California Gold -- the Diary of James M. Burr, 1851 - 1853

Part IV, April 7th, 1852 - August 18th, 1852

Andrea Franzius


Wednesday [April] 7th
Employd this day Mining. Did do much. Got about 5 dollars in the fore noon. Afternoon was spent prospecting

Thursday 8th
Employd Mining. Made about 10.

Friday 9th
Employd Mining as usal. Got this day about 20 Dollars

Saturday 10th
Employd Mining as usal. Got about 18 dollars 3 of us

Sunday 11
Employd Mining as usal. This day Got about 15 dollars

Monday April 12
Employd Mining. Got about 25 Dollars

Wednesday 14
This day Part Rainy. Got about $13-50. Left work & went to Cabin

Thursday 15th
Employd this day Employd Mining Got About 16-75

Friday 16th
Employd This day Mining as usal. Got this $22,00

Saturday 17th
Employd this partly in Mining & partly in prospecting. Got only 5 dollars

Sunday 18
This day Was Spent as all Sabbaths in washing Mending &c. Our Last week work amounted to 101-60

Monday 19th
Not much doing this day. Got only about $ 5-00

Tuesday 20th
Employd Mining. Got only about 7-00

Wednesday 21st
Employd Mining a Little & Prospecting. Got about 2 dollars. Weather Rainy

Thursday 22 Friday 23d
This day Stormy Rain Hail & Snow. Kept the Cabin writhing Mending &c

Saturday 24th
Employd Mining but not doing much. Water getting Scarce

Sunday 25th
This day was spent as all Sabbaths writing washing &c

Monday 26
This day Started off upon a Prospecting Tour. Went up through Dry Creek George Town Oregon Cannon, Cannon Creek & put up for the night on Fords Bar upon the Middle Fork Just below the Famous Rich Bottle Hill

Tuesday 27th
Started this morning & Climbd an awful Hill on Our way to Yanke Sims [?] passd through Tods Valley & arrivd at Yanke Sims [?] about noon. Got dinner & Lookd round the Diggings. Having a small Pose. Left at Sun Down & walkd over to Tods & put up for the night. Rainy weather Started After Dinner & Come to George Town put up at the Illinois House. Kept by one of the McKenny Boys from Dixons

Wednesday 28
Started after Breakfast for Home about Noon found some Letters from the Genl Saying He should [?] Leave on the 1st for Home

Thursday 29th
This day Spent in Looking About. Not doing much

Friday 30th
Employd Mining. Got about 3 dollars

Saturday May 1st
Employd Mining working through Old Dirt. Got about 5 dollars

Sunday 2d of May
Employd this day as all Sabbaths working & Mending

Monday 3d
This day Left My former Partners they Going Off & Joind Another Miner by the Name of Moore from Mechagon [Michigan]

Tuesday 4th
Employd Mining doing but Little

Wednesday 5th
Employd Mining & Prospecting

Thursday 6
Employd Mining as usal

Friday 7th
Employd Mining & Prospecting

Saturday 8th
Employd Mining as Usal. Not doing much. Got about 3 dollars

Sunday 9th
Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday 10th
Employd Mining as usal

Tuesday 11th
Employd Mining as usal

Wednesday 12th
Employd Mining as usal. Not much doing

Thursday 13th
Employd Mining as usal in Texas Cannon

Friday 14th
Employd Mining as usal. Not doing much

Saturday 15th
Employd Mining as usal

Sunday 16th
This day was Spent as All Sabbaths. Had a visit from Frank Hodges. Spent the day

Monday 17th
Employd Mining as usal

Tuesday 18th
Employd Mining in Texas Cannon

Wednesday 19th
Employd Mining as usal

Thursday 20
Employd Mining as usal. Not much doing

Friday 21st
Employd Mining. Weather fine

Saturday 22
Not much doing this day

Sunday 23
Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday May 24th
Employd this day Mining in Texas Cannon, Engaged in Moving big Rocks

Tuesday 25
Employd as Yesterday. Weather verry warm & not Getting Much About $ 15

Wednesday 26th
Employd as usal. One of My Partners Started Off Prospecting

Thursday 27
Employd Mining. Weather verry warm. Got this day about 13 dollars

Friday 28
Employd Mining as usal. Got this day about 9 dollars. My Partner returned found nothing

Saturday 29th

Employd Mining as usal. Got about 5-50. Weather verry Hot.

Sunday 30th
This day Spent as all Sabbaths. Weather verry Hot. Somewhat troubled with Sore Eyes. Talk of going to the City in the Morning

Monday May 31st
This day started for the City. Stopt at night at the Mounteneer House on the Road

Tuesday June 1
This day started after Breakfast & went to the City. Saw some Splendid fields of Grain & Harvesting. Arrived in Sacramento About 3 olok [oclock]. Put up at Mrs Merrills. Went to the Post Office & got 3 Letters 2 from Como & one from Boston. On my Return Back Met Henry Burr Just out from the States verry politely Selling Apples to some Ladys 25 ct a piece. He was glad to see me &c

Wednesday 2d
This day was Spent in Doctoring my arm which is very Bad with Rhiumatis [rheumatism]

Thursday 3d
Quite sick kept the Bed the most of the day

Friday 4th
Left after Breakfast in the Stage for Coloma. Arrived about 2. Quite fatigued. Rested & walked over to Kelsys. Bad enough

Saturday 5th
All this day Confind to the Cabin

Sunday 6th
Still Confind to the Cabin. Taking Medicine. My Arm verry much Swollen

Monday 7th
Yet Confind to the Cabin with an Absess upon my arm. Very Painful

Tuesday 8th
Yet Confind to the Cabin

Wednesday 9th
Not able to do anything. Arm verry much swollen & painfull

Thursday 10th
Arm Getting No Better. Verry bad

Friday 11th
My arm the Same. Walked out a Little

Saturday 12
Arm yet bad verry much inflamed

Sunday 13th
My arm verry much inflamed. This night my Arm broke with a Great Discharge of Corruption 1/2 pint which gave me much relief

Monday 14th
Not able to work. Walkd about

Tuesday 15th
Not able to do anything. My Arm Running verry much & quite weak

Wednesday 16th

This day was Spent in walking about. My arm doing well but quite weak

Thursday 17th
This day traveled over to Rock Creek to Look at at a Claim returnd

Friday 18th
This day was Spent in Looking about the Mines by the Time My Arm Gets well which is doing verry well

Saturday 19th
This day Spent as all Sabbaths. Prepairing for a Prospecting Tour

Monday 21
Packd up Blankets & tools and started for Rock Creek Prospecting with one weeks Provision. Returned at Night with the Mule that Packd us over

Tuesday 22
Started & walkd over to Rock Creek. Employd Mining & Prospecting

Wednesday 23d
Employd prospecting & Mining

Thursday 24th
Employd as Yesterday Mining in the Bed of the Stream. Got nothing

Friday 25
Employd as yesterday. No Gold

Saturday 26
Pack up our Blankets & Left for Kelsy´s. Got Home at Night

Monday 28th
This day was spent in Prospecting over To Rock Creek

Tuesday 29th
This day was spent in walking over to John Town Prospecting

Wednesday 30
This day was spent in Prospecting in Texas Cannon. Got 5 dollars

Thursday July 1st
This day was Spent in Prospecting Down Dark Cannon

Friday 2d
This day was Spent in Prospecting

Saturday 3d
This day Started on a Cruise. Went down to Coloma. From thence to Union Town & Red Hills. Back to Union & over to wever Creek down about 3 miles & back from thence over to South fork of the American after Night & stopt

Sunday July 4th
This glorious day was open in Traveling over the Mountains. Got to Coloma About Noon & Kelsys at Night

Monday 5th
This day Started and went over to Rock Creek with a Pack Mule & Back

Tuesday 6th
This day was Spent in Prospecting about. Rather Blue Times for Mining

Wednesday 7th
This day Spent as Yesterday

Thursday July 8th
Employd Sinking Holes for Gold

Friday 9th
Employd as Yesterday Sinking Holes

Saturday 10th
Employd part of the day Sinking & part in writing working &c

Sunday 11th
This day Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday 12th
Employd Sinking Holes &c

Tuesday 13th
Employd as usal Sinking

Wednesday 14th

Employd as usal Prospecting

Thursday 15th
This day Employd a part of the day Ditching a Claim for winter. Afternoon off upon a Tramp. Returned at night & found Henry Burr & Mr. Blood at the Cabin. Just up from Sacramento City to try their Luck

Friday 16th
This day was spent in Hunting Round the Mines for a place to work

Saturday July 17th 1852
This day was Spent in Prospecting. Went over to the South Fork

Sunday 18th
This day was Spent as all Sabbaths washing & Mending Talking about Home &c. Saw & Conversed with several Emigrants Just arrivd across the Plains

Monday 19th
Employd this day in prospecting About. Prepairing for winter diggings

Tuesday 20th
Employd this day in fitting up a Cabbin for winter quarters

Wednesday 21st
Employd fitting up Cabbin & c. Prepairing for winter Diggings

Thursday 22d
Employd variously Prospecting Digging &c. Weather Extremly Hot

Friday 23d
Employd digging & Heaving up Dirt for Washing when water comes next winter

Saturday July 24th
Employd Making a Claim. Digging a Ditch to secure a Claim

Sunday 25th
This day Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday July 26
Employd this day in Digging Prospecting Making a Claim for winter

Tuesday 27th
Employd variously about the Premises. Not verry well. Taking Medicine

Wednesday 28
Employd variously. Digging & Heaving Heaving up Dirt for winter

Thursday 29th
Employd Digging and Heaving up Dirt for winter

Friday 30th Employd as Yesterday

Saturday 31st
Employd Digging Heaving up &c

Sunday August 1st
Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday August 2d 1852
Employd digging up the Ravine in Front of our Cabbins

Tuesday Aug 3d
Employd Heaving up Dirt

Wednesday 4
Employd Digging & Heaving up Dirt

Thursday 5th
Employd as usal Digging & Heaving up

Friday 6th
This day was spent in arbitrating a Case Prospecting a Claim we Jumpd Decided in Our favor by paying the other party $ 20-00 & a privilege of Redeeming it in two weeks

Saturday 7th
Employd in digging & Heaving up Dirt

Sunday 8th of August
This day spent in washing & Mending Clothes &c. Weather Extremly warm

Tuesday 10th
Employd as usal digging up the Ravine in front of the Cabin

Wednesday August 11th
Employd as usal Digging & Heaving up Dirt in front of the Cabin

Thursday 12th
Employd Heaving up Dirt prepairing for Rains &c. Weater Hot

Friday 13th
Employd as usal Heaving up Dirt. Got an answer from Mr. Tyler from Yanke Sims [?]. Concluding not to take the Claim

Saturday 14th
Employd part of this day Heaving up Dirt afternoon in washing Clothes. Evening went to Church

Sunday 15th
This day Spent as all Sabbaths

Monday 16th
This day Employd in Heaving up Dirt in front of the Cabin

Tuesday 17th
Employd in Heaving up Dirt

Wednesday 18th
Employd at work upon our Lower Claim Ditching



[Diary, part V, August 19th, 1852 - December 12th, 1852]


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Andrea Franzius (agf2@acpub.duke.edu), November 1997
in collaboration with The Digital Scriptorium, Special Collections Library, Duke University
http://web-directory-where-this-project-lives/