54

George Ulrey.

Letter from a Gold Rush shopkeeper and prospector regarding his Chinese and Spanish friends.

Double Springs (now Valley Springs), CA, 25 August 1851
Autograph Letter Signed to relatives Stephen and Jemima Ulrey. 4 pages, 9½ x 7¾ inches, on one folding sheet; folds, minor foxing, two later notes in ink.

  • Notes: This letter suggests that Ulrey has found a pleasant melting pot on the frontier. "I am now among the mountains, amidst numerous crowds of Spanards and French. I have an old Spanard about the house every day. He is a verry fine old man and answers a good purpos as interpreter, as I have trading post at this place. . . . I am not frade of being hurt. I have many friends amongst all classes of people, ten Spanyards here to one of our own country people. . . . This country is given much to hard drinking, ruination of many. . . . I keep no gambling about me, nor is it required by my customers. . . . Much murdering has bin done with hanging lately."

    He seems to have had more success at mining than most prospectors: "I made a verry good prospect yesterday, and sent an old German to open the mine for me this morning. I am the first decovery of that place and took up six claims without being desturbed as quarrels often take place, and often shot down over a claim. . . . I want to be in my new digings very much, for I think there is vast quantity of gold, for I have all ready proved it. . . . Since I have bin in the mines, I am making money fast enough, or as fast as I deserve." 

    Ulrey has high praise for his Chinese neighbors: "I see people from all parts of the world here, among them all the Chinese ar the most odd people, I believe, in the world. They are verry many of them here. They are honest, harmless and industerous. If all the other people were like the Chinees, their would not be any murdering, robing and stealing. . . . I shall inclose in this letter a small part of Chinee singing book. I got it from a young Chinee man as a present. I find no person that knows one thing in it." Sadly, the singing book is no longer with the letter.

    The letter is written to Stephen Ulrey (1821-1901) and his wife Jemima (1825-1908) of Ohio; the exact relationship is unknown. 
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