CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH – WEBSTER, J[onathan] P[almer (1821-1850)]. Series of six autograph letters signed ("J.P. Webster") to his brother David Webster in Manchester, New Hampshire , various places including New York, Panama, San Francisco, and Sacramento, 29 January 1849 to 29 March 1850.

13 pages, bifolioa, 250 x 200mm to 270 x 210mm, all with integral transmittal leaves (occasional spots of soiling and toning, mailing folds weak in places, small loss to the transmittal leaf of one letter).

Striking it rich and losing it all in California

"All I can now say is that it is the greatest Country in the world."

A dramatic Gold Rush correspondence, written by Jonathan Palmer Webster. Born in Manchester, New Hampshire, Webster worked as an itinerant penmanship instructor from 1837-1841, later removing to Charleston, South Carolina where he established "Webster's Writing and Drawing Academy on King Street. In late 1842 the academy relocated to Norfolk, Virginia, and over this time, Webster spoke as a professor of phrenology, first in Columbus Georgia, and later in Lynchburg, Virginia. From 1843 to 1847, he devoted himself to delivering lectures on animal magnetism.[1] Apparently, around this time, he also decided to move to New York where in 1848, he was granted an M.D. degree by the University of the City of New York (NYU).[2]

It is in New York on 29 January 1849 that the present correspondence opens. where he advises his brother David he expected to return home later in the week, "when I will give all the information in my power respecting the 'dust' fever," adding that the "excitement is greater than ever here and people are going stark mad." He expected to depart for California by 15 February, and ask that David "and John Calef to write as soon … and advise him to … prepare at once for California in company with me, as from the latest news there can be no doubt but he can make a fortune there in one year. Don't delay writing him."

His next letter comes on 22 June from Panama on the Pacific coast, where he had been spending the past two months, as he "had the good fortune to be appointed Surgeon to the U. S. Boundary Survey Commission, to establish the line between Mexico and the U.S. while here and that is not all; a few days ago I received the appointment of Physician and Surgeon to the 'California', the largest Mail Steamer Ship on the Pacific Ocean, from Mr. Nelson, the American Consul at Panama. I go on board tomorrow to sail for San Francisco the next day. This last appointment gives me a free berth in the best state room on the ship, together with the highest honors and a salary besides. I will resign my post at San Francisco for the more lucrative employment of gold digging."

Sixteen days after his arrival in San Francisco, Webster writes again, from a tent, advising his brother that he would head for the gold fields the next day. "Gold is as abundant as ever and the stories you have heard at home are not extravagant. The mines average from 12 oz. to some pounds a day. Common labor is 8 or 10 dollars a day in this place—board high." Promising a "full account" in his next letter while adding," all I can now say is that it is the greatest Country in the world."

His next letter reveals that Webster never made it to the gold fields, rather reaping riches in Sacramento. His ebullient letter 28 October 1849 describes a boomtown. "To be brief, this City, about 150 miles from San Francisco, is in great prosperity. When I came here I started a hospital and was full for the two weeks I continued it. I then made a change and built and opened a Hotel called the New York House, and am making money as fast as a reasonable man can desire. I have been open about two months, own the House, don't owe a dollar in California, have one or two thousand in the dust and could sell out and come home now with at least 5 or 6 thousand dollars." Hoping to remain longer awaiting an opportunity "to sell out at advantage," and concludes, that rather than enduring the hard labor of the mines: "I am better pleased with digging gold out of the miners' pockets after they have dug it from the earth as it is much easier." He admits while there "is plenty of gold here … it requires hard labor to get it, so say all the miners. I would not advise any man to come out here who has a good business at home. I may take a notion, however, to send for you" to raise "vegetables of all kinds." Webster then offers a revealing list of the cost of living in the first year of the California Gold Rush: "I have paid as high as 1.25 a pound for onions, 60 cents for Irish potatoes, 4.00 for a cabbage, 3.00 for a squash, 12½ cents a piece for cucumbers and pickles. I have sold melons for 4 & 5 dollars each. As for other vegetables there is none in the market. Next year there will be a good many engage in gardening and things will be cheaper but will still pay a large profit. We live well here but it is expensive. I have a fine fresh salmon and trout on the dinner table every day, some weighing 40 or 50 pounds, at 40 cents a pound. Lamb is 50 cents a pound, beef has been 25—it is now 12½ to 15—butter 1.00 to 1.50 per pound, lard 40 cents, ham 60—bacon 40, cheese 60 to 1.00, pork 40 to 60 dollars per barrel—flour 15 to 30 for barrel. I charge for meals 1.00 for breakfast and supper and 1.25 for dinner, 1.50 to 2.00 for lodging. I have a rush of business. I keep employed 2 cooks, 4 stewards and a bar-keeper. I pay my help from $100 to $200 per month."


"…everything looks cheerful except myself when I look in a glass…"

The winter of 1849-50 reversed Webster's fortune (and mood) profoundly. His letter of 29 January 1850 opens with Webster's lament of learning of the death of his mother in New Hampshire: Oh!! what awful intelligence. My God! Is it possible that my Mother, the nearest and dearest object on Earth, is taken away from me? Alas!! It is even so and we all have been deprived of a parent such as few have the good fortune to be blessed with." But he was unable to "dwell on this unpleasant subject longer as I am too weak in body and mind myself to permit it." Since his last letter, Webster had fallen ill with chronic diarrhea, "Land Scurvy," followed by a "general debility … until I was reduced to a perfect skeleton: even two weeks ago my life was despaired of. I am now improving quite fast and weigh 125 pounds."

To make matters worse, Sacramento had been devastated by a terrible flood on 8 January 1850: "We have now had a fearful flood on the Sacramento River and its tributaries which laid all Sacramento City under water so deep that the largest class whale boats passed the streets with ease; even on J. St. where I live you might count 50 or a hundred boats of all sizes passing up and down the street, carrying passengers, baggage and merchandize. The loss of goods has been immense from the imperfect character of most of the buildings. Many who lived in frail houses or tents found themselves without home or shelter and were obliged to flee to some buildings more secure for safety. I live on the highest St. in the City and on a high point and yet I had water on my floor over my knees. I lost two thousand Dollars at least by the flood in provisions and perishable materials and such as would float away." The flooding forced Webster to close his hotel, which he had been close to selling "for about $6000 just as the flood came which, of course, discouraged the purchaser." Yet he remined optimistic that spring would bring renewed business, and with it, renewed opportunities to make up for his losses. Webster writes that he had heard that their friend Rufus, who played fiddle, might emigrate to California: "Tell him to bring his violin if he has a good one as he can make money by that if nothing else. The musicians have been getting an ounce a day at the public houses."

Webster's optimism had faded by the end of March. Writing in his final letter on the 29th in what he thought might be his last. "When I last wrote you I informed you that I had been very sick since last fall with chronic Diarrhea. Since that time I have been up and down, better and worse. My last attack has been very severe and I have barely escaped with my life. I am now better but God only knows how long I shall remain so." His business had been decimated. His hotel, "in consequence of sickness, is still closed. Still I am obliged to employ help and submit to the extravagant expenses of the country. My means are growing less every day and if I die here there are thieves, robbers, and villains of all kinds to pocket what I have got." He laments that if he "had sold out and gone home last fall, I might have taken from five to six thousand dollars with me; but I did not, but 'the winds blew, the rains beat and the flood came' when I was on my sick bed and took my supplies away, many of those not washed away were stolen and I obliged to seek quarters with some of my help, to another Hotel on higher ground at 7.00 apiece a day." Indeed, the 1850 Census for Sacramento finds Webster living with seven others in a hotel, ran by Louis W. Graves, but appears to have been owned by Harriet A. Hopkins, aged 25 who held $8,000 in real property.[3]

His final letter concludes with guarded optimism at best. "The Spring has opened very fine and warm and everything looks cheerful except myself when I look in a glass. I have some prospects of selling out or leasing my place. If so, I shall leave for my health and will try and send you home some money by the next Steamer, if not you must compose yourself, be patient and believe you have an honest brother, even, perhaps, in the arms of death: if I live and I hope I shall, if only to repay your kindness to me. Upon the whole I am in very good spirits and think I shall get well, if so you will soon be paid and next fall return with a respectable pile." It is unknown if Webster was able to recover his fortune, but less than a year later he died on 14 February 1851.[4] He seemed to anticipate his untimely demise when he wrote: "In case of my death, I have made arrangements to have one of my trunks sent home, with some of the valuables, which I prize very highly as keepsakes for different members of the family, which God knows I love and if there is anything left after the settlement of my affairs I have also requested it to be sent to you and J. Calif but while writing home and thinking of my native land I feel stronger and have strong hopes that I shall now speedily recover."

However, the story may not end there. Page two of the 1 October 1851 issue of The Daily Alta California lists among the passengers boarding the SS. Oregon bound for Panama one "Webster, J Palmer." No further documentation of his subsequent travels have been found at the time of writing.[5]



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[1] Diane Richardson, Siovahn A. Waker, "Mesmeric Mania and Clairvoyant Somnbulists in 19th Century America." The Institute for the History of Psychiatry Annual Report to the Friends July 1, 2006 - June 30,2007. New York: Department of Psychiatry, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 2007, 29-30. Advertisement. The Southern Patriot, 13 May 1842, 3. Webster's papers are part of the collections of the Oskar Diethelm Library, Weill Cornell Medical College.

[2] "University Commencement" Spectator, New York, 29 June 1848, 3.

[3] Two other unrelated women, who like Hopkins, do not have occupations listed, appear at the top of the census listing for the building, one named Mary Mortine[?], aged 17 and listed as born "at sea," and Martha Washington, aged 20, born in Virginia. The other residents include Frederick Martin, the hotel's steward (born in England), as well as the German-born Harrison Johnson, aged 24 who worked as a "monte dealer." The National Archives, Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Sacramento, Sacramento, California; Roll: 35; Page: 152b.

[4] "Names of Deceased Persons for the week ending February 15, 1851." Sacramento Transcript. 28 February 1851, 8. Palmer's age is misstated as 35.

[5] Page 2. A burial record for Palmer is extant: California State Library Mortuary Records (Northern California), 1849-1900; Sacramento, California; Microfilm Reel #: 13. Webster is listed as "Buried Sacramento, City Cemetery, Tier 3, Grave 293." (Last update 26 December 2025).