How did 49ers cope with failure?
A lot of people in the Gold Rush struck it rich, but some did not. A lot of these people did not have families or were just flat broke. These people are important to the Gold Rush.
One of those people was Alfred Doten, he was 19 when he decided to sail to California. He and a group of men formed the Pilgrim Mining Company (he had direct ancestors that were pilgrims). He and his men got a free trip to CA, to return some of the gold they found, to the company money investor. His dad (Samuel Doten) was one of the people that had that job. When he was in CA he became a serious drinker. He had lost the money his father gave him. He did not find any gold in CA.
Alfred never did find gold, and even if he did, he probably would spend it all on alcohol. Even though he never found gold in CA, he never gave up. He looked around Nevada for gold. He did not want to leave empty handed, and he loved CA, and later in his life he just never went back home. He didn’t cope with that problem because he became an alcoholic.
Alfred never did find gold, and even if he did, he probably would spend it all on alcohol. Even though he never found gold in CA, he never gave up. He looked around Nevada for gold. He did not want to leave empty handed, and he loved CA, and later in his life he just never went back home. He didn’t cope with that problem because he became an alcoholic.
Another man that didn’t succeed at finding gold in the Gold Rush was Hiram Pierce. He was living with his wife, Sara Pierce in Troy, New York with seven kids. He had a job as a blacksmith and was not in good condition. He and his wife were reading about how gold had been found in California, so they tried to make a decision if Hiram should leave to go or not. Going to California was a choice that they never thought they would have to do. Hiram would now go to California. He missed his family from the very beginning of his journey. He paid $25 for a machine that would separate the dirt from gold. He worked six days a week and made barely enough money to split the money with his helpers (they each got $39.49). He and his wife both had some tough times. Sara had to sell the blacksmith place where Hiram used to work because Hiram had no money to send to his family. Hiram decided to join a mining company where he and and 12 other men spent $3,000 to dig a 700 ft. canal next to the Merced River so they could dig and find gold there, but that failed.
Hiram coped with his problem by deciding to go home even though he did not find gold in California, and he decided to get back to his old job as a blacksmith. He always wanted to go back to California. He also never got over that California fever.
Hiram coped with his problem by deciding to go home even though he did not find gold in California, and he decided to get back to his old job as a blacksmith. He always wanted to go back to California. He also never got over that California fever.
Another person was Vicente Perez Rosales, he lived in Santiago, Chile. After many other jobs he decided to become a gold miner in Chile. Later on in 1848 a boat came in Valparaiso from California and was carrying gold. Many people went California after that, including him. He went to make plans to rebuild his family’s wealth. He sailed with his three half brothers, a brother in law,two paid workers, and three servants. When he arrived he and the others began to search in Coloma. They used a cradle, just like Hiram Pierce did. They were very successful and made from 10 to 20 ounces a day.
Chileans and other non- American 49ers were not treated very respectfully. Non- Chileans attacked the Chileans to take all of their gold and other stuff, so Vicente had to fake as a Frenchman. Later he left his brothers in their camp and went to San Francisco. He realized that the people that were getting rich were not the miners but the people who would help or sell things to them. A friend of his told him a story that mean people were doing bad things to the Chileans in the place where he had left his brothers. He went right back to the camp and found his brothers robbed of everything they owned. Later they got enough money(after his brothers did some little paid jobs) to open the Citizens Restaurant in San Francisco. He hired a famous French cook. Business was steady but then someone set a house that was close by on fire, then the fire caught much of the city (including his restaurants) on fire. They decided to go back to Chile even though they made barely any riches. Back home later Rosales became a very famous man.
These are people who did not get rich. They came from many countries and they all have different backgrounds. Some had families and some did not, but what we can say is that they were some of the men that worked the hardest of all the 49ers.
Kamden S.
Sources:
Chileans and other non- American 49ers were not treated very respectfully. Non- Chileans attacked the Chileans to take all of their gold and other stuff, so Vicente had to fake as a Frenchman. Later he left his brothers in their camp and went to San Francisco. He realized that the people that were getting rich were not the miners but the people who would help or sell things to them. A friend of his told him a story that mean people were doing bad things to the Chileans in the place where he had left his brothers. He went right back to the camp and found his brothers robbed of everything they owned. Later they got enough money(after his brothers did some little paid jobs) to open the Citizens Restaurant in San Francisco. He hired a famous French cook. Business was steady but then someone set a house that was close by on fire, then the fire caught much of the city (including his restaurants) on fire. They decided to go back to Chile even though they made barely any riches. Back home later Rosales became a very famous man.
These are people who did not get rich. They came from many countries and they all have different backgrounds. Some had families and some did not, but what we can say is that they were some of the men that worked the hardest of all the 49ers.
Kamden S.
Sources: