James Marshall was a skilled carpenter when he went into business with John Sutter. Sutter had a fort that was frequented by settlers coming to California. Sutter dreamed that his land would become a little kingdom, with him as the king. A kingdom needed a sawmill, so Sutter went into business with a carpenter named James Marshall. Marshall would build the sawmill on the American River. One day, while building the mill race (a channel for water going to the water wheel), he noticed something glittering.
I picked up one or two pieces and examined them attentively; and having some general knowledge of minerals, I could not call to mind more than two which in any way resembled this, iron, very bright and brittle; and gold, bright, yet malleable. I then tried it between two rocks, and found that it could be beaten into a different shape, but not broken. I then collected four or five pieces and went up to Mr. Scott (who was working at the carpenter’s bench making the mill wheel) with the pieces in my hand and said, “I have found it.”
“What is it?” inquired Scott.
“Gold,” I answered.
“Oh! no,” replied Scott, “That can’t be.”
I said,–“I know it to be nothing else.”
- James Marshall
Marshall rode to the fort to inform Sutter. Sutter did a test and the metal was indeed gold. He realized the discovery could cause problems if it led to a flood of gold seekers. He and Marshall decided to keep it a secret. But the workers at the saw mill did not agree to that. Word soon spread. So much that in a speech given by Pres. James K. Polk, he mentioned the discovery. The rush was on! Since the first wave came in 1849, they and later arrivals became known as “49ers”. This was disastrous for Sutter and Marshall. The workers left the mill, so Marshall was ruined. He died poor. Sutter’s land was overrun. His cattle were all killed. His fields were overrun. He also died poor. But don’t shed any tears for him. He had been running his kingdom off local Indian labor. If his workers escaped, they were brought back by posses to be beaten and sometimes executed.
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-jamesmarshall/
https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/january-24/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_W._Marshall
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gold-discovered-at-sutters-creek
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