Fresno-Tulare-Kern County CA Archives History - Books .....The Discovery Of Gold 1892
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of The Counties Of Fresno, Tulare, And Kern, California

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD

early in 1848, and the confirmation of the repeated reports of the uncounted
mineral wealth of the country, attracted the attention of the civilized world to
California, and an immigration unprecedented in history was the result. The
discovery was contemporaneous with the treaty of peace with Mexico, known as the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and with the transfer of California from Mexico to
the United States. The spot where gold was first found was at a place since
called Coloma, on a branch of the American River, and its discoverer was James
Wilson Marshall, a native of Hope Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
Marshall had entered into a partnership with J. A. Sutter on August 19, 1847,
for the purpose of erecting a sawmill, and several months were consumed in
securing a suitable mill site. This having been found, as already stated, at
Coloma, Marshall engaged several hands and began constructing a mill-race. On
the morning of January 19, 1848, while examining the tail-race, Marshall caught
the glitter of something that lay lodged in a crevice some inches under water.
He picked up the substance, found that it was heavy and of a peculiar color. He
knew that he held in his hand some sort of metal, but whether mica, sulphuret of
copper or gold he could not determine. He remembered that gold was malleable,
and as this thought passed through his mind, he placed a specimen upon a stone
and tested it by striking it with another. The substance did not crack or flake
off; it simply bent under the blows. He felt confident that he had discovered
gold, and a few days later, having in the meantime discovered other pieces of
the same metal, he took them to Sutter's Fort, where all doubt as to its being
gold was set at rest, after it had been weighed and tested with nitric acid.

  The news of the discovery spread like fire among the dry grass on a windy day,
and in an incredibly short period of time the mountains were filled with
gold-seekers who had deserted the towns. The excitement spread to the Eastern
States, and ere long the great rush to California took place. At the end of 1849
the American population of California numbered nearly 100,000 persons. It was
these people, brought together from the several States and localities in the
Union, that amalgamated and combined to lay the foundations of the wonderful
State of California, pre-eminently in fact as well as in name, the "Golden
State" of our American Union.

  The first recognition of California by the United States Government was in
March, 1849, when an appropriation bill was passed by Congress, which extended
the revenue laws of the United States over the entire territory. San Francisco
was made a port of entry, and Monterey, San Diego and Fort Yuma ports of
delivery; a collector of customs was authorized and a complete revenue system
adopted.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History
OF THE COUNTIES OF
Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California

Illustrated
Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Prospective Future: with Profuse Illustrations of its Beautiful Scenery,
Full-page Portraits of Some of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of
Many of its Pioneers, and also of Prominent Citizens of to-day.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants." -Macaulay.

CHICAGO:
The Lewis Publishing Company.
Undated, but OCLC lists a publication date of 1892

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