Archive of Gold Rush Letters 1852-1864 Oliver O. Parvin of Salem, New Jersey writes to his uncle, physician Quinton Gibbon ((I found these letters are up for bid on e-bay , but at a very high price. I have NO connection with them at all. I thought the info posted on this site might be of some interest to SouthJersey researchers.)) Susan Winters 12 Letters, 42 pages, with 9 Envelopes. Please email me for link to view the complete text of all letters. _ Please click on the above two envelopes to view a webpage of all 9 envelopes. * * * * * You are bidding on an archive of 12 letters, totaling 42 quarto pages, and 9 corresponding envelopes, written from Oliver R. Parvin of Salem, New Jersey, to his uncle Dr. Quinton Gibbon, also of Salem, New Jersey. The correspondence spans just over a decade, with the first letter written in 1852 from the quays of New York while young Parvin is preparing to board the steamship Cherokee to California. I think that a good many that are going had better stay at home and probably myself amongst them, but as I have put my hand to the plough I will not look back, to say the least I will not come back until I see the Elephant which I will see if I live and if I should not it will not make any difference. After a three month journey, Parvin arrives in California, but not before surviving an extended passage on a sailing craft between Panama and Acapulco. While I was on the ocean we were becalmed between two and three weeks at a time, rolling and pitching on the same everlasting--glassy swell, with a vertical sun shining down upon us, while the old ship seemed to be the centre of its burning rays. The music of creaking rigging and spars, the flapping of sails, the consciousness that you are gaining nothing on your voyage, and that so much time is taken from the sum total of our short existence, is anything but pleasant I can assure you. Over the coming years, Oliver Parvin continues to write home to his uncle, who adopted him when he was a young man. Parvin's mother -- Quinton's sister [nee Eliza Gibbon], married to Jeremiah Parvin -- appears to have died when he was just 23, and thus Oliver seems likely to have been adopted by Quinton Gibbon. Dr. Quinton Gibbon is known as one of the local physicians in Salem to have aided John S. Rock in his early medical studies (1840s) by providing tutelage and access to his personal library. John S. Rock (1825-1866) of Salem, was a preeminent Afro-American physician, dentist, lawyer, abolitionist, writer, and orator, one of the first to receive a medical degree in the US, and the first to be accredited to practice law before the Bar of the US Supreme Court (among other things). It seems likely that Oliver knew John S. Rock, given the years that Rock accessed Dr. Gibbon's library and assistance, though I've not noticed any mention of his name in the letters. From Sacramento City, Parvin then moved through and around the gold country of California, writing from Downieville (Sierra County), Coloma (El Dorado County), McAdams Creek (Siskiyou County), Deadwood City (Nevada County), Yreka (Siskiyou County), and the Eel River (Humboldt County). In the fall of 1852 he writes of the political scene in California. Political excitement runs pretty high here at present. Both parties are drilling their forces for the coming contest. The whigs are the most enthusiastic and turn out strong at all their meetings. When the democrats held their ratification meeting it was proposed in one of their resolutions that nine cheers should be given for Pearce and King. They succeeded in raising two but the third one stuck in their throats which caused quite a laugh amongst the whigs present. The whigs are quite sanguine of the success of Scott and Graham in the state of California. Writing in the summer of 1853 Parvin tells of the Salem, New Jersey men who evidently were there in California on the same pursuits of gold. I think the Salem party, or at least the greater part of them, would be glad if they were back once more in the city of Salem. I imagine they would stay there perfectly satisfied with their visit amongst the auriferous placers of this Modern Eldorado. D. N. Smith/ & Casper W. Sheppard sold their interests to the company, they having bought interests in the drifts out of which D. P. Smith/ took the greater part of what he made in California. Mr. Peter Bassett has become disgusted with the country and has sent for money to take him back I guess he thinks his unlucky stars has been in the ascendancy ever since he left home. D. N. Smith received a letter from James English yesterday. He states that their company has all broken up. Chas W. Roberts left some time ago and is now/ clerking for D. McDaniels at Stockton. Josiah Hewes & Horatio Loyd left a few days ago for the valley. There is none left but himself and G. E, Miller. They are doing nothing. We have written them to come to Downieville and selling them the shares which we bought of Smith & Sheppard. In 1855 he writes from Coloma that he's been at work... ...on a flume on the Cossumnes River. Or more properly speaking an aqueduct. The canal and acqueduct is some sixteen miles long, and is to carry water to those who are mining in the hills and dry ravines where water can be obtained in no other way. It has cost something over a hundred thousand dollars, and is divided into eight shares. On Christmas, 1856, Parvin writes a poignant passage to his uncle: To day being Christmas and having nothing to employ myself about I concluded that I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living, and also to see if there was any possibility of my receiving an answer in return. I have written three times since I have received a letter from you, and I cannot imagine why such should be the case. I wish you upon the receipt of this to give me a history of all the events that have transpired for sometime past. I wish to know how all the fair sex of my acquaintance are flourishing, and if any of them thinks that they would like for me to return, they have only to command, and I am their most humble servant. I wished you all a happy New year and may it bring you nought but happiness, Roast Turkey, Goose and all the Etceteras that go towards making a happy Christmas & New Years rose vividly before my imagination, and the thought of them makes me feel considerably down in the mouth, I can assure you Most of the miners in this vicinity are having what most of them term a jollification. At our cabin our cook (a very important personage by the way) thought he ought to distinguish himself in the culinary department, and being somewhat benevolent he made a large Duff about the size of a fifty pound sack of flour. Sixteen of us eat to our satisfaction, and had some left for the poor and needy, if there be any such. I suppose you would like to/ know what I am doing and how I am prospering in this part of the world. It is pretty hard to tell for I hardly know myself I am still digging in this modern Eldorado for a pile. I have been opening a deep claim on McAdams Creek for the last year and it will probably be six months before we shall receive any remuneration for the labour and capital invested. Our claims are 60 feet deep and in the bed of a creek. Water has troubled us very much. We have one pump which cost us eight hundred dollars and other machinery equally expensive I expect next fall either to be in circumstances or not worth enough to buy a steamboat if they were selling at a dime apiece. Life in California is mighty checkered, and fortune wonderfully fluctuating I sometimes make money fast, and spend it considerably faster, but take California with all its ups and downs. I am pretty well satisfied. As each year passes, Parvin yet remains in California, determined to make his "pile." He writes, in 1858, of fellow miner's wife coming to the gold fields. We have a young man sifting for us whose wife became tired of waiting for him to come home, so she bundled up and came out here to him. he was surprised one day by receiving a short note that his wife was in Yreka. he sloped in that direction in double quick time. he returned with his Lady. I have been in their cabin several times, every thing looks as neat as a pin. It gives me the blues to come back to my own cabin every thing looks dirty and God forsaken. Do you know of any good Lady that thinks she would take me for better or worser put her onboard of a steamship, and if one wont do put her on two, and send her along. She shall be duly installed in the home department, over which she will doubtless preside with much Grace and Dignity. And, later in the same letter, he speaks of his determination to remain until he has made his fortune, mixed obviously with his wistful longing for home: A young lady of Salem wrote in one of her letters to me that every body that left Salem, always came back as soon as they could raise money sufficient to pay the passage. I don't know but what that is the opinion of all you good people, but allow me to assure that such is not the case with myself. I have paid the passage of three men to New Jersey since I have resided in this part of the world. If I cannot return with more than enough to pay my way I shall never return. There is nothing in this world that would give me greater pleasure than to pay you all a visit. It is this thread throughout his letters home that shows us the wistfulness of this man. I do not know whether or not he ever actually made it back to his Salem, New Jersey home. By 1860 he finds himself in the Eel River Valley which he describes thus: The hills are covered with a mantle of Green the year round. Stock requires no feeding. It is in fact with one exception, the Lazy Mans Paradise. It is at the present time rather out of the way, being newly settled, and surrounded by a rough country. It is situated about one hundred and eighty miles up the coast from San Francisco. We are somewhat of an isolated community, but are looking forward to the good time coming when we shall not labor under so many disadvantages as at the present time. We the inhabitants are I suppose a sort of community link between civilization and heathenism. Outside Barbarians seem to consider us in somewhat that light. The Methodist denomination sent a missionary amongst us last year. There is not much marrying and giving in marriage in this part of the world Young Ladies are wonderfully skarce, only two in the valley. And two thousand Batchelors all willing to throw themselves away. Some have found their affinity amongst the beautiful native maidens of the valley and appear perfectly contented. So wags the world. As for myself I am perfectly free an untrameled by either native or foreign Exotics. In his last letter, written during the Civil War, we read that Parvin has made his way to San Antonia de la Huerta, in the Mexican state of Sonora, having been drawn there by mining prospects. As with most of his mining endeavors, this one too has not fared as he would have liked. I came down here to with a company to work a gold mine. It was two years ago now, and fortunately or unfortunately we all became perfectly dead broke. My usual success in mining enterprises. In several instances in California I thought my circumstances were rather squally but Mexico capped the climax. We worked the mine as long as there was a hope left, and at last concluded the best thing that we could do was to leave also and we done so. There was twelve of us. Some went one way some another I started for California I took an inventory of my worldly goods, which consisted of one old horse saddle and bridle, three dollars in hard cash, one check shirt, something in the shape of pants, but if any body could tell what the original was he could do more than I could, for they were patched until they was nothing but patches. You would without doubt have laughed heartily if you could have seen your promising nephew imitating the Mexicans in the washing department, that was when my shirt became so that it was not hardly presentable in the uper circles. I would visit the river and take off shirt and wash it, hang it up to dry and lay in the shade until it was dry or put it on wet. A man was perfectly independent he could do as he please. I forgot to tell you that then I was in the state of Sinoloa. I saddled my horse bought/ some pinole and travelled. I brought up/ in San Antonia de la huerta, in english is the garden of San Antonia. It certainly belies it name for it is the same as all Mexican towns a collection of mud shanties devoid of all beauty. This place is distant from where I started three hundred miles, here I found a silver mining co. said they wanted a carpenter so I went to work at five dollars per day I worked there some three or four months until the mill quit running. To give the thing its proper name it was a grand fizzler. The company spent three hundred thousand dollars and I don't think that it is worth that many cents. Now I am working for another company, have bought a few shares in the institution and as a matter of course I am looking forward to the time when silver bricks will be a very common article with me. As ever, Parvin shows his sense of optimism despite misfortunes. He was truly an American adventurer! Whether he ever returned home to Salem, New Jersey, is anyone's guess. I suspect that further research in the local historical archives of Salem County Historical Society would reveal more answers about Oliver R. Parvin. After all, there is a Parvin State Park situated in Salem County, New Jersey: In 1867, Lemuel Parvin (who I believe was related, perhaps a brother, to Jeremiah Parvin, Oliver's father) acquired the surrounding property and built a saw mill. Please be sure to read the letters as I've transcribed them (with line breaks / and all original typos [and perhaps a few of my own]). Email me for the link to that web page. And be sure, if postal history is your interest, to view the webpage on the nine envelopes that have remained with this collection through all these past 150 years. View them here. The condition of the letters is very good overall. They have each been placed in archival mylar sleeves (open along top and one side), as have been the envelopes. The envelopes' condition of which can be seen in the page of scans linked just above.