Wylly, Thomas Spalding, 1831-1922.

Thomas Spalding Wylly (1831-1922) was born and raised in coastal Georgia. As an adolescent he read Fremont's accounts of his exploits in the West and resolved to go there himself. His grandfather, Thomas Spalding, was a rich and powerful man who knew Fremont's father-in-law, Thomas Hart Benton. Spalding arranged for Wylly to meet Fremont at Benton's home in Indepen-dence, Missouri. When, in the spring of 1849, Wylly arrived at Independence, he found a cholera epidemic raging and both Ben-ton and Fremont gone. Undaunted, he joined a wagon train and came to California by way of Utah and the Mojave Desert, arriving in April 1850. For two years he mined on Weber Creek near Placerville. Wylly's account of these years is at once vivid, detailed and open-minded. In 1853 he returned home by way of Nicaragua and resumed the life of a well-to-do cotton planter. Wylly lost his home and slaves during the Civil War and was, for a time, obliged to sell the timber on his lands to make ends meet. Slowly he recouped his fortunes and ultimately lived a long, productive life, fathering six children and celebrating his sixtieth wedding anniversary in 1914. Online Archive of California. http://oac.cdlib.org/ (Viewed December 10, 2008)

From the description of Thomas Spalding Wylly letters, 1867-1973. (University of Georgia). WorldCat record id: 277766523

Planter. Born in coastal Georgia of wealthy cotton growing family (1831). Travelled to California via Salt Lake City and Mojave Desert (1849). Journeyed up California coast by land to Sacramento (1850). Mined on Weber Creek near Placerville (1850-1852). Returned to Georgia via Nicaragua and Panama (1853). Wrote narrative in old age (1906).

From the description of Thomas Spalding Wylly Gold Rush Narrative, 1849-1853. (University of the Pacific). WorldCat record id: 30859621