OwenT
Hero Member
Today I was doing some reading about different passed relatives of mine and I came across a short history of the life of one of my great-great-... grandpas John Eagar. I had heard my grandpa Eagar talk many times before about how John and his family traveled to California from New York on the ship Brooklyn, but I didn't know to what extent he was involved in the gold rush. I only knew than Sam Brannan, who was the leader of the group on the ship, was one of the people that first publicized the discovery of gold on the American River and subsequently set up shop to profit off those who rushed to the goldfields.
In this short piece, I found it at least shows that he was in fact one of the first miners on the American River. He didn't stay long before moving on to Utah, however. In another history I read somewhere it said that his sister and mother stayed and tried to make it mining there for a while anyway. It said that William Tecumseh Sherman had come to see the gold camps and he found them there panning along the river. Mrs. Eagar said that she wouldn't leave until she found $20,000 in gold. It was noted that later, she made a living making dresses.
The history states:
"The Mormon Battalion veterans had been on the spot when gold was discovered in January of 1848. A
chance discovery led two men to find the richest of all gold discoveries, the famous Mormon Island of the American
River. But gold was not the prime goal for these men. Early in the spring of 1848 they had decided to continue their
journey to Salt Lake Valley and the riches found on Mormon Island did no more than cause a slight delay in their
travels. These men were religious followers who preferred to join their families."
It then includes a part written by John Eagar.
"A good many of us went to what is called the Mormon Island to dig gold. Myself and family were among the first
on the ground. In a few days, there was a meeting called of all those that had gathered there. I was called upon to give my
opinion of how much land each man should have for a claim across the island. It was decided that each man should have
eighteen feet wide. All agreed to protect each other’s claims that no strangers could impose upon us. At this time people
rushed to the gold mines in such numbers that provisions became scarce. Flour sold for a dollar a pound and everything else
in proportion. Clothing was not to be had at any price. These times only lasted a short time. Ships began to pour in from
Chile and Oregon and other places loaded with provisions, groceries, clothing and merchandise, till everything was down
again quite reasonable. With the influx of population of all grades, nationalities, and color came the increase of wickedness,
stealing robbing, murdering and all manner of evil. It so often occurred that some one was robbed and their bodies thrown in
the river that it became a common phrase of 'another man for breakfast.'"
I wonder if anyone else here has some interesting rush era family stories? I'm sure some of you have had mining in the family for generations.
In this short piece, I found it at least shows that he was in fact one of the first miners on the American River. He didn't stay long before moving on to Utah, however. In another history I read somewhere it said that his sister and mother stayed and tried to make it mining there for a while anyway. It said that William Tecumseh Sherman had come to see the gold camps and he found them there panning along the river. Mrs. Eagar said that she wouldn't leave until she found $20,000 in gold. It was noted that later, she made a living making dresses.
The history states:
"The Mormon Battalion veterans had been on the spot when gold was discovered in January of 1848. A
chance discovery led two men to find the richest of all gold discoveries, the famous Mormon Island of the American
River. But gold was not the prime goal for these men. Early in the spring of 1848 they had decided to continue their
journey to Salt Lake Valley and the riches found on Mormon Island did no more than cause a slight delay in their
travels. These men were religious followers who preferred to join their families."
It then includes a part written by John Eagar.
"A good many of us went to what is called the Mormon Island to dig gold. Myself and family were among the first
on the ground. In a few days, there was a meeting called of all those that had gathered there. I was called upon to give my
opinion of how much land each man should have for a claim across the island. It was decided that each man should have
eighteen feet wide. All agreed to protect each other’s claims that no strangers could impose upon us. At this time people
rushed to the gold mines in such numbers that provisions became scarce. Flour sold for a dollar a pound and everything else
in proportion. Clothing was not to be had at any price. These times only lasted a short time. Ships began to pour in from
Chile and Oregon and other places loaded with provisions, groceries, clothing and merchandise, till everything was down
again quite reasonable. With the influx of population of all grades, nationalities, and color came the increase of wickedness,
stealing robbing, murdering and all manner of evil. It so often occurred that some one was robbed and their bodies thrown in
the river that it became a common phrase of 'another man for breakfast.'"
I wonder if anyone else here has some interesting rush era family stories? I'm sure some of you have had mining in the family for generations.
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