Collection: Books and Periodicals

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Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 61 city of New York, on January 18, 1878, Colonel T. B. Thorpe, a veteran of the Mexican War, who had been on the staff of General Zachary Taylor, stated that while he had been employed as a journalist in New Orleans, several years before the discovery of gold at Coloma, a Swede, evidently far gone into consumption, called upon him and represented that he was what in his country was called a “king’s orphan;” that he had been educated at a governmental institution, on condition that after he had received his education he should travel in foreign lands, observe and record what he had seen, and deposit his records with the government. He stated that he had visited California, remained several days at Sntter’s Fort, enjoying the hospitality of Sutter; that while there he closely examined the surrounding country and became convinced that _ it abounded richly in gold. Colonel Thorpe stated that the Swede gave him this opinion in writing. At that banquet General Sutter was present, and Colonel Thorpe called upon him to say whether he had any recollection concerning the Swedish visitor. Sutter replied that he did recollect the visit, which had occurred about thirty-four years before; and he also remeinbered that the Swede expressed himeelf regarding the presence of mineral wealth in the neighboring hills; « but,” added the General, « [ was too much ocenpied at the time with other concerns to devote any time or attention to it. My crops were ripe, and it was imperative that they should be gathered as quickly as possible; but I do recollect the scientific Swedish gentleman.” The report of the remarks delivered at that banquet were published, and in it is contained a copy of the manuscript to which Colonel Thorpe referred, in which the “ king’s orphan ” wrote: “The Californias are rich in minerals. Gold, silver, lead, oxide of iron, manganese and copper ore are all met with throughout the country, the precious metals being the most abundant.” . There is another account of an early gold discovery, which was published in the Wew Age, in San Francisco, the official organ of the Odd Fellows, in September, 1865. It purports to have been an extract written by the Paris correspondent of the London Star, who wrote that in the city of Paris he visited a private museum, and that its owner exhibited to him a nugget of gold, and stated that twenty-eight years before a poor invalid had presented himself and took out of his tattered coat a block of quartz, and asked the proprietor of the nuseum if he would purchase it, assuring him that it was full of gold. The stranger said: “ I have come to you to apply to the Government to give me a vessel and a crew of 100 men, and I will promise: to return with a cargo of gold.” The proprietor of the museum presumed that the man was mad, and gave him a napoleon as a matter of charity, but retained a piece of the quartz. Afterward the quartz was analyzed, and it was proved to contain pure gold. Fifteen years elapsed, and a parcel and a letter were left at his door. The parcel was wrapped in a handkerchief, and was heavy. The letter was worn and almost illegible. On deciphering it, it proved to be the dying statement of the poor traveler, which, through the neglect of the lodging-house keeper where he had died after the interview referred to, had never been delivered. The package contained a block of quartz, and the letter was thus worded: “You alone listened to me; you alone stretched out a helping hand to me. Alas! it was too late! I am dying. I bequeath my secret to you. The country from whence I brought this gold is called California.” THE GREAT GOLD DISCOVERY OF 1848. The credit, however, for the practical discovery of gold in California is due to James W. Marshall. Itis true that a gold mine had been worked in 1841 in the lower part of the State, and that gold from that mine had been sent to the Philadelphia mint for coinage as early as July, 1843. The mine, however, proved unprofitable and was abandoned. The story of the discovery by Marshall, at Coloma, in Jann-