Mark Twain. Born Samuel Clemens. Headed West for the Gol

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Famous People of the California Gold Rush

• Compiled by
• Kimberley Maywald
• February, 2007

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Do you recognize any of these people?
These were all people who became famous without
mining for gold!
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John Sutter

• Envisioned an agricultural empire near the
  American River
• Wanted discovery of gold kept secret
• Never did appreciate the opportunities of the
  Gold Rush, and left California penniless

4
James Marshall

• Discovered gold pebbles while building Sutters
  Mill
• Feared the effects of potential prospectors, who
  eventually forced him off his land
• Also died nearly penniless

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Henry Wells and William Fargo

• Decided to profit from Gold Rush by providing
  services to miners
• Created Wells, Fargo Co. for banking, mail, and
  stage coach services
• Generated tremendous wealth as entrepreneurs

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Levi Strauss

• Ran a successful dry-goods store
• Patented canvas pants with riveted pockets
• Now called Levis

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Mark Twain

• Born Samuel Clemens
• Headed West for the Gold Rush
• Became a famous writer of his experiences

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Sam Brannan

• Bought all mining tools in area
• Announced gold was found
• Made a fortune selling tools, then other
  necessities, to miners
• Became a millionaire

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Lotta Crabtree

• Began acting on stages at age 6
• Made lots of money entertaining miners
• Later traveled the world

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Nellie Chapman

• Married a dentist and studied dentistry from him
• Later practiced as a dentist with her own
  patients
• She also wrote and composed a talented lady!

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Eliza Farnham

• As a young widow, she was matron of Sing Sing
  prison
• Believed women would civilize the miners
• Advocated social reforms

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Georgiana Kirby

• A pioneer of Santa Cruz during the Gold Rush
• Advocated education, freedom, and equal rights
  for all
• Has a private school named for her

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Resources

• Picture credits
  All ClipArt from Microsoft ClipArt
• Sam Brannan, William Fargo, James Marshall, Levis
  Strauss, John Sutter, Henry Wells from
  en.wikipedia.org
• Mark Twain www.marktwainhouse.org
• Eliza Farnham Georgiana Kirby
  www.goldrush.com/joann/
• Nellie Chapman www.ncgold.com/goldrushtown/people
  /html.
• Lotta Crabtree www.ncgold.com/History/LottaCrabtr
  ee/lotta.html
• Information
• Most of the information regarding the men came
  from the PBS movie The Gold Rush, directed by
  Boettcher Trinklein, 1996.
• Eliza Farnham Georgiana Kirby
  www.goldrush.com/joann/
• Lotta Crabtree www.ncgold.com/History/LottaCrabtr
  ee/lotta.html
• Nellie Chapman www.ncgold.com/goldrushtown/people
  /html
• Video Clips from United Streamingchp890500 and
  chp905920
• Excellent sites for the Gold Rush
• www.historichwy49.com
• www.museumca.org/goldrush/
• www.ncgold.com/goldrushtown/