Description:

1850 Gold Mining letter Tells Cousin about "Going to Calyfornia"

In this intriguing letter, an unnamed author in LaSalle County, Illinois, writes to his cousin William P. Warren, urging him not to go to California to seek gold. He mentions that their uncle John Warren (1800-1865) had decided not to go and that another relative, Lafayette, had gold fever "very bad."

The recipient lived along Indian Creek, a tributary of the Fox River. The waterway became famous for the 1832 Indian Creek Massacre of fifteen white settlers by a group of Potawatomi and Sauk. The massacre occurred during the Black Hawk War but seems to have been only tangentially related to the war.

[CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH.] Unknown, Manuscript Letter, to cousin William P. Warren, February 14, 1850, Point Republic [Tonica], Illinois. 1 p., 7.75" x 12". Separation on some folds; general toning.

Complete Transcript

"Feb 14th
My Dear cousin I now take this Opportunity of sending you a fiew liens about Going to Calyfornia, for if you go probly I shal not see you again till you git back from Calyfornia. now if you go their I hope that You will get gold enouf so that you can lend Some to lay faytte for he has it ^the fever^ very bad so That I had to set up with him when he heard that Uncle John had given up going and you was going he Thinks that can go with you, but I tel him That when he get out on the plains som night When he is out on gard and a heavy rane storm shoud come Up and then I guess he will wish he was at Home again.

My pen is poor and I am a poor Writer Point Republic lasal Co Ill.

I hope that you Will not Go to Calyforneig I Am Writing in the Year 1850 Point Republic lasal Co

[Address:] William P. Warren / Indian Creek."

William P. Warren (1828-1914) was born in Madison County, New York. He migrated to LaSalle County, Illinois, with his family in the 1830s. In 1850, he was a farm laborer, probably on his father's farm. In 1855, he married Delia Ann Flint (1836-1893), and they had at least six children over the next sixteen years. After the death of his first wife, Warren married Louisa Dann (1841-1917) in 1894. He remained in LaSalle County for the rest of his life, where he operated a family farm.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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