Gold Rush 1863

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Brown, Cripe

Information about William's trip to the Gold Rush in 1863.

Sometime after 1860, based on census records, William left Indiana to search for gold in California. Information handed down through the family says that he went with Rhinehart Cripe and his son, Francis. I did research on the Cripe family and found some interesting information. There is information that indicates that the Cripe family went to California in the first Gold Rush, arriving in 1850 and located about 60 miles from Sacramento. Apparently, they did well in the gold rush. After returning to Indiana, Rhinehart purchased a saw mill which did not do well, and his son John invested in land. So, the Cripe family would have been familiar with the process of looking for gold.

According to Cripe family records and California Voter Registrations, it appears that the Cripe family left Council Bluffs Iowa in the spring of 1863.

I found an old photograph of a wagon train ready to leave Council Bluffs Iowa. If all of the Cripe family information is correct this would be the same wagon train that William Brown joined for his trip to California.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/501166264778620226/ 1863.. D. F. Eaton Conestoga wagon train on Broadway and Main looking west. Picture taken from Pierce street.

The trip to California by wagon train took 4-6 months. The article says the wagon train left in April and arrived in California 5 Aug. Two members of the Cripe family returned to Indiana in 1865. The Cripe family information says they returned by railroad. Based on this information, William may have also left California about the same time.

Interview with Earl Brown 5 Feb 1990 Earl's great grandfather Brown went to the California Gold Rush. He wrote home saying he was leaving for home and had all the Gold they could ever need. Had someone else write the letter as he couldn't write. Was never heard from again. In his letter he said that he was coming home by the southern way. As a point of information, Earl Brown said that William could not write so he had to have someone write the letter for him. Hmm??

History of St Joseph County Indiana John Cripe pg 737. 1848 Family went to Oregon 1850 Went to California and located about 60 miles from Sacramento 1852 family returned to Indiana. John invested in lands. His father bought a saw mill 1862 Fall, he and family started for California. Spent the winter in Iowa and in the spring John and his family started for California. Met his father and family at Council Bluffs Iowa where a large train was starting across the plains. They arrived in California Aug. 5. They returned home in 1865 on the Union pacific Railroad.’