History of Hope, (Warren County) New Jersey United States of America

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James Wilson Marshall, discoverer of gold in California, was born in Hope, Warren county, N.J., in 1812. His father was a wagon maker and he served in apprenticeship under him, and engaged in the business. He removed to Missouri in 1833, and subsequently took up a claim on the Platte river near Fort Leavenworth. He spent the winter of 1844-45 in Oregon and in the spent of 1845 reached California where he ended the employ of Gen. John A. Sutter. He later established a stock farm on Butte Creek, served through the Bear Flag war, which resulted in the independence of California, March, 1847, and in May 1847, he again joined General Sutter, at Sutter's Fort (Sacramento) and was employed by him to build a saw mill at Coloma. On Jan. 24, 1848, while inspecting the work done on a tail race used to carry the water from the mill afar passing the wheel, he noticed yellow gold-like particles mingled with the loose earth which had been washed by the rains. The next day he found a nugget of considerable size of what he believed to be gold, and four days later, having tested the metal at Sutter's Fort, all doubts were removed. He engaged the mining near the mill, as did General Sutter, and they obtained a quantity of gold. His discovery brought a large number of miners and adventure to the place. Marshall's land was seized and laid out in town lots and he was unsuccessful in establishing his claims to ownership. Reduced to poverty he tramped from one place to another hoping to locate a new claim. He made repeated efforts to obtain some recognition from the people of California for his discovery and did receive a small pension for a few years, but his days ended in extreme poverty. A bronze statue of Marshall was subsequently placed on the spot where the discovery was made. He died at Coloma, Cal., Aug. 8, 1885.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Hope, (Warren County) New Jersey

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