The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-08-19
DEATH OF JAS. WILSON MARSHALL,

relatives living.
He was born at Marsbalrs Corner,
Hopewell township, Hunterdon county,
lsince set off to form part of Mercer
county,, October 9Th, 1910. His parents,
Philip and Sarah Marshall, removed to
Lambertville when be was about two
years old. When he became of proper
age, he learned the wagon and coach
makers trade of his father, who was car
rying on that business. While yet a
young man, he left this town and went to
Illinois, then to Indiana and subsequent
ly to the Platte Purchase, near Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas. Here he bought
a farm, but owing to malarial attacks
was compelled in few years to sell out,
and just at that time people had begun to
talk about the fertile valleys and broad
rivers of far-away California, and on the
first of May, 1874, Marshall, with train
consisting of one hundred wagons, set out
for the then almost unexplored West.
After weary journey, full of adventures
and vicissitudes, the party reached Cali
fornia in June, 1845, and camped at
Cache Creek, about 40 miles from where
Sacramento now stands The adventur-
ers parted here, journeying in several di-
rections, Marshall and few others going
to Suffers Fort, FL Dorado county, CAL,
where Marshall went to work for General
Suffer.
MarshaPs life at the fort was an un-
eventful one up to the summer of 1916,
when the Mexicans, hearing that a large
body of American emigrants were cross.
ing the plain, resolved to prevent them
from entering California. At this time
General Fremont was camped at Suffer
Buttes, near Marysville, aud he joined by
Suffer, Marshall and other whites, pre-
pared to defend their countrymen, and
what was known as the Bear Flag wal
was inaugurated. Marshall took promi-
nent part in all the engagements of that
short war. When, at last, in March 1847,
the treaty was signed, by which the indie.
pendence of California was secured Mar
shall procured his discharge from the vol
unteer service and returned to Suffers
Fort.
Before the breaking out of the Bear
Flag war, Marshall had purchased two
leagues of land on the north-side of Butte
creek, in what is now known as Butte coun.
ty. When he arrived here he found that
the majority of his stock had strayed oil
been stolen. He did not waste his time IN
vain regrets, however, but set about to
formulate plan to retrieve his fortunes
He decided to go into the numbering bust
ness, and fixed upon Coloma, in Ell Dora
do country, as good location for saw.
mill. Suffer was to furnish the capita
for the enterprise, and Marshall was to
be the active partner. The articles Of
partnership were drawn up by Genera
John Bidwell, and work was commenced
on the mill about August, 10, 1847.
On the 18th of January, 1S4S, Marshal
was uperintending the building of the
mill race. After shutting off the water
at the head of the race, he walked dowr
the ditch to see what sand and grave
had been removed during the previous
night. He strolled to the lower end o.
the race and stood looking down at the
mass of debris. At this juncture his eye
caught the glitter of something that lay
lodged in q crevice on rifle of soft
granite. He stopped and picked up the
substance 1t was heavy, of peculiar
color, and different from anything he had
seen in the stream before. He reflected
as to what kind of mineral the specimen
could be, and finally concluded it wal
either mica, sulphurets of copper-ol
gold 1t was too heavy for mica, was moi
brittle, as are sulphurets; and, remember
ing that gold is malleable, he placed the
nugget on fiat stone and began striking
it with another. The substance did moi
crack or flake off, but simply flattened
under the blows; and Marshall was salts
fed that he had indeed made an import
ant discovery.
In several days he collected few ounces
of the precious metal, and, as he had oc
casion to visit Suffers Fort in shorI
time, he took the specimens with him
He informed Suffer of his discovery, but
the General was incredulous, and it was
not until chemical experiments had set
tied the question beyond all doubt that
he would admit that the mineral was
gold. At last all doubts faded, and the
excitement began to spread. The news
flew over the country like wildfire, and
those whites who were then in California
went into the quest of gold with great
ardor and energy Additional revelations
were made daily, and the ne VS. of the dis
coveries were spread. Then came the
mad rush from the East and the Old
World. 1t was furious race for wealth
In 1S49 every sailing vessel and steamer
landing at San Francisco was crowded
with adventurers. They knew that gold
had first been found at Coloma, and many
went thither. Without inquiry or nego.
tiation, they squatted upon Marshall's
land about the mill, seized his work-oxen
for food, confiscated his horses, and mark
ed the land off into town lots and distri
buted them among themselves.
From this time on Marshall was the vic
tim of petty prosecutions. Many believed
that he knew of the whereabouts of valu-
able gold mines, and he was watched
closely and badgered because he did not
give information. Robbed of his proper
ty, he became prospector, but never
with great success The discovery which
brought fortunes to thousands, and made
California great State, proved his finan
cial ruin, and subjected him to endless in
suits and injuries. He became involved
in litigation as to the title of his land pur-