California Home Front | Spared & Shared 23

This letter was written in the spring of 1863 by 30 year-old Sarah Plummer (Young) Merwin (1833-1920), the wife of Samuel Hubble Merwin (1826-1898) of Sacramento, California. Sarah was born and raised in Gray, Cumberland county, Maine. Her parents were Nathaniel Young (1788-1863) and Hannah Plummer (1802-1872). Sarah wrote the letter to her sister Francis (“Frank”) H. (Young) Merrill, the wife of John Tappan Merrill (1822-1910), a house carpenter in Gray, Maine.

We learn from the letter that Sarah and Samuel were residing with Samuel’s older sister, Orpha (Merwin) Massol (1815-1905), and her husband, Florian Augustus Massol (1810-1890) just outside of Sacramento where her husband and her brother-in-law were partners in the Massol, Merwin & Co. (pack train business). We know that Samuel had another sister living in California also named Sarah (Merwin) Barkley (1828-1885) who was the wife of John Henry Barkley (1825-1892). This couple apparently resided in Dutch Flat in 1863 for Sarah describes the journey to visit them just prior to this letter.

Though Sarah’s narration of the journey to Dutch Flat and return was itself captivating, the most interesting part of the letter comes when Sarah picks up her pen to resume her writing on May 11th and describes the celebration in Sacramento on 9 May 1863 upon receiving the news (though false) that Richmond had fallen to Union troops. Doubts of the validity of this news must have crept into everyone’s mind by the time the Sacramento Daily Union published their morning paper on 12 May 1863 which begged to know, “Has Richmond been taken by General Keyes? That’s the question of the hour.”

Transcription

Sacramento, [California]
April 28, 1863

Dear Sister Frank,

I received your letter dates February 8th in due time, with a great deal of pleasure as I do all letter from home but have been very negligent in answering it as will know by this time. I will here say I am very well but rather tired having done a very large wash for me for the first time since last September. We are boarding with Samuel’s sister, Mrs. Massol and are very pleasantly situated with 7 in the family—Mr. and Mrs. Massol and little son 4 years old in October, and Henry Merwin & Samuel and myself and the hired girl (which they pay 30 dollars per month). She is a first rate Irish girl. Been here three years. She does my washing with the rest of the family’s. In fact, I’ve never done up but one shirt for my husband as yet, and that was when we were in the mountains.

I will give you a short account of our trip in the mountains. Three weeks last Thursday at half past 6 o’clock, we left here in the cars and went about 30 miles to Auburn Station. Then took the stage for Dutch Flat and rode 45 miles over the roughest road I ever traveled. Suffice it to say that the roughest road I ever traveled in the States was smooth compared with the best road here. We arrived there at 6 o’clock in the afternoon, and went over one piece of road 3 miles long where it was built on the side of a mountain which was 300 feet high and so steep that one could not walk up it, and this road was one hundred feet from the top and only just wide enough for the stage. It seemed to me that every time the wheels went round we should surely go down the bank next. When we came home, we had to cross that road about 2 o’clock in the morning and so dark we could not see the bank beside the road. Tell John I breathed about twice and then with a groan, but I have come to the conclusion that anyone might as well make up their mind to travel anyway if it is to take wings and fly if they come to California. ¹

We got well paid for going, however, for we just enjoyed every moment for three weeks with Samuel’s sister, Sarah Barkley, and her family consisting of her husband and 3 children and cousin George Merwin and wife. George lives on a small ranch. He sells hay for 60 dollars per ton, butter 75 cents per lb., milk $1 per gallon, eggs 50 and 75 cents per dozen, hens at 75 cents to $1 apiece. They had 1.25 chickens hatch out while we was there. They had 3 snow storms. The snow was from 2 to 6 inches deep. The vegetables were up in the garden and fruit trees—peach, apple, and pear—were in bloom so you see we have all the good things at once in California.

May 11th. You will see that it has been almost two weeks since I began this letter but I guess I will finish it. Now I must tell you the good news we received last Saturday eve. We (that is, Samuel and myself) retired about 10 o’clock and at half past eleven we were awakened by the firing of cannons and we got up and looked out of the window and the whole city seemed to be in flames. The church bells and engine bells and steam boat bells were ringing and I never saw so much confusion. The first thought that occurred to me was that the secesh had taken full possession as there has been strong talk of it. Perhaps you can imagine my feelings a little. But Orpha (Mrs. Massol) said she guessed it was good news. Samuel went down town to see and he soon came back and said Richmond is taken. I was on the piazza and I just hallowed to Mr. Pike and told him and he said it was too good to be true but he just stretched himself out of the window as far as he could and gave three rousing cheers for the Union. Then he hurried on his clothes and he and Johnnie went down town with all the rest of the men in the neighborhood while the women, 15 or 20 in number, went to work and built bonfires in the street. Mrs. Joseph Bailey from Saccarappa, Maine, set the example (she is a cousin to Martha Stevens, Henry Merrill’s girl). We worked as hard as we could until 3 o’clock when Orpha treated us with nice cake & then Pa, Susan, & the children, Samuel and I, and Mrs. Bailey went over in town and I tell you we had a good time generally and about 4 o’clock in the morning we retired to quiet rest again. But with all the wild excitement, we did not forget that God ruled it all and often we would hear some lady say, “Glory to God,” with tears rolling down her cheeks.

My husband is a strong Union man, I assure you. By the way, he sends his respects to you all. Will send you our pictures soon. Tell Mother he looks at her picture almost every day and wishes she was out here. I wish so too. I think the change would do her good and I know she would be contented. Susan says she thinks she would never ask for anything else if she could have Mother spend the rest of her days with her. She would wait upon her by inches, and do everything she could to make her happy.

Oh Frank, I tell you, we do not know how to appreciate our friends until they are taken from us. I cannot tell you how much we miss Father, but it is such a great consolation to feel that he was fully prepared to die and I spend so many happy hours thinking of him and feeling that he is watching over us. I hope you will all pray for us that we may be prepared to meet him in heaven. Oh dear sister, I really feel the need of it. Susan has just come in. She sends her love to you all. Mrs. Boothly has just gone from there. She enquired for you and sends her love. She has changed her mind about coming here. She is going to Washeo instead. She is going to have 100 dollars per month with her board and traveling expenses paid besides. She has done well since she has been here.

Tell Ella I am very glad to hear such a good report from Aunt Martha about her. I hope she will continue to be a good girl so everyone can love her (also little Jennie). Uncle Samuel says he is going to bring Ella back with us when we go home. I tell him I am afraid her mother would not consent to that. I want you to let both the children write in your next letter. I am glad that Jennie think enough of Aunt Sarah to send her a kiss. Tell John to write to me. Give my love to Father and Mother Merrill. Tell them they are remembered by us all. Tell her I received a letter from her a short time ago and will answer soon. Tell Charlotte Megguier I have written and sent her a long letter but received no answer. Also Henry Morse and John also. You must all remember that I have a great deal of writing to do and you must [tell] all the other members of the family to read or hear read your letters for when I write to one, I write to you all. Susan, Jennie, and I read each other all our letters. Give my love to Mother, Martha & Calvin. Don’t let Mother get low-spirited this summer if you can help it. I will send you a piece of some dresses I have got. I have just got them made.

Give my love to all enquiring friends and keeo a good lot yourself and John. From your sister, — Sarah P. Merwin

Direct your letter to Sarah P. Merwin, care of S. H. Merwin or Massol, Merwin & Co.

¹ Unbeknownst to Sarah at the time, this route between Auburn and Dutch Flat, as rough as it was, turned out to be the best route over the Sierra Mountains that was selected for the Central Pacific Railroad. It became known as the “Auburn and Illinoistown, Dutch Flat and Donner Pass” route.

This letter was written by 46 year-old Thomas Wainwright Colburn (1816-1882), the son of dry goods merchant Joshua Colburn (1783-1873) and Eunice Jones (1784-1871) of Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts. Thomas wrote the letter to his older brother, George Wood Colburn (1814-1896) who married Sarah Hovey Foster (1820-1914) in 1842.

Thomas made his way to gold fields of California in the early 1850s, taking up residence in Nevada City, California as early as 1852, possibly earlier. In was here in Nevada City that Thomas met and married his wife, Louise Mather (1821-1916) of Albany, New York. While in Nevada City, Thomas apparently entered into the firm Colburn & Jenkins which went bankrupt in 1856. I don’t know for certain what this business was but think it may have been a water canal enterprise associated with the mines. In 1870 Thomas was still affiliated in the mining industry, serving as secretary of the Hidden Treasure company in San Francisco. Thomas died in Stockton, California in 1882.

The letter is marvelously written and readers will no doubt marvel at the author’s prescience—and the confidence with which he expresses it—at the outcome of the civil war that has erupted between the North and South. He, I think, fairly accurately puts his finger on the cause of the “acrimony,” attributing it to the lack of understanding between the residents of the two regions who for too many years were fed falsehoods about each other by biased newspapers, leading to an “unjust prejudice.” [These distortions of reality are captured wonderfully in Thomas Flemings’s book, “A Disease in the Public Mind” published in 2013]

I particularly like his final sentiment which reads: “But while the Country is struggling through this sad and bitter experience in order that it may arrive at that future greatness with greater speed and certainty that is its unequaled destiny, let us who have not been so bereaved drop the tear of sorrow in sympathy for those who have offered up on the field of battle their sons and brothers, to secure to us and to those who shall come after us, the preservation of of the most beneficent and freest Government the world has ever experienced.”

Transcription

Per steamer via Panama
215 California Street
San Francisco [California]
February 20th 1862

Dear George,

Since my sojourn in this city, which dates back to the middle of October last, I have written sundry and various letters to the members of the family at home, to none of which have I as yet received any response and I am therefore during this long interval without any intelligence of whatsoever kind or nature of the movements, welfare or condition of those to whom I am bound by the ties of family and love, in the land of my fathers. This state of things is not, I assure you, the most agreeable; and to obviate it I will make at the present time another effort by remarking once more, that all communications from home sent to me by the overland mail during these troublous times, are quite sure either to fall into the hands of the Rebels hanging and prowling about the State of Missouri, burning bridges and robbing mail bags, or in the event of their escaping such a catastrophe, have hitherto met with the delays and total losses, incident upon the attempt to make the passage of the Continent during the inclemencies of a winter for the severity of which, the history of the county has no parallel. My letters homeward, therefore, during this interval, have been forwarded per Steamer via Panama in charge of the Express of Wells, Fargo & Co. and I have especially recommended letters from the family addressed to me to be dispatched by the same route in preference to having them subjected to the uncertainties and vicissitudes of the Overland Mail.

In the letters which I have written and remain unanswered I have adverted to the fact that it was my purpose to make this City my future place of business and home. That in this resolution, I had to some extent been encouraged by the prospects before me and I have no reason as yet to regret the determination to which I had arrived, but to the contrary shall make every effort to finally accomplish this purpose within the next two months at farthest, in removing my family from Nevada permanently to this City. I only feel sorry that circumstances have prevented me from carrying out this project a long time ago, but I feel that it is even now, better late than never.

San Francisco is and must ever continue to be the great emporium of the Pacific and as such contains within itself many more resources for all classes of society than a country village like Nevada. Besides which, to me, there is something more congenial to the feelings to live in and be identified with the affairs and events of a large city such as this has now become. When I can see my way clear for making some money, over and above current expenses, I will dilate fully upon my business matters generally. That time, I trust and have reason to think, is not far distant. Meanwhile my letters must continue to deal in anticipations and generalities. “Rome was not built in a day.” Neither is the hydra headed monster Rebellion to be annihilated in a moment. But we commence now to witness the beginning of the end.

Our last telegraphic news is the fall of Fort Donelson and the flag of the Union floats from the housetops of the City in commemoration of the joyous event. California has been from the first as loyal as any State of the Union and her great heart throbs in unison with her loyal sister States east of the Rocky Mountains. Sarah asked me some time since whether when this foul rebellion is once crushed, we would ever again become in sentiment—as well as in name—a united people. My reply is most emphatically in the affirmative. The acrimony which now exists on the part of the South had its origin in an unjust prejudice based upon almost inexcusable ignorance as to the real sentiments and feelings of the North. When the truthful page of history commences to make the record of this eventful period, this and future generations of southern men—when the passions of the human heart have subsided and reason reigns once more supreme—will peruse that page thoughtfully & dispassionately, and when the task is done, they will acknowledge with shame their ingratitude, their madness, and their blindness in the suicidal course they have pursued.

“But while the Country is struggling through this sad and bitter experience in order that it may arrive at that future greatness with greater speed and certainty that is its unequaled destiny, let us who have not been so bereaved drop the tear of sorrow in sympathy for those who have offered up on the field of battle their sons and brothers, to secure to us and to those who shall come after us, the preservation of the most beneficent and freest Government the world has ever experienced.”
Thomas Colburn, citizen, San Francisco, 20 February 1862

The North in its magnanimity towards a conquered brother, will seek every opportunity to show its generosity by word and deed and thus within this generation link again the South to itself in bonds of fraternal amity which no future contingencies can ever sever again. And another decade will witness the great and glorious spectacle of the most united people—the most prosperous and the mightiest nation on the face of the globe—never again to be disturbed by any internal dissensions and impregnable against the combined forces of the Old World. It takes no prophet nor the son of a prophet to predict this—and even far more. But while the Country is struggling through this sad and bitter experience in order that it may arrive at that future greatness with greater speed and certainty that is its unequaled destiny, let us who have not been so bereaved drop the tear of sorrow in sympathy for those who have offered up on the field of battle their sons and brothers, to secure to us and to those who shall come after us, the preservation of the most beneficent and freest Government the world has ever experienced.

With much love to Sarah and through you to our dear and venerable parents and the rest of the family in which Louise would heartily join me were she here, believe me, dear George, always

Your affectionate brother—Thomas

Mr. Geo. W. Colburn, Boston, Massachusetts