Hi Ruth, In August of 1855, a gentleman wrote the editor of the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper that the Mormon Island Cemetery (east of Folsom in Sacramento County) was being sluiced away by the "Sidney Covies & c." I always thought that was the name of a mining company. But in reviewing the history of Sidney-Town on the Barbary Coast, I'm more inclined to believe it was just a group of Australian miners who were hard at work desecrating the first cemetery of that town. In March of 1856, the Granite Journal (later the Folsom Telegraph) published a note advising people who had loved ones or friends in the Mormon Island Cemetery to make arrangements to remove their remains from the cemetery as it was about to be mined away. In 1854, the Legislature made it a felony to disturb a grave yard and the penalty was from one to ten years in prison. By 1857, the Legislature was receiving requests for approval to relocate cemeteries, among them the Bidwells Bar Cemetery (1857) and in 1858, it approved the relocation of the Cold Springs Cemetery in El Dorado County. I have always believed these actions became necessary as a result of what occurred at Mormon Island. I've not been able to prove this, though, as there is not much in the way of Legislative digests for that time period. Thanks for posting this. Sure shed some light for me! Sue Silver, President El Dorado County Pioneer Cemeteries Commission a California 501(3)(c) Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation ssilver1951@jps.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ruth Skewis" <ruth4527@mindspring.com> To: <CASANFRA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 8:32 AM Subject: RE: [CASANFRA] Sydneys Ducks > Hi Carol > > You will be able to learn about the Sydney Ducks at this web site.. > > http://www.zpub.com/sf50/sf/hbtbc3.htm > > Or do a google search http://www.google.com/ (typing in Sydney Ducks) and > you will find additional sites of interest.. > > BTW - note the spelling - no "s" after Sydney....... > > Hope this helps, > > RUTH > > _________________________________ > Ruth(Grady)Skewis-Sacramento, CA > ruth4527@mindspring.com > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: PJones2536@aol.com [mailto:PJones2536@aol.com] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 4:41 AM > > To: CASANFRA-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [CASANFRA] Sydneys Ducks > > > > > > Hi Listers , > > Can anyone tell me how the Sydneys Ducks got their name ?. What > > was their > > purpose ? And was this group just in California ? > > > > Thankyou > > Carol (Wales) > > > >