Hi Judy, I have the same exact questions. My Thomas Brooks apparently sailed from Wales and ended up in St.Louis MO. He then grabbed a wife and sailed around the Horn to Grass Valley via San Fran. He was a Welsh mining engineer. How he ended up in MO, I have no clue. Seems a wierd "jumping off" point, but he made it here and made his fortune. I hope some day to figure that story out, it has to be a ducey. I also have Irish emigrants who did it the old fashion way and went from Ireland to Conneticutt to Nevada then Montana then California. Something tells me alot depended on your financial status as too what was the mode of emigration in those days. Good luck in your search. I'm still trying to find out if there where arrival lists for San Francisco passengers from 1850-1860. No one on this list has answered even that little question. I'm hoping the "osmosis" method will kick in here soon. :) Ciao, Colin