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The Stetsons The Stetson family traces their history in American back to Cornet Robert Stetson who settled in Scituate in Plymouth Colony in 1634. One of the oldest families in America, the Stetson name is well-known even today, over 350 years later. |
The Stetsons and the Gold Rush
James Burgess Stetson of Greaterville was the son of Charles R Stetson, son of William. In 1851, their family resided in Kingston, Massachusetts. Kingston is essentially north Plymouth and Charles was born very near to the place his ancestors made their new home in 1634. But when news of the fabulous Gold strike in California made it to Plymouth in January of 1849, hundreds of Plymouth colonists quickly headed west to find their fortunes; including the Stetsons.
Charles' father William, and his older brother James (also named James B Stetson; born 1831) headed west to California in 1851 and 1852 respectively. They settled into placer mining in the area known as Shaw's Flat. In 1853 a seventeen year old Charles and his cousin Julius Stetson, sixteen years of age, made the decision to join them in California and embarked on the long journey to California together. The western migration of the Stetson family had begun.
In 1922, Charles Stetson was asked by his wife and daughter to put into writing his tale of life in California during the Gold Rush years. The result is his autobiography which can be read in its entirety below. It is a fascinating, personal account of life in a California Gold Rush mining camp.
Click on the links in any of these texts for illustrations and images.
Early days in California : an autobiography written for my grandchildren.
Here are a few excerpts
related to mining that are of particular interest to the prospector.
Eventually, all miners move on to the next thing. The propsectors life is a young man's dream, but the years take their toll. Whether it be investing, dry goods, civil service, railroads, or something else, most propsectors move on to something less physical. Charles Stetson went into sheep ranching, his brother James went to San Francisco and moved into hardware and railroads.
Cousin Julius did not last long in California. Julius sold his placer claim in 1856 and in early 1857 he invested in the New York Tunnel Company, one of the many digging under table mountain. But by August of 1857 he was headed back to Massachusetts. A short stay of five years.
The story of Julius' return home, by shear coincidence, is one of the greatest tragedies of the period and at the same time, one of the greatest treasure stories of all time. Julius traveled home aboard the Atlantic Mail Steamer, the Central America which sunk off the coast of Cape Hatteras in September of 1857 with $1.6 million dollars and more in California GOLD on board. Julius was one of only 173 survivors from a total of 592 passengers and crew. A lucky day for Julius, but a very bad day for New York financiers.
I'll get started today with the first part of this story;