1850 Letter Home

My July is busy this busy this year. I seems like I have more time on the road than I have at home. First a trip to Myrtle Point over the 4^th of July, that involved seven hours of driving and three days away. Then this weekend, another trip to Myrtle Point for an impromptu class reunion, another seven hours of driving and four days away.

Then on the 25^th of July, during the Coos County Fair in Myrtle Point, I have a celebration for Twin Oaks 4-H club, for 80 years of service to the community. With the fair, there are no accommidations available in Myrtle Point, so we have to back track to Roseburg for a room. Another seven hours of driving and two days away.

That totals nine days away from home for July, but it seems like more, as it always most of a day to prepare to depart and then at least a day to recover from the trip. That makes fifteen days and we won’t speak of the expense. It all adds up to a busy July.

That somewhat explains this weeks blog post. II was written in 1850. Which means little work for me. This is a letter written from by my great-great grandfather. He had traveled to California in the gold rush and this was a letter home.

In another letter, in possission of another portion of the extended family and partially published in the Oakland Tribune on January 23, 1949, he stated that he was coming home with $220 dollars. Not much for such a trip. 

But I hope you enjoy the letter and to make it easier to read, there is a transcription that that follows the scans.

This Transcription by David E. Larsen, July 5, 2025 – Corrections or guesses are in brackets [ ].

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August 18, (18)50 fifty miles from

Sacaramanto Cittey

My Dear Wife

I am happy to inform thee that I arrived here on July the 28 in perfect good [h]ealth but much tire([d] of traveling having walked and carreyed my pack for near 400 miles the road a considrable part of it) being so bad that I cannot Describe it some placeses for o[v]er 10 miles very Deep sands other places very rockey and stoney alsotremendious hills very ruff and in some places Covered with Snow I me and 3 others left our company and teams near 400 miles back from this place the reason why we did so was our provisions were got very Scarse and we thought of getting in before the teams and get Nobles son to meet them with provision but we got on the [w]rong trak and got into the digg digins one hundred and fiftey or 200 miles from were they went too we have not seen nor heard from them Since onley we heard that they had bought and killed 2 Oxen since we left them the rout that Noble took [h]ad no travle on it this year before he went (we are informed) and had we taken the Same route it is very likley we should[d] have perished for want of food as we Should have had to travel more than one hundred miles withught food the reason why it was so Mr Noble was mistaken in the distance we werel rathe[r] pinched as it was we traveled across the Disert 40 or 45 Miles on a little flower and water and from 20 to 25 miles we had neither flower nor water 2 of our men had some Dificultey in crossing I went 

[next page] before and met them with water Soon after we Crossed the Disert we met waggons with provisions to Sell flower at 2 Dollars pork and hard bread 2¼ per pound we had a little money but we had to be very Carefull how we spent it after Crossingthe Disert 2 of our men were unwilling to proseed so I and a young man from lbennedicts went A head after traveling 2 Dayes we fell in with Mr Woodworth and Vanivea’s boys Mr Woodworth Mr Silvernale Willm Vaniea put there their packes on there backs and Came alonge with us the rest of the boys are Come through and we have all together Since Mr Tu[sr]nock went along with Noble and I have not as yet [S}een him but we think of starting towards w[h]ere he is tom(m)orrow that is w[h]ere we expect him to be the prosppect(t)s are not so flattreing as was gemeraly expected thousands have alreadey wished themselves at home again I saw one man on the road that was Shoott by the Indieans he was Shot in the brest I saw and handled the harrow the man died the same night that I saw him Saw another man Said there was 6 Shot by the Indeans out of his Companey another worked a little below us 2 of [h]is companions were shot 2 Arrows Struck him but the Swifthness of his horse he would have been killed I have worked pritty hard Since I came but have not made much w[h]ere we are [h]as been dug over and over we think of trying to find a better place tomorrow morning thank

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be to god we have had plenty to eat Since we Came in and Injoied good [h]ealthe I have never as yet resented Comming to Callefornea and hope I never Shall do I have had hard things to pass through but the lord [h]as been faithfull to his promise in ssix troubles he [h]as been with me and in the Seventh he [h]as not left me and he [h]as promised that he will niver leave  he will nive[r] forsake them that put there trust in him My Dear Polley let us take Courage and put our trust in him who [h]as promised that we Shall niver be Confounded and altho many are the affli[]tions of the ritious the Lord Deliverith them {o]utof them all I should like to be with thee my dear Children and friends In Salem but as this Can[n]ot be at present let us meet at A throne of grac[e] Thank be to God we can meet here an[d] mingle our[?] prayers in the years of him who is al[w]ayes {ready?]

to answer and bless us I have had Some yea ma{???} preacious Seasons from the presance of the Lord in {??} this wilderness of Sin and wickedness this mornin[g] I feelted the to be very preacious to my Soul wil{?} praying on the hill My Dear Mary pray pray pra[y] and pray in faith and God will Comfort Support pror[?] and bless thee = and I hope and pray that Joseph will may not forget to meet [h]is father and mother at A throne of Grace God willing I hope to be at home nest febuarey {several scratch outs} acept of my Kindes love to thyself and also to all our Dear Children and may God ever bless you all with Grace to Live before him whi[t] the prayer of thy ever faithfull and affectio[nate] Husband Joseph Davenport

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Joseph Can have that Coat that Mr[s Bacon[?] made for me Mrs Bacon Can alter it for him 

John Can have A Jacket made out of that Black Coat and trowsers or anything else that there is

Thou Canst have made up for them I wish I [h]ad

Something to give to thee and my little dauters but you

will be like to wate till I Come may God bless 

and preserve you all amen

Placerville Cal Aug 21                    Paid 40

No 4

Mary Davenport

Care of Josuea Mellor

Libbertey Post Office

Town of Salem

Kenniocha Countey

Wisconsin

North America

My Kindest respects to Uncle Thomas and Aunt Dale

also Brother Hallester Sister Delno Brother & Sister Train

and all the members of the Class

My Kindest respects to Uncle Josuea and Aunt

Sarah also to Mary-Elen also to Brother M Mellor

& Wife Kindest Respects to Mr Mrs Pensory[?} & family

Mr Woodworth & vanivea’s Boyes are all well