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Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Parrott (John) Letter
Creator:
Parrott, John
Identifier/Call Number: MC360
Physical Description:
1 letter
Quarto bifolium (ca. 27 x 21.5 cm). Three pages. Brown ink on bluish wove paper. Addressed and stamped on the last leaf.
Date: 1851-01-30
Abstract: A manuscript letter written by John Parrott, a pioneer gold prospector of Sacramento, to his father.
Physical Location: Researchers should contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Language of Material:
English
.
A manuscript letter written by John Parrott (born circa 1811), a pioneer gold prospector of Sacramento, to his father. This
letter reveals Parrott's profound mining knowledge as he meticulously describes the process of gold washing, applied mining
procedures, and unfolding mining operations in California.
Transcript (original spelling and punctuation preserved)
Your Kind letter written in December I received enclosing one from Mary - and I was very pleased to hear from home and to
know that you were all well - my last letter to you was written in November about the cholera time which I hope you received
- since I have been in California I have but twice received letters from home by mail and those were - to the care of F. G.
Low as other letters have miscarried this I suppose is owing to several persons of my name being here But I will not apologize
but acknowledge that I have been remiss in writing home but as an excuse I will plead the uncertain state of my affairs and
the hopes that every week will enable me to give a more satisfactory statement of my affairs.
I have for the last four months been employed in the lumber yard - of Jones & Co - at fair wages but I have as yet been unable
to come to a settlement - with them, and not wishing to have all my eggs in one basket I am about changing for the mines a
week or two since I took a trip to Weberville (the same place where Pliny Davidson worked) and while there bought Into a company
which are commencing extensive mining operation at that place and the prospect at this time looks fair for a good summers
work. I will endavor to explain the plan to you and if - - Pliny he will be able to tell you of our chances of success - in
the first place the company 50 in number have dug a race the whole length of the bar or flat directly in front of the town
and about 100 rods long and as deep as the bed rock and now intend to work out the whole bar - you can imagine what amount
of labor it will require when I inform you that about three acres of this bar is to turned over and before reach the gold
about 8 feet of top soil will have to be removed. This bar has been ahead worked as much as any other place in California
and had probably yielded as much gold as any other yet still the members of the company, most of them residing in Weberville
are willing to take this chance here for the summer.
I have also another plan which I think can be made to work to advantage and which I will endavor to explain - it is to purchase
the black sand from the mines and extract the gold from it. but before you can understand this it will be necessary for me
to explain the process of gold washing when dirt is washed by any process rocker, long tom or pan and in fact when the first
two are used the pan must be used also there is always a large quantity of black sand mixed with the gold and has to be either
washed or blown off - probably for every ounce of gold obtained there is from one to two pounds of of black sand - this the
miners almost invariably throw away but would sale it for a small compensation and from experiment made here by a friend of
mine and myself we find that this sand will yield at least four dollars per in fine gold by simply passing it over quicksilver
- we have sent a pound of it to San Francisco to be tested by Mr. Moffar and he will probably make it yield much better than
we have done.
Henry Peare is now here with F. Low and has been very sick ever since he has been up from San Francisco but is now improving
and I am in hopes that in a week or two will be entirely well. I have not seen William since early in July last but hear from
him occasionally. George is reported this side Cape Horn and I am in hopes he will be here in a few weeks.
Fred Low is well but has been rather unsuccessful in business - it is too bad for Fred to me is the best young man I ever
met with and lacks nothing to in industry and attention to business to make him successful.
I met Jim Marchant a few days ago - he came down from the mines fully determined to go home but he has since I believe concluded
to try them once more. his brother is as well as usual. If you see Capt Ring you can mention this to him - in you letter it
seems you were at a loss to know the meaning of the term Rancho. I will endeavor to explain in its broadest sense it means
a large farm were cattle are herded but it is also used to denote any kind of a building as for instance a miner will ask
you to come in to his ranch when he has nothing but a - - . Capt Marchant has a sort of a road side house for entertainment
for man or - sells groceries, - boarders and all that sort of thing and I understand from Jim that he is doing very well.
I hear occasionally from Gloncester men in California but their whereabout or - success I know nothing at present Daniel Stanford
is probably as he has been messing for some time and under such as - as hardly to admit of hopes of ever seeing him again.
Capt Saunders is here but has thus far been unsuccessful
Remember me to all friends and tell Mary I thank her for her letter and that she must consider this as in part to her - give
my love to mother and believe me
Your afct son John Parrott
P.S. Mary in her letter wished to to find out the whereabout of James Pearce as his father must be anxious about him. I have
for the last three months been endeavouring to find him out but as yet I have heard nothing of him. Hiram Peirce some months
since received a letter from his father informing him that James had started for California. Hiram on the receipt of this
letter wrote to James and put the letter in the Post Office here informing him where he could be found. If I should meet him
and he is in want I will assist him in every way that lays in my power.
Collection is open for research.
Michelle Trujillo created this finding aid with information supplied by Globus Books.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Globus Books, 2023.
[Identification of item], Parrott (John) Letter, MC360, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of
California, Davis.
All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gold mines and mining -- California
Gold miners
Correspondence
Cholera