Hello Julia and others, This is really an interesting fine. I have heard that people came from "all over the world" for a chance to strike it rich in the 1849 California Gold Rush. Then California was very much a frontier area, not becoming a state until 9 September 1850 At the time, gold mining was mostly placer.. Quartz mining occurred later. I suspect that groups of English miners may be found in records for other mining boomtowns, which, like Placerville , appeared almost overnight. Some disappeared just as quickly. Very likely groups provided comfort, familiarity, and safety to the new arrivals in the wild, nearly lawless, territory. Placerville was first known as "Old Dry Diggings" and later "Hangtown". See the following bits of CA and Placerville history: "In February of 1848, Mexico and the United States signed a treaty which ended the Mexican War and yielded a vast portion of the Southwest, including present day California, to the United States. Several days earlier, January 24, 1848, gold had been discovered on the American River near Sacramento, and the ensuing gold rush hastened California’s admittance to the Union. With the Gold Rush came a huge increase in population and a pressing need for civil government. In 1849, Californians sought statehood and, after heated debate in the U.S. Congress arising out of the slavery issue, California entered the Union as a free, nonslavery state by the Compromise of 1850," "Shortly after James Marshall discovered Gold, the small town of "Old Dry Diggings" sprang up. Like so many other towns close to the original discovery site Old Dry Diggings (Placerville) rapidly populated with hundreds of gold seekers turning into thousands. Known as the "Road to the Comstock," Old Dry Diggings boasted the first railroad to the area and the first Telegraph. Old Dry Diggings and Georgetown were center stage in California during the "Wild West." As such, the town later earned the infamous name of "Hangtown" for the overzealous use of hanging as a means of justice." Given the railroad from Sacramento, Placerville was likely a popular gateway to the other gold rush towns and sites. Regards, Steade Sacramento, CA In a message dated 12/16/2012 12:28:53 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Hello Steade and All - . I know the lure of GOLD was there, and lots of people moved heaven and earth to reach California as soon as possible once the discovery was announced in 1849. So I checked the 1850 census at FamilySearch, and found the following: . Placerville & vicinity, El Dorado County, California - 30 October 1850 - image 34 of 135 . house 6 Peter COOMBE, aged 22, gold miner, England (this is the correct age for Peter in 1850. based on his baptismal record in St. Austell & the 1841 census) Stephen WEBB, aged 23, gold miner, England house 7 Henry BAWDEN, aged 35, gold miner, England Peter McDONALD, aged 27, gold miner, Ireland (and he had $500) house 8 John TRELOAR, aged 40, gold miner, England George COLWILL, aged 35, gold miner, England James RICKARD, aged 36, gold miner, England .