- More
LOT #47295
|
Sold for:
Sign-in or Join (free & quick)
California Gold Rush: Miner's Diary for the Year 1857. ...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold for:
Not Sold
Share this lot
Description
A fascinating and informative relic of this romantic era of our history.
California Gold Rush: Miner's Diary for the Year 1857. It tells the story of John McFallen Thompson of Trumansburg, New York, who left his wife and children behind to set out by steamship to take another stab at the California Gold Fields, where he had worked a claim in 1852. Preserved inside the original leather cover, embossed in gold "Diary, 1857", it is in remarkable condition. The narrative opens on April 16: "I left town for California. It required all my energy to start. I felt like an exile that was to be borne far away from friends at home for some little yet that could have been easily avoided. Under my present circumstances I don't regret starting." There are entries for virtually every day for the remainder of the year, including various interesting observations about his voyage and the transfer over the Isthmus of Panama. Thompson arrived at San Francisco on May 29, so destitute that he had to borrow $6.50 to get to Sacramento. There are several references to borrowing from various parties, suggesting that there was a certain camaraderie among the fledgling gold seekers. Upon arrival at his old claim, he renewed a friendship with a former partner, who generously gave Thompson a claim to work. The new arrival was able to buy a cabin on credit and to fix it up, as well as to buy interests in a couple of gold claims for nominal down payments. But by September, the luckless gold hunters had succumbed to reality, and were unsuccessfully seeking jobs that would pay wages. The diary is filled with little insights into daily life, and evocative observations like the one he made on October 3: "I received two letters from Sarah. I certainly am in luck as the Miner Expres [sic] is himself when he finds a lump of gold. I value the letters more than I do the gold. It makes me feel as though I had one friend left." On December 27 he wrote: "I was in my cabin all day. Two men stab each other in the evening. One of them was killed it was a horrible sight. It originated from a drunken row. Made during the week twenty-four dollars."In the back of the volume are laboriously transcribed copies, many of multiple pages, of twelve letters written to his wife and parents from May 13, 1857 through Feb. 14, 1858. While the letters contain some details about the life and work of a gold miner, they are mostly of a more personal letter, relating the ups and downs of his moods and expectations. Apparently Thompson anticipated that some of his letters would not get through, a fact which was confirmed by a letter from his wife complaining that she had not heard from him often enough (at one point he observes that he sent a letter "by a gambler to the post office as I had no other way of getting it there"). So he lovingly copied each missive into the diary, which he always intended would be given to his wife so that she would not miss any. Indeed, in the last entry he states that he is sending this diary to her, along with ten dollars tucked in the pocket. Clearly the diary itself made it through; however, one wonders if the money did as well. Other letters had also had money enclosed, which may have accounted for her failure to receive them.
Included with the diary are two cartes de visite of the bearded Thompson and a long, chatty letter about family life at home from "Your own true wife Sarah Thompson." By 1877, however, he had returned to Trumansburg and apparently achieved some level of prosperity, since inserted in the diary is an elegant invitation to the wedding of his daughter Blanche. A fascinating and informative relic of this romantic era of our history.
Auction Info
Auction Dates
May, 2010
22nd
Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 0
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,930
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid (minimum $14) per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Calculate Standard Domestic Shipping Sales Tax information
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Calculate Standard Domestic Shipping Sales Tax information
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Viewing at %
Please enter a value between % and 100% and press your "Enter" key. Close
Fit to screen
View Full Size
Brightness
Sold for:
Sign-in or Join (free & quick)
Floor auctions
Open for bidding: (View All)Currency
Ends on 06/27/2019
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 06/27/2019
US Coins
Ends on 07/11/2019
Decorative Art
Ends on 07/11/2019
Space
Ends on 07/16/2019
Sports Collectibles
Ends on 07/18/2019
Musical Instruments
Ends on 07/19/2019
Entertainment
Ends on 07/20/2019
Comics & Comic Art
Ends on 08/13/2019
Coming soon:
Nature & Science
Opens about 06/29/2019
Luxury Accessories
Opens about 07/01/2019
Fine Art
Opens about 07/01/2019
Movie Posters
Opens about 07/05/2019
Comics & Comic Art
Opens about 07/12/2019
Decorative Art
Opens about 07/18/2019
Luxury Real Estate
Opens about 06/13/2019
Currency
Opens about 07/25/2019
US Coins
Opens about 07/25/2019
World & Ancient Coins
Opens about 07/19/2019
Sports Collectibles
Opens about 07/26/2019
Sports Collectibles
Opens about 07/26/2019
Heritage membership
VIEW BENEFITS
- Past Auction Values (prices, photos, full descriptions, etc.)
- Bid online
- Free Collector newsletter
- Want List with instant e-mail notifications
- Reduced auction commissions when you resell your
winnings
Consign now
- Cash Advances
- More Bidders
- Trusted Experts
- Over 200,000 Satisfied Consignors Since 1976
Learn about consigning with us
The department director has the heart of a true and highly knowledgeable collector with the business acumen of someone who has been not only successful but has decades of an impeccable track recordView More Testimonials
HA.com receives more traffic than any other auction house website. (Source: Similarweb.com)
Video tutorial
Getting the most out of search
Recent auctions
2019 June 22 - 23 The David and Janice Frent Collection of Presidential & Political Americana, Part V - Dallas
REALIZED SO FAR $746,362