The Journal of David Jackson Staples
Edited by Harold F. Taggart
7"^ HERE ARE many acounts of the migration of the forty-niners, and those best known concern expeditions which, because of lack of proper leadership or adequate preparation, experienced great difficulties. On other hand, many groups came through after months of hardships and dogged persistence and entered California with no fanfare, to be absorbed among the nameless thousands. The journal of David Jackson Staples, pub- lished here, for the first time, is the story of an expedition for which the members carefully prepared and which probably typifies the experiences of the great majority.^
Twenty-six men of Boston and Newton, Massachusetts, spurred on by the cry of "Gold," formed an association to go to California for the purpose of bettering their economic lot. They bought the bark Helen Augusta^ filled it with supplies and sent it around the Horn. Soon after, they left via the over- land trail, accompanied by a physician and supplied with money to buy equipment along the way. David J. Staples, a member of the party, was born in Medway, Massachusetts, on May 3, 1824, the son of John and Dorcas (Reed) Staples. Left an orphan at eleven years of age, he worked at various jobs— as a farmhand, shoemaker, millhand, and machinist. On April 20, 1848, he married Mary Pratt Winslow, a descendant of Edward Winslow, who came to America on the Mayflower and was a governor of the Plymouth colony.^ Together with the other twenty-five men, David Staples left Boston on April 16, 1 849. The following is his day by day account of the journey.
JOURNAL OF D. J. STAPLES
Memorandom Book on the Journey to Cal.
Apr 16, 1849 Left the city of Boston a member of the Boston and Newton Joint Stock Association bound for Calafornia for the purpose of bettering our condition on money matters and seeing the country. I left home with regret as it is no easy matter for me to leave wife home friends and attach- ments, the company numbered 26 members made up of people from Bos- ton an Newton.^ We started from the Western Depot at Y^ past 8 oclock had a car to ourselves through to Albany being detained in Springfield two hours we arrived at Albany at 9 oclock. Nothing of note occurred on the way. We now begin to see the developments of the character of the men. We are strangers with few acceptions, but a remarkable trait in Americans is to have confidence and respect for each other and only on being disap- pointed or deceived do they distrust their ability or zeal to opperate to-
