The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-04

Porter, the son of DR.. Benjamin Porter, and
Cornelius Carpenter, son of Harvey W.
Carpenter. We sailed from New Bedford,
Mass, February 8, 1S49, in the good ship
Magnolia, with 127 passengers, twenty of
whom were Vermonters. The Magnolia
was then fifty years old an old whale ship,
but staunch and true like the old Green
Mountain State. April g. we arrived at
Rio Janeiro. We remained there seven
days; June ~ we were at Talcahuana,
Chill, where we also remained about seven
days, and August % we arrived at San
Francisco.
1 remained on the Pacific Coast until
November 10, 1850, when, in company
with George b. and George w. Reed
j started for Vermont, via Panama. New
Orleans, up the Mississippi, Ohio and
Monongahela rivers, crossing the Allegheny
Mountains by stage. There were no rail-
roads in the southern states at that time.
We visited Baltimore, Washington, Phila-
delphia, New York, Boston, thence home.
George w. Reed parted company with us
at New Orleans and went directly home.
At Washington we were delightfully."- enter
tanned by Senator Upham and his family,
consisting of his daughter Annette, and
George Langdon and wife, a daughter of
the senator. We were also entertained by
Lucius b. Peck, then a representative in
congress from Vermont and a citizen of
Montpelier. We had the pleasure of seeing
Webster and Clay, then serving their
G. j. Keith, banker of that city and
Vermonter, was particularly kind to us,
which was especially appreciated by me as
l was very sick with the Chagres fever.
OF our little band only four remain-George
B: Reed, residing in Cambridge, Mass, G:
w. Carpenter in Broadhead, Wis, and
| president of the Broadhead Bank, Edward
Porter, a successful rancher in Monterey
county California, and the writer, in San
| Francisco.
l remained at home some ten months, on
| account of my dear mothers sickness, and
February 20, 1851, made second start for
| California, via New York and Nicaragua,
| taking the steamer Daniel Webster on the
Atlantic, and steamer Pacific on the Pa
cihc. The young men that accompanied
me on that trip were p. p. Ptkin, Gustavus
| Washburn, Foster Dodge, Gustavus Hub
bard, and Perry Collins, all now deceased.
| There remain, still living, Leander Cole of
Oakland, Cal, Daniel Cole San Francisco,
j. ID. Clogston and Fri Morse, Montpelier,
Alfred Goodenough and William Carter,
both of Portland, Ore.
1t was my intention to confne my little
story to those who came to this country
| with me- but would like to make honor
able mention of other Vermont acquaint-
ances--Judge j. Nc. NJ Shafter, Frederick
Billings, f. N. Billings, Charles Webb
Howard, H. L. Dodge, Luther Dodge, Louis
r. Lull, Benjamin Porter, Henry X. Field,
II. II. Riker, the Roys, A. w. Scott, Alvinza
Hayward and General George w Cham
berlain. L. Burnell Cross and Fl. Bruce OF
Montpelier were on board the Inflated
steamer Independence" that was wrecked
February 16 1858, off the Margaretta Island
There were about five hundred passengers
on board and one hundred forty OF then
were lost. Cross and Bruce were saved.
l have written much more than ] in
tended, and in conclusion would say: The
Vermonters of California are no longer boys
but men-bonorable, upright men-not all
rich, but the majority in comfortable cir
cumstances, that is, those who are still liv
ing. Many have passed over tie river, bu
have left kind remembrances behind them
We have judges, lawyers, physicians, mer
chants, bankers, and some of the best farm
ers and dairymen in the state. Now, sir
we feel that we are deserving of those kline
words spoken of us. If there is any excep
ton to the rule, you will find there is some
thing wrong in their pedigree. The women
God bless them, they are always right.
SILAs MORTIMER COLLINS.
San Francisco March 20, 1894.