Louise and Fayette had always wanted to go West, Louise first mentioning her desire to do so in one of her letters to Everett. While Fayette was studying medicine in Vermont, the couple found the excuse to go to California at the discovery of gold and caught gold rush fever Upon arrival in California, both Louise and Fayette were ill. Louise had suffered from chronic illnesses throughout the 1830s and 1840s. Her first year in California was spent taking care of Fayette who had been sick for their whole first year. During this time, Fayette was able to obtain an absentee degree from Castleton, making him a doctor. Their first year in California was spent living in San Francisco and Plumas, which was located near Marysville in the north-central part of the state. Fayette was elected as a delegate to a political nominating convention and was also chosen to serve on a committee protesting the tactics of agents hired to help the incoming immigrant wagon trains from across the Plains.