Virginia Serenaders; Minstrels; Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Mining claims; Lowell (Mass.)
Chandler discourages Jane from working in the mills. He compares factory girls to servants and then describes California women, writing that "you would think to see them that they were mostly queens." He writes of the variety of females from...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Virginia City (Nev.); Utah; Paiute Indians; Dodge, Richard Irving, 1827-1895; Mormons West (U.S.)
Chandler describes his new prospects in Nevada near the Carson and Truckee Rivers. He describes the Mormons in the area as an “awful looking set of people” who “look nearly as bad off as the Piute [sic] Indians which are our neighbors.” He...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Chinese language
Chandler writes that he has been building a log cabin. While he is writing the letter, several men are around and one "Chinaman," a cook, is asking questions about the meaning of words that Chandler is writing. Chandler allows the "Chinaman" to...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Frontier and pioneer life; Hydraulic mining
Chandler is working for the Ditch Company on "the big Tunnell [sic]." Chandler writes that the conditions for women in California are very good, with women earning from 40 to 60 dollars per month for housekeeping, nursing, etc. He also thinks that...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Hamilton (Nev.)
Chandler addresses concerns that he has been unfaithful to Jane, and asserts his innocence. He has had some “sickness and bruises by a fall from a building which hurt [him] very bad.” He writes of his living circumstances for the past several...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Utah Expedition, 1857-1858
Chandler writes that he has received Jane’s letters from October and November, which were miscarried to Omega. He also writes that “the Mormons have been moving for Salt Lake and sell out cheap.” He predicts that “Uncle Sam will have a...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Virginia City (Nev.); Spiritualism; Fortune-telling; San Francisco (Calif.)
Chandler writes on his interest in mining claims around Virginia City and Alpha. He writes that “fortune has seemed to frown on all my undertakings until the last few months” but now “I can realize more money from my last years work than I...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Fraser Canyon (B.C.)
Chandler writes of a party of Indians who skirmished with a party of overland emigrant prospectors on the way to Vancouver Island gold prospects. Chandler also writes on the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush on Vancouver Island and the difficulty that...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.)
Chandler mentions that in Jane’s last letter she wrote that she would come out if he thought it best and wished her to, but then writes, “But still I think you hardly feel like coming.” He mentions that “there is a good many women coming to...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Hamilton (Nev.); Bradley, Lewis Rice 1805-1879; Mormons West (U.S.)
Chandler writes that “times have been very dull in regards to selling mines” and that “Capitalists are afraid except they see all their money in sight.” He writes that he is near the Utah line and that the Mormons “are very cautious about...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.)
Chandler writes that “water has failed at our claims so we cannot work to advantage…” “Wages are lower now on act of so many being idle in the Dry diggins [sic] $3.50 is the common price on the river for 10 hours work.” “I have...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Eureka (Nev.); Spiritualism; Fortune-telling
Chandler has been working as a stonecutter. He corrects Jane’s notion that people in Eureka “are all a rough set of people.” He asserts that “this is a much better place to be poor in than New England.” Chandler discourages consulting...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Virginia City (Nev.); Paiute Indians; Lowell (Mass.)
Chandler writes on the bonanzas of the Virginia City vicinity, and the large crowds of people. “Every house, stable, and tent is full every night and many sleep in tunnels or holes in the ground.” He has been keeping books for some companies...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.)
Chandler writes that he likes “the mining business first rate although it is very hard generally.” Chandler also writes to his wife that he feels bad because he hasn’t been able to send Jane and others money, but “we can’t pick up the...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; Pioneers; Correspondence; Virginia City (Nev.); Mining claims; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Northern copperhead; Medford (Mass.)
Chandler gives an update of his mining investments and property holdings. He lists many common acquaintances, mostly from Medford, whom he has seen. He writes Jane to “Tell father to be a peace Democrat, if they do call him Copperhead, I am with...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.)
Chandler writes that “it takes a person who is a stranger in Cala [California] some considerable time to get the right hang of mining profitably it is much better to have experienced friends here.” He also mentions that there are “plenty of...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Mining claims; Hydraulic mining
Chandler writes that one man from a "party of raskals [sic]" that drove Chandler from his claim tried to repay him, but a thief stole the money from the man. Chandler washes his dirt by hydraulicking. Chandler writes about a storekeeper in Alpha...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Mining claims
Chandler writes of his struggles against claim jumpers, who are a "real Murder and Robber party" and a lawsuit that resulted in a hung jury. Chandler finds legal justice difficult, writing that "It is hard to get justice in Cala [California],...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1860-1890; Pioneers; Correspondence; Virginia City (Nev.); Paiute Indians Wars, 1860; Hays, John Coffee, 1817-1883
Chandler writes about the retaking of the first battle ground of the Paiute Indian War of 1860, the discovery of Captain Edward F. Storey’s body and his burial, which Chandler attended. He writes that General Haven and Colonel Jack Hays came over...
Gold miners; Gold mines and mining; West (U.S.) History 1848-1860; Pioneers; Correspondence; Nevada County (Calif.); Sons of Temperance of North America
Chandler mentions that he had a good Christmas dinner, “cooked first rate by the Lady Cook.” He also writes that “Alpha is the most temperate town or village in the mountains” and that “most of the boys belong to the Sons of...
