John Paul Dart, a surveyor and one-time soldier, arrived in the state of California by trans-Panama shipping in 1849 with little more than his heritage as a native Mississippian. While his exact earnings at the diggings are undisclosed, his letters suggest a gold fever undiminished by brutal working conditions, riots, sickness, or family members eager for his return home. The subjects of the twenty five preserved letters vary widely in subject; local and state politics give way to the violence between the numerous ethnic groups present in California and requests for news from home, but monetary matters remain the most common subject throughout. Dart's venture proved successful enough to warrant his continued presence in California, eventually attaining the position of Tuolumne County Surveyor in 1874 and holding it until his death in 1891 at the age of 66.
From the description of Collected letters of John Paul Dart, 1849-1856. (California State Library). WorldCat record id: 753576490
