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Recently Discovered Letters to Home from the Gold Mines of California – 1850–1854

When George Hollingsworth set out from Missouri in 1850, leaving his wife and four children behind, he promised his time away would be worth it. His letters to Elizabeth describe dreams of “making enough to live a life of comfort”—if he could just endure the journey, the trials, and find that rich claim! George’s fascinating story describes one man who sought to ease his suffering back home by striking gold in California. But what was life like back home? What was the experience of crossing those rugged plains and mountains? And why did so many people return from California empty-handed, if they returned at all? This firsthand account gives us a glimpse into the heart and mind of America in the 1800s—into the brutal realities and the strength of character it took to face them head-on.