A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White A YANKEE TRADER IN THE GOLD RUSH THE LETTERS OF FRANKLIN A. BUCK THE SAN FRANCISCO FIRE OF 1851 A YANKEE TRADER IN THE GOLD RUSH THE LETTERS OF FRANKLIN A. BUCK COMPILED BY KATHERINE A. WHITE WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White http://www.loc.gov/resource/calbk.067 The Riverside Press Cambridge 1930 COPYRIGHT, 1930, BY MARY SEWALL CARR ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM The Riverside Press CAMBRIDGE • MASSACHUSETTS PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. ILLUSTRATIONS THE SAN FRANCISCO FIRE OF 1851 Frontispiece SAN FRANCISCO IN 1849 46 J STREET, SACRAMENTO, ON NEW YEAR's DAY, 1853 58 MARYSVILLE: VIEW FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PLAZA 60 CELEBRATION OF WASHINGTON's BIRTHDAY IN SAN FRANCISCO, FEBRUARY 23, 1852 96 WEAVERVILLE AFTER A SNOWSTORM 112 YREKA 114 THE FIRE IN SACRAMENTO, NOVEMBER, 1852 124 INTRODUCTION BY MARY SEWALL BUCK CARR DAUGHTER OF FRANKLIN A. BUCK THIS New England youth, Franklin A. Buck, has painted for us a glowing picture of a day long since passed—a day replete with adventure and romance. As we peruse these fascinating letters, we sense the courage and indomitable spirit inherited from his Colonial forbears. Sterling men A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White http://www.loc.gov/resource/calbk.067 and women were those ancestors who were responsible for the founding of the Colonies. Small wonder that their descendants should be imbued with that Wanderlust that ever beckoned toward the Golden West. This lusty youth, graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, was a direct descendant of two famous families: Colonel Jonathan Buck, a man of ardent temperament and iron will, founded the town of Bucksport, Maine, the birthplace of the author. The Buck family trace back to one Sir Hugh Buck, who was Master of the Rolls under King James and Queen Elizabeth. Colonel Dummer Sewall, his great-grandfather, founded Bath, Maine. Both were Revolutionary heroes, and Colonel Sewall, a brilliant scholar, and leader of his community, was elected a delegate to the First Continental Congress. He left a magnificent collection of three hundred letters which are greatly prized by the Sewall family—the shipbuilders of Bath, Maine. This flair for letter-writing, the keeping of diaries, etc., seems to be a direct throw-back to the famous Judge Sewall whose letters and diaries are so well known and widely read. viii With such a splendid background, no wonder my father inherited a strong, rugged character and brilliant mentality. He was always foremost in his community to uphold the glory and honor of his country—intensely patriotic, imbued with the highest ideals, and a great lover of music, literature, and art. Grand Opera was his special predilection. The noble sister, Mary Sewall Bradley, was a woman of admirable character and attainments. Seldom does a brother express so much affection for a sister as is found in these letters. If the publication of this very intimate correspondence, touching so vitally the early history of California, shall serve to keep alive the interest in those glamorous days, and awaken a more thorough appreciation of the brave pioneer men and women who have given to us this Golden Empire of the West, I shall feel that I have added my bit to the effort that is being made to bring the early California history to the public of to-day. A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White http://www.loc.gov/resource/calbk.067 MARY SEWALL BUCK CARR A YANKEE TRADER IN THE GOLD RUSH THE LETTERS OF FRANKLIN A. BUCK A YANKEE TRADER IN THE GOLD RUSH NEW YORK, November 24, 1846 DEAR SISTER: It is hard for me to write my thoughts. If I was with you I could talk more in five minutes than I can write on two sheets of paper. But I must begin to practise at this kind of work more than I have done. In regard to myself, I am very glad I left B. Here is the place to find business of all kinds and as my friends here interest themselves for me I think there is a prospect of my doing something. There is quite a change between living in the two places but I like a city the best. I shall make New York my home for the present. Tim Smith has introduced me to all his friends. I like his Cousin Bill very much. I walk up to see him at his uncle's on Sundays and go to church with him in the afternoon. I have made some acquaintances in Brooklyn and like the people very much but I had rather board in New York and shall go in the Spring. I visit at Alfred's and Sarah's and Bigelow's very often. John and I go down to Sarah's about twice a week and have a good game of whist. That's forbidden fruit in Bucksport but here it is quite different. Public Opinion is not quite so strong against dancing, whist and the theatre here. A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White http://www.loc.gov/resource/calbk.067 The ceremony of installing the pastor over the Pilgrim's Church came off last Thursday. The singing was very good. They have got a fine organ in this church. Next to Trinity it is the largest in the country. The best singing I have heard was at George Reatt's choir. He 2 beats Mason. The first treble singer is the best voice I ever heard. I wish our choir in B. could hear them once. They have as much quarrelling in the choir here as at home. Bigelow and his wife have left because Uncle Richard said he had as leave hear it thunder as hear her sing. Others will not sing without pay. As they do not hire any singers they are jealous of each other, get mad and sit below. In fact singers are the same all over the world. I have to work hard now but as soon as the canal closes it will be easy. I suppose you are froze up at home by this time. It begins to be cooler here but there is not much snow here in the winter. No sleigh riding for me this winter. All the riding I have is in the omnibus when I go up Broadway. It is cheap. You can go three miles for six cents. The next journey you take come out here. Don't stop at Boston. That's small compared to this. If you want to see the fashions come out here and walk up Broadway at four in the afternoon and I will show you the two belles and all the lions of the day. Next year I shall expect to see you here. NEW YORK, January 10, 1847 I have sat down to converse with you once more through the medium of the mail and like all persons when they don't know how to begin, commence with the weather. We have had just about such weather as you have in April or the first of January. The thermometer stood only six degrees lower in Brooklyn than it did the fourth of July last, but it has changed for the worse since and now snows. We have not had any sleighing yet. Don't want to see any snow here. It only makes it muddy. We have Christmas and New Year's here as holidays. No business done at all. A Yankee trader in the gold rush; the letters of Franklin A. Buck. Compiled by Katherine A. White http://www.loc.gov/resource/calbk.067 On Christmas the Catholics and Episcopalians have a 3 great time trimming the churches with evergreens and have a service all day. I attended three churches. Trinity Church looked splendid and they had fine music. New Year's Day all the male part of the city call on the female. Wherever you go you will find all the girls dressed out in their best, sitting up very prim, to receive the young men. In the other parlor you will find a splendid table set out, well furnished with all the good things of this life, wine not excepted. About ten o'clock the streets begin to be filled with men going the rounds. The ‘upper crust’ go in carriages, of course, but there are plenty left to go afoot. They continue to call till ten at night or till they get so corned (which is generally the case) that they are obliged to retire. On New Year's night it reminded me of the time when musters were in fashion down East. About the time they were coming home, running into the stone walls, singing and shouting and fighting, the streets here presented just such a picture. There is no such thing as Temperance known here. All classes of the community imbibe and liquor is sold openly at every eating house and oyster saloon in the city. It is well I don't love it. I have joined a musical society which Smith has the direction of.