My Family Tree

Montana, Death Index
Name: John Chatfield
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 11 Oct 1908
Gender: Male
Age: 83
Marital Status: Unknown
Birth Year (Estimated): 1825
Index Number: 16-0047
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Find A Grave Memorial# 46231845
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Occupation: Farmer, mountain man, miner, saloonkeeper.

Letter from John Chatfield to his father (Isaac Chatfield living in Stark Co., Illinois), postmarked from San Francisco

Mary's River O.T. April 10, 1849
Dear Father & Mother,

It is now upwards of two years since I left home and have been unable to hear from or about you until a few weeks since I received a letter from Olive Lake (dated Feb. 1848) which brought me the agreeable news of your good health up to the date of her kind letter. For which very acceptable letter you will please give Miss Olive my thanks and best wishes. Since I left home I have been favored with excellent health, have met with no serious accidents, endured a few hardships, met with some whole sonled fellows, and some to the contrary, but have not made my fortune yet. However, my prospects are at this time somewhat flattering as I am preparing to go to the California Gold Mines, where gold is very easily obtained. As for Oregon I shall only say that it possesses some important advantages, but all the disadvantages of a new country and is at this time thrown into great confusion by the discovery of the Gold Mines. All things considered if I should give my opinion relative to emigrating to this country it would be (for all those that desire to enjoy this life to the best advantage) to stay at home, especially old people.

As regard California if the best information I can get of that Country is correct, it is a poor, sickly, sterile country and only valuable for it's gold mines which are very extensive and rich. Gold has even found on all the streams along the Sierra Nevada of California Mountains as far as have been explored, which is from 800 to 1000 miles. And so rich or plenty that it is not very uncommon for a man to obtain $200 worth in a single day and an average days work is said to be from 2 to 4 ounces.

I.C. Avery (?) of this place and formerly of Stark County Ill, dug about $1400. in seven days. The above is the fair side of the picture of the Gold mines and I need hardly tell you that there is another side, such as hardships, privations, sickness and the worst of society. There is a tale circulating here about a young man that had been rather an unsuccessful candidate for matrimony among the girls of Oregon who went to the mines and when digging one day had the good fortune to find a 24 pound lump of Gold. After looking at it for a moment he was heard to exclaim a wife now by G_d...

My intention now is to go to the mines this spring, remain there from 12 to 18 months and then return home if my health is spared. Elmira, widow of the late Parker Ward was married a few day since to Dr Saffron of Oregon City.

The first part of the road to Oregon as far as Ft Laramie is very good, but the balance of the way it is as bad as can be and traveled with wagons. The first winter I saw in Oregon was very mild but the second one was so cold as to be rather sever upon the stock as it is never fed in this country--There was considerable snow that laid about three weeks--However the friends of Oregon say it was a very, extraordinary winter but I fear these extraordinarys occur too often.

You will give my best wishes to Dr Nan and all inquiring friends and especially much joy to E. McNaught Esq - - -

Adieu
John Chatfield
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Letter contributed by Joyce Clark Miller
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USA Census, 1870
Name John Chatfield
Event Place Montana
Gender Male
Age 44
Race White
Birth Year (Estimated) 1825-1826
Birthplace Ohio
Page Number 1
John Chatfield M 44 Ohio
Fred Gash M 15 Illinois
W G Brown M 23 Ohio
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USA Census, 1900
Name: John Chatfield
Event Place: ED 85 Townships 9-10 east of Bitter Root River Stephensville town, Ravalli, Montana
Birth Date: Nov 1845 [20 year error]
Birthplace: Ohio
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Connecticut
Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Widowed
Page: 12
Sheet Letter: B
Family Number: 272
Reference ID: 64
GS Film number: 1240914
Digital Folder Number: 004120364
Image Number: 00179