G.W. Chesley McCoy, gold prospector
The story of the California gold rush is one that most all of us are familiar with. In 1849, John Sutter, who operated a big ranch and saw mill about 50 miles upriver from Sacramento, California had workmen dig a new trench to carry water to his mill and ended up discovering gold that initiated the California gold rush, the largest gold rush in history. The discovery drew men afflicted with get rich quick fever from all over the continent who came to be called the “forty-niners.” So, how did this historic American event effect local Marion citizens, if at all?
According to historian, Milo Erwin, no less than 200 residents of the county left in search of the elusive riches and whereas most returned broke and sometimes broken there were a few success stories. The story of Marion’s gold seekers begins in 1849 when a man returned from California and brought a nugget to Marion weighing about 1 1/4 ounces which he sold to a merchant here for about $18. Today, that chunk of gold would be worth $1,665. People began at once to make their way to California, mostly across the plains, because it was cheaper, but very dangerous. Continue reading
