Gold Rush Miner Attempts To Register Claim In dispute; Involved Miner Who Served In Mexican War

Jackson Creek in Calaveras County, California, is a historically significant location for placer gold mining, particularly during the California Gold Rush era. 

Offering a one page, 7 ¾ x 9 ¾, ALS, written by Matthew T. Leary, Jackson Creek, Calaveras County, California, February 24, 1854, attempting a gold mine claim, to the Register of Land Office. Leary mentions a previous claim filed by Patrick Scully “now in dispute [with] Abraham Palmer.” Leary provides a detailed description of the location of his claim mentioning the adjacent claims of Patrick Scully and Abraham Palmer. 

“The undersigned, a citizen of the United States and of proper age, and qualifications, have taken up and enclosed and are now living upon the following described land, being in Calaveras County, State of California. To wit: -- Commencing at stake at the Southwest corner, it being the corner of the fence likewise and being the South East corner of the claim of Patrick Scully, thence running due North with the line of division fence between the above named Pat Scully and the undersigned one half mile to a stake, being the N.E corner of Pat Scully’s claim thence East with a line of fence, one half mile to a stake, this being the North West corner of a claim now in dispute between Abraham Palmer and Nyms – thence South with the division fence of the last named parties and the undersigned, one half mile to a stake, thence west with a line of fence to the place of beginning containing one hundred and sixty acres. The above claim is Registered in the clerk’s office of the County of Calaveras, according to the law of the State.

“Matthew T. Leary.

“Please put the above upon the Records of your office and much obliged. 

“M.T. Leary

“Jones Valley, P.O.

“Enclosed is $5.00”

Scully was a native of Queens County, Ireland, who came to America in 1840. He served during the Mexican War in Captain Lawler’s Company G, 3rd Regiment of Illinois. He went to California during the gold rush and married Ann Langan on December 12, 1856, in Sacramento Cathedral, California. 

Leary’s mention of Abraham Palmer could possibly be the same Palmer who was a Mormon, though this is not conclusive. We find an Abraham Palmer, who was part of the early movement of the Latter-Day Saints. Palmer’s company of 15 families was approved to travel across Iowa to Pottawattamie Creek, an abandoned Indian village, about 50 miles south of Kanesville, Iowa. During 1849, Kanesville was filled with men passing through on their way to the Gold Rush in California. As such, Palmer could have acquired a gold rush interest.

A very interesting gold rush document.

Folds. Light toning. Two short fold tears reinforced with archival tape.

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