California Gold -- the Letters of James M. Burr, 1850 - 1853

Andrea Franzius

February 25th, 1852

Kelseys Dry Digging Feb 25th /52

Dear Caroline

It is with pleasure that I am Permitted to write you again in Good Health but in not so Good Spirits as I would Like. The Truth is we have been up here in the Mountains 5 weeks. May, Foster & Myself we Live in a Log Cabin & Have to Travel two Miles for our [...?] which we run in debt for. This being Sunday & Our wash day. We have Just got through with That Job. Washing and the next was our Dinner which Consisted of Bread, Beans & Coffee, but the Table is not Cleard off yet. We have been Looking for Letters for the Last Two weeks but to no effect. I Have Just Come from Kelsey s, was in Hopes of Hearing from You before I wrote again & may Possibly by night as we Have sent over to Coloma 7 Miles the Nearest Post office, as we Have 2 mails in from the states, & Have Got No Letters from either, we are digging away in Hopes of stri king upon something, we have Got a Little dirt Hove up but no water to work with although its Rainy Season we have no rain. I think I shall stay about here a short Time Longer & if nothing Turns up better than what we have found I shall Leave for some other Mines & Give it a fair Trial before Leaving & if I donīt succeed I shall try & work my way home, for it is too discouraging & I want to see you & the Children so bad. I Hope & pray this may reach You & find You all enjoying Good Health. I often think of you all this Cold winter. I Hope You Have Got a Good wood pile up so you Can Keep warm while Here its Like Summer although we Can Look upon the Seria [Sierra] Neva da Mountains & see them Coverd with Snow. I suppose Ira Roberts is Here by this time but Have seen nothing of Him Yet. I Got tired of writing Just now & Left off. I told Foster & May I was a Going to wash a Little Gold to send to Charley Boy. So I takes the Tin pan & washd out what I enclose to show You How Easy it is to find a Little but How difficult to find a quantity. Any Child Can make a dollar or two a day by Just Crevising about while we are digging Hole after Hole & Get nothing. I suppose If I C ould Make Mind to Stay Here two Years I Could do something, but I want to see You & the Children to Bad & if I had not Lost what I Earnd at Vellezo I should think of starting about the first of April or May But as it is I Cannot say when I Shall Leave. Bu t I think Just as soon as I Get Money enough to Get home with, unless we Make a Lucky strike & if that should be our Good fortune I shall Hang on it until I Get enough that if I Get Home Safe we will Live the rest of our Lives Like Somebody. Now I Have stop and Get Supper as I am Chief Cook & Foster Has Gone to the Village to see if the Express Has Got up & Shall Close & send it Tomorrow & am anxious to Hear from You before I Send. Capt. Foster Has Just returned No Letters. I Can asure You that our disappointment was Great. Just at Night away off by ourselfs in the Mountains. Nothing to be seen but Tall Pine Trees 200 feet High & Not a Sound but the Mice in the Cabin, & occasionly an Owl, or a Kiote or wolf, the nights are the worst with me. I Cannot Sleep Half of the Night. You know I used to be so at Home sometimes I get Thinking about you all, & Mothers in General. Last Night I donīt think I Slept an Hour. Now this is Monday Morning & Have Just Got my Beans and Coffe, May & Foster Has Gone to Digging while I am finishing this, afterwards Bake a Loaf of Bread< /A> for Dinner & then Go to digging. It Makes Me almost Sick to think we are not doing any Better, but must Take things as they Come. I Look like the Devil I think sometimes when I Look in a Little piece of Looking Glass we Have. My Beard Has Grown verry Long & moustachous. I Brought nothing up Here but a Change of shirts Draws & Flannels & Stockings & my Blankets although we wash and Change our Clothes every Sunday, Consequently Keep Tolerable Clean for California. Capt. Simeon or the whipple Boys Can De scribe things to you for they Have through the Mill.

Miss Adde now for a word or two with you. How should Like to see old Pap come Home Looking Like that old that I took in one night and put to bed with Rehuben [Reuben?]. Now you must be a Good Little Girl attend your schooling & mind what your mother Te lls you & write to me everytime mother does, & Remember your old Pap

with love JMBurr

Old [...?] How are you now days. I hope you dont Back any Now & Mind what your Mother tells You & be Good to your Sisters & little Brother & as to old Hette & Hope she is a Little Lady by this time & as to Charley Boy I should Like to see Him Much & Mu st Now draw to a Close as it is time to take this down to the Village to be mailed.

Give my Best Respects to all My Como Neighbors. Tell Theodore & Sarah they must write me & You must be sure & write every mail as I have missd believe but one & tell Mrs Pollack I am afraid she will Have to Put up with some other Kind of a Tea Pot as G old is So Scarce. Now Carrie I want you to Keep up Good Spirits & make the Best of everything. I shall Come bye & bye. Keep yourself & Children as Comfortable as possible

and believe ever your Devoted Husband

James M Burr

PS) Direct to Sacramento

in Haste [?]

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