Hi Sharon and welcome. The California Helplist volunteers are a great resource for your search. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/6995/ You mention that you know your folks were in Butte, Calaveras and Shasta Counties. There is a volunteer to help you from Calaveras and Shasta Counties (no Butte volunteer at _this*_ site). Posted below is the name of the volunteer and the resources these folks can search for you. Note that the Shasta County volunteer specifically mentions land records! Calaveras County, CA Dru C. (King) Lewis [email protected] Calaveras County, California Calaveras County records (birth, marriages, deaths) Local Cemeteries Shasta County, CA Maria Edwards [email protected] Redding Area Newpapers - Obituaries Vital Records Index County Court House Land Records Shast Co. Historical Society (Covered Wagon Index) *I have more sites and sources to send later- Have fun, Carolyn > > > [email protected] wrote: > > > > > > I was wondering since I have just started looking into my gr,gr, grandfather > > > and families life in CA during the gold mining time, if anyone out there would > > > have any good ideas which books might hold information about my ancestors? > > > > > > They went to CA from MO in the early 1870's and I have found them in Calaveras > > > Co and also in Butte co and Shasta Co. I know they mined for gold and even had > > > a claim on a gold mine. I don't know which one. Their name was CATES. > > > (John Mathis or Mathew and also his sons, John Mathew and George Washington) > > > > > > I suppose I should try to find land records on them... > > > > > > > > > > > Sharon Moore > > > [email protected] > > > > > >