Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-21

nal Nugget Found by Mr.. Marshall
In IS46.
A correspondent Of the San Francisco
Bulletin gives the following interesting
story OF the fra discovery Of gold in
California, as told him by Mrs. WINNER,
who has in her possession the identical
piece which caused such a revolution in
the history Of the Pacific coast;
"We arrived here in November, l846," !"
said Mrs. WINNER, with a party Of
fourteen families, across the plains from
Missouri. On arriving at Sutter's Fort
Sacramento, we found Fremont in need
Of more'men. My husband enlisted be.
fore we had got the oxen unyoked, and
left me and our seven children at the
fort in care of Commissary Curtain. We
drew our rations like common soldiers
for four .,nonths. Captain Sutter ar
ranged room for US in the fort AS
soon as Mr.. Winner returned from
Santa Clara, where he had been stationed
during the winter, he Joined three others
and went over the mountains TO what is
now called Bonner Lake, to fetch over
the effects of the Donner family, after
that terrible winter Of suffering that you
have heard about.
I'm June, lS41, they loaded all our
household plunder for Battle Creek, up
.on the Sacramento, to put up saw mil, ,
but they changed their plans aud went
to Coloma. Captain Sutter and ]. W.
Marshall we're equal paFtners, and were
ne head of the expedition, After seven
davs If travel, blazing trees, we arrived
Al sund,, ,,~p q mile above the town. Next
morning Mr.. WINNER went out to select
a site for the mil aud ] site for the
house. He was to oversee the Indians,
be handy man about, snd was to be
covk. We had from fifteen to twenty
men employed. We soon had d log
house-a good log house-and log heap
to cook by.
They had been working on the mill.
race, dam, and mill about six months,
when, one morning along the last days
of December or the FIRST week OF Janu.
ary, 1918, after an absence of several
days to the fort THAT was our San Fran.
cisco in those days., Mr.. Marshall took
Mr., WINNER and went down to ace what
had been done whilehe was away. The
water was entirely shut off, and as they
walked along, talking and examining
the work, just ahead Of them, on little
rough, muddy rock, lay something leok.
ing bright, like gold. They both saw it,
but Mr.. Marshall was the first to stoop
to pick it up, and, as he looked at 1t,
doubted its being gold.
. Our little son Martin was along with
them, aud Mr.. Marshall gave it to him
to bring upto me. He came in hurry
and said Here, mother, here's come.
thing Mr.. Marshall and pa found, and
they want you to put it into ssleratus
water to see il it will tarnish said,
this is gold, and will throw it into my
ley.kettle, which he'd Just tried with
feather, and if it is gold it will be gold
when it comes out. | finished of my
soap that day, set it off to cool andit
set there until next morning. AT the
breakfast table one Of the work hands
said, / heard something aboutgold be-
ing discovered, what about it2 Mr..
Martin told him to ask Jenny, and | told
him it was in my soap-kettle hr. Mar
shall said it was there If it had not gone
back to California.
"a plank was brought for me to lay
my soap upon, and ] cut it in chunks,
At the bottom of the pot vas o double
handful of potash, which l lifted in my
two hands, and there was my gold as
bright as it could be. Mr.. Marshall still
contended it was not gold; but, whether
he was afraid his men would leave him
or he really thought so, ! don't know.
Mr.. WINNER remarked that it looked
like gold, weighed heavy, and would do
to make money ont Of. The men prom
ised not to leave till the mill was finish.
ed. Not being sure thatit was gold, Mr.,
Winner urged Mr., Marshall to go TO the
fort and have it tested. He did 80, and
George McKinstry an Rsssyer, pro
nounced itgold. Captain B0tter came
right up with Mr. Marshall, and called
all the Indians together, and agreed With
them to certain boundaries they claimed,
and on the right Of discovery demanded
thirty per cent. Of all gold taken out.
They, in payment, we're TO give the In
diansa certain number Of hsndkerchiefs,
pocket lookingglasses, shirts, beads and
other trinkets.' astsIi ialE. lsSr
Mrs Winner will you he kind
enough TO tell me how you came in pos.
session Of the piece Of goldg' "a
| "Yesj il was just this way One day
Mr.. Msrshall was pscking Gpt 80 away.
He had gathered together a good deal Of
dust on this 80 per cent. arrangement,
and had 1t buried under the hoor In
overhaIIling his traps. he said 10 me in
the presence OF Elieh Packwood, Jennyi
will give you this piece Of gold, 81.
ways INTENDED 70, have q ring made from
il for nay my mother, but will give II to
you. l took it, aud have had in my
1 a