{"id":94303,"date":"2023-09-08T10:17:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T14:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=94303"},"modified":"2023-09-29T10:09:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T14:09:51","slug":"letters-from-california-gold-rush-49er-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/letters-from-california-gold-rush-49er-part-3.html","title":{"rendered":"Letters from California Gold Rush \u201849er\u2019 (part 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues telling stories about the California Gold Rush, based on letters a 49er, Francis Henry Nicholson, wrote to his fianc\u00e9e, Elizabeth \u201cLizzie\u201d Charles. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today I continue with my series \u201cLetters from California Gold Rush \u201849er.\u2019\u201d William Luckow, a client, shared a large collection of letters written by his ancestor Francis Henry Nicholson, who was among the many Americans who got the \u201cgold rush fever<\/a>\u201d and headed out to California to make his fortune in 1849. Many of the letters were written to his future wife Elizabeth \u201cLizzie\u201d Charles.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: unknown gold prospector. Credit: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Featured in \u201cGolden Prospects: California Gold Rush Daguerreotypes,\u201d Maine Antiques Digest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After his gold prospecting days, Francis remained in California and flourished as a merchant, married Lizzie, and had a family. Below is a photo of Lizzie and family taken in 1910 after Francis\u2019 death.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: (Adults, left to right) Lizzie Nicholson\u2019s daughter Dr. Anne M. Nicholson; Lizzie\u2019s son George Henry Nicholson; George\u2019s wife Clara Savage (daughter of California Senator William H. Savage); Lizzie\u2019s daughter Genevieve Nicholson; and the matron of the family, Elizabeth \u201cLizzie\u201d Charles Nicholson. (George and Clara\u2019s children, left to right) Annie Louise Nicholson (married Thomas J. Dunnigan); George H. Nicholson (married Doris E. Richabaugh); Eugenia Nicholson (married Joseph Fox); and Mary Elizabeth Nicholson (married Samuel Henry Luitwieler). Credit: Luckow family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Francis Nicholson lived in Nevada City, California, and in November of 1856 he was elected to be the public administrator. He held that office until February of 1859. Here is his nomination appointment, published in the Daily Democratic State Journal<\/em> on 12 September 1856.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Daily Democratic State Journal (Sacramento, California), 12 September 1856, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Francis handled many estates of the mining families. More on that in future stories.<\/p>\n

My last story contained a snippet of a letter that Francis wrote to Lizzie from Nevada City, California, on 21 May 1858. The letter gives a glimpse into gold mining and the social activities of the times.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: letter from Francis Nicholson to Lizzie Charles, dated 21 May 1858. Credit: William Luckow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is part of that letter:<\/p>\n

\u2026Hank Kinney has bought back into some diggings at Relief Hill<\/a> \u2013 which are reported as being pretty good claims\u2026 Mr. Van Dusen is again solvent. Has paid all his debts & reports his family well \u2013 Td Lambert was down also \u2013 is well and doing well \u2013 within the last three weeks there have been killed on Woolsey\u2019s Flat two men \u2013 neither of whom I was acquainted with \u2013 Ned is at work in his claims at Woolsey\u2019s and doing splendidly here \u2013 F. & Merriman [aka Merryman] are collecting toll on the new road \u2013 they failed to make the trade with the County. Buck Gnar was buried up once \u2013 but fortunately escaped injury. Sam Funk is living at Woolsey\u2019s \u2013 has bought into Van Dusen\u2019s claims \u2013 They also say that Hank Kinney spends a great deal of time at father-in-law Arnold\u2019s house \u2013 something may grow out of it, but I think nothing serious \u2013 Well I believe that is all the items I have now \u2013 with this exception \u2013 the dancing community are rather busy \u2013 Madam & Ada Clark are teaching at Cherokee. Enclosed you will find a copy of invitation issued by Geo Turney for a ball to which I have received some pressing [requests] to attend but I shall not \u2013 Mrs. Geo Turney was down here the other day at Madam Clark\u2019s \u2013 she looks very well\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Intrigued by the mentions of Madam Clark, Ada Clark, George Turney, and several miners, I did some more research. GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> were a huge help in finding these individuals and providing further clues. Many of the miners descend from the early Pilgrims and Puritans of New England as well as early settlers of New York.<\/p>\n

First, I found some of the subjects listed in a delinquent tax list published by the Nevada Journal<\/em> on 25 November 1859.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Nevada Journal (Nevada City, California), 25 November 1859, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is one of the listings.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Nevada Journal (Nevada City, California), 25 November 1859, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This tax listing reported:<\/p>\n

Fox & Merryman house and furniture on east side Main street Woolsey\u2019s Flat, toll road and bridge from Woolsey\u2019s Flat to Bloody Run, improvement on mining claims on east side Moore\u2019s Flat<\/a> [named after miner Henry Montgomery Moore<\/a> of New York]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This listing mentioned Woolsey\u2019s Flat and Moore\u2019s Flat, two of the three towns (along with Orleans Flat) that made up \u201cThe Flats,\u201d mining towns settled in 1851 in Eureka Township, about 19 miles northeast of Nevada City, California.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Colonel James Warner Woolsey (1824-1885), a successful gold miner from New York. In 1853 he discovered the bonanza near Nevada City, California, which still bears his name, \u201cWoolsey Flats.\u201d Credit: Collection of Matthew R. Isenburg now at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Francis mentioned in his 21 May 1858 letter to Lizzie that George Turney was hosting a ball. Three of the Turney\u2019s (Eugene, James, and George) were reported in the Nevada Journal\u2019s<\/em> delinquent tax list.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Nevada Journal (Nevada City, California), 25 November 1859, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to sources, Eugene and his family owned the hotel, while George and his wife gave dance lessons and hosted balls in their home.<\/p>\n

Here is a mention of one Turney ball from the Hydraulic Press<\/em> newspaper. This one was hosted by Mrs. George Turney, who was paid a big compliment for her talent in conducting a \u201cbrilliant occasion.\u201d She was praised for her \u201cability to properly entertain a large number of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hydraulic Press (North San Juan, California), 22 September 1860, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mrs. Ada Clark ran a dance studio, and this is one place where the mining community learned how to cut a rug at the balls.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Nevada Journal (Nevada City, California), 2 April 1858, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stay tuned\u2026<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cThe Sluice\u201d; hydraulic mining for gold in California. Published in \u201cThe Century\u201d illustrated monthly magazine, January 1883. Credit: Henry Sandham; Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.<\/p>\n

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