Amador ledger., 1901-03-01
Zone By One"

so pass away the old 40 pioneers.
On Wednesday. Feb. 10th, at p. m.
at his residence in Pine Grove, passed
away James 7. Wheeler in his 18th
year of age. He seemed to be in great
pain all the morning, and at the hour
above named he sat down in his chair
while his wife ran for medicine. The
last words he said when the medicine
was offered were: 81 can't talk" and
putting his handkerchief to his eyes
began to weep. Mrs. Wheeler went to
summon her daughter, and returning,
found him gasping for breath. She
screamed for the bOarders to help, who
reminded her that he was beyond help,
that all was over. He had succumbed
at last to his old trouble, heart disease
When gold was discovered in Cali
fornia, Mr.. Wheeler, then % years of
age, left Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
with eight or nine others, and sailed
from New York for San Francisco by
way of the Isthmus of Panama, having
sent house, all prepared for fitting
together, around the Horn. The party
crossed the Isthmus on mules. only to
find that the vessel had sailed for San
Francisco. While waiting at Panama
their company had been increased by
fresh arrivals to 10 or so persons.
They prepared, fitted up and provision
ed an old whale boat, and on the morn
ing they were ready to sail deserted
ship in the Offing putting into port
for provisions and news. By generous
offers they were not long in persuading
the captain to take them and their
whale boat to San Francisco. Seventy
days were consumed in the voyage.
On their arrival the original COM
pany seemed to have different views
regarding their ultimate destination, so
they agreed to sell their house and take
their different ways. The house
brought several times its original cost.
They divided this money among them
and scattered, many never to be again
heard from. Mr.. Wheeler started for
Sacramento where he took charge of
an ox-team for one day, being paid $40
in gold dust for his wages-the first
gold dust he ever handled. He then
became an assistant carpenter for a
month. and on receiving his months
pay he started for the diggings at
Amador. near where the city of ANA
dor now stands. Here he rocked out
his $4,000 per day. He, and two
others, located the ''Granite State
mine' in 1850. The mine is now known
as the Keystone, from which many
millions of dollars have been taken.
He went from here to Rancheria,
Aug. l, 1856. He was working in the
creek there, when the terrible
Rancheria massacre occurred. They
learned this fact from party hunting
the blood-thirsty Mexicans. Mr..
Wheeler Immediately ran to Mr..
Francis store; on entering in the dark,
he stumbled over his old friend who
was Utterly cut to pieces. He found
that life was not extinct and that con-
seriousness still remained. Recognizing
Wheeler, Francis requested him to
take charge of the store and look after
things. This was the beginning of his
bookkeeping. He rendered a correct
account to the heirs, and finally pur-
chased the store. He told the writer
how much gold dust he bought from
the miners, which was enormous.
He went from here to Shasta county
where he kept store for two years. He
came to Pine Grove in 1858 where he
did business until about 10 or IL years
ago. He was married to Mrs. Edsinger
May q, 1888. He leaves widow, a
child IL years old, and four step
children-three girls and a boy. Had
he lived until March %, he would have
been Is years of age. He was univers-
ally respected for his strict integrity
and business honesty. His funeral
which took place from the Methodist
Church Friday, Feb. %, was one of
the largest ever seen in Pine Grove.