This collection includes three copies of John H. Towner's story, including a bound photostat, loose photostats and xeroxed pages of the preface and first chapter. Mr. Towner tells about his trip to the California Gold Rush in 1850. During the winter of 1849-1850, he heard about the Gold Rush while in school in Brookville. He wrote the first of January 1850, he "found that I had a very severe attack of the gold fever." He left on February 21, 1850,...

This is a typed transcript of John Ferris Riker's 1852 journal about his overland trip from Cincinnati to California to participate in the Gold Rush. A copy of the publication, which is 62 pages, is located at the Beinecke Library, Yale University. On the day of their departure, April 5, 1852, John Riker was 23 years old. His relative Aaron Riker was 22 years old, and his friend David Lichliter was 21 or 22. On page 3, John lists the three messes...