Stockton                                                                                              Feb. 16^th ‘57

Dear Friend;

            Agreeably to promise, and my own feelings I now address you. Excuse me for not writing sooner for there are so many to who I am in duty bound to write to, that my time had been taken up in writing to them.

            The mail sails but twice a month and every time I have written several letters and big ones too.

Frank A. Jayne and Miss Rice are the only “outsiders” to whom I have written, so don’t feel slighted.

            I knew you would learn of my welfare through Jas. And here, before going farther, let me admonish you to beware of going to sea, as you would spare the tender “feelinks” of your “innards”, beware! as you love peace of mind, body, and “stomick”, beware!

Do you desire peace of conscience and a good digestion? Then keep off the “Ragin Canawl”!

My opinion is that it would be much more pleasant to reside a month at that celebrated public Institution at Sing Sing, than on board a vessel.

Even should you not be sea sick all the time, yet after a few days sail, everything that seemed novel at first has lost its interest, and there is such a sameness in every days sail, that you soon become disgusted with it.

            I never wearied for anything so much as for land and that was the case with most, I believe, and now having persuaded you, without doubt, never to be caught outside of land I will proceed to other matters.

            You must never think you “know it all” till you take a trip to Cal. If nothing as to be gained here but information, will you would consider yourself amply repaid for coming, You may read all you can find, on this country, and yet know nothing about it. The vast change a few years has wrought must be seen before any idea can be formed of it, and then it can hardly be realized that so much has been accomplished in so short a time. In this place where I am teaching it is only three years since the first farm was taken up but now the whole country round presents the appearance of an old settlement.

            It is must beautiful country and farming is carried on to an extent truly astonishing to a New Yorker. The farms vary in size from 160 to 620 and even 1000 acres. Very few are subdivided into fields, and most of them are all plowed and sowed with barley. The Farmers are about through with their sowing now and almost the whole of the country around is green with the growing grain, which presents a fine appearance. This part of is timbered with oak trees standing several rods apart and as their roots run straight down they do not interfere with plowing and a person can commerce to plow on land that has never been touched before, without any preparation beforehand. One person can take up land an put 50 acres into grain the first year. This is the country for farming and I think of trying it myself next spring. One man can clear from $1000 to $1500 a year and not work much more than half the time at that

            The land costs nothing now for it has not been brought into market yet, when it is offered for sale the settlers can get it at government prices and it soon will be very valuable, for I believe that Cal. will be the most thickly settled of any portion of the U.S. ---or at least portions, for some parts are little better than a barren desert – There is nothing to hinder it. I think it is a delightful country, and almost every kind of fruit and vegetable can be grown here. They are setting out extensive apple peach and pear orchards. Grapes Figs and Almonds grown very luxuriantly. The only drawback to the country at the present is the want of good society and everyday makes an improvement in this, for many of the worst characters leave by each steamer for Nicaragua and there is another expedition now on its way to Mexico which takes the same kind of persons, and but very few ever return, and besides, eh character of those now arriving is much superior to that of those who came in the time of so much excitement. Still in some places it is impossible to find one whom you and I would call a fit associate, almost every one indulges in Profanity evening the presence of their wives and children. The exceptions to this rule are very rare indeed. Though most refrain from this ordinary occupation on the Sabbath yet, they almost invariably employ themselves in visiting, trading, and doing work around the house etc. The stores out in the country are all open and do the most business on that day. But after all it is only what most in this part have been used to, for they are mostly people from the west and have been accustomed to this way of living.

            In the cities however the places of business are mostly closed, except those of the Jews, and the people attend church. In Stockton there are seven churches and they have good preachers.

            I have been living out here on the Mokelumme river Seven week sand there has been only one sermon preached in this vicinity during that time. You will doubtless have heard that I am teaching school at this place. It seemed to be the best thing that I could go at just at present and in fact I rather enjoy it, I have but 16 scholars and but four study arith, and two Gram. Still, as there is no good society or anything outside to attract my attention I determined to interest myself as much as possible in the children and I think they improve very fast. The seem to me to learn faster than children at home

In order to have my own way and at the same time to save as much as possible I have taken to what is a very common thing here, viz, “keeping batch”, and find it much the best way, for if you board it costs from $5 to $7 per week and you can have no room in private and you cant have quiet at night nor on the Sabbath. At first it did seem rather unpleasant to be obliged to make my own bread and do my own cooking and washing, but now I have got used to it and it is but very little trouble.

            In order to keep from being lonesome I employ my time in Studying, reading, and writing and I very seldom feel lonely, still I should like it much better had I some of you old friends to keep me company but “it is as it is” and I am bound to make the best of it. There is so much to be heard and seen that is new and interesting that I have hardly time to be home sick, I wish you could just step over here, I could show you something by just stepping to the door that would delight you. Looking towards the east you can see the lofty “Sierra Nevada” their peaks covered with eternal snows.  in the west you would see the coast range. The sun now sets just behind Monte Diablo one of the highest peaks, all around, far as you can see the ground is perfectly level and green with growing barley, and scattered here and there among the other oaks – which are now leafless – you see clumps of spire or evergreen oaks. It is a glorious prospect! I sometimes think I shall never be willing to live anywhere else but then thoughts of the “Loved ones at Home”, thoughts of the peasant society, and the many enjoyments to which I have been accustomed, come o’er me, and then I wish and pray the time may soon come when I may consider it safe to return. Were my friends all here I think I should never deisre to live in any other place, but there is nothing Cal, or all the world, that can stand in place of these. But there are things which make it bearable to live far away from them for a time, and as I believe that both my health and means will be improve by my sojourn here, I try to content myself. Of course I now not how long I may stay, it will be owing to circumstances, did I intend to make a fortune, 8 or 10 years would not be too long to expect to stay; for the time of getting suddenly rich has passed here, It takes years of dilligent and prudent industry to effect that object now. Still, a person can do much better here than at home if he will, I can save $60 to $65 per month, here, at the wages I get at present and work only 20 days and at 6 hours per day at that, and, as far as bodily comfort is concerned am more comfortable here than at home. The only drawback being the want of congenial companions. If Thos. comes I shall try and have it so we can at least be together Saturdays and Sundays, and we will probably take up a farm together next spring and can enjoy ourselves the very best. I write this under the impression that you are with Mr Ferguson, but I am not certain for I have had no letters yet in answer to mine, Jas wrote once shortly after I left but probably you were not up then. I must have letters by the mail now due and then I shall know.

What do you think of Mr F’s prospects? Do you think of staying with him? It will be near vacation now, how has the Acad. prospered? do you think it likely to prosper if I ever come home I want to live in Fville and have an interest in the school, store, or something.

If Mr F. is likely to do well you had better stay with him I think, but of course you know best wether it suits you or not. I suppose you have had plenty of Snow and sleigh rides? It never snows in this valley but we have had ice occasionally, in the morning.

We are in the midst of the rainy season now. but it rains not much oftener than during the summer at home and the days are generally fine and clear for it does not remain cloudy long after a rain.

But I must not have you suppose this is a bad people to live among, far from it! I never saw so much liberality and willingness to oblige as I see here; they are very kind, to any one who minds his own business and is willing to please. Please write soon, Give my best respects to your sisters, Sadie and all inquiring friends,

                                                                                    Yours truly,

                                                                                     G. B. Oliver

Mr S.F. Jayne

Courtesy of the Davenport Historical Association, Davenport, NY, 13750. Over 500 letters from the Ferguson and Jayne families, most dating from the mid-nineteenth century, are available from the Davenport Historical Association in The Ferguson-Jayne Papers, 1826 - 1938, edited by Mary S. Briggs. Transcribed for this web site by Margaret Monaco. All misspellings have been carefully preserved.

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