Here is the brief story of my GGGrandfather's trip to the gold mines:
Maybe I should embelish this story some but it is taken word for word from the records of my Aunt Esther Garrett.
In 1849 George Washington Garrett and his younger brother Bryant
started with a group of others for the gold fields being opened in Calif.
They Followed the Oregon Trail. Brother Bryant had red hair and Indians
that they encountered didn't like red hair so he avoided being seen as much
as possible. The found gold and returned to Illinois and purchased
land.
In 1856 they took a second trip which turned out about the same.
On the second trip he sold equipment to the miners and went home by ship
around the continent and up the river. They helped pay expenses by
making wagon spokes for others in the party, George made a scraper
tool which he used for his work. ( I have a picture of my gr grandfather
John Garrett holding this tool.
And it remains in the family yet today. My Cousin has a gold
nugget that was given to John Garrett by his father and she also has the
telescope they took with them on their trip.)
submitted by carol britton <c_britton@yahoo.com> 1861 Militia Roll
