YUBA COUNTY
GENEALOGICAL NUGGETS
TWOGOOD DIARY AND NOTES
1856 - 1858 - letters - 1867/69 - 1870-72 - 1873-75 - 1876-1878 - 1879 - 1880 - [1881 through 1899 diary missing] - 1900-04 - 1905-07 - 1908-09
[The transcription below is from papers belonging to James Lague, Historian, kindly shared by Rosemarie Mossinger, Challenge, CA.]
Strawberry Valley, Oct. 4, 1862
My Dear Sister Melinda -
Since my last, I have been far away up North in search of gold, and since my
return I have been busy trying to get even on the expenses of the trip.
On the 12th day of January last, I left the Barton House in charge of my
partner, Elliott, and set out for the "New El Dorado" in company with several of
the enterprising men in this vicinity, with high hopes of realizing a fortune in
the course of a few months, at farthest.
When we left here, the whole lower country was one vast ocean - in the Valley of
Sacramento. Marysville and Sacramento Cities were both completely submerged by
the waters of the most severe flood ever known by any white man in this western
country.
Our gold-seeking company were obliged to wait for the opening of navigation in
the Columbia River, the ice preventing steamers running up to Portland, and we
did not like the idea of staying in the bleak Town of Astoria, we concluded to
remain in the Bay City, San Francisco.
On the 7th of February, we sailed from the Golden Gate, for Portland, where we
arrived safely on the 12th. In P. we found the weather extremely cold for that
place; so much so that people were enjoying themselves sleigh-riding, a thing
unusual in that town. We remained in P. till the 19th of March, when we started
out for the Dalles, at which place we arrived that night, where we remained till
noon on the 21st, when we purchased our pack animals and made our final start
for the gold region.
We traveled a distance of about four hundred miles - the latter part of our
journey being tedious indeed. In passing over the Craigs Mountains I became
snow-blind, my eyes paining me severely for about four days. I traveled two days
while they were in that condition, but dare not venture over the summit of the
last mountain before reaching the mines.
As the snow was deep and the weather very cold for this time of the year, my
friend Parsons (a man who crossed the plains in the same company I did) and a
man by the name of Jackman and myself, stayed behind, at the mouth of a stream
called Slate Creek, emptying into Salmon River, while the rest of our company
(seven in number) proceeded on their way to the mines. After two days rest, my
eyes had so far recovered as to serve me, and we started for Florence City, a
young town in the Salmon River Mines, where we arrived on the 10th day of April,
glad to know that our long and tedious journey was at last accomplished.
We found on our arrival there, that provisions were very high in price but
animals could not get farther than Slate Creek, where we disposed of ours at low
prices. Men had to resort to packing on their backs this distance of 25 miles,
for a time; and they were obliged to pack supplies this way three or four weeks
after I reached the City of Florence. The snow was from eight, to 25 and 30 feet
deep on the last mountain we passed.
I prospected thoroughly in the vicinity of the newly discovered mines, but found
nothing flattering at all - as all the good placer diggings were taken up in
early spring. The mines were good so far as they extended, but their extent was
very limited. After prospecting in these mines to my satisfaction, I started out
in company with Parsons and Lowry, for Elk City in hopes of finding something
better in that mining locality - seventy miles from Florence but found nothing
and returned to California satisfied this was a good country afterall. I was
absent a few days over six months - arrived in Strawberry Valley on the 28th
July last. Now Sister, let me tell you what it is, I have come to the firm
conclusion that all the gold stories that human ingenuity can invent, will not
induce me to take another such trip.
Please write me soon and tell me all the news, and believe me your affectionate
Brother Gaylord.
Strawberry Valley, April 17, 1864
My Dear Sister Melinda
Once more I take my pen to write a few lines to acknowledge the receipt of your
long looked for and welcome letter, I regret to hear of the suffering of your
father, hope he may recover his health soon. I would like once more to visit the
home of my boyhood, and see my relatives and friends, who have long expected my
return from the Golden Land. Could I be assured of a lucrative agency in the
sale of sewing machines I would be advised by you in the matter, and return
before many months.
I've lived with Mr. Elliott and his wife [Adeline] for some time until quite
recently, and they have treated me as they would a Brother. A few days since, I
commenced work for Birmingham and Tisdale of this place, who are merchandising.
Part of my time I spend in the Store, and a part from that, I have goods and
provisions to pack to the miners and others. I have a mule on which to pack the
supplies and another to ride, so that most of the time my work is comparatively
light. If my health is spared a few months, I hope to be clear from debt. My
trip up the Salmon River put me behind as I spent several hundred dollars, and
it was a long time ere I could find anything to pay me more than a living. I
tried teaming for about four months, but on the whole I cam out loser, as
freights were very low last summer. The past winter has been like spring nearly
all the time. Two years ago the past winter the whole country on the Pacific
Coast was completely flooded, and now we have just experienced the opposite
extreme. Now, dear Sister, please remember to write. I remain your affectionate
Brother.
G. S. W. Twogood
Condemned Bar, Yuba River, Aug. 22, 1869
My Dear Sister Melinda
Your letter of July 6, 69 came too hand in due time. I appreciate your kindness
in answering so punctually. Your apology is sufficient for the silence in regard
to your marriage, though I thought rather strange at your not even mentioning
your intention, as you had written to me but a few weeks previous to the event.
If all be well, I shall try hard to come make a visit home, next spring. You
wished me to inform you how to direct to Mrs. Elliott. Fremont, Nebraska, is her
address at present. Her husband went overland to meet her and her Father and
Sister at Omaha, and they came a little farther west, and are now living at
Fremont. I must close for the present, as I am interrupted. Here on the river,
we are under a tremendous hill so long, steep and hard to climb, we only go out
when actually necessary.
Aug. 28th. Since I commenced this, I have received a letter from Elliotts folks
and they are still at Fremont. She says your Husbands Father's Sister, is her
Father's Sister-in-law. She hopes you have found a companion who will make you
quite happy, I hope so too. When you write again, please send those Photos you
spoke of, and I will be greatly obliged. Of course the years that have passed
since last we met, must have made considerable change in your looks as well as
my own.
Please give to all my kind regards, and remember me ever. Affectionately,
Your Brother
Gaylord
Woodville, Yuba county, California
August 20, 1875
My Kind Friend -
Mr. Samuel Healey:
Too long have I deferred writing to you, but according to an
old adage "Tis better late than never."
If my memory serves me, it is now seventeen years ago the
eighth day of last June since we separated in the road about thirteen miles from
here; up country from Strawberry Valley about six miles.
I have never forgotten the time and place, nor how I left you
with high hopes of being able to find the much talked of El Dorado in the wild,
rugged Frasers River Country, so as to be able to make you a favorable report of
the rich mines, where we could soon gather up a neat fortune apiece and return
to old Michigan, there to spend the balance of our lives at home with Friends.
But disappointment was our lot instead.
When I arrived at Bellingham, in Washington Territory; there
we found miners by the thousands, who were waiting for the opening of the trail
across country toward Thompson's River, which is a branch of the Frazer.
The boys composing our little company were Wm. Cusick,
Jackson Roberts, a Mr. Morrison and myself. A portion of the time, we had other
company, but when we ran the gantlet with the Indians on what was called Scott
River, there were only the four of us, and not a rifle in the crowd - only three
six, and one five shooter pistols. There we found quite a village of them and
they were considerably inclined to be saucy, shaking their fishing spears and
various other hostile demonstrations, with a view no doubt of intimedating us
into purchasing berries of them.
We all thought they meant mischief and told them there were
"Hi You Boston Men" coming; Hi You! that in their jargon means a great many, as
you doubtless recollect. However, we arrived safely at the Forks.
We could not see the chance for money making, as there were a
thousand men to every good claim, so we all came back to California with little
money.
When we arrived at San Francisco, there I learned that you
had also gone to Frazer River. On making inquiry of men from the route you took,
a Ben Irwin told me he saw you on the Harrison River Route. This was the last I
could learn of you.
For years I supposed you were dead, and many times I have
said - "How I wish I knew the fate of Mr. Healey." Even though you were dead,
there would have been satisfaction in knowing how you came by your death.
Thanks to Providence you still live, and you are among
friends and may God grant that the rest of your years may be peaceful and happy.
You have no idea how I longed to make a good fortune; but
Fortune did not seem to favor me. I have always been willing to work, and at
anything honest and honorable, by which a living could be earned. During all
these years I have been striving by various means to get ahead of the Hounds, as
the saying is, but am not much a head yet.
By the way, the Claim we were working on "Onion Creek" at
Glendale - as we called our little burg (south of American House) in 1858,
turned out to be quite rich. The last work we done there, we could find nothing
as the lead ran out of the ground. When Pinkard Brothers got the ground, they
went back to where the creek turned and there they struck good pay again. They
told a friend of mine that they took out $14,000. But then, there is no use of
"crying for spilled milk" - a man cannot see what is in the ground.
After my return from Fraser River, I did not find anything to
pay me at mining, so I engaged in the Ambrotyping Business (photography), which
cost me considerable time and money for instructions in the art; and by the time
I began to know something about it, I found that for the good of my health I had
better give it up, as I could not stand the chemicals that were indispensable to
the business.
I ran behind some, but having credit, I next went into
teaming - bought horses and a wagon on time, but found that it would not pay. I
then rented a Hotel in company with another man, and finally (after a few months
in the Hotel) went to another "wild goose chase" - to Salmon River in 1862.
We went up there and when we arrived at the mines we found
thousands of men and that all of the ground worth working was taken up or
claimed. The only chance to mine was either to hire out by the day, or jump a
claim, which four of us did, but the claims were so small that we worked out our
ground and had to try some other place, the mines were not extensive.
Soon there was excitement about some place near, called the
Buffalo Hump - a mountain having the appearance of the hump of a Buffalo.
Hundreds of miners started for the Buffalo Hump. On arriving at the Hump, about
one-hundred miles distance, we all found we were "sold", as the story of "rich
strike" proved to be a humbug.
By the way, I found our friend, John Carter, the one we
learned to read and write while were at old Diamond Springs. John was not making
money to amount to anything and wished to return to California, so I borrowed of
a friend of mine, sufficient money to bring him back with us.
After arriving in San Francisco, we separated, John to a
flouring mill to sacking, and I back to Strawberry Valley, owing some
two-hundred dollars. I tried a little of all sorts - I drove Butcher wagon and
peddled beef, and I worked in a store.
After having roamed about the country in quest of Fortune for
so long a time, and all the while leading a lonely Bachelor life, I concluded
Fortune hunting was not my forte, so I determined to settle down, and leave all
mining excitements for other people to chase after.
In the year of our Lord 1870, June 28th I led to the Hymenial
Altar, Miss Susan Maria Varney, who came to California something over a year
previous to that event, to a Brother with whom I had been acquainted for several
years.
My wife was born and raised in the City of Boston, and
consequently saw something before she came to this country. We were married on
her twenty-ninth birthday, and thank God, I have never had cause to regret being
united in Holy Matrimoney with such a Companion as she has proven herself.
On the 3d of May 1871 there was born to us a sweet little
flower that was too beautiful for earth, and at the age of eleven weeks, her
mortal remains were consigned to the Tomb. Her mother was too feeble to leave
the house at the time. Time rolled on in his ceaseless course, and in the year
1874, our little Edward Gaylord came to see us, Feb. 7th, and about five o'clock
in the morning, and I assure you he is an "Early Bird."
At present I am collecting Toll for A Road Company. The wages
I get, in connection with work I can do for myself which pays me something, is a
sum quite sufficient to support my family well, but not extravagantly.
In all these years my good friend, I have not forgotten you,
nor your kind offices while I was sick and helpless on the Plains. I have always
felt as though I was indebted to you for my existence; and now may our Heavenly
Father ever watch over and protect you my good friend. Please write soon to your
friend.
Gaylord S. W. Twogood
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.