Quarto bifolium ca. 25,4x20,9 cm (10 x 8 ¼ in). Brown ink on bluish wove paper. Fold marks, small tears at the folds of the last page, slightly age-toned, but overall a very good letter written in a legible hand.

Historically important original content-rich autograph letter by a lucky California forty-niner.

The author, Johnson VanMarter (ca. 1826-1908), from Lyons, New York, set off for San Francisco during the Gold Rush of 1849. He journeyed by ship around Cape Horn, the southern tip of South America, and spent approximately four to five years in California. On his return, he crossed the Isthmus of Panama with a group of fellow gold miners. VanMarter made it back home with around $15,000 in gold. The 1870 United States Federal Census records him as a farmer living in Riley, Michigan, with his wife, Susan Wane, and their two children, Charles and Eva.

In the letter to “dear companion,” the author shares recent news from the mining country, including flooding in Sacramento and ongoing water shortages affecting mining operations. He compares the hard labor of miners with that of others (“they dont work so har for thar money as the miner dos”) and enthusiastically talks about the potential of his new land claim. Johnson also vividly describes a miner’s typical Christmas menu (beef soup, ginger cake, and “nicknacks”), proudly boasting that their bread is the best in the area. In the rest of the letter, he mentions buying new rubber boots, hiring workers for his land claim, and losing considerable money over the summer.

Overall, historically important original autograph letter by a California forty-niner.

The text of the letter (original spelling preserved):

I take this opportunity to converse a few words with you buy the way of righting being I am hear and you are thare and I am thankfull that we can hear from each other this way I have often thought of times past it dosnot give the heart satisfuction but I donot blame eny body onlly my self and I have taken things very calm so far and luy out to for I think mine will come after a wille  and I am a gointo stick at it I have got a Claim Pust below Rights. I and those and youngs and I think it will pay well this winter if we have water enough so we can work it out we have worked two weaks on it and it paid very well so I am contented we have had a quite a rain for the last two weaks and it over flowed Sacramento and don a good deal damage thare but they dont work so har for thar money as the miner dos last weak I had a man to work all the weak for me and if we have water we lay out & keep three a spell as lon as it will pay well now I will tell you how I feel I am well and in good health an hope these few lines may find you all the same I received your letter Susan that you rote September the 20, and was glad to gear from you and all the rest I would like to see you first rate and seeing I cant I will right to day is Sunday and last night it snode a litle and so to day is rather cool for this country and rather lonesome I herd from Thom yesterday and he was well I was sory to hear that David lost so mutch money but strangers aint mutch shure ten relation. but I have lost more then that this sumer but it may be all for the best I tell you this is a grate world we have got to take things as they come Rachel I would like to be home wen you have your little Ducky but you can let Susan eat my part and that will be the same so I was thare last sunday I help build a cabin for Charles Youngs he is hear in a bout four rods of our cabin he works a little buy the day when he aint to lazy he talks of goin home next spring now dont you let eny body see this so it gets out for my sake yesterday I bought a par of – Ruber Boots and paid eleven dollars for them I think they will keep my my feet dry eny body feels so mutch beter with dry feet then they do with whet yesterday was Christmas and my Cook day you cant gess what I got for diner I got beef soup and ginger cake and it was good that is besides the nicknacks and they was some for we have a diet every to or three days of the – and the best bread in this vicinity I supose you all a slay riding to day or would like to but I will wait and – for beter days when I get back Susan I have learned something cince I have bin hear I have learned how to rock the cradle and how to cook but when night comes I lick thee blankits of every night and to night I am gointo ty them down and see if I cant git reveng one night well to day is Monday and I will finish righting and give my respect to father and Rachel and all the rest and right as often as every two weaks and I will do the same without delay for I like to git a letter every mail for I am one of that guys that thinks a good deal of home thare is no place like home I tell you I think a grate deal of home & days a go I went down on the Mexican river and it rained hard and my foot rubed my ankle and it gas bin very bad and it aint mutch beter yet but I wore a inga ruber boot on that foot to day I worked and did very well and it is a geting late and I will close and right more next time Susan I will send you a dollar peace for I kinda think you will like it take and keep it and be a good girl till see you a gain.