The Dayton Tri-Weekly Bulletin
Wednesday Evening April 4, 1849
The Californians
The company organized here under the leadership of Peter Baer, Capt. Hopkins military commandant, left of Tuesday morning, on one of Doyle and Dickey’s Packets for Cincinnati. Their wagons &c. were sent down a few days ago on the canal also.
A large crowd gathered to see them off, and if they have all the luck that was wished them, we may be prepared to receive more startling accounts of the riches of California than have ever thereto reached us.
A six mule team harnessed up for the same destination caused quite an excitement on Third Street yesterday.
It will be a picturesque sight to see the immense Caravan that will start from Independence this spring, wending its slow way across the plains.
The love of glory but lately impelled thousands to “seek the __able reputation at the c__mon’s mouth; the love of gold seems to be scarcely less potent.”
Dayton Transcript
Wednesday, April 4, 1849
Off for California
On yesterday morning, a large concourse of our citizens attended at the Packet Landing, to witness the departure, and bid adieu to the Dayton California company which left on board the Packet, for the Gold diggins. There go out from this city and neighborhood two companies. One called the consolidated company, consisting of 42 members:--The other, called mess company, consisting of messes of from 4 to 10 members and in the aggregate, numbering about 175 strong. For purposes of mutual protection and defense, this company is united, but in all other respects, the messes are independent. Each mess will share the profits of its own labor in the mines. The consolidated company shares every thing equally.
These men all go out on an adventurous undertaking, and must necessarily meet with and endure many hardships and difficulties. Lured, as they are, to the shores of the Pacific, by the hope of gain, our only wish for them is, that the hope now so bright, may be fully realized, and that the arms of a protecting and preserving Providence may be around them to save them from all harm, and that in due time, each one may return home, his efforts crowned with abundant success. This is our wish, and this our prayer in their behalf. Prosperity attend their Journey and success crown their efforts.
Tri-weekly Bulletin
May 7, 1849
We have been permitted to make extracts from a letter written by one of the California emigrants to his wife; some of which the reader will perceive vividly express the feelings of a man who begins to feel the value of family blessings, and begins truly to estimate the loss and gain of a Gold venture across the far western mountains. We learn by another letter from P. Baer, President of the company, several interesting facts. They arrived at St. Joseph, an enterprising place of 1200 inhabitants, after a rough ride in a steamboat with representatives from 16 states, and among them the noble old Virginia and Kentucky were the worst, their being on board not a single F.F.Y.—and the writer concludes that their gentlemen all stay at home, and the men of Pistol and Bowie knife argument are the only ones that emigrate—5000 will be the greatest number on the route. Provisions are cheaper than here. Three out of every seven families in that neighborhood are going. One old man of 82 with his wife of 73, from Wisconsin, are there filled with the spirit and desire to reach the happy land and lave their aged limbs in the “fountain of youth.” There is no company better appointed than this one on the ground—but to the extract from the first letter………
CAMP HOPKINS, NEAR ST. JOSEPH, Mo.
April 22nd, 1849.
My Dear:--The letter you sent by Dr. L., I received from him at St. Louis, where he arrived this day two weeks ago, and should have answered it before, but we were over nine days from St. Louis here. I would like to give you some idea of the trip here, but I almost afraid. Imagine four hundred passengers on board of a second class steamboat and them of all classes of society and country, to eat at the same table and sleep on the same floor, for there was but fifty state births. (I fortunately had a state room, and so had the Dr.. by paying extra for it, he buying one from a person ahead of him,) with offensive breath and feet; with miserable food to eat, and half cook’d at that, the butter not improving by age as whiskey would, the beef being so tough that it was almost necessary to run it through a sausage machine, to enable us to swallow it; the bread, as they called, by throwing it against the wall would stick for ages. We are now camping about 1 mile from St. Joseph and within hailing distance of Clegg and King’s camps. I was over to see them this morning and old man Clegg is in excellent spirits; they intend to go over the plains under our protection—himself and two sons are all well, and could not be induced to return before making the trip. Old W. Smith, Helen’s father, looks as usual, about as he did ten years ago. Wm. Smith and I were wondering how the Choir were getting along; tell Turpin we made an attempt to chant, but the organ not being here we could not make it go. Both the Camps are in excellent health; and there is no sickness in any of the camps around here—numbering about sixty, with from two to twenty wagons in each, men, women and children of all ages and conditions. I eat my dinner to day with James Pease, we had a glorious feast on Pigs Feet; and such an appetite, I could take a piece of raw side meat and eat it with as much relish as though it was a fine roast Turkey. There was an old lady on the boat, coming here from St. Louis, on her way to California, that was acquainted with Mrs. Horatio Phillips, Grimes, and a number of other persons in Dayton, and if she did’nt bless the Captain of the boat for his mean fare, then I know nothing of tongue lashing. Your picture, dear, gives me that pleasure which it would to any man who loves his family, and Ada the little dear, if she was only awake that I could see those mischevious eyes, and Charley the little man. To say that I don’t feel the loss of your being from me, were saying that which is not true; had I to do it over I would stay at home, but now I am half way almost, and through I will go, if health and life is spared me; and until my return, God bless you and our little ones. Wednesday is the day I do my washing; I think you would laugh to see me rubbing away at my check shirts, and trying to cook some salt pork, making coffee and washing our tin dishes; imagine you see me, and laugh, for I do them all, certain. I will not be able to receive a letter from you here, but send it to Fort Hall, Rocky Mountains. By the 15th of May, government intends to send about 2000 soldiers to Oregon and if you send a letter in time they will take the mail out with them. Our mules have not yet arrived, but we look for them daily, and as soon as they come we’ll make tracks across the plains. I am officer of the guard, for we are under military discipline, and it is now twelve o’clock at night Yours, &c.
The Dayton Tri-Weekly Bulletin
May 21,1849
From our Californian
Dear Father:--
Edward’s Trading House, Little River, Indian Territory
I have but a few minutes to spare, and I improve the opportunity to send you a few lines—I did not think when I wrote you from Fort Smith that I would write until I got to Santa Fe, but there is a man going back to Fort Smith to-day. We left Fort Smith the 8th of April and got here the 20th. having come over a very bad road, the mules miring every day. We sold a great deal of plunder at Fort Smith. This is all that I have time to say. We are all well and hearty. We will start from here to day.
HENRY M. SPAGUE
When “to-day” is, Henry forgot to say—but we suppose it was soon after the 20th.
The above letter was mailed May 2nd at Creek Agency, not far from Fort Smith, by the man who left their camp, which is about 200 miles on their way to Santa Fe, through Texas, by way of the North Fork of the Canadian River.
This company is composed of Dr. David Jordan, Gideon Aughinbaugh, Joseph Langston, Henry M. Sprague, of Dayton, and Jas. Carson of Piqua. They are, probably by this time, according to our computation of travel, at the crossing of the Rio Grande, 100 miles below Santa Fe, at a point below Albuquerque, from whence they follow down the valley of New Mexico between the Rio Grande and the chain of the S. W. Rocky Mountains called Sierra De Los Mimbres, which they will soon cross and enter the territory of Sonoras through which they will make a semi circular course south of the Gila river, at the mouth of which they will strike the great travelled route from Sonora to the city Los Angelos, Monteray, on the Pacific coast, and finally the terminus, San Francisco, where they will probably arrive sooner than our Dayton men by the way of Independence.
Independence Route
Private letters were received in this city yesterday, dated on the 6th inst., at Camp Baer, 1 ½ miles north of St. Josephs, on the eastern bank of the Missouri, beyond Fort Levenworth, Missouri. They confirm the accounts, received some days since, of the failure of the mule contractors to meet the train at that place, with conveyances to take the party across the plains. They have procured 55 mules near St. Joseph with which to cross the plains, and have $1200 left in their treasury. They expect to reach the gold region in
August.
Mr. James Odell, Jr. who has just arrived from the same camp, left there on the 9th of May. He says that Silas Broadwell was chosen to fill Hopkins place—that the members of all the companies are in good health and spirits, except a Mr. Palmer of this county, who was taken sick about two hours before Mr. O. left; as they feared, with the Cholera—That the Forty Company, and that of Trebein’s and Schulick’s, left on the 8th for the Indian Mission 25 miles west, where there is good water and grass, and from which point they expected to start in two weeks, which will be about this date, May 21, and they are probably now wending their way along the plains. The other companies had gone to the Mission some days before. Their animals are about half mules and half oxen. Sickness of Mr. Odell’s family brought him back.
The Dayton Tri-Weekly Bulletin
June 1, 1849
CALIFORNIA
The following extracts are given from a letter of Henry Marot to his brother here.
CAMP IOWAS, May 12th 1849
We start to-morrow, we have 1200 to 2000 pounds to the wagon, we are almost the last but we are light, and can pass most of the teams that are a few days ahead. Just now a company from St. Louis passed our camps to camp just above us; they have several carriages and a Buggy with women; some young and pretty, and others are ahead with families.
From the number that are going, there will be a good deal of suffering on the Mountains as a good many have not enough for any but a quick trip, and I think that some will have to stop this side of the mountain, a month or so for grass, we have enough to eat for 6 months. There was a man died this morning of the cholera just ahead; they came to us to get boards to make a coffin; they had to splice it but it was just as good. I will write back along the road as there will be a good many coming back. Our mess are in good health and spirits with the exception of one or two, who are pretty well down, say they will never get through, I would not return to Dayton, nor turn back from the onward road if I were sure I should never see the Rocky Mountains. I shall go as far as I can, and then if necessary, shall get in with trappers or traders and roam a while for the song says “some love to Roam” and I begin to think I am one of the “some.” John Edmondson is alive and kicking; so go it while your young for when you get old you cant. I did a big washing to-day.
Our thousand dollar Kentucky money was as good as gold. We are light hearted about it—I must get dinner by 3 o’clock—we will have soup, with Bacon, Beans and dumplins
We have met with only two accidents. In going up a sideling hill at the ferry 4 miles above the camp near St. Jo.one wheel of one of our strongest wagons gave way in all its spokes and another had a tongue broken.
Some ahead of us are expected to return, some have already, but there will be enough on the route for the grass, to eat it up clean.
Some of our company have left and one two more talk of leaving.
All well but a Dutchman named Spielder.
The Dayton Tri-Weekly Bulletin
July 23, 1849
LETTER FROM THE NORTHERN ROUTE
CAMP DESTRUCTION __ OF A MILE FROM FT CHILDS, JUNE 5, 1849.
My Dear Sirs:
I am under the disagreeable necessity of reporting to you, one of the most daring robberies ever committed in the United States; by a majority of the California Tracing and Mining company of Dayton two days ago.
We had called a company meeting and resolved to lighten our loading, take the stuff to Fort Childs and then dispose of it to the best advantage. The committee that was appointed were Capt. S. Broadwell, Dr. J. H. Longenecker and Fundenberg. They threw out about three thousand pounds, they also recommended that the wagons be reduced to nine, and make them all six mule teams, we agreed to the proposition and moved up to this camp expecting to reload, but to my great surprise they called a meeting and moved that a committee of three be appointed to take under consideration the propriety of a division and distribution of the property. The committee was John H. Longenecker, John McClure and Doct. John Ealy, the majority of whom reported in favor, and Doct. John Ealy against the proposition. It was moved and seconded that the report be accepted. I decided that the motion could not be entertained and that I could not put the question. They appealed from the decision of the chair, and went against the chair. Longenecker, Wentz, Finch, Pepino, McClure, Broadwell, Fundenberg, Kemp, Gilman, Kneisley, Samuel Hake, Jacob Haagh, Rossar, Creighton, Edmondson, 15 in number. John Smith, and Ira Tingley would not vote. Those that voted to sustain were 12. Doct. D. P. Brown, P. Baer, Charles D. Flinn, Wm. Reed, J. Crow, J. H. Lewis, C. Boden, John Clough, W. Huffman and H. Marot.
Say to the friends that I have formed a mess consisting of Brown, Clough, Flinn, Huffman, Chadwick, Reed, Ewing, Judson and myself, who adopt the Constitution and will do as we have promised, to carry out the letter, spirit and intent of the same. We shall now do well I think. When I made my decision, I appealed (McClure taking the chair) to the company and asked them if they had not pledged themselves to stand to the Constitution as it was. Mr. John Edmondson stated that he had not. I told the gentleman that I had, and so had the rest. I told the company that I had pledged myself that the Father, Mother, Widow and Orphan should have their part. I asked J. and P. what they could say to certain friends. They could say nothing. Dr. J. L. said he had not pledged himself only by the Captain to my family or any other, and that he would not stick to the company after he got to California.
Some of them have told the company that you and I made five hundred dollars on the clothing and some of the young men treated me as if I was a villain, and you the main actor in the tragedy. In another letter I will give you a description of the balance of the men.
Let my family know all, and that I am well and we shall go on prospering and to prosper. We have lightened our leads, by selling and giving away, and shall start to morrow with three, 6 mule teams, and eleven men.
To M. B. Farewell, P. B.
We have published the above ex parte statement with the approval of the gentleman who received it, leaving out some particulars. We give also by request, articles from the printed Constitution of the Company, made and agreed upon as we understand, before leaving Dayton, and subscribed to.
Art. 11. This company shall continue to exist for one year, from the time of leaving Dayton, unless two-thirds of the company determine otherwise. But in no case shall the company be dissolved or a dividend declared until their return to the city of Dayton.
Art. 12. This company shall consider themselves as a band of Brothers, united to share each others fortunes, and render assistance in time of dangers and protect each other under all circumstances, until their return to Dayton.
Art. 13. The company bind themselves that in case of the death of a Brother, after leaving the city of Dayton for their new enterprise, they will pay over to their heirs, executors, administrators, or assignees, the full and equal share of a member of the company. The same as though he had labored during the whole term of the company. And in case of sickness the same shall be allowed to the member being sick as above stated.
Art. 19th. Under no circumstances shall article eleven, twelve, or thirteen be altered. Two-thirds shall have power to alter any other portion of the constitution.
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