“Every Variety of Professions”: Ships’ Passenger Lists from Two New England Gold Mining Companies in 1849

Robert B. Honeyman, Jr. Collection of Early California and Western American Pictorial Material, The Bancroft Library, Berkeley, California

by Leslie Myrick

In honor of Labor Day this post takes a look at what a couple of member lists of mining and trading companies that left for the California gold rush early in 1849 can tell us about the exodus of skilled tradesmen from Eastern cities and towns and the economic impact of that exodus. An estimated 50,000 people, primarily young men, traveled by land and sea from the Eastern states to seek new opportunities in California in the year 1849 alone.

Many, if not most, made the trip only to return within a year or two, but many emigrated permanently. Evidence from primary sources, such as ships’ manifests, journals, and letters, suggests that the men who headed west in 1849 were not “the fag ends of society,” as some critics of the emigration suggested, but tradesmen, artists, professional men, and farmers. While in some cases the rush to California may have provided a safety valve for over-represented trades or professions, e.g. farmers or physicians, in smaller towns and cities, at least, the gold rush years arguably qualify as one of the most colossal and extensive brain drains in human history.

The Fremont Mining and Trading Company of Hartford, Conn. was one of many joint stock ventures that were incorporated in response to the news of the discovery of gold in California in 1848. The group, which reportedly amassed a capital of $40,000, purchased the bark Selma, Orin Sellew, master, for a trip around the Horn to San Francisco, embarking on 11 April and arriving in the bay of San Francisco on 5 October. Upon arrival, the company broke up into small groups to work claims near the Yuba and Feather Rivers, where they were comparatively successful.

One of the company’s advertisements for members from the Hartford Daily Courant (3 February 1849) includes a short list of the current members’ array of trades: “Joiners, Shoe Makers, Tailors, Blacksmiths, Machinists, Painters, and in fact, every variety of professions[.]” The inclusion of such a list might well suggest that the company was seeking like-minded members from the skilled trades to fill out its ranks for a long, difficult, cramped sea voyage of six months followed by a projected three years of difficult labor in the mining camps. Insofar as company by-laws often incorporated regulations and planning for two to three years of community living in California, a company composed of skilled tradesmen would be uniquely equipped with the variegated skillset necessary for constructing new communities from scratch.

Ships’ manifests provide a treasure trove of socio-economic data for understanding the nature and extent of the exodus from cities large and small of the members of specific trades and professions. Appended to an inventory of freight carried by every ship about to clear port was a detailed list of passengers and crew, generally consisting of each person’s name, age, residence, and occupation. The following list of members of the Fremont Mining and Trading Company, comes from the Log Book of passenger Harvey G. Brown (Mystic Seaport Museum), which he probably copied from the ship’s manifest. It has been arranged here to sort by residence and then by last name.

Names	Age	Residence	Occupation
Green, Powell	40	Bloomfield, Conn.	Stone Cutter
Hubbard, Henry	29	Bloomfield, Conn.	Carpenter
Humason, Charles A.	21	Bloomfield, Conn.	Farmer
Maples, J. Jr.	23	Bosrah, Conn.	Mason
Virgason, Samuel	22	Bosrah, Conn.	Farmer
Safford, Geo. W.	25	Canterbury, Conn.	Machinist
Safford, John	23	Canterbury, Conn.	Machinist
Elderkin, Elisha B.	22	Clinton, Conn.	Tinner
Brown, Albert	19	Colchester, Conn.	Wheelwright
Cutler, Alexander	21	Colchester, Conn.	Farmer
Fitch, A.G.	36	Colchester, Conn.	Blacksmith
Lord, Wm. B.	30	Colchester, Conn.	Carriage maker
Payne, Geo. R.	23	Colchester, Conn.	Mariner
Ransom, A.C.	30	Colchester, Conn.	Farmer
Smith, James H.	19	Colchester, Conn.	Farmer
Waterous, R.D.	22	Colchester, Conn.	Shoe Maker
Higley, T. Baxter	24	Collinsville, Conn.	Farmer
Chapman, H.D.	23	East Haddam, Conn.	Stone Cutter
Richmond, C.C.	24	East Haddam, Conn.	Shoe Dealer
Hale, Lorin G.	27	East Hartford, Conn.	Carpenter and Joiner
Turner, Norton L.	35	East Hartford, Conn.	Tool Maker
Claude, Henry G.	19	Goshen, Conn.	Currier
Hutchens, J.	28	Granby, Conn.	Blacksmith
Heath, John	34	Groton, Conn.	Sash and Blind Maker
Morgan, Henry E.	24	Groton, Conn.	Brittania Ware Maker
Abbott, Edwin H.	19	Hampton, Conn.	Carpenter
Bolles, Edward J.	29	Hartford, Conn.	Tailor
Brown, Samuel W.	47	Hartford, Conn.	Physician
Chaffee, Hesekiah	19	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Chaffee, S. Goodwin	33	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Dean, Henry	20	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Goodwin, Wm. A.	33	Hartford, Conn.	Jeweller
Grow, John Jr.	20	Hartford, Conn.	Marble Cutter
Hastings, B.B.	40	Hartford, Conn.	Watchmaker and Jeweller
Kellogg, Reubin	38	Hartford, Conn.	Mariner
Moore, Merrick	17	Hartford, Conn.	Musician
Pratt, Edward	25	Hartford, Conn.	Farmer
Sage, Henry R.	26	Hartford, Conn.	Bookkeeper
Sexton, Geo. K.	22	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Sexton, Wm. O.	30	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Smith, Julius P.	20	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Spencer, James	31	Hartford, Conn.	Jeweller
Sweetser, Henry P.	32	Hartford, Conn.	Merchant
Whitmore, A.S.	22	Hartford, Conn.	Clerk
Carver, Charles M.	24	Hebron, Conn.	Carpenter and Joiner
Gardner, Henry B.	22	Hebron, Conn.	Farmer
Johnson, Josiah M.	20	Hebron, Conn.	Farmer
Willman, C.C.	25	Killingworth, Conn.	Machinist
Mitchell, Alfred G.	24	Middle Haddam	Farmer
Mitchell, Charles E.	22	Middle Haddam	Farmer
Sanford, Edward	25	New Britain, Conn.	Farmer
Butler, R.M.	45	New Hartford, Conn.	Farmer
Hayes, Henry E.	18	New Hartford, Conn.	Farmer
Barricklor, John A.	22	New York City	Clerk
Nelson, Joseph B.	19	New York City	Clerk
Brown, Harvey G.	25	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Gladding, Lafayette	19	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Judd, Norton E.	19	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Kelley, Francis	25	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Kirkham, John S.	23	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Rockwell, Robert R.	22	Newington, Conn.	Wheelwright
Sheppard, George	23	Newington, Conn.	Farmer
Kinney, George	29	Norwich, Conn.	Book Keeper
Ford, James M.	22	Rome, Mass (New York )	Farmer
Coe, M.L.	26	Simsbury, Conn.	Physician
Morton, C.	21	South Coventry, Conn.	Machinist
Brown, John	40	Tariffville, Conn.	Tailor
Culver, Christopher C.	28	Wethersfield, Conn.	Blacksmith
Griswold, Walter	40	Wethersfield, Conn.	Comb Maker
Edgerton, Stiles	25	Windsor, Conn.	Farmer
Fox, E. A.	27	Windsor, Conn.	Shoe Maker
Hathaway, Duane G.	27	Windsor, Conn.	Manufacturer
Phelps, Henry A.	26	Windsor, Conn.	Farmer
Dewey, Frank L.		Winsted, Conn.	Tailor
Johnson, Martin	41	Winsted, Conn.	Blacksmith

As the list demonstrates, most of the members of this company came from Hartford, Conn. and its outlying towns and villages. In the 1850 census Hartford had a population of 13,555 and was thus a fair representative of a small city that might feel the pinch of an exodus of tradesmen. The outlying towns were considerably less populous: Bloomfield had 1412 residents in 1850, Bosrah 867, Canterbury 1669, Clinton 1344, and so on. The membership of the Fremont Mining and Trading Company was 74 men—not a large company—and therefore it probably did not result in a particularly onerous drain on the resources of the Hartford environs.

There are 26 distinct occupations represented in this company roster covering a wide range of goods and services. Of the trades the largest groups are: 24 Farmers, 4 Blacksmiths, 4 Machinists, 3 Carpenters, and 3 Jewellers. From the professional ranks: there are 2 physicians, 9 clerks, 1 book-keeper, but no lawyers or clergy. There is a single merchant and a single manufacturer. Somewhere along the line the company appears to have lost the painter featured in their February advertisement. A few of the occupations listed dealt with artisanal items or fancy household goods: jewellers, a watchmaker, a Britannia-ware maker (a variety of pewter), a tinner. There is a sole avowed artist: a musician.

The average age of members is 26, ranging from a 17-year-old musician to a 47-year-old physician. The most common age is 22 (10 members), followed by 19 (8 members). This data accords with the general profile of the gold rush as a pursuit made mostly by young men.

The Hartford Union Mining and Trading Company, a somewhat larger group than the Fremont Mining Company, organized as a joint stock company on 18 January 1849, and left New York City on the Henry Lee, David P. Vail, master, on 17 February, heading around the Horn to San Francisco, and arriving on 13 September. The following list of members comes from the company journal, kept by George G. Webster, Esq., which was printed on shipboard in four-page increments by J. L. Hall. Webster appears to have used the ship’s manifest as his source, which would have included a column for the age of each passenger. At the end of his member list he gives the aggregate age as 3301, and the average age as 27.

Cornish, Horton	Bloomfield	Joiner
Erwin, Thomas S.	Bloomfield	Seaman
Griswold, James A.	Bloomfield	Painter
Hall, John L.	Bloomfield	Printer
Hamblin, Levi H.	Bloomfield	Joiner
Latimer, John T.	Bloomfield	Joiner
Moody, Emerson	Bloomfield	Blacksmith
Parsons, John K.	Bloomfield	Joiner
Smith, Charles. P.	Bloomfield	Farmer
Smith, Joseph	Bloomfield	Farmer
Bates, Fordyce	Broad Rock	Clerk
Knox, John	Brunswick, Ohio	Farmer
Mills, Stiles E.	Canton	Farmer
Wilcox, Austin	Canton	Seaman
Burnet, Henry	Chicopee	Mason
Starkweather, Alex. S.	Chicopee Falls	Paper-maker
Arnold, George W.	Colchester	Tailor
Bissell, John V.	Colchester	Farmer
Goodrich, E. Wilber	Collinsville	Carriage-maker
Rice, John S.	Collinsville	Blacksmith
Lester, Albert J.	East Hartford	Tailor
Starr, Joseph B.	Fayettville, N. C.	Watch-maker
Ely, Benj. F.	Glastonbury	Manufacturer
Hart, John H.	Goshen	Farmer
Hart, Matthew R.	Goshen	Farmer
Godard, Jerome	Granby	Farmer
Dickinson, Wm. B.	Haddam	Farmer
Adams, Albert	Hartford	Boot-maker
Alden, Thomas C.	Hartford	Farmer
Bacon, Leonard H.	Hartford	Merchant
Bishop, Elias	Hartford	Tailor
Bolles, Franklin	Hartford	Silversmith
Bonnel, Charles	Hartford	Currier
Burke, W. A.	Hartford	Cab’t-maker
Burnham, George S.	Hartford	Clerk
Cotton, Allen	Hartford	Furn. Finisher
Dewey, Walter	Hartford	Blacksmith
Ellinwood, Tilden B.	Hartford	Shoe-maker
Filley, Thompson M.	Hartford	Painter
Fisher, Charles F.	Hartford	Joiner
Fisher, George H.	Hartford	Barber
Francis, Titus P.	Hartford	Seaman
Halket, David	Hartford	Seaman
Hamilton, James B.	Hartford	Clerk
Hamilton, Lorenzo	Hartford	Merchant
Holbrook, Caleb M.	Hartford	Boot-maker
Holbrook, Eliphalet	Hartford	Shoe-maker
House, Wm. B.	Hartford	Boot-maker
Keith, Lewis N.	Hartford	Cabinet-maker
Knox, David	Hartford	Joiner
Lemay, Joseph	Hartford	Sawyer
Lucus, Calvin	Hartford	Mason
Mallory, A. H.	Hartford	Joiner
Moffatt, Daniel	Hartford	Seaman
Morrison, James	Hartford	Upholsterer
Olcott, James B.	Hartford	Printer
Perkins, Wm. H.	Hartford	Joiner
Ranney, George C.	Hartford	Joiner
Smith, Jared W.	Hartford	Machinist
Squires, Stephen F.	Hartford	Potter
Stuart, Wm. H.	Hartford	Cabinet-maker
Webster, George G.	Hartford	Lawyer
White, Benj. F.	Hartford	Machinist
Hutchinson, John C.	Hebron	Farmer
Sumner, Sherman P.	Hebron	Farmer
Daugherty, Cyrus K.	Manchester	Clerk
Forbes, Thomas	Manchester	Paper-maker
Howlett, Charles	Manchester	Butcher
Keith, Freedom	Manchester	Farmer
Penfield, Austin A.	Manchester	Stone cutter
Farnum, George	Middletown	Miller
Wilder, Francis C.	Middletown	Turner
Marsh, Fred. N.	Montpelier, Vt.	Seaman
Otis, Abner L.	N. Granby	Blacksmith
Gilbert, John R.	New Britain	Joiner
Gilman, John	New Britain	Joiner
Hart, Eben	New Britain	Teamster
Maynard, Seldon A.	New Britain	Cooper
Chisholm, Alexander	New Hartford	Joiner
Chisholm, Colin	New Hartford	Joiner
Jaqua, James H.	New Hartford	Machinist
Mason, John C.	New Hartford	Farmer
Ralston, Archibald	New Hartford	Tanner and Currier
Watson, James L.	New Hartford	Papermaker
Peck, Joel W. S.	North Haven	Moulder
Bushnell, Wm. E.	Norwich	Joiner
Buckminster, Wm.	Rockville	Manufacturer
Griggs, Henry 0.	Rockville	Dyer
Kellogg, Giles P.	Rockville	Wool-sorter
Ladd, Ira F.	Rockville	Manufacturer
McKinstry, Lee	Rockville	Joiner
Rice, Samuel L.	Rockville	Manufacturer
Dole, George C.	Shelburn, Mass.	Farmer
Tuller, Homer	Simsbury	Joiner
Tuller, Horatio	Simsbury	Farmer
Stoughton, Henry	So. Windsor	Farmer
Mc Clure, Peneul, Jr.	Somers	Joiner
Lyon, John F.	Springfield, Mass.	Harness-maker
Osborn, Dwight W.	Springfield, Mass.	Machinist
Otis, Samuel F.	Springfield, Mass.	Machinist
Hitchcock, E. Darwin	Tariffville	Physician
Judd, Henry G.	Terryville	Clock-maker
Hawkins, Henry A.	Tolland	Merchant
Hall, Asher	Wallingford	Pewterer
McClintock, Wm.	Ware, Mass.	Joiner
Prindle, Henry R.	Ware, Mass.	Tailor
King, George T.	West Springfield	Machinist
Buckley, Joseph	Wethersfield	Farmer
Hale, Matthew	Wethersfield	Printer
Young, Roderick	Willimantic	Machinist
Case, Henry	Windsor	Farmer
Drake, Oliver M.	Windsor	Farmer
Mather, Edgar P.	Windsor	Brick-maker
Mills, Oliver W.	Windsor	Farmer
Sweetland, Isaac	Windsor	Blacksmith
Crane, Seldon T.	Windsor Locks	Merchant
Russell, John W.	Windsor Locks	Machinist
Child, Levi L.	Woodstock	Stage-driver
Saunders, Oliver W.	Woodstock	Farmer

Among the 46 distinct occupations listed there are 21 Farmers, 17 Joiners, 8 Machinists, 6 Seamen, 5 Blacksmiths, 4 Tailors, 4 Manufacturers, 4 Merchants, 3 Papermakers, and 3 Cabinetmakers; from the professional sector: 1 Lawyer, 1 Physician, and 4 Clerks.

A comparison of the two lists demonstrates that in each case farmers from the villages and towns surrounding Hartford made up the largest group by occupation to leave for California. This sizeable exodus from the agricultural sector suggests a reaction to early pressures and upheavals of urbanization. The Hartford Union data shows a much wider variety of occupations that cannot simply be attributed to the company’s greater numbers. Several interesting groups emerge from the list: two painters; a clutch of papermakers and printers; several artisanal or fancy goods producers: a pewterer, a silversmith, a potter, a watchmaker, and a clockmaker; village stand-bys: a barber, a butcher and a stage-driver; along with several very specific occupations: a wool gatherer and a dyer, a  moulder (involved in the manufacture of metal goods) and a turner (of wood on a lathe).

These two companies were among the earliest to leave the East Coast for the gold fields; consequently, the loss of a physician here and a barber there probably barely registered. But by May, a correspondent of the Ohio Statesman (22 May 1849) living in one of the jumping off points in Missouri reported:

The noise and bustle of preparation so familiar for several months, has all ceased, and we are left in comparative solitude. We can now look around and contemplate the inroads it has made on our society.—Many, very many of the most familiar faces have disappeared from our midst. Those we have been accustomed to see and hear on all occasions are gone—the merchant, mechanic, farmer—all occupations are left comparatively barren; and there was great fear at one time that farmers would not be able to secure their crops. Enterprising men of all professions have shouldered their shovels and picks and started off to the gold mines.

The cross-section of society presented in these lists demonstrates the endemic nature of the gold mania that struck the Eastern states in 1849. If anything, these lists from two companies that canvassed a variety of skilled tradesmen in a small Connecticut city for a gold rush adventure in 1849 offer up more questions than answers—questions that deserve a sustained study using all the tools of data and socio-economic analysis.