THE LETTER OF ELIZABETH KEEGAN

Sacramento Dec. 12th 1852.

My Dear Sister and Brother

Having written to you twice before and not receiving any answer I am beginning to feel impatient I do not attribute the non-receival of a letter to your not writing but to the errigularities of the mail. I will send this one by express and I sincerely hope it will reach its destination in safety and find you both in the enjoyment of that inestimable blessing good health as this leaves all at pressent.

Our journey across the plains was tedious in the extreme We were over four months coming it is a long time to be without seeing any signs of civilization, we left the Baptist Mission1 on 3rd May and arrived in Marysville on 17th Sept. at which place we remained three weeks and then came on here. I like this place very well. But I must first tell you something of the route. The first part of it is beautiful and the scenery surpassing anything of the kind I have ever seen large rolling praries stretching as far as your eye can carry you covered with verdure. The grass so green and flowers of every discription from violets to geraniums of the richest hue. Then leaving this beautiful scenery behind, you descend into the woodland which is composed mostly of Oak and interspersed with creeks. some of them very large there was one we crossed called the Big Vermillion whose banks were so steep that our wagons had to be let down by means of ropes. I rode through on horseback and I had a fine opportunity to see and examine everything of note on the way. We did not meet any sickness nor see any fresh graves until we came in on the road from St Joseph. I forgot to say in its proper place that Kansas was our starting point which was on the 17th of May2 from that out there was scarsely a day but we met six and not less than two fresh graves. We were camped one night next to a train and they were digging a grave for one of their companions. Another night a man was taken ill and his cries of agony drove sleep from many a pillow that night. All from Aseatic Cholera in its worst form from the beginning to the end of the journey. “Thanks be to God” we did not have one sick amongst us. After we passed the first desert our road was uniformly the same thing every day passing across wide dreary wastes covered only with sage and greenwood this last mentioned is a small shrub resembling evergreen. This is mostly the kind of road untill you arrive at the last desert. This desert is very heavy and difficult of travel, it is forty-five miles across and must be performed in one stretch as there is no good water or grass on it. There is some boiling springs about the middle part of it you can see the steam a good distance off it was in the night when we passed them and I did not see them. I heard a woman and a boy were badly scalded. They went to look in at it and went to near and the earth caved in. The woman was so badly scalded that her life was dispared of. Many teams go in on this desert but few come out of it We had great difficulty to get across the desert. The mules we had in our carriage gave out when we were about ten miles in on it. We had to take a yoke of oxen out of large wagon which so weakened the other that when we were within about twelve miles of being across we were compeled to leave the carriage behind and put all our force to one. When we got across we laid up for a week and sent back for the carriage. We then started for to cross the mountains. The crossing of the plains is nothing to the crossing of the mountains. Some of them are so high and steep that you would scarsley think if you turned the cattle loose they could scarcely get up. We were one whole day getting up four miles having to double teams putting nine yoke to a waggon. After you cross the last of the mountains you descend into the Sacramento Valley long looked for by the weary emigrant. the heat can scarcely be enduered particularly so on the first coming down from the mountains. It is very cold on them. One night it froze so hard that water in the bucket had half an inch thick of ice. After we got down into the valley all our difficulties were at an end We met houses at every turn of the road and flourishing farms, called here ranches When we came within five miles of Marysville we stopped at one of the ranches and engaged ranching for our cattle. We turned all our cattle out but one yoke. We then went into Marysville like a flash.

We slept that night in our wagons and the next day doffed our plains habilments and went down town, how that word sent a thrill through my frame no one can picture the feelings of those who have come that wearisome journey the joy they feel at once more beholding and mingling with their fellow creatures. Church we had not to go to, but we thanked God from the bottom of our hearts for preserving through our trials and temptations, on the following sunday mass was celebrated in the house of a private family at which we attended. Rev. Dr. Arcker3 officiated. We procured a house and the second night of arrival in Marysville we slept inside of a house for the first time since we left the states We remained as I said before in Marysville three weeks but hearing we could do better here, we came on. We started in our wagons again came within four miles of the city we could not get a house to go into and had to remain camped out on a ranch for three weeks. When the rains set in on us, we started again and came in in the pouring rain. Altogether we are not two months inside of a house. You must know we do not have a drop of rain during nine months of the growing season. the raining season sets in about the first day of Nov. and terminates about the first of Feb. The rains are very heavy in the mountains, so that it raises the river very high. There is a slough on one side of the city which comes and goes with the tide Since the rains have set in it swollen produgrously so much that they apprehend an overflow like in “49. There is nothing to keep the water out but a clay enbankment. Our city has been visited with destructive fire which destroyed the principal part of the city, leaving only a few houses in the suburbs but it is almost built up again. I will tell you a little how houses are built here. they are all mostly frame, lined with furniture calico or canvas There is no such thing as plastering except in very few cases. There is no pavements here but plank walks. We have public places of amusement of every kind and description.

Dear Sister and Brother here I have written and thought over and over about filling this little book the task looks easy but it is hard to perform. I thought what I had to say would fill it full but here I have almost exhausted my store and it is half full. If I were writing to a friend I would feel obliged to offer some apology but as it is to a loving sister and brother I know they can more readily excuse the tediousness and sameness of its contents. I have not made any acquaintances so I cannot give you any account of the usages or manners of the people. Society is at a very low ebb though I must say there are some families here of the highest respectability, but they keep no company. One word to young ladies who are aspiring, that if they wish to be comfortable and enjoy society they had better stay where they are. Though I am one of the nondescripts who neither cares or is cared for, for I do not court society. All I ask is to live peaseful and retired that I can do here without any remarks. for never did you see a place where there are like remarks passed than there is in this place. If I was back in St Louis now, I would not come here, but as I am here the wealth of mines could not purchase me to return save to see you my dear Sister and brother and we may see each other e’er long sooner than was expected. I want you to write me such a long letter never was and write as I have done and do still write the first and fifteenth of every month regardless of any answer of the last.

I want you to let Kate O’Shea see this letter. Tell her that I would not encourage her to come here. For there is no encouragement for females here. Whatever there is for them to do in the states. Tell her if she was here and married I presume she could do well then. I had a grand seranade when we were on the ranch Better voices and as good music as ever I heard. Some one I never knew untill I made their acquaintance in this place gave it. I would give anything to see Kate at the present moment. Tell her I mean to write to her a voluminous letter wherein I will let her know all the gossip. We have the greatest lot of chinese here that ever were. I cannot say that ever you seen, for you never saw one in your life. They are very smart clean and tidy set of people I cannot say anything about intelligence for I do not know how to determine by their features. Wether or not there is nothing hansome about them but their feet and they have the smallest as well as the prettiest feet I have ever seen. There is every class of people here in California the rich and poor of every nation of the world.

See what gold can do it brings men from all nations here to this distance shore to make their fortune many go home worse than when they came others have wealth countless wealth thus it is some must fall that others may rise. It is night now and I labored seslously at this writing I must lay by til morning for I have to be up at half past four.

Dec 13th I am now endeavoring to think of something else to write but in vain I have well nigh exhausted my stock of news. This day is very cold and raining hard. I fear we will be flooded the water has risen frightfully. If it does overflow it will flood the entire business part of the town. Though we need not fear much for those who have little to lose The whole of the lower part of Marysville called the plazer is inundated when it rains here no ladies can put their feet outside, those who are foolhardy to do it have to wear boots that reach almost to their knees. I must tell that mud and mire is so bad that it [is] with the greatest difficulty wagons can get along. We are in sight of the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains visible all the time. On the plains we met snow several times and we had a severe hail storm on 4th July the largest I have ever seen. Little did I think when I was learning and posing those mountains that I would ever behold them. I also seen Fremonts Peak down from whose snowy top runs the sweet water river it has the coldest water in it I have ever tasted. The only curiosity I thought worthy of note was singularity of hot and cold water almost within reach of each other There was some of them so hot that they make coffee in a few minutes. Though we are very greve and demure yet we laugh when we think of your singing “Bright Alvarta” and the turning of the word to playa trick on Kate. We have her along and you would scarcely know her she grone such a big girl. Girl did I say no she is a woman now in size. We are all altered for the better if getting fleshy is any sign. but Mother she has gone very thin so much has she altered you cannot say “My big Mother” she frets a great deal about not hearing from you both. I have written so many times that I have almost despaired of getting an answer if I do not receive an answer I shall certainly think something has happened. Mother particularly requests you both to write the 1st and 15th of every month without fail if you wish to keep her alive until she sees you both again. Mother also requests that if either of you or both are in need of anything just mention it in your letter and it shall be speedily and punctualy supplied. How much I wish to see you both. No one knows the strength of kindred love untill it is tried. Perhaps you would like to know the prices of articles of every kind and description sell here in this land of gold. Where it is said fortunes are made. It is true the money can be made easier than it could be made in any part of the states. But the thing is how to keep it after you make it. Expenses are so high I mean in the way of Eating and Drinking. Clothing is cheap enough. Flour ranges from $20 to 22 per cwt Potatoes 5 & 7¢ per lb. Sugar same. rents are extravagently high. for a house containing two rooms you will have to pay $300 per month that is [in] the business part of town however a little outside of the limits you will for a 1 story frame hardly fit for cattle containing 2 rooms $75 per month it will cost $800 to put up such a shanty as I have named. Now you will see how money is saved and spent in this far famed country. Every thing is written and said about how much money you can make here but not one word about expenses. Enough have I said to weary the most patient reader. I think I must give up writing but Mother and Kate cry at me fill it they will be glad to read it.

Mother Mary and Kate join in sending their most affectionate love to you both accept my Dear Sister and Brother the sincere love of your affectionate sister.

E. J. C. Keegan.

 

1 This would probably have been the Shawnee Baptist Mission founded by Isaac McCoy in the summer of 1831. It was on the south side of the Kansas River just before it joined the Missouri in present Johnson County, Kansas, in Mission township. The Shawnee Baptist Miss’ion was in operation until the mid-1850’S. Louise Barry, The Beginning of the West (Topeka, 197Z), many references, particularly on pages 204-205.

2 This is at odds with the May 3rd reference above mentioned.

3 This was Father Acker about whom precious little is known. He ministered both at Marysville and at Downieville. Father Henry L. Walsh in his Hallowed Were the Gold Dust Trails, The Story of the Pioneer Priests of Northern California (Santa Clara, California, 1946) PP. 220-221, says simply that “all accounts of his missionary labors have been lost or forgotten.” T.H. Thompson and A.A. West in their History of Yuba County (Oakland, 1889), P. 94, say of him, “Catholic Services were held here [Marysville] in 1852, by Rev. Father Acker. While on his way to Downieville his mule was acCidentally killed, and he stopped at the bar. The services were held in a canvas store belonging to James Lawrence. From the collectiou taken the reverend gentleman was enabled to replenish his wardrobe that had been seriously damaged by the accident.”