along the coast in Great Abundance allso wild Ducks. Many
of the rivers abound with Large and beautiful Salmon. We frequently get them in the
Mines.
I have come so far short of writing any thing interesting That I will Draw to a Close. My
health is tolerable Good. --- Mining is very poor Business. My mind is not made up when to
Start for Home. I Think I have done Better than I could have done at Home.
"Wishing you health and Happiness here and hereafter.
From your father
John Carlton
Helena M. Goodale Hargrave, Carleton-Carlton Forebears A Genealogy of some Descandants
(sic) of Edward Carleton Proprietor of Rowley, Mass., 1639/ 1648/9 (USA: Hargrave, 1970,
revised 1977). 54-56.