Wm. Cummings Gold Rush Letters#1 to 4 Date: 98-02-08 11:30:19 EST From: parlett@page.az.net (Andra Parlett) Reply-to: parlett@page.az.net Sacramento City 2-4-1850 Dear Susan I long to see you for I have been very sic. I have had the doctor 3 times. I left Brig 28 of May without my pay. I went a board the Decuter for 100 per month. I belong to here 10 days now. I am to work as head cook in city hotel for 200 per month. Dear Susan that is $18.00 here. Cant get nothing to do will have to go to the mines. Susan I do want to see home for I am sick of climate for cold hot. But I will come home as soon as I can for I have got raise money to send home. I shall send money every month if I have my health. Susan the money I send home is your own. Lay out to suit yourself. Susan how happy I could be when be home. Wm. Rae Bart Foss, Elisk Galright gone to mine. Susan this city one year ago was not a building was not a building now 5000. Nathe Cole and I are keeping a house on the corner of N.W. 4 Street called the Paco house hired for 1 month $800 per month. Therefore I could not send as much money as I wish. Will send some more as soon as I can make it convenient. I shant be at home this fall with out extraordinary luck. I have had the fever nearly 18 days but I think I have got climated so you need not give yourself any uneasiness concerning my health. I shall send 4 newspapers by mail. I think Nath will send some to . Ken Cole has had work on board of a steam boat can the Colusa. He is now with us waiting to be paid off. Thousands of people are punishing on the plains for want of food. Those that arrive hear offer to work for $1.00 per day and board. I would not advice anyone to start for this country who can obtain a decent living at home. The stories that are told at home are very flattering but bitterly will they that start repent the day but I can do will while others would starve. I can cook or go to sea as cook and get great wages. Warren Goodwin is second mate with Capt. Morrill of Paco on board the steamer Maj. ?????? pais $150.00 per month and has good health. She runs daily from Franciso to this city. I have endowed a check of ninty dollars payable Licoos Bastor. Give my love to mother and the children and to all inquiring friends. From your affectionate Husband Wm. Cummings I shall send another check on the 15 of August for fear you will not receive this. Gold rush letter #2 Date: 98-02-08 11:32:52 EST From: parlett@page.az.net (Andra Parlett) Reply-to: parlett@page.az.net Beal Baise July 10 1857 or 1851? Dear Wife I received two letters on the 4th and very glad to hear from home but sorry to hear that mother was no more. I saw her death in the paper before I got your letter and I felt very bad about if for I long to see mother but I think mother is better off but I was glad that your health was good and the children. Dear Susan Long to see you and the children dreadfully. But I hope it wont be long before I shall be home. Then I shall be happy. I don't want you to be list miserable about me for I shall do the best I can and come home as s soon as I can. I am to work i n Ben Cole Co for $4 dollars per day and board. The company I belong to is called the Elorado Company. I shall commence work the 15 of this month then I hope I shall get a small pile for it has cost the company $2500 dollars for labor so I have paid and a good deal money so I haven't much left if nothing happens I shall send some money in my next letter. Warren & E. Jufs is opening a garage shop in San Francisco. My health is very good at present but I have seen some very sick days since I have been out here. Dear Susan you was dissappointed for not receiving a letter from me in May but I wrote when Warren did and they were both mailed at one time so Hannah got Warrens you not get mine but I expect you got it before this time. Dear Susan I have written 18 since I have been out here and received 8 from you so you are better to me for 10 letters so I want you to pay up. Ben, Nate,Dailor is all well. Dear Susan long to see you very much and little Bill and all the rest of the family. Dear Susan you must excuse me for not writing more. The express man is waiting for me. so give you by and affection. Wm. C. Cummings Little Bill now Born Wm Charles Jan 18, 1850 Gold rush letter #3 Date: 98-02-08 11:37:28 EST From: parlett@page.az.net (Andra Parlett) Reply-to: parlett@page.az.net Muthenis Creek California May 8, 1852 Dear Wife I take this time to write a few lines to you to let you know that I'm well and hope you are enjoying the same being. Dear Susan. I received two letters from you yesterday. How glad I was to hear from home. Sorry to hear that your health poor dear Susan you want me to come home. I know you do. I know you and the children want to see me dread fully and must come home shall come home. I shall start next month if God spare life for long to come home long to see you and the children. Dear Susan keep up good courage for I will come home. The letters that you write to mom in Irland I never got dear wife. I shall come home poor but I can't help it now for I have been cheated out of my money. All the money that I have got now is one hundred Dollars If I get home with that shell be satisfied.I shall come across the Isthmus if I possible can and get home as soon as I can. Dear wife I expect you money all gone if it is get credit tell I get home. For I shall try to bring home a letter money with me. I'm with Dustin Marshall. He is good friend as I have got out here. Set a good store by him. Dear Susan you excuse my short letters for am unhappy cannot write. I shall write before start for home. Wm. C. Cummings Biddeford Dec 22, 1851 Dear William as I have not herd from you since last September I thought I would write to you again though I wrote you in November what is the reason you do not write to me have you forgotten me. I was in paper you would have come home this fall. I do not know how I shall get along for you know I have no means of earning any thing my lealth is not good cutting and splitting wood does not agree with me but you know I cant aford to hire it done for I am out of money. I have done the very best with that ninty dollars you sent me that I could. I received it the first of September this I was entitirely out and I had hired five dollars I have bought 2 dollars worth of wood and when what I have got is gone God only knows here any more will come from unless you send me sone money. I have looked for letter for six week what is the reason you do not write. Dec. 29 Dear William such a storm of snow came an that I could not get to the post office with my letter so I stopt writing with the hope that I should have a letter from you before this time but the mail boat his not yet got in it was out in the storm in which she broke her engine and was obliged to put in to Norfold in distress the post master told me that the mail would get here next tuesday I hope I shall get a letter from you how I do want to hear from you I want to hear if you are well and when you are coming home and how you like the minds i tell them I expect you to bring home some of them lare lumps that we read of. Mother is about the same as when I wrote you last. She coughs and spits all the time she has not touched her hand to any kind of work since last March. Sometimes she lays abed most of the time. The children are all about though Georgianna is not very well she has a very bad humor. Ellen has grown very much you would hardly know her she has good health I could not get along without her she goes to school every day. Mary is as willd as ever and crys as much as ever last but not least is little Willie I fear I love him almost too much he just begins to walk and is dreadful troublesome he crys after Ellen she loves hime very much you would laugh to see her fusy with him. January 7 Wish you a happy New Year Dear William and I hope before this day comes around again my Dear Husband will be at home do come home if you can get home be sure and come so to get here as ealy as August so to get climated before the cold weather come on or you will have the fever and ague all winter Morismne and Fifild and Tomar Tibbits has come home. I begrudge other wives there comfort. Tibbits has been sick ever since he got home but he is better now. Fifield and Morrel has got the fever and ague Benson has not got home but they expect him next week. I shall go and see him when he comes see if he knows anything. It is very healthy here for the present. Sam Sepensen is dead and buried. Mother was very sick last night I thought she would not live tell morning but is better now. O William do ou know how much we want to see you and how much you are needed at home. You would come I know the mail comes in again thes week shall I have a letter from you. If I do not I shall go crazy. I shall have to call on Found for help I am aftaid all kinds of business is very dull I have writen you five letters and received 3 from you and four papers. I heard the other day that Tomar Bond sent his wife hundred and fifty dollars. I was very glad to hear it for I know she needs it. do write to me dear William as soon as you get this and tell me when you will come home. The childred all send there love to you and say tell father to come home for we want to see himt it has been a very long times to me since you went away. I will pray for every day I do not know as you will ever get these but I hope you will. Warrens father and mother think very hard of him for not writing to them they are all well. We have had a dreadful cold winter and a tremerous site of snow. Now wishing you a happy new year and goodbye. I must bid you adieu for the present Write to be sure and come home next summer still yours Susan R. Cummings Way beyond the rolls of green there is one I dearly love Guide &guard him blessed savior Fold him in the arms of love Gold Rush Letters Date: 98-02-08 11:46:24 EST From: parlett@page.az.net (Andra Parlett) Reply-to: parlett@page.az.net To: NeonipME@aol.com There are some mispelled words in the letters. Most are the way they were written others were because they were unreadable and others might have been typos. All in all the letters are very interesting. I hope I have some response if not about Cummings but about his friends and neighbors. Thank you for letting me post these letters that have given me much insight into my family. Andra (Editor's Note: We welcome other Gold Rush Letters. Please send them to e-mail or Please visit the Androscoggin Historical Web Site ] ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.