Letters from H. M. Graham to various individuals 1849-1850
Camp near Fort Smith March 29th 1849
Dr Sir
We arrived here on the evening of the 24th all in good health. We find here people from all States in the Union encamped here Some have gone on and a great many ready to go we have joined a company of Suthern men and Cherokee Indians about 200 in number but there will be a great many more that will overtake us perhaps in all some five or six hundred
There is 22 in our company Eleven in my mess all of whom are very good men, but there is dissatisfaction in the other mess the company does not like the 2 Dales they keep up a breze all the time. We will leave here on tomorrow morning through the Choctaw nation first then the Creeks, there is no danger apprehended here on account of the plains People think we can cross them without any danger. The Camanche Indians are trying to make a treaty of Peace, we have bought our provisions here we paid 7 cents for Bacon & 2 ¾ for flour every thing is dear here I bought Sieves & Pans here for washing Gold we got our shovels & picks in St. Louis. I have my black mare yet She stands it pretty well & I have about 30$ left
I will not have a chance to write to you again until I get to California as we will go about 40 or 50 miles South of Santafe. There is a man in our tent that joined us at St. Louis by the name of Hambleton who I think is a good man he has the mark of it that is he is a Mason he has told me that when I get out of money to call on him I have told him about my life insurance to whom it is coming and all about the transaction also John Armitage so that in case of my dying or being killed they will send you word & a certificate of the fact. I wish you to write to me as soon as you get this letter to San Fransisco and I will write to you on my arrival
Give my respects to Susan and Monfort and all others
Yours Fraternally
H. M. Graham
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Stockton, May 1st 1850
Mr. D W Bowen
Dr Sir
In complyance with your request of 24th Feby, I will indeavor to give a discription of our journey through the Indian Territory New Mexico and California. After leaving Ft. Smith we found the roads very bad hardly passable until we got to the little north fork of the Canadian when we exchanged our waggons for mules & packed in which way we got along considerably faster although not so pleasantly as our mules would stampede and through (throw) their packs On the plains we overtook the “Knickerbocker” company from New York. The plains is one vast prairie with an occasional ravine with water and timber although they are so much below the surrounding country that you can not see the tops until you are within a mile or two of them. We had a very pleasant time while on the plains killing Buffalo Deer Bear and Turkeys and by way of variety would have a hail storm which would make our mules stampede which was sport to those to whom the mule did not belong we arrived at Santa Fe on 28th May being 2 month on the way from Ft. Smith to Santa Fe. On arriving at Santa Fe we found a company going the Old Spanish trail & concluded to accompany them we travelled about 150 miles out in the mountains to the Chamas river which stream we indeavored to cross by rafts & canoes lost considerable baggage & some money by the upsetting of the canoes We had to abandon this route return to the Rio Grande—continue down it—take Kearneys trail and down the Hela River. From the time we left Santa Fe we commenced seeing the “Elephant” our mules & horses commenced giving out which put a large number a foot in a warm climate travelling over mountains which were entirely destitute of vegitation. Finding Grass & water about twice a day barely sufficient for animals to subsist upon we reached the Gila or Hela river on the 3rd of July on the 14th we had some bear for to eat which some of the party killed on that day, From this time we had water plenty until we arrived at the desert but scarce of Grass through a miserable barren country so hot the ants would not work in the middle of the day or the snakes travel or we eather. We had to travel in the night & sleep in the day we were on this river 32 days arrived at the Colorado just six months after leaving home.
The company had divided on account of the scarcity of grain which left in our party 34 men When we arrived at the Colorado we found some Humas Indians who we hired to take our baggage & mules across they built some rafts & took our baggage over stealing what ever they could conceal when they commenced swimming our mules part of us were on each side of the river some starting them in with the mules others receiving them as they came out they would swim them about half way across & pretend they could not get them any further & land them on the same side they started from & vamus to the chaparrel those on the one side thinking they had landed them. Those on the other side that they had taken them back to start them in again in this way we lost 19 mules had 3 days provisions for a 7 day journey through the desert with half the party a foot & without shoes. The desert is a desert for want of vegetation only water can be had once in from 25 to 35 miles travel. Such as it is the most filthy miserable stinking water you can imagine Our mules having nothing to eat but a few mezkete beans that we carried from the river After we got in the settlements of California we had a tolerable pleasant time at least we had enough to eat—
The plains in this country is the only tilable land there is and that only where it can be arrigated it being too dry in the dry season but is the best stock raising country in my opinion under the sun. the oats grow on the plains & on some of the mountains wild as pretty as it does in the States & clover of several kinds not known in the States on which cattle & horses keep as fat as they can be made the whole year on some of the Ranches they have from 3 to 5 thousand head of horses & cattle & raise merely enough produce to feed themselves. The inhabitants are mostly mexicans & Indians of the lower class that merely want enough to eat to satisfy them. There is people from almost every part of the world in search of Gold I believe there is none entirly disappointed although a large number dissatisfied, There is Gold here in abundance it extends over hundreds of miles of country but the man that gets it has to work. The 25__ lumps are found occasionaly beside a large quantity that are not found which you hear of. Gambling is carried on to great perfection here & drinking done to order. Peace and Gold appear to be the rage every thing is quiet here as good order as you will see any place in the States.
Provisions plenty & tolerably cheap Flour 8 to 9 __hundred Pork 40 dollars Bbl (barrel symbol) beans 18ct lb Dry, apples 45ct lb. Potatoes 40ct pound & every else in proportion this is in Stockton in the mines they are about 20ct a pound higher I have not time to write more for time is money here
Your adicio
H. M. Graham
Stockton May 1st 1850
D W Bowen
Dr Sir
I received your letter about ½ hour ago & hasten to reply. Your letter was written on the 24th Feby stating that you had written 5 others which I did not receive I have written several letters to you also to others but this one of your is the only one I have received. The news in general you want to hear you shall have it as far as I know. The first thing is gold of course Well, their is plenty of it here more than will be dug in fifty years Miners are making from 5 to 200__ per day but the genl average is ½ oz any man that will work can make money 3 times as fast here as he can in the States I suppose this is the best country for a poor man there is in this world and still better for a man of capital “the saying here is that a man is never broke until his neck is broke” I was surprised to hear that my brothers were coming to this country but I am glad of it although I would not advise any one to come for so sure as they do they will be dissatisfied from several months Although gold is plenty a man has to work to get it. You speak of coming here this spring do not let anything I say persuade you either way use your own judgement about it & if you do come be here as soon as you can for this summer is a going to be the time the money will be made I should like to see you here for with your assistance I could make money here a great deal faster than I am although I have no reason to complain I am driving team & selling goods in the mines at this time & shall continue at it for sometime while the bals of the party are digging on the Tuolumne river 65 miles from here the party consist of Capt. Lasselle J. S. Armitage 2 New Yorkers & myself we have 4 shares in the damming & mining companies for the purpose of damming & turning the river which it is thought will pay first rate. And in case it does & you do not come out here I shall be at home in the spring.
I suppose you thought it strange that I did not write to you and so it would have been I also thought so of you but when I received a letter it explained all I have written time and again to you & others & this is the only letter I have received I am here now for a load of goods & have not time to write to others so on another sheet I will write some of the history of our journey & California & the Gold regions I have enjoyed better health here than I ever have in the same lenth of time in my life. Medicine here is a “Drug” sure enough tell Doct Grimes this his pill are a very useless article here if I was in the northern mines I might sell them but here they are of no use You hear more of the news from California than I do although I am here but it is considerably exaggerated. You speak of bringing teams 4 mules harness & waggon here is considered cheap at 4000__ ox teams about the same in the rainy season but permit me to give you a little advise on that Subject. If you come the northern route which is decidedly the best it will take you at least 31/2 months which is worth more than a Team. The best route is by the Isthmus you can come through in 30 to 40 days I have not seen Shafer nor heard from him. Which way is the boys coming. Doct Underhill is doing business in this place if you came you can find him and he will tell you where I am this much I write to you on an other page you will find the discription of California as well as I can give it. Give my respects to Susan & the old Friends in general.
J. M. Jones J. S. Armitage Yours etc
Capt. Lasselle Samuel Angel & H. M. Graham
Doct Underhill are all well
Carey & Dautrey I do not know where they are
The Dales I know nothing of & wish to know less
If you can get a woman that you think will suit me bring her here for they are very high & scarce.
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