The following letter was submitted by Mary Bob McClain Richardson on 30 September 2004. This “Gold Rush” letter was from James C. Cooper to his parents, Robert Melville and Catherine Cooper Cooper.

 

(Post Marked – San Francisco – Jan. 26) Augua Frio Diggins, California
Jan 1st 1850

Dear Father and Mother,
After a long silence I awail myself of the pleasant opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well and a doing as well as could be expected. This season of the year, the water is somewhat troublesome in digging gold but a man by working hard can make a half an ounce per day. It has been so long since I have written I shall attempt to give you a journal of my travels.

After leaving Santifee we traveled some 200 on the old Spanish Trail to the Chama river and got water bound and had to turn back, which consumed about 20 days, then we traveled down the Rio Grand about 10 or 15 days and then struck across the Jila river which is about 8 days travel from the Riogrand after striking the Jila we traveled down it for about a month occasionally coming across some wild Indians, but passed by unmolested. The first and only settlements were the Pemo Indians, which treated us with a great deal of hospitality. We bought meal and beans from them for which we gave shirts and other clothing. After leaving the Pemo village we still followed down the Jila about 200 miles to where it empties into the Rio Colorado, and there we found a tribe of Indians called the Humas, the most thieving Indians I ever saw. In crossing the river they stold about 30 mules from the company and among the rest was my riding mule. After leaving Colorado we struck out into the desert and arrived at Warners ranch in six days. We then had settlements all the way up the coast. We left Sanfrancisco to our left. I am now about 200 miles southeast of Sanfrancisco. Our mess split up before we got here. Ridley, Starkey, Miller and Canders set in together and Dunham, McMillan and myself. Dunham is in Stockton now but calculates to join us again in the spring. I have cleared about $500 since I have been in the mines and withstanding the prices we have to pay for provisions – flour is now worth $1.25 per pound, pork $1.00. There is nothing for sale here now for less than a $1.00 per pound. I came across Uncle James’ (John, son of James H. Cooper of Marshall Co., Miss.) John since I have been here he is now about six miles of here a doing very well. I must come to a close. I have nothing more at present but remain you

JAMES C. COOPER