The first page of this letter was copied from a photocopy of the original letter. The remainder was copied from a handwritten copy received from Sara Leota Mutz, a granddaughter of Arthur Tyrrell. She copied it from a typewritten copy of the original.

Page One

California
Shasta City May 24th 1852

Dearest friend

I again take the pen to address a few lines to you it being the only way I can converse with you at presant   they leave me in the best of health and I esteam it the greatest blessing in the world   I allso hope it will reach you and friends injoying the same blessing  Hieram received a letter from Jane four days ago dated 4th and 5th of March and directed to Sonora   it was remailed by a friend and come to him in Shasta  she states you have not received any letters from me since I wrote in the letter book   I have written a number of times since that   I received one from you directed to Marysville one from B F Parker directed to Sacramento   they was both dated in June   Hiram and I was in Sacremento and we received one written by Samuell and you dated in January   H has wrote S one in return as a answer   I have sent to San Francisco for letters and have bin there once myself   I have not reseived any nor find any thar at San francisco   we must have negligent post masters in California   I will not pay the postage this time it may make a diferance   I have payed on all the last   I believe it bad policy

Page Two

I will try them   I will pay the postage on a news paper and send it to your father   the Shasta Courier published in this place   it will start with this letter

I will now tell you what I have done and intend to do as I have stayed over the time I was to come back   The first summer I had bad luck   I did not make much in the fall   I was not able to work much in the winter   Hirum borded me in the spring  I was in debt to him   the 3rd of August 1851 had made enough to pay him up then I wanted to go futher north but had no money   Hirum furnished me with 160 dollars and I started leaving him at Nelson Creek   in 3 weeks I arrived at Shasta flats   some of the Company was taken down with the chills and fever as soon as we arrived   I waited upon them for two weeks dureing that time 5 of the company was takan down then it came my turn   it being the ague I didnt fear it   I did not imploy a doctor but after shaking 2 times I took 2 tablespoonfulls of cayann pepper at one dose   it burnt all the chills out of me and in two weeks more we was able to start back to Shasta City where we arrived in October   I made preperations for winter   I bought some tools to work with   $160 all gone   I stayed in this vicinity untill the middle of Febuary 1852    I had received a letter from Hirum   he wrote to me to meet him at Sacramento the 1st of March to go home with him  I wrote to him I would meet him there    I left Shasta with 4 hundred dollars

Page Three

went as far as Colusa 120 miles with Edward McGoon H McGoons son    I stoped 2 days in the time   I found Ben White be did not have any honey fore nor I for him he was well   I left Colusa on a steamboat arived same night at Sacramento   did not find Hi but saw several old acquaintances   I waited one week   I then went on a steamboat to San Francisco   No Hi there   I found a man by the name of Robb an aquaintance of Hi and myself   He was going to Nevada   he sed he would tell George Foster and have him write to me whare Hi was   I wated 3 days and received a letter from G Foster stating Hi was at Sonora   during the time I wated I saw a man from Santacruze   he was well acquainted with Mr Rice Imus and Silas Bennet   They was well I saw two of the Garners from cherry Grove that started home   I saw Pickering on board a steam boat as it was leaving the warf for Sacramento   I hailed him   he looked and saw me   I talked a few words and the boat made so much nois I did not learn where he was from or whare he was going   he looked well and harty   I now start for Sonora Steamboat to Stockton   there I found carpenter Bailey   he was well   next day left with a teamster   I called in house to git some drink and found Dewitt Dow   the first time I had seen him in the country   he was well and to work for the man at $60 per month   he said he did not drink any liquor

Page Four

I think he does not by his look I went on   arived with Hi   found him well he had not made anything through the winter and had given up the idea of coming home this spring   I would not come and leave him and after paying him the 160 and my passage   I would arive thare without a dollar   we concluded to try a little longer   I cannot tel now when I will come but we will come together if we both live   We came to Shasta with the intention of working in this vicinity as long as we stay in the mines  I want you to do the best you can   I wish you was here and your father and mother   it is the best country I ever saw for a man and family   I have bin unlucky about finding gold and I am in hopes my luck will turn better   I am sorry to hear of deaths & sickness but it will come in all countrys and lands   Let your father manage as he thinks best   I will try and satisfy him when I return but dont think hard of me for staying away   you would hate to have me come back on your account and have nothing   I want to try if I cannot make anything I will go to work by the month and get money and come home   I will write every month and Hiram intends to write every month so you may have news from us twice a month or every mail   keep in good courage   dont git down harted   you told me to remember the promices I made   I do   I will never forgit all-though I may neglect them at times

Write to me direct your letters to Shasta City California

After my best respects to you I send them to all I mean the whole

A Tyrrell to E J Tyrrell

Compliments of:
Ray W. Justus
1331 West Folley Street
Chandler, AZ 85224-7511
(602) 963-4811