Over the past 12 years I have blogged many stories about my 3
rd
great grandfather, George Emerson (1817 – 1890) of South Boston and Dorchester,
Massachusetts, who went to California during the 1849 Gold Rush.
You can read some of those stories
HERE and
HERE.
But, do you have a ‘49er in your family tree? You might want to check this news story I
found in an 1888 issue of the Boston Daily Globe newspaper. If you
scroll down to the transcription, there is a list of all the men (and one
woman!) who attended a 40th reunion of the ‘49ers at a hotel in
Boston. Each name also lists their city
of residence, and the route they took to California in 1849 – by ship or by an
overland route. This is a great list,
and well worth it for me to spend an hour or more transcribing it to make these
names available on my blog, and available to search engines.
Boston Daily Globe, (Boston, Massachusetts) Tuesday, September 11,
1888
"FORTY-NINERS
Big Banquet at the Revere House
Reunion of California Pioneers
Talking Over Days of Pickaxe and Cradle
Many Reminiscent Speeches and Songs
Letter of Regret Read from General W. T. Sherman
The discovery of gold in California in 1848 marks the
beginning of an important epoch in the history of our nation. Before that time the United States had been
supplied with the precious metal from England and the gold fields of
Africa. Native gold first appeared in
the United States mint in 1824, and up to 1827 North Carolina had been the only
State to produce the golden metal in notable quantities. After that time “placer deposits” were
discovered in various sections of the country, but the yield of gold was small,
and when in 1848 the discoveries in California were announced these deposits
and many of the veins in the South were abandoned.
The news of the discovery spread rapidly, and then began the
unparalleled rush to the gold fields of California. The tide of emigration poured in from the
Atlantic States, Mexico, South America, and even from Europe and China, and
continued through the year of 1849.
The story of the discovery of the first “find” is thus
interestingly told. One day in the latter
part of February 1848 a party of Americans, two of whom were of the Mormon
faith, were at Sutter’s mill, on the American fork of the Sacramento river,
engaged in repairing the mill-race, which had been damaged by the spring
freshets, when the little daughter of the overseer, whose name was Marshall,
picked up a lump of gold, and running to her father with it asked him to look
at the “pretty stone” she had found.
Those men who were attacked with “gold fever” and left
behind happy homes and families to see their fortunes in the “gold diggings” of
the Pacific coast have passed into American history as “Forty niners.”
Yesterday afternoon 200 of these old gold hunters gathered
at the Revere house to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the discovery of
gold in California and hold the first reunion of the Society of California
Pioneers of New England.
This society is the outgrowth of an organization that held
its annual dinner last February in Salem and then agreed to disband and form
anew with headquarters in Boston. Last
July the new society was formed with the following board of officers:
President, William H. Thomes of Boston; first vice president, Charles A. Dole
of Somerville; second vice president, Richard Harrington of Salem; treasurer,
Josiah Hayward of Boston; secretary, George G. Spurr of Boston; directors
William J. Towne, Newtonville; Charles T. Stumcke, Boston; Nicholas Bovey,
Salem; Charles H. Fifield, Salem;
Benjamin F. Whittemore, Boston; Hon. John Conness, Mattapan.
Only the men or the children of the men who went to
California prior to 1800 [sic]may become members, but already nearly 200 ex-miners
have paid the necessary initiation fee.
President Thomes expects a membership of 500 when the next annual dinner
is partaken of. The association is
fashioned after the San Francisco Pioneer Association, and plans to celebrate
annually, over well laden tables, the discovery of gold in California.
All day yesterday there floated over the Revere House a flag
especially designed for the association, and not until the gathering had
scattered was it pulled down. This was
but one way to which they showed the enthusiasm which stirred within them as
the memories of early hardships were renewed.
Soon after noon members of the society began to gather at
the hotel, where they were received by the committee in charge of the affair
and provided with a “Forty niners” badge.
Gray haired they were for the most part, but as they warmed up in
recalling the adventures and the hardships of the days of ’49, all their youth
seemed to return and they were again the hard New England sons who shouldered
pick and shovel 40 years ago and started out to make their fortunes in the gold
mines of the Pacific coast.
Below are the names of the members of the society with the
name of either the vessl or route they took to reach the land of gold. But a very few of the number were missing
when the company marched into the banquet hall at 5 o’clock.
Captain Peter Peterson, Boston, ship California
W. H. Thomes, Boston, ship Admittance
Mrs. Mary Sinclair Davis, Roxbury, Overland
Edward Y. Graves, South Boston, ship Montreal
Josiah C. Spaulding, Nashua, NH, ship New Perseverance
William Chatfield, Newton, Mass. Brig Sabine
J. F. B. Marshall, Kendall Green, ship Don Quixote
Gorham D. Gilman, Boston, Kemehameha III
Aut. L. Dole, Malden, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Grenville H. Child, Bsoton, bark Carib
Warren Fletcher, Boston, bark Elvira
Benjamin T. Martin, Chelsea, Mass., bark Elvira
Isaiah Graves, Lynn, Mass., brig Sterling
Moses L. Capen, South Boston, ship Leonore
Albert W. Gale, Concord, NH, ship Leonore
George Emerson, Dorchester, ship Leonore
Daniel W. Nason, Epping, NH, Isthmus Panama
John Conness, Mattapan, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Benjamin S. Grush, Salem, Mass., Isthmus Panama
George G. Spurr, Boston, ship Orpheus
Andrew J. Morton, Boston, brig John W. Coffin
George W. Forrestall, Boston, ship Almena
Robert C. Hall, Charlestown, Mass., ship Obid Mitchell
Benjamin F. Whittemore, Boston, ship Capitol
Alonzo H. Richardson, Hyde Park, ship Capitol
William J. Towne, Newtonville, Mass., ship Capitol
Andrew J. Chase, Lynn, Mass., ship Capitol
James Jackson, Lynnfield, ship Capitol
Noah P. Burgess, Portland, Me., ship Pharsalia
Albert Hamlet, Boston, ship Pharsalia
James D. MacAvoy, Readville, Mass., ship Edward Everett
M. D.Spaulding, Boston, ship Edward Everett
Hiram Weston, East Boston, ship Edward Everett
Joseph P. Blake, Haverhill, Mass., through Mexico
Jonathan Cobb, Dedham, Mass., through Mexico
George H. Stickney, Salem, Mass., ship Elizabeth
William V. Monroe, Boston, ship Duxbury
Amasa Taylor, Provincetown, Mass., overland
Samuel W. Gage, Salem, Mass., overland
Lewis C. Peck, Lewiston, Me., overland
Joseph Holmes, Milton, Mass., ship Sweden
Edwin Litchfield, Boston, ship Sweden
Thomas E. Hatch, Washington DC, ship Sweden
James M. Drew, East Boston, ship Sweden
Jefferson Young, Chelsea, Mass., ship Brooklyn
Richard Chenery, Belfast, Me., Isthmus Panama
Charles F. Ketteredge, Rockland, Me., bark Oxford
Cornel S. Cooledge, Washington, NH, bark Oxford
James H. Bennett, Boston, bark Oxford
Isaac R. Hadwen, Somerville, Mass., bark Winthrop
William J. Dunham, Island Creek, Mass., bark Yeoman
Alonzo Kinsley, Canton, Mass., bark Orb
William C. Hill, Howland, Me., bark Emma Issadora
Joseph E. Huse, Lynn, Mass, bark Mayflower
Samuel Carr, Cambridgeport, Mass., Isthmus Panama
William McMurphy, Lynn, Mass., Isthmus Panama
George C. Clark, Salem, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Henry G. Hubon, Salem, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Benjamin F. Griggs, Boston, brig Tarranto
Henry B. Hildreth, Lynn, Mass., ship York
Frederick K. Ballou, Boston, bark LaGrange
Charles A. Dole, Somerville, Mass., bark LaGrange
Richard Harrington, Salem, Mass., bark LaGrange
Nicholas Bovey, Salem, Mass., bark LaGrange
Augustus Harrington, Peabody, Mass., bark LaGrange
Joseph Hastings, Roxbury, Isthmus Panama
John Johnston, Amesbury, Mass., ship Regulas
Ephraim Brown, Amesbury, Mass., ship Regulas
Charles C. Greenough, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Edwin P Worster, Weymouth, Mass., bark Lanark
Henry L. Lawrence, Arlington, Mass., bark Lanark
Solomon S. Rowe, Boston, bark Lanark
Charles B. Hazeltine, Belfast, Me., Isthmus Panama
Charles J. Randall, Wrentham, Mass., bark Velasco
Shirley A. Elsbree, Providence, R.I., bark Velasco
Henry M. Arnold, Pawtucket, R.I., bark Velasco
Isaac B. Kirby, Providence, R.I., bark Velasco
Alvin R. Richardson, Lynn, Mass., ship New Jersey
David Mowery, Slaterville, R. I., ship New Jersey
Charles T. Stumcke, Boston, ship New Jersey
Horace Wheeler, Watertown, Mass., ship New Jersey
W. W. Reed, Peabody, Mass., ship New Jersey
Olney Dodge, Plainfield, Conn., ship New Jersey
John H. Thompson, New Bedford, Mass., Isthmus Panama
James S. Green, Chelsea, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Charles F. Gifford, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Newton Talbot, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Edward Pease, Lynn, Mass., ship Areates
Henry W. Bowen, Boston, ship Areates
William H. Rand, Chicago, Ill., ship Areates
Ephraim S. Colby, Manchester, N.H., ship Areates
Reuben E. Carpenter, Ashland, Mass., brig Sea Eagle
Amos Fillebrown, East Cambridge, Mass., brig Sea Eagle
John Adams, Charlestown, Mass., ship Constantine
Captain John Weston, Boston, ship Constantine
Henry B. Mellon, Durham, N.H., ship Pacific
Samuel Snow, Cambridge, Mass., ship Niantic
Samuel Parr, Roxbury, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Henry J. Wells, Cambridge, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Charles Pickett, Beverly, Mass., bark San Francisco
William A. Perkins, Salem, Mass., bark San Francisco
Stephen Osgood, Georgetown, Mass., schooner B. L. Allen
Davis S. Whitney, Dorchester, Mass., schooner Mary M. Wood
Allen C. Lawrence, Lowell, Mass., Isthmus Panama
William Hale, West Newbury, Mass., Isthmus Panama
John H. Eveleth, Greenville, Me., Isthmus Panama
David S. Boynton, Lynn, Mass., brig Ann Tarris
James Burdick, Provincetown, R.I., ship South America
Burnham Boyce, Boston, ship Mattakeseet
Captain David G. Patterson, East Boston, schooner Mary and
Emma (25 tons)
Franklin Upton, Danvers, Mass., ship Harriet Rockwell
F. B. Mower, Lynn, Mass., ship Henry Ware
William Norton, Lynn, Mass., ship Argonaut
William H. Pierse, Lynne, Mass., ship Argonaut
Abner J. Moody, Boston, ship Argonaut
John Norton, Stoneham, Mass., ship Argonaut
Josiah Fitz, 3d, Lynn, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Peter Wearty, Salem, Mass., ship Reindeer
Rodolphus F. Hahn, East Boston, Mass., schooner Civilian
William G. Prescott, Quincy, Mass., schooner Civilian
Josiah Hayward, Boston, schooner Civilian
Ephram L. Noyes, Abington, Mass., schooner Civilian
Henry Souther, Gloucester, Mass., ship Richmond
Edwin D. Wadsworth, Milton, Mass., ship Richmond
John M. Humphrey, Norwood, Mass., ship Richmond
Isaac R. Wilkinson, Pawtucket, R.I., Isthmus Panama
Jonathan Davis, Salem, Mass., ship Crescent
Elias J. Hale, Foxcroft, Me., ship Alexander Coffin
W. W. West, East Boston, bark William O. Alden
Richard Dowst, Salem Mass., ship Cordova
Thomas C. Mellen, Weymouth, ship Cordova
Charles B. Goodrich, Boston, bark Mary Broughton
Theodore Brown, Salem, Mass., schooner Sea Serpent
Henry B. Shute, Gloucester, schooner Sea Serpent
Charles Saville, Gloucester, schooner Sea Serpent
Edward B. Southern, Quincy, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Leander W. Cogswell, Henniker, N.H., ship Hannibal
Josiah H. Learned, South Framingham, ship Hannibal
General Samuel A. Chapin, Norton, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Royal P. Hodges, Norton, Mass., Isthmus Panama
George Barron, Topham, Me., Isthmus Panama
Cyrus C. Atwell, Charlestown, Isthmus Panama
George H. Buxton, Salem, Mass., schooner Nassau
John Jackson, Salem, Mass., brig Ark
George L. Bradley, San Francisco, Cal., brig Ark
Nathaniel Fuller, Boston, ship Nester
William Russell, Salem, Mass., ship Nester
John Boyd, Salem, Mass., ship Nester
William F. Perry, Salem, brig Metropolis
Samuel H. Robinson, Boston, bark Orion
James A. Grant, Warnerville, Mass., bark Orion
Elihu W. Colcord, Lawrence, Mass., brig General Worth
George R. Williams, Boston, bark Pico
Henry N. Kingsbury, Newton, Mass., ship Marcia Cleaves
Salathuel N. Ryder, Cambridgeport, bark Morgan Dix
Robert B. Henderson, Boston, bark Cherokee
Albion Chipman, Cambridgeport, Mass., Isthmus Panama
John W. Gilcrhist, Norwich, Conn., Isthmus Panama
Cyrus Greely, Lewiston, Me., Isthmus Panama
Joseph Hilliard, Northbury, Mass., Isthmus Panama
George D. Rice, Melrose, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Lorign W. Gleason, Everett, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Moses G. Steele, Somerville, Mass., Isthmus Panama
George H. Cushman, Salem, Mas., Isthmus Panama
Charles H. Fifeild, Salem, Mass., ship Samuel Appleton
Albert H. Breed, Lynn, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Charles A. Jordan, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Moses L. Colby, Amesbury, Mass., ship Victory
Oliver S. Cressy, Providence, R. I., ship Ellen Foster
Joseph Delory, Peabody, Mass., ship Benjamin Howard
Henry T. Bowman, New Bedford, Central America
Henry M. Forrestall, Boston, schooner Flying Fish
Isaac S. Pear, Cambridgeport, Mass., ship Golden Eagle
John C. Philbrook, Ipswich, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Samuel C. Weston, Salem, Mass., Isthmus Panama
John Quinn, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Charles Spencer, Boston, bark Emily
Isaiah Aubens, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Charles E. Stumcke, Boston, Mass., born in San Francisco
John Glancy, Boston, Nicaragua
Alfred C. Hill, Saugus, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Edwin Gage, Haverhill, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Darius N. Stevens, Stoneham, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Joseph Morrill Hoyt, Lynn, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Frances M. Ball, Stoughton, Mass., Isthmus Panama
John N. Wood, Norridgwock, Me., Isthmus Panama
Daniel D. Taylor, Norridgewock, Me., Isthmus Panama
George Willard, Boston, Isthmus Panama
Isaac Gardner, Hingham, Mass., Isthmus Panama
Seth D. Wakefield, Lewiston, Me., Isthmus Panama
Daniel C. Perkins, Rockland, Mae., Isthmus Panama
Charles M. Abbott, Portland, Me., Isthmus Panama
George W. Crampton, Cambridge, Isthmus Panama
Eben N. Walton, Salem, Mass., honorary member
Seth Rich, bark Oxford
George H. Mann, Harriet Rockwell
William L. Henderson, bark Chester
Julius L. Clarke, brig Cirassian
Samuel P. Barker, ship Edward Everett
Edward Payson Adams, schooner Fides
William F. Cowdrey, ship Argonaut
Alonzo D. Buxton, ship Argonaut
Albert Ferry, bark San Francisco
Joseph G. Nelson, Overland
Henry D. Shute, schooner Sea Serpent
Samuel T. Manson, ship Constantine
William C. Barker, South America
Nathan Ketch, bark Phenix
H. B. Ellis, steamer Star of the West
Frederick Pease, bark Chester
George Lugardner, ship Capital
R. B. Henderson, bark Cherokee
P. D. Leonard, bark Chester
Lemuel Gillson, ship New Jersey
S.J. Upton, ship Overland
William K. Lambert, ship Charlotte
The banquet hall was handsomely decorated and flowers in
profusion adorned the tables. An
appropriate floral design in front of the president’s chair was a
representation in crysan hemums of the society’s seal – a pick, pan, and shovel
ingeniously grouped together with the figure ’49 in its center. Upon the wall hung the “bear flag” which
General Fremont unfurled from the Custom House of Monterey in 1846, just as the
English frigate sailed into the harbor to take possession of the country in the
name of Great Britain. It was loaned the
society by the New York pioneers. The
gold dinner service was brought out for the occasion together with all the
silver table ware the house affords.
One of the very interesting persons present last night was
Captain Peter Peterson who wen to California for the fist time in 1834 as
second mate on the ship “California”, and again in 1836 as chief mate on the same
vessel, and in 1842 as captain of the “Admittance.” He is now over 80 years old and is well-known
by many early travellers to California and at the earnest solicitations of W.
H. Thomes, the president of the association, who went to California in 1843
with him on the “Admittance” attended the banquet.
It was noticeable that there was but one woman present. This was Mrs. Mary Sinclair Davis of Roxbury,
who went to California overland in 1843, starting from Massachusetts in 1842,
crossing the plains in an ox cart and settling on a ranch 20 miles from where
Sacramento city is now located, where she remained until about 10 years
ago. It is told of General Sherman that
when he was at Sutter’s Fort in 1846, being then but a lieutenant, a ball was
to come off in a few days and he and a few comrades did not know with whom they
were to enjoy the pleasures of the mazy, as there was but one woman at the
fort. The gallant young lieutenant, in
order not to be disappointed, made is way to the house of Mrs. Davis and
succeeded in getting her and her husband to attend the ball.
The guests of the society were Hon. A. W. Beard, representing
the Commonwealth; F. B. Clark, Hon. Demas Strong, and James A. Spring of the
New York Pioneer Association, and Dr. Hatch, representing the Pioneer Society
of Washington.
The speeches were of a reminiscent character. President
Thomes welcomed the company in a happy manner, and pleasantly alluded to the youthful
appearance of the company. When he
looked back to the time these adventurous, enterprising men started for California
to seek their fortunes, he could hardly realize that 40 years had passed and
they were forty-niners.
Treasurer Beard spoke for the State of Massachusetts in the
absence of Governor Ames, and other addresses were made by General Samuel H.
Capen of Norton, Hon. Demas Strong of Norton, and Secretary Spurr.
Letters were read from Governor Ames, Mayor O’Brien, Major
H. G. Gibson of Washinton, Hon. John Conness of California, and General
Sherman. The latter’s letter is given
below:
Fifth Avenue Hotel
New York, August 29, 1888
William H. Thomes, president California Pioneers, Boston
My Dear Sir – I thank you very much for your kind letter of
the 27th inst. And regret that I will be unable to be with you at
the grand reunion of Sept. 10, because I am already pledged to be at
Columbus, O., on that very day, on a centennial celebration.
There is a charm about the memories of those early
California days which seems to brighten with years like the golden sands. To
me, who am almost the sole survivor the expedition sent around Cape Horn, to
hold possession of what the navy had gained in 1846, the events of those early
days seem more like the visions of Aladdin than actual facts, and subsequent events
have swallowed up those memories; and I am daily appealed to assist in
celebrating battles and sieges fast receding into the past, so that time is not
allowed me to care for a family of six living children and eight
grandchildren. But you may assure any old
pioneer of California of the days before the discovery of gold turned the whole
world “upside down”, that my feelings are with them, whether they now reside in
California, Oregon, Missouri, New York or Boston.
Our thoughts and feelings in speed exceed the magic
telegraph, but our bodies are sluggish – “of the earth earthy” – and I cannot
be at Columbus O., and Boston at the same time; therefore, report me absent on
patriotic duty. Sincerely your friend,
W.T. Sherman"
----------------------
For the truly curious:
Blog post 28 August 2009 “George Emerson, Forty Niner”:
Blog post 20 December 2012 “A Fancy Wedding, and a Family
Myth Perpetuated”:
My EMERSON Surname Saturday blog post 10 January 2015:
----------------------------
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “New England ‘49ers”, Nutfield
Genealogy, posted June 17, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/06/new-england-49ers.html: accessed [access date]).
