Pioneer Narratives
The following is the second half of a letter written by Benjamin Edsall Van Houten (1801-1894) to his wife Hannah. It was penned in a canyon five miles southeast of Placerville, or "Hang Town", in California, and sent to his wife near Paris, Illinois. This was the first news received from California concerning a wagon train of fortune seekers which left Edgar County, Illinois during the gold rush. A copy of the letter was donated to the Trails Museum by Pam Arrigo, a great-great grandaughter of Mr. Van Houten. Our thanks to Ms. Arrigo for sharing this interesting letter with us.
...From the mouth of the first great Kenyon to Hangtown, a distance of 100 miles, mountains arise to an immense height. The road passes over snow banks 6 to 10 ft. deep. Grass is scarce and the way is difficult and dusty. Timber is immensely large and vastly abundant. Pine trees 8 or 9 ft. across and 250 to 300 ft. high line the whole way. White cedar grows exceedingly large and tall, and even here and I believe throughout the country, timber is abundant. The land is all hills and deep ravines or Kenyons. It never rains in summer- consequently the country is dry and dusty. The soil is red and rocky. Gold is scattered everywhere, but in small quantities in most places, and it takes much work to get a little of it.
I got through all difficulties with six head of my osen -one having been drowned at Green river and one became so lame that I was compelled to leave him. My two cows became lame and I was compelled to leave them. I was much detained by sickness among my friends. Jesse Ross was sick -verry sick and low for a great while and we had to stop with him for a time. He was not able to walk for over 1000 miles-that is from Big Sandy to this place but he is nearly well now and but for a swelling on his arm would be able to do some work.
We have done verry little in raising gold yet. All the Kenyons are dug up, and the water is dried up, so that the chances in the dry diggings are rather slim and verry precarious. The rivers are lined with thousands and thousands of hungry gold seekers, so that every inch of ground where there is any prospect of gold is occupied.
We are informed that there is room and some chance in the south some eighty miles from here and we are going to try our luck among Spaniard and Indians. I hope we will do something nice, at least we intend to try it. Thousands of poor fellows who started with us in high hopes lie cold in death on the poor miserable hills of what is called the plains. Many have got into this land of golden humbugs, and have had their mortal remains deposited beneath this dirty soil, where they expected to reap golden harvests. Much sickness prevails here, and verry great discontent.
All are humbugged and nearly all disapointed and wish themselves back again. Poor Henry Neville died at Carson river and O.J. Chestnut is now at the point of death in Hangtown and from what I am told cannot live more than a day without a miraculous change.
I am however permitted to enjoy good health, and not withstanding I have yet done nothing I hope yet by industry and perserverence and patience to succeed by raising enough of the needful to bring me back, and mayby a small lot for a rainy day. I cannot tell when I will return, but will do as good as practible; and I would say here to all my friends and ll who want fortunes, to stay at home and attend to business. It is much the most safe and certain way to make a raise. Tell everybody to believe the truth, and to disbelileve all humbugs and lies got up by designing speculators and scoundrels, gamblers and villians. I say again to all, stay home and mind your business' but if you will come overland to California, you will receive your reward, repent of your folly. All the gold that ever has or ever will be raised here, will not compensate for the loss of life and of property sustained by the duped emigrants who have come out this year.
Now my dirty sheet is nearly full; it is Sunday and I have probably said nough. Hence I will bring this epistle to a close, by assureing you of my continued love, esteem and tender regard, and of my wishes for your health and happiness. May God bless and protect you and the family and enable us to meet again.
Adieu my dear wife,
Your untill death,
Benjamin Vanhoutin
For his return home, Benjamin Van Houten boarded a bark at San Francisco, California which was "becalmed" for quite some time further down the west coast. He finally reached the Isthmus of Panama. There he debarked and walked across the Isthmus to the Gulf side. There he boarded another boat to New Orleans, Louisiana. From there up the MIssissippi River to St. Louis, Missouri by boat and walked the rest of the way to his home near Paris, Illinois. He knocked at the door but his wife did not recognize him until he asked "Would she be kind and give a hungry man a bite to eat."
Footnote: According to family tradition, the above letter was the first one to arrive in Paris from California, and the local weekly newspaper was going to press that day. So, the postmaster took the liberty of opening the letter, for the newspaper to print it for the many others awaiting word from those who left from Edgar County, Illinois for the California gold diggings. Then the letter was sent post-haste to the writer's wife.