The Gold Rush Letters of E. Allen Grosh and Hosea B. Grosh

Wilbur S. Shepperson Series in Nevada History

by Ronald M. James (Editor), Robert E. Stewart (Editor)

When brothers Ethan and Hosea Grosh left Pennsylvania in 1849, they joined throngs of men from all over the world intent on finding a fortune in the California Gold Rush. Their search for wealth took them from San Francisco into the gold country and then over the Sierra into Nevada’s Gold Canyon, where they placer-mined for gold and discovered a deposit of silver. The letters they sent back to their family offer vivid commentaries on the turbulent western frontier, the diverse society of the Gold Rush camps, and the heartbreaking labor and frustration of mining. Their lively descriptions of Gold Canyon provide one of the earliest accounts of life in what would soon become the fabulously wealthy Comstock Mining District.

The Groshes’ letters are rich in color and important historical details. Generously annotated and with an introduction that provides a context for the brothers’ career and the setting in which they tried to make their fortune, these documents powerfully depict the often harsh realities of Gold Rush life and society.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2012

About the author

Ronald M. James is the author or co-author of ten books, and he received the Wilbur S. Shepperson Humanities Book Award in 1998. His articles on history, folklore, and archaeology have appeared in six countries, and he has lectured on western history throughout the nation. James also lectures occasionally at the University of Nevada, Reno in history and folklore. He is the chairman of the National Historic Landmarks Committee for the National Park Service, and he served as Nevada’s State Historic Preservation Officer for three decades.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy books of historic letters & this one particularly interested me after listening to a podcast about the Grosh brothers last year. I went to college in Central CA & have visited San Francisco frequently, so it was particularly interesting to read about the gold rush years in those areas. Also, the brothers were definitely exploring the area around what became the Comstock Lode area in Nevada before their untimely deaths in 1857, so that added another level of interest for me.

One thing that surprised me was how long some of their letters were! Printed in the book in pretty small typeface, some added up to 4 full pages. Written longhand, that’d be a LONG letter, at least in my writing. I was also surprised at how politically aware the brothers were. Big sections of their letters home discussed political candidates & elections. Those parts were frankly boring to me so I glossed over them without paying much attention, which is sort of my MO related to all politics these days LOL Another curious thing to me is how often the brothers seemed to be sick as young men in their 20’s to early 30’s. In almost all their letters, one or both of them had been or were presently sick. After discovering that the frequently referenced quicksilver in their letters is actually liquid mercury, I couldn’t help wondering if they had mercury poisoning after using it in their mining operations so frequently. Interesting!

[Roy Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough life during the Gold Rush. Lots of detail. Glad I wasn't part of the Rush