1867 Indian Gulch.Grizzly Bears, Secessionists, Linc (04/29/2011)...

Home > Worthopedia – Price Guide > Stamps >

1867 Indian Gulch.Grizzly Bears, Secessionists, Lincoln

Terms and Conditions for using our site

1867 Indian Gulch.Grizzly Bears, Secessionists, Lincoln

Sold For:

or Sign In to see what it's worth.

Sold Date: 04/29/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Stamps

1867 Indian Gulch Cal

to New Hampshire

Excellent Four-Page Letter

Bold and well-struck rimless black postmark (Williams MAR-1260:4) on 1861 3-cent entire addressed to a Mrs. Mary Ann Buffum in Walpole, New Hampshire.

Cover is neatly slit-opened at right, tiny tear at bottom right. Quite attractive.

A beautifully written 4-page letter from Edward Buffum to his mother is headed Hornitos, Cal. / Aug. 22nd 1867 .

The letter has interesting content throughout. Here are some passages:

Sitting here in camp today, alone, with nothing scarcely to do, my thoughts recurred to my distant home and my too-long neglected, but dearly loved Mother and Sister..... I have passed through the varied fortunes and misfortunes common to us all..... We have had droughts & floods incident to California. Sometimes in the winter severe floods to overflow and inundate a large portion of the state. And again droughts which, with the exception of some very few favored localities, seem to parch and burn up every green thing. During one of these, the severest, I was compelled to gather up my stock and take it nearly starved, to the Sierra Nevadas, and protect it as well as I was able from the wild beasts. Several were killed by the Grizzly Bears .... I became such a back woodsman or mountaineer ...... I have expected every succeeding Spring would see me winding my way homeward, but one thing or another has always detained me. I think now I shall certainly return if living when the Railroad is completed , perhaps before. I have a Ranch now of 240 acres in Merced County upon an almost level plain as far as the eye can reach in every direction. My business ... is the propogating of the Cashmere or Angora goat.... Most of my neighbors are Secessionists, and our intercourse is consequently rather limited, as I have, from the commencement of our national troubles , been a fine and ardent supporter of the administration, voting in the last presidential campaigns .. for Stephen A. Douglas , and in the last for Abraham Lincoln . I hope in the next to vote for Ben Butler or Gen. Grant. I trust however that long ere that time arrives we shall see our country again united, peacable and happy ..... I spoke of my neigbors -- my nearest one East is one mile, South one and one half miles, West about one mile, North eight miles -- this is about as near as neighbors like to be in this country in the farming community.....

Letter is in fresh condition with some trivial splitting along one natural fold.

Excellent Mariposa postal and social history!