California Historical Society Quarterly/Volume 22/The Diary of a "Used-up" Miner
The Diary of a Used-up Miner
Jacob Henry Bachman Edited by Jeanne Skinner Van Nostrand
IN THE December 1942 issue of this Quarterly^ the tattered remnants of John Woodhouse Audubon's California Company were brought "over- land by way of The Horn" (as one member of the company expressed it^) in the pages of Jacob Henry Bachman's diary. The California portion of his diary now presented is not a record of the fortunes of the entire company but rather the experiences of one member after he reached the long desired gold fields.
Before going on with the diary, it seems pertinent to explain Bachman's relationship to Audubon and to identify him as far as is possible from the meagre facts available. Bachman's grandparents, John and Eva Bachman, settled in the little town of Rhinbeck in Dutchess County, New York,^ and had four children: Eva, Jacob, Henry, and John. John, after a brief enroll- ment at Williams College in Massachusetts, accepted the pastorship of the Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina.* The rest of the family remained in New York. In Charleston, Reverend John Bachman's interest in ornithology developed into an absorbing study and led to a life-long friend- ship with the famous naturalist, John James Audubon and his family. Audubon's younger son, John Woodhouse, married Bachman's daughter, Maria Rebecca, and the elder son, Victor, married another daughter, Eliza. Jacob Henry Bachman, of New York, was probably the Reverend John Bachman's nephew and therefore a cousin of John Woodhouse Audubon's wife. As the majority of the CaUfornia Company were recruited from among friends and members of the family in New York,^ it was natural that Jacob Henry Bachman should be included in its membership. Nothing is known of this Jacob before he joined the California Company except that he was born about 1815.^ His hfe after 1849 is known only from his diaries, one or two legal notices, and the reminiscences of old-time residents^ of Calaveras County.
In California, Bachman prospected with his companions of the overland trip until the company died the natural death predicted for it by its leader.^ After the company's dissolution the members were free to mine where they pleased. Many soon gave up, but Bachman stayed on, prospecting along the streams of Calaveras County, frequently and hopefully moving to new locations with first one partner and then another. He picked the surface of ground which later yielded great wealth to those equipped with mining machinery. By 1857 he was fairly permanently settled at the place now known as Fourth Crossing^ where he had a 140 by 400 foot claim on the Ross and Bordwell lead.^^ The site of his cabin is still marked by a great walnut tree. Nearby a road leads off through the hills to L. Costa's store at Calaveritas where Bachman was accustomed to unburden himself of his small findings in a game of "pedro" with his friend, Captain Moses Thorpe. Bachman's lean figure, always accompanied by a dog (his dogs were invariably called "Heck") is still remembered by those who were children at the Fourth Crossing school in the early seventies. They called him "the goose man." He earned the name when he calmly broke a setting of goose eggs to prevent his neighbor from raising any more noisy geese, an action which started a long feud and a legal argument.
Entries in his diary during the sixties and seventies are skeletal. He men- tions various mining activities, none remarkable except for one pocket.^^ From 1872 until 1 878 he served three successive terms as justice of the peace. His salary for this service, dependent on the fees collected, was an inconsid- erable amount in so small a community, and Bachman finally discarded the office as financially unprofitable.
One morning in June 1 879 Bachman was missing from his usual haunts and was later discovered dead in his cabin. Explanations of his death ranged from murder, with robbery as the motive, to death from hemorrhage of the lungs The long history of tuberculosis in the Bachman family, from which disease nearly every known member had died,^^ and the improbability that Bachman ever had any considerable amount of money hidden in his cabin would indi- cate the less spectacular death. The Calaveras County Court records show that at the auction sale of his estate his quartz claim near Fourth Crossing brought only $200. His books sold for $50.
Although Bachman is not a significant figure his diary is valuable as a first-hand account of a way of living followed by thousands of men who came to California in the gold rush, men who spent their lives prospecting in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, who tried farming and returned to pros- pecting, who lived all their lives in anticipation of a rich strike, but who finally died in the little one-room cabins they had first built, without ever having found the riches that had lured them to California.
Audubon's California Company arrived in San Diego on November i , 1 849, completely exhausted and discouraged. Some of the men were so weak from the long overland journey that it was decided to send them on to San Fran- cisco by boat, while the rest of the men would take the valley route north. Both divisions planned to rendezvous near Stockton. Bachman, suffering greatly from fatigue, was given a berth on the ship but was prevented from occupying it because a certain Perry "jumped his claim." Omitting the entries from November 17 to 20, we begin the second part of Bachman's diary as the ship nears San Francisco Bay:
Wednesday 2 ist Morning dark and rainy found ourselves with a num- ber of other vessels near land, supposed in the neighborhood of San Francisco toward noon cleared up. ran for the Bay. wind light coming in puffs. in the evening dropped anchor (in the entrance of the harbour, very near the breakers upon which we were fast drifting) very soon up anchor and got a better offing and at eight o clock dropied anchor again among seven or eight other vessels — No prospect of getting up to the town to night
Thursday 22 nd Up anchor by sunrise and with a fair wind went dashing through the bay and into port, some seven hundred miles dropped anchor about nine O clock among some one or two hundred other vessels. The Mate says there are twice as many — Most of the passengers go ashore. Some get work at ten to thirteen dollars a day . . .
Friday 2 3D. Morning clear and cold after breakfast nearly all ashore I remain on board expecting some of the Company to come and make arrangements about the freight — ... in the afternoon went ashore found there was no prospect of my earning a living — twenty to thirty dollars a week for board washing six to eight dollars a dozen — went on board again more disheartened than I have ever been before. pased a most miserable night
Saturday 24th. Up early in the morning ... — went ashore and after a long search found [Robert] Layton, [Frederick] Hewes^^ and [Langdon A.] Havens^* hard at work tearing down an old building — then went to see Messrs Simmons Hutchison & Co Capt Simmons^^ wished me to call again- Some prospect that I shall not Starve in this City of gold — went on board the Brig in the afternoon and ate my pork and bread with a good appetite and better spirits than for some days past but God only knows what I shall do
Sunday 25th Went on shore in the morning saw my mess-mates bor- rowed five dollars of friend Bingham got a good dinner at the Irving House^^ for one dollar and a quarter the first I have had for many months in the afternoon stepped into the Coffee House^^ took a cup of coffee and piece of pie, for fifty cents but the kind hearted German waiter (who had encamped near our Company on the Rio Grande) refused to receive any money and presented me a cigar — met Mr. Caleb Lyons of Lyonsdale New York^^ who spoke very encouragingly and offered me his services in pro- curing employment, in the evening Doct Stone Mr Alden and myself got the Long Boat off from the beach and rowed on board the Brig
Monday 16 Called on Messrs Simmons & Hutchinson & Co — gave Capt. Crarey an order on the above firm for Seventy five dollars for two passages and freight from San Diego went on board the brig again — Carpenters employed breaking up the bunks so I had to move my blankets and sleep in the Cook's Galley
Tuesday 27. Hired a boat for four dollars took the freight ashore and stored it with Messrs. Simmons Hutchinson & Co they paying the four dol- lars commenced working for them (toting lumber rolling barrels and all sorts of the most laborious kinds of work at six dollars pr day, they allowing me the privilege of sleeping in the store House — Slight rain Wednesday 28 A full days work pays my board and a little over
Sunday [December] 2nd A day of rest thank God. no work no rain so I have an opportunity of ascending the hills and viewing the beautifull bay Monday 3D Heavy rain all day worked in the Store House Tuesday 4th Clear and cold — the hills on the oposite side of the bay cov- ered with snow — in the evening and all night quite ill and shivering with cold
Thursday 13th. Mr [Henry C] Mallory^^ and several of the men arrive having come by sea from San Pedro (Mr. Audubon^^ left them at Los Angeles and continued on by land with the remainder of the men
Monday 17th Was told at the Store House that they could give me no work this week in consequence of the continued rains
Friday 21st Mr Audubon and [Robert L.] Browning^^ arrived from Stockton leaving the rest of the company encamped about four miles from the town
Monday 24th Early in the morning a fire broke out in a gambling house on the Square which nearly swept the block — Another days work and five dollars earned
Saturday 29th Left San Francisco on board the Steamer Capt Sutter pro- ceeded up the river and arrived at Stockton 120 miles Sunday morning remained there until
Monday 3 1 st Our mules were driven down from French Camp, — packed part of our baggage and provisions and went ahead through mud and water knee deep arriving at camp (about five miles from Stockton) late in the evening
Saturday [February] 3 [ 1 850] Left the Chinese Diggings in the afternoon for Murphey's diggings about thirty five miles distant — (all walking that is fourteen of us the rest having been left behind to hunt up the missing mules eleven in number) made about ten miles over a pretty good road (passing Woods's diggings) and camp on pretty good ground — warm day and cold night
Sunday 4th Off early made some four or five miles to the Ferry crossed the Stanislaus river a deep clear stream about fifty or sixty yards wide, then over high hills for some two or three miles. camped on a little stream among Oak and pine timber
McLanes [McLean's] ^^
Monday 5th Remaine in camp while Mr Audubon and several others go out (prospecting) that is looking for ravines containing gold
Tuesday 6th Off early travled some fourteen miles and arrived at Murpheys diggings in the evening camped on Angels creek some ten miles from the Stanislaus river (prospects anything but promising)
Wednesday 7th Out prospecting in the ravines very little success the large flat being too wet to dig as far down as necessary to get at the gold (these mines are at what is called the head of Angels creek
Saturday loth Nothing done in the way of making money Mr Audubon says the Company will die a natural death
Monday 1 2 th The company is fairly broken up and every man is about to go to work on his own hook
Tuesday 1 3th Mr Audubon Capt [Robert L.] Browning — Mr. [Robert] Simpson [Edward A. or John R.] Lambert and [Andrew J.] McGown^^left for San Francisco
22nd & 2 3D Rain and snow
Sunday March loth Mr. Audubon & [David] Hudson^* arrived from San Francisco and Stockton
Monday i ith Commenced to rain continued to rain hail and snow until
Saturday 1 6th Tolerably clear no work for the whole week
Saturday 2 3D Rain part of three days — little work made a little over four ounces — that is for three of us — Lee — Watkinson and myself
Saturday 30th This week scarcely made expenses Tuesday. Watkinson was taken ill. Wednesday, scalded his foot and was not able to work at all
April 6th Made very little this week not enough to pay expenses, out prospecting for summer diggings — Dammed off a place on Cayute creek but not able to work it until the water runs down
Saturday April 1 3th Out prospecting turned Angels creek but it would not pay to work — Weather very cold and rainy
Monday 1 5th Went over to a branch of Calaveries creek a second time tried it thoroughly but could find no gold
Sunday 1 4th Clear and pretty cool in the morning upon taking my bed and blankets out of the tent to give them an airing found lying between them and the curtain a mockasin snake three or four feet long comfortably coiled up ready to strike, killed him without trial by jury
June 8th Up to this time have been working in the Gulches and am now down on the creek about a mile and half below the town Watkinson has left and the most that Lee and myself have made any week is but little over a hundred dollars — poor pay that. Week before last we had a slight shower — and rumors of war at Sonora Camp^^ the foreigners refused to pay twenty dollars for license to dig — but they finally concluded some to leave and the remains to pay up. So ended the war without bloodshed
Saturday June 22nd Last week on Wednesday three men from Maine Mr. Hebard Mr. Hall and Morse joined work with us — We made thirty or forty dollars each. — This week we made fourty six dollars each — The weather has been very cool particularly in the evenings — Sleep under two blankets a poncho and overcoat and sometimes cold at that
Sunday, June 30th Last Wednesday Messrs Fairbrother and Lawrence joined with us, so now there are seven in company we have bought two holes on the flatt and % of another for the Sum of two hundred and ten dollars — Weather warm but with a fine breeze keep tolerably comfortable thermometer when I have had an opportunity of seeing one stands 99° & 100°. (Commenced working on the flatt last Monday.) Thermometer to day in the cool of the afternoon 104°.
Monday, July ist Some two hundred of us miners at work cutting a canal three hundred yards long and some fifteen or eighteen feet deep for the purpose of draining the flatt.
Tuesday 2nd Do — A black fellow from Bombay ^^ says that he has been robbed of nineteen hundred dollars by some Indians near Douglass flatt^^ a party immediately start after them kill one at two hundred and fifty yards distance (pretty good shot that) and wound two others — bum their rancherie &c
Wednesday July 3D 1850. Took the enormous sum of eight and a half dollars from one of our holes on the Flatt — better luck next time — People in town talk strong of hanging the black fellow — say that his story about the robbery was false — get up a trial — jury cant agree Weather tolerably warm — the only thermometer I have seen in town has the tube broken at one hundred and four degrees — the mercury has risen to the top and run over — This afternoon and evening all sorts of firearms in requisition and we make nearly or quite as much noise here among the mountains as is mad in the good City of New York
Thursday, July 4th Fine day clear cool breeze — people very quiet — recovering from the effects of last nights dissipation The black fellow received twenty five lashes in presence of the Indians as a caution that he must not be robbed again the White men who shot the Indians go scot free — so all parties are satisfied
Saturday 13 th Thermometer this week in a nice cool shady place, they say has been up to one hundred and thirteen (Tolerably warm digging in the Sun) On Friday just below us a bank caved in and killed a mulattoe man. A great many murders and robberies committed within a few miles of us. — Cleaned out one of the holes we bought got one hundred and seven dollars — made an ounce each this week
Saturday 20th Last Wednesday Fairbrother, Lawrence, Lee & myself commenced digging again on the creek (having found too much water in the flatt to work our holes to advantage) (Hebbard, Hall and Morse together just below us) on Friday evening the citizens of Stoutenburg-^ had a meeting for the purpose of adopting measures to prevent the numerous robberies and murders which daily and nightly occur around us. Instituted a secret police and appointed delegates to attend a mass meeting at Sonora^* (some twenty five miles distant) where report says they have arrested a band of from one to three hundred robbers and murderers Made a little over twenty five dollars each the last four days
Sunday 2 ist Mr N Waddams died of fever —
Friday 26th Mr. Hibbard left for San Francisco & the States thoroughly disheartened and sick of the country — the work on the flatt goes on very slowly it is almost impossible to keep the holes free of water — those on the upper flatt cannot be worked
Monday 1 2th [August] Went about half a mile from camp to see a couple of Mexicans who had been murdered during the night, they were both killed with a crow bar — probably by one of their companions as three bars were found on the ground
Monday 19th Having found it impossible to work our holes on the flatt, Fairbrother Lee and myself started off early in the morning in search of better diggings went to Carsons ^^ first (about ten miles) from there over a high hill to Cayute Creek (one mile) from there to McLeans Ferry (half a mile) found nothing that my partners thought would warrant us in remaining — in the evening returned to Carsons Stayed all night with Abbot and Lawrence
Tuesday 20th Returned to Murpheys one of our partners along with two others are sinking a hole under Fletcher's direction
Sunday Morning 25th Fairbrother, Hall, Lee and myself start off on another prospecting tour in the evening camp on the Calaveries below Norma [Foreman] ^^ Ranch — 17 miles
Monday 26th Remain prospecting different bars
Tuesday Morning 27th Went down to the lower [Foreman] Ranch nine miles farther prospects anything but flattering
Wednesday evening 28th Camp at the upper Ranch
Thursday Morning 29th Fairbrother and Hall both tired out, leave us and start for camp at Murpheys Lee and myself determined not to give it up so borrow a small cradle and go to work to make expenses
Friday and Saturday — do —
Sunday Morning Sept. ist Returned home, a couple of Ounces better off than when we left
Tuesday Afternoon 3D Lee and myself pack up a tent some clothing cooking utensils &c. on a waggon and start for the Calaveries again — in the evening camp on Douglass Flatt.
Wednesday 4th Reached the Calaveras in the afternoon get our plunder down to the place we prospected
Thursday 5th Get the tent up and things a little snug
Friday 6th Go to work make but very little
Saturday and Monday do
Tuesday 10th Prospect the branch about two miles above — but conclude to remain where we first located
Saturday 14th The best day's work we have done here — made fifteen dollars each — have had a slight sprinkling of rain three days in this week
Sunday 1 5th Lee went to Murpheys and returned in the evening Fair- brother joined us.
Thursday Evening, Oct 3D Mr Taft, on the opposite side of the creek just returned from San Francisco was accidentaly shot whilst unloading the waggon, by one of the men attempting to draw his gun from the waggon by the muzzel, it is a very dangerous wound in the shoulder — We have aver- aged about four dollars a day each, this week up to Saturday 5th Oct clear and pleasant all this week, no rain
Sunday 6th Lee and myself started for Murphey's, stoped at Angels Camp then at Carsons where we dined crossed over the hill to Cayute Creek up the Creek to see the two natural bridges^^ some three or four miles below Cayute diggings the first one covers about three or four hundred feet of the creek we could not pass through as we had no boat. — The entrance from the lower side is some forty or fifty feet across and about the same length to where it commences narrowing and from ten to fifteen feet high. At the upper side or where the water enters there is a regular and very beau- tiful dome some twenty five feet high. The second bridge is three quarters of a mile above about the same size as the first, the lower cavern (or where the water leaves the bridge) is nearly the size of the first but higher and very beautifully ornamented with fountains &c The upper cavern (or where the water first enters) is about one hundred and fifty feet long, and consists of a continued range of Gothic arches from twenty five to thirty feet high. All four of these caverns are more beautifuU than anything I have ever seen or read of. the whole of them are variegated with every immaginable col- our—and probably more beautifuU than any others ever described— Passed through Cayute diggings in the evening on to Viacieta [Vallecito]. took supper and arrived at Murphey's eleven O clock at night
Monday 7th Returned to the Calaveries
Wednesday i6th Fairbrother started in search of a place for winter quar- ters — of which we had heard in the summer, Lee and myself remaining at work on the bar
Wednesday 23th In the Afternoon Fairbrother returned — his search having proved unsuccessfull — Lee and myself had made two hundred and twelve dollars in the mean time which we divided with him
Friday 25th He left us for Sanfrancisco or home
Sunday 27th Lee and myself went to Murphey's — some prospect of our finding the place yet —
Monday 28th Returned
Tuesday 29th Last night or rather this morning, Mr. Taft died of his wound and was buried this afternoon.
Thursday 31st Lee and myself went to Murphey's again. found the Indians had robbed our tent of a rifle all of my clothes (except a pair of drawers) my journal since I left New York and a variety of other things
Friday, Nov ist Morse was accidentally shot in the neck (with a pepper box) . left Murpheys. went to McKinneys^^ from there to the diggings for which Fairbrother had searched in vain slept at McKinneys
Saturday 2nd Went to the diggings again in the morning then returned home by way of San Antoine We have walked this week over one hun- dred miles
Monday 4th Packed our donkey and Started again for the diggings # camped on the Calaveries — Had to make two trips from our old camp and one from Murpheys got up all our plunder as the Western men call it — tent up and pretty fairly settled by Monday nth.
Wednesday 1 3th Commenced building a log Cabbin, Lee cutting the prin- ciple part of the timber and I putting up building chimney, &c
Saturday 24th Moved into our cabbin although not quite done it is much more comfortable than the tent with the rain pouring upon us as we have had it two nights this week — consider the rainy season fairly set in
Saturday Deer 7th Cabbin quite finished with table, four stools and sundry other furniture not as pretty but quite as useful as any in the States
Tuesday loth Cut wood for good fires — The snow that fell more than a week ago to the depth of three or four inches is still on the ground.
Wednesday i ith and Thursday 12th out prospecting — from all appear- ances we shall not make a fortune in this place, but we have comfortable quarters for winter and a pretty fair stock of provisions and must remain
Tuesday 24th Have not been able to find anything that will pay, nearer than three miles from here so have concluded to put up another cabin near the place (About one and half miles from McKinney's)
Wednesday 25th Clear and plesant
Thursday 26th Went down to McKinneys ground our Axes and hatchets and made a slight commencement toward building a cabin
Wednesday Jany ist 1851 Keeping New Year day on pork & beans (not very dissipated) The new cabin is nearly framed although the first timber we cut is so large that we cannot get it up so that labour is lost. We are obliged to walk some three miles every morning to our work — and have lost a day and half by having our timber too large The weather is very warm and plesant — all the rain and snow we have had this season will not amount to a week
Friday Jany 3D Moved part of our things to and pitched our tent inside of the new cabin
Sunday 5th Heavy rain in the afternoon and slight rain Monday eve- ning 6th
Wednesday 1 5th. Cabin finished except a few httle affairs. Weather has been clear and warm. No water to wash our dirt We have not made two dollars since we left the Calaveries — There have been three parties out after the Indians, all unsuccessfull. The Indians have swept nearly the whole country, of Mules and horses and are decidedly hostile
Tuesday Feby. 4th Finding that we were not likely to have water enough to do anything in the way of dry digging, packed up and moved down to our old place on the Calaveries
Monday 1 7th Bought Shepardson & Taf t's Cabin provisions &c and moved in — Lee is disabled with a felon and I lame with Rheumatism. continue work until
Thursday 20th ObHged to lay by scarce able to move
Tuesday 25th At work again. Lee still unable to do anything — We have had two days of slight Showers since we have been here days warm and nights cold — makes ice half an inch thick
March 9th Went to McKiney's returned on the loth We have had a little more than a week of rainy weather this Month
April 2 ed Wednesday Started for Murphey 's by way of Angels, Carsons Cayute Flatt, Dusty Bar. returned to Carson's in the evening. Watkinson joined us at Angels, Left Carson's in the morning and went to Murpheys by way of Douglass Flatt Left Murphey's on the morning of the 5th Fri- day returned to Angel's remained all night with Watkinson at Young's and returned home.
Saturday 6th Considerable rain fell this week. raised the stream carried off our cradle &c.
Sunday 27th Weather has been tolerably clear and pleasant since Monday, the rainy season is probably over — Flowers commenced blooming the latter part of Feby and now the whole country is covered with the most beautiful variety
Tuesday 6th May — Early in the morning Lee and myself started for San Francisco. by half past ten we had walked to the Calaveries Ranch — some twenty two miles — took dinner — and about two O clock the Stage from Mokelume passing we rode the remainder of the distance to Stockton (thirty five miles) $8." where we arrived at Sundown — About twelve O clock we were alarmed by fire, and before morning all of the business part of the City was burnt down. After breakfast left the Phoenix Hotel, and dined at the Stockton House on the opposite side of the slue
Wednesday 7th In the afternoon four O clock took the Steam Boat, CM. Webber for San Francisco, one hundred and twenty miles, fare ten dollars (meals one fifty) Arrived in Sanfrancisco about sunrise. Hotels that remained standing all full, in consequence of the large fire which occurred a few days before finally succeeded in obtaining lodgings at the Rassett House.^* Remained until
Saturday loth Returned to Stockton in the Webber. Stoped at the Stock- ton House until
Monday 12th Took stage to Double Springs^^ (forty five miles fare ten dollars) then walked to Lattimers Ranch^^ (four miles) supper and lodging
Tuesday 1 3 th After breakfast walked home
Saturday [June] 14th [ 1 85 1 ] In company with Lee and two others walked to Angel's After dinner to Carsons (or Melona)^^ as the place is now called) to see the Quartz mining opprations — They have just had a row with some Mexican Guerrillas and gamblers — three or four killed and sev- eral wounded — many of the americans have left — They expect another fight to night as we are very wel armed urge us to stay — We return to Angels in the evening promising to be on hand with a large party from that camp if wanted
Sunday 15th All quiet at Melonas We return home bringing half a dozen of Angels boys with us
Sept. 5th Friday — Slight sprinkling rain the first this season
Saturday 6th In the afternoon had quite a smart shower — brought my bed inside the cabin — the first time I have slept inside since the first of the summer
Nov 7th [ 1 85 1 ] Still on the Calavares Slight rain in the evening
Tuesday 2 3D [December 1 85 1 ] Lee started for San Francisco returned Thursday Jany ist 1852
Thursday 8th Commenced another cabin up the creek about two miles
Thursday 1 5th Moved into it
Monday Feby 9th Lee and myself concluded to disolve our partnership he going below, and I with Harvey Allen remaining here. made an engagement with Harvey to remain with me until the first of Sept. next
April 3D [1852] Saturday — Moved to Indian creek, about two and a half miles above the cabin — hoping to make expenses until the water is lower in the main creek
Tuesday 20th Finding that I could not do as well as I expected moved down (a short distance below the old Cabin) on the Calevares again
June 4th Received a visit from my old messmate and friend Hudson
Thursday July 22 [1852]. Lee and myself, having previously entered into partnership commenced prospecting
25th Bought a mule with the intention of joining a party to prospect the North Branch of the Mokalume
Prospected back of Bear Mountain then (in August) with John Grins up as far as Independence Flatt and Spruce Gulch^^ on the South Fork of the Mokulmne — could find nothing that would pay so we disolved.
Augt. 30th Took Stage to Hudson & Co. Ranch near Stockton remained until Sept 5th returned home on the Calavaries
Sept. 1852 Myself and Barny Loomis looking around for a piece of ground to settle down upon cant find one Barney returns to Eldorado I continue the search and find one that I think will do (about four miles South of Foremans Ranch)
Sept. 2oth Go to El Dorado to see Barney we form a partnership
Tuesday 21st Ride over to the Ranch and take possession
Wednesday 22 Move over and camp there commence cutting timber for house & COrrals
Monday 27th Purchase a Waggon and three and a half yoke of Oxen for five hundred and fifty dollars
Oct. 1 8th With Spaff ord to Hudsons Ranch purchase Barley go to Stockton for Farming utensils &c and return on Saturday 2 3D
Saturday evening, Novr 6th Moved into our house although unfinished there has been a little rain within the last two weeks
Saturday 27th Commenced ploughing
Oct 25th [1853] Very light frost the first this Season — Gardening has been very unprofitable, so far — Last Wednesday night (19th) sat perched up in a tree all night waiting for a Bear to come underneath to be shot (he would not come) As I was returning home in the morning thinking of anything but Grizzlys, One chased me up a tree and then left before I could get a shot at him
Saturday 29th Commenced building a Bear trap — Any number of Griz- zlys in the Valley
November 12th Saturday Night Robt. Soule and myself went to sit up in
a tree and shoot Bear. Saw three coming down upon us and were obliged to
take a diflFerent tree from the one we had selected — put some three balls into
the old one but the distance was too far and our aim uncertain by moonlight.
they all ran away — also caught one in our trap and he ate out —
Saturday 19th Found a real Grizly in our trap this morning of good size — and forthwith put a couple of ounce balls (from my little shot gun in his head) he never moved after
Sunday Morning 20th Another Grizly still larger than the one of yester- day. Shot him with my fowling piece in the brain. he dropped dead the moment the balls entered. he measured as he was hanging up dressed for market from to tip of the nose to the hind foot eight feet and ten inches and the smallest circumference of the neck — three feet
Continued farming with but slight success until November 2nd 1855 when I sold out my half of the ranch appurtenances and stock to Robert S. Soule and Henry Parker for the Sum of Two thousand dollars, taking a Mortgage for one half the amount and the ballance in notes of hand
Novr 3D Commenced boarding at A C Beritzhoof's (Fourth Crossing) Calaveras Co.^®
Novr Bought a share in a mining claim (above the bridge on San Antone creek) of Bishop for Three hundred and fifty dollars. Worked two days and had another very severe attack of Inflamatory Rheumatism which dis- abled me for near seven months
June 24th [1856] Wm Robertson*^ and myself moved over to my cabin just above Alecks [Alexander C. BeritzhofF's? ] and opposite the claim, which we had comenced working again a short time previous. (Pierce & Douglass our partners furnishing two Chinamen in their places)
July 5th Up to this time the claim has cost me about $390. 00/100 and my labor — My receipts are about $120. 00/100 and no water at present to continue mining
November 2 8th Gave up mining in the creek with the loss of my labor it has not paid me the money I gave for the claim
Novr 29th Wm. J R Robertson left me and went to work on his claim in French Gulch
Deer 2 1 St Wm May commenced living with me
Deer 24th Commenced work (fluming Whiskey Gulch,) *^ in connection with Wm May, Edward Lichau*^ and Jacob Giddeon
Deer 27th Moved my house across the creek
Feby. 26th 1857. Wm. May left and built a house
March 20th Whisky Gulch not paying we gave it up and dissolved part- nership
March 25th I took up claims on Whiskey Flatt and commenced a cut through the ridge for fluming
April 2oth Returned to work on my Quartz claim in the hill near Alecks
June 2 2ed James W Ritchie was crushed in a tunnel just opposite me and died in about six hours — was buried the next day
Worked on my Quartz claims (with the exception of a few days,) untill Sept 2 2ed [1857]
Sept 2 2ed Again commenced working on my Fluming claim on Whiskey Flatt, cutting through the ridge and getting it down to grade
Oct 6th Commenced raining last night and continued nearly all day, the first of any consequence this fall
Oct 7th & 8th Rain nearly all day and night
Oct 9th Cleared up last night — Some twelve or fifteen sluice heads in the creek
Oct 23 and 24th Worked on my two Quartz Claims
Jany 29th [1858] My old friend G F Van Buren*^ started for San Fran- cisco to take the Steamer of the 5th Feby. for New York
Feby 8th Hired two Chinamen and commenced washing in my fluming claim
Novr 2ed Fluming claim wont pay me for working — Sold it to a company of Chinamen for Four hundred dollars
Jany i8th 1859 Sold the Comstock & Cole claims ** and Cabin (purchased by me last summer) — for Three hundred dollars
In the latter part of December of 1 859 had another attack of my old com- plaint — Inflamatory Rheumatism — and was carried down to the hotel — kept by Mr Reddick*^ — through whose kind attention I was enabled to get around in the course of a couple of months, but was not able to work until the latter part of the Spring of i860
Jany ist 1861 Since I recommenced mining in the Fall of 1855 I have been losing money all the time untill now I am nearly "dead broke"
May nth [ 1 862 ] Yesterday and the day before hard and very cold rain — Snow on the mountains near — last night a very heavy frost
The highest floods since I have been in California occurred last winter, bridges, flumes & dams nearly all washed away
July ist 1872 Still at the old place Fourth Crossing, Calaveras Co and to day commenced my first term as Justice of the Peace, San Andreas Town- ship
Jany ist 1874 Commenced second term.
Jany ist 1876 Commenced third term of Justice of the Peace of San Andreas Township, Calaveras Co Cal
Jany ist 1878 Finished my third term of Justice of the Peace, having served six years and declined to serve longer as it dont pay
NOTES
1. Jeanne Skinner Van Nostrand, "Audubon's lU-Fated Western Journey," this Quarterly, XXI (December 1942), 289-310. The diaries kept by Jacob H. Bachman are in the possession of Hon. J. A. Smith, of San Andreas, who has kindly permitted their publication.
2. Stockton Record, July 9, 1932.
3. C. L. Bachman, John Bachman, the Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, (Charles- ton, S. C, 1888), pp. 2-19.
4. Ibid., p. 17.
5. "Jacob Henry Bachman goes along from here," wrote Victor Audubon from New York to Maria Bachman in Charleston on January 28, 1849. Letter in The Charleston Museum, South Carolina. Since the publication of the first installment of the Bachman diary, a copy of the agreement signed by the members of Audubon's California Com- pany has been located by Mr. Lindley Eberstadt, of New York City.
6. "Great Register of Calaveras County. 1872-73" (photostatic copy of MS, in Ban- croft Library, Berkeley, California).
7. Recollections of Hon. George Cosgrave, of Fresno, California; Mrs. Hannah C. Riffe, of San Francisco; Miss Effie E. Johnston and Mrs. Johannah Nuland, of San Andreas; and Mr. John H. Tone, of Stockton; and scrapbook of newspaper clippings belonging to Hon. J. A. Smith, of San Andreas, California.
8. See Bachman's entry for February 10, 1850.
9. On Highway 49, five miles from San Andreas on the road to Angel's Camp.
10. The location notice in the Calaveras County Records is dated September 13, 1857.
11. When John N. Tone visited Bachman about 1877 Bachman told him he had a mine that "was going to be a wonder."
12. Bachman, op. cit., contains numerous references to family deaths from tubercu-
13. Van Nostrand, op. cit., pp. 306, 307.
14. Ibid., p. 306.
losis including both the daughters who married John James Audubon's sons.
15. Simmons, Hutchinson and Company were commercial merchants and exchange brokers on Clay Street Wharf. Captain Bezer Simmons, a native of Vermont, master of the Magnolia, came to California in 1843 and was elected a member of the Town Council of San Francisco in 1849. He died in 1850. Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of California (San Francisco, 1886), X, 720.
16. Robert Irvine is listed as the proprietor of the Irving House, between Front and Davis Streets, in Lecount & Strong's City Directory of San Francisco, for 18 $4.
17. Probably this was the German Coffee Saloon, 152 Clay Street, A. Kimmer, pro- prietor. Lecount & Strong, op. cit.
18. Caleb Lyon was born in Lyonsdale, New York, December 7, 1822, and died near Rossville, Staten Island, New York, September 8, 1875. He was assistant-secretary of the constitutional convention held at Monterey in September 1849; while there he is said to have designed the state seal of California. Frank Soule, John H. Gihon, and James Nisbet. The Annals of San Fraiicisco . . . (New York, 1855), p. 805.
19. Van Nostrand, op. cit.., p. 307.
20. Ibid., p. 305.
21. Loc cit.
22. McLean's Ferry was on the Stanislaus River at the point where Coyote Creek joins the Stanislaus, according to J. D. Borthwick, Three Years in California (Edinburgh and London, 1857), P- 35^. McLean, Jeffry & Company owned five hundred yards of land on the banks of the Stanislaus "beginning at a large oak tree opposite Jackass Gulch and running up the river to the first fall." "Miscellaneous Records" (Calaveras County Court House, San Andreas), p. 62. Edna-Bryant Buckbee, Days of Angel's Camp (Angel's Camp: Calaveras Californian [1932]), p. 78, locates McLean's Ferry across the Stanislaus near the mouth of Indian Gulch, just below what was later known as Robin- son's Ferry.
23. Van Nostrand, op. cit., pp. 307-8.
24. Ibid., pp. 306-7.
25. For a discussion of the trouble between the Mexican and American miners at Sonora see Charles Howard Shinn, Mining Camps, a Study in American Frontier Gov- ernment (New York, 1885), pp. 127, 213-17.
26. There is a full account of this incident in Friedrich Gerstacker, Scenes of Life in California, translated from the French by George Cosgrave (San Francisco: John Howell [1942]), pp. 133-38.
27. Douglas Flat lies in a little valley between Vallecito and Murphy's, on one of the branches of the Stanislaus River.
28. "Tradition, also ascribes the first finding of gold here (at Vallecito) to Stonten- berg, who was one of his (Murphy's) company, and for a time it was proposed to call the new place by the latter name." San Andreas Independent, May i, 1858. Friedrich Gerstacker, op. cit., p. 145, spells the name "Stoutenburgh" and indicates that it was the name originally given to Murphy's.
29. In the California Historical Society's collection is a broadside, "Preamble and Resolutions Read and Adopted at the Mass Meeting, Held in the Town of Sonora, on Sunday, July 21, 1850."
30. Carson's Hill and Carson's Creek were named for James H, Carson. The former is five miles southwest of Angel's Camp. A rich strike was made there in the Morgan mine about the time of Bachman's visit in 1850. Buckbee, op. cit., p. 2; Titus Fay Cronise, The Natural Wealth of California . . . (San Francisco, 1868), p. 264.
3 1 . David N. Foreman, for whom the Foreman mining district was named, was first known in Calaveras County as a member of the Slab Ranch colony mining near Angel's Camp. Foreman operated a toll bridge at the fourth crossing of the Calaveras River in conjunction with his hotel, store, stage depot and general repair shop. The property was known as Foreman's Upper Ranch. Heckendorn & Wilson, Miners & Business Men's Directory For the Year . . . 18 $6 Embracing a General Directory of the Citizens of Tuolumne and Portions of Calaveras . . . (Columbia, 1856), p. 99; Buckbee op. cit., p. 7; Albert Alexander Lascy, "Sketches of Early History of Calaveras County" (MS in Bancroft Library, Berkeley) . Samuel Foreman and A. C. Beritzhoff sold the bridge and hotel to William Reddick and John Hill on November 2, 1858. "Deeds, Book D" (Cala- veras County Court House, San Andreas), p. 252. During Reddick's ownership the place was known as Reddick's, and later it was given its present name of Fourth Crossing. Professor George R. Stewart, on the testimony of Bill Gillis, gives Fourth Crossing as the most likely locality for Bret Harte's mining activities. H. E. & E. G. Rensch and Mildred Brooke Hoover, Historic Spots in California, Valley and Sierra Counties (Stan- ford University Press [1933]), p. 46.
32. These bridges are off the highway between Vallecito and Columbia.
33. McKinney's secret diggings, or McKinney's Humbug, was discovered in the fall of 1850. Heckendorn & Wilson, op. cit., p. 96. "McKinney's Humbug . . . An easy half day's walk brought us to Cave City on the north side of O'Neill's Creek, in a gulch euphoniously called McKinney's Humbug, on line of the Table Mountain Ditch, and in the heart of what was once, perhaps the most wealthy mining district in Central Calaveras." San Andreas Independent. August 21, 1858. A footnote in the diary locates Bachman's diggings about four and a half miles from McKinney's.
34. The Rassette House was erected in 1850 on the southwest corner of Bush and Sansome Streets. It burned in 1853 or 1854 ^"^ ^^^ Metropolitan Hotel was constructed on the site, which in turn was replaced by a new Metropolitan Hotel in 1863. San Fran- cisco Daily Aha California, July 17, 1863.
35. Double Springs, the first county seat of Calaveras County, was at the head of a gulch at the forks of the main trail from Stockton to the southern mines, one fork run- ning easterly to Mokelumne Hill, the other southerly, to San Andreas. Lascy, op. cit. The cabin court house, made of panels thought to have come from China, is still standing. Rensch and Hoover, op. cit., p. 42.
36. David Lattimer appears in a "Directory of Men in Calaveras County in 1850," a newspaper clipping in Hon. J. A. Smith's scrapbook of newspaper clippings. D. Latti- mere is listed as postmaster at North Branch in the Calaveras Chronicle, October 12, 1861.
37. Melones and Robinson's Ferry are given as one location by some authorities, while others locate the ferry two miles east of the town. Melones was on a slope of Carson Hill.
38. Independence Flat and Spruce Gulch, about thirteen miles from Mokelumne Hill, are near, or are a part of, the settlement now known as Railroad Flat. Elmer R. King, comp.. Handbook of Historical Landmarks of California (Los Angeles: [pri- vately printed, 1938]), no. 286.
39. Alexander C. Beritzhoff was one of the first settlers near Linden, San Joaquin County, in the spring of 1849. History of San Joaquin County, California . . . (Oakland, Cal.: Thompson & West, 1879), p. no. The Calaveras County, "Supervisor's Minutes," August 8, 1855, record the renewal of a license to Alex. C. Beritzhoff to keep a toll bridge across the San Antone Creek, or Fourth Crossing of the Calaveras River, at a point known as Forman's [Foreman's] Upper ranch (MS in Calaveras County Court House, San Andreas). The San Andreas Independent, October 17, 1857, printed a notice that "A. C. Beritzhoff formerly of the Fourth Crossing in this county will take charge of Foreman's, San Joaquin County (Foreman's Lower Ranch) ."
40. William James Roscoe Robertson appears in the "Great Register of Calaveras County for 1867" as a resident of Calaveritas. During the seventies he lived between Fourth Crossing and French Gulch, and was engaged in sheep raising.
41. Whisky Gulch and Whisky Flat were about one and a half miles southeast of Fourth Crossing. The present highway to Angel's Camp bisects the gulch near San Domingo Creek. The cut in the ridge which is still discernible may be the one mentioned by Bachman in his diary entry of March 25, 1857.
42. Dr. L. and Mary Lichau were among the first permanent settlers of Altaville and vicinity, according to Buckbee, op. cit., p. 52. Edward Lichau may have been one of this family.
43. Van Nostrand, op. cit., p. 309.
44. Probably the Comstock and Paul leads in the Fourth Crossing mining district, claims for which were recorded by E. Emmanuel, county recorder, San Andreas.
45. William and Elizabeth Reddick, natives of Wythe County, Virginia, were mem- bers of the Slab Ranch group of miners, in Calaveras County. William Reddick made several trips to California, furnishing and outfitting emigrants, bringing the first com- pany across in 1849. He mined near Angel's until 1858 when he purchased from A. C. Beritzhoff a farm, hotel, and bridge at Fourth Crossing. He kept the hotel until his death on August 14, 1889. One of his sons, Hon. John B. Reddick, was elected to the state legislature in 1875 and became lieutenant-governor of California in 1890. A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras . . . (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892), pp. 353-54, and statements of Hon. George Cosgrave of Fresno, California.