December
1848
Dear
Reader,
Leonard
and Margaret Ackler were over for Sunday Supper yesterday. Father
& Leonard remembered back to the day this summer when President Polk went
before Congress and confirmed the truth of the rumor reported by the New York
Herald in August ; there is gold - lots and lots of gold - in the streams and
rivers of the new territory of California!
The
Ackler's second son, George Henry has been in California in a town called Sacramento
for several years. He married a girl
from Illinois he met there and they have two children. Letters take months to
arrive, but George has always been faithful in keeping his family informed of
his well being. He now tells of the tens of thousands of men from all over the
world who have been making their way to his town planning to make their fortunes.
A few unattached men from here in the valley
took off right after the first whisper of gold.
But then the winter set in and kept anyone else from starting the four-month
walk over the western mountains to reach the gold fields.
Few farmers
are willing to consider the two alternatives to the walk: a four month sea-sick
trip around the tip of South America or a two month voyage cut in two by a trek
over the disease and wild animal infested isthmus of Panama.
Leonard says George is doing "very well"
(I think he means he's getting filthy rich) during the rush selling clothes,
food and mining equipment to those passing through on their way to the Sutter's
Mill area about 50 miles away where gold was first found. From the safety of his emporium, George last
letter told of the miseries of the "poor wretches" who have come to strike it rich with tales of death by cholera, Indian attacks, starvation, thirst, heat, cold,
accidents, sea sickness, and fights over claim rights.
In spite of these tales, many local men are whooping
it up at the possibility of making the journey come the spring of '49.
And because of these self-same tales, all the
local women are admitting relief that snow and ice are keeping their husbands
and sons on the farms "where they belong".
Among those women are my mother and my two
sisters who I wager will do all in their powers to make sure that father,
brother Jacob and I are right here in Herkimer for next summer's haying.
You
will be kept informed.
Your
Faithful Correspondent,
Chauncey
Sherman Seckner
PS-
Sam Fish was at last Saturday's social.
He continues to pay great attention to little sister, Mary. Father continues to watch.
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