Edward Lyman Kittredge was born May 14, 1827 in Nelson, New Hampshire, the son of Abel Kittredge and Sophia Lyman. He had three siblings (one died as an infant); his mother had difficulty with child bearing and died young. Abel remarried his wife's half-sister and gave Edward three half-brothers (one died as an infant).
In about 1850, Edward went to California to take part in the gold rush. He traveled by ship to Vera Cruz, Mexico, then through Mexico City to Mazatlan. There a group of men boarded a ship to San Francisco, but instead got let off in Baja California after 26 days at sea. Edward set out across the desert with the group by foot, then he acquired a horse. As the group traveled, they lived on game, horseflesh, and from the help of "kindly natives." One dish was made from owls and cactus. There was a period when they had no food or water for several days; Edward later said, "I pricked my fingers to make them bleed so I could moisten my throat to swallow." During the journey, Edward lost his shoes, and one night had to kill a rattlesnake who attempted to "share his blanket." At San Luis Rey, Edward and his companions met up with some U.S. Dragoons, and they joined them as mule drivers.
Upon arriving in Northern California, Edward wrote, "The idea of getting a fortune in a day is all a humbug." He stayed at a place called Chinese Diggings for a few months, then went to San Francisco, where he found his brother Farrington working in a saloon. Edward later returned back east, this time through Panama, and was "robbed of some of his possessions." He did keep enough gold to make a watch case for his future wife Deborah, whom he met in Boston after returning.
Edward lived out his life in New England. When he died at age 79 in 1906, his wife died two days later.
(Information contributed by Laura Mitchell #47694635)
In about 1850, Edward went to California to take part in the gold rush. He traveled by ship to Vera Cruz, Mexico, then through Mexico City to Mazatlan. There a group of men boarded a ship to San Francisco, but instead got let off in Baja California after 26 days at sea. Edward set out across the desert with the group by foot, then he acquired a horse. As the group traveled, they lived on game, horseflesh, and from the help of "kindly natives." One dish was made from owls and cactus. There was a period when they had no food or water for several days; Edward later said, "I pricked my fingers to make them bleed so I could moisten my throat to swallow." During the journey, Edward lost his shoes, and one night had to kill a rattlesnake who attempted to "share his blanket." At San Luis Rey, Edward and his companions met up with some U.S. Dragoons, and they joined them as mule drivers.
Upon arriving in Northern California, Edward wrote, "The idea of getting a fortune in a day is all a humbug." He stayed at a place called Chinese Diggings for a few months, then went to San Francisco, where he found his brother Farrington working in a saloon. Edward later returned back east, this time through Panama, and was "robbed of some of his possessions." He did keep enough gold to make a watch case for his future wife Deborah, whom he met in Boston after returning.
Edward lived out his life in New England. When he died at age 79 in 1906, his wife died two days later.
(Information contributed by Laura Mitchell #47694635)
Edward Lyman Kittredge was born May 14, 1827 in Nelson, New Hampshire, the son of Abel Kittredge and Sophia Lyman. He had three siblings (one died as an infant); his mother had difficulty with child bearing and died young. Abel remarried his wife's half-sister and gave Edward three half-brothers (one died as an infant).
In about 1850, Edward went to California to take part in the gold rush. He traveled by ship to Vera Cruz, Mexico, then through Mexico City to Mazatlan. There a group of men boarded a ship to San Francisco, but instead got let off in Baja California after 26 days at sea. Edward set out across the desert with the group by foot, then he acquired a horse. As the group traveled, they lived on game, horseflesh, and from the help of "kindly natives." One dish was made from owls and cactus. There was a period when they had no food or water for several days; Edward later said, "I pricked my fingers to make them bleed so I could moisten my throat to swallow." During the journey, Edward lost his shoes, and one night had to kill a rattlesnake who attempted to "share his blanket." At San Luis Rey, Edward and his companions met up with some U.S. Dragoons, and they joined them as mule drivers.
Upon arriving in Northern California, Edward wrote, "The idea of getting a fortune in a day is all a humbug." He stayed at a place called Chinese Diggings for a few months, then went to San Francisco, where he found his brother Farrington working in a saloon. Edward later returned back east, this time through Panama, and was "robbed of some of his possessions." He did keep enough gold to make a watch case for his future wife Deborah, whom he met in Boston after returning.
Edward lived out his life in New England. When he died at age 79 in 1906, his wife died two days later.
(Information contributed by Laura Mitchell #47694635)
In about 1850, Edward went to California to take part in the gold rush. He traveled by ship to Vera Cruz, Mexico, then through Mexico City to Mazatlan. There a group of men boarded a ship to San Francisco, but instead got let off in Baja California after 26 days at sea. Edward set out across the desert with the group by foot, then he acquired a horse. As the group traveled, they lived on game, horseflesh, and from the help of "kindly natives." One dish was made from owls and cactus. There was a period when they had no food or water for several days; Edward later said, "I pricked my fingers to make them bleed so I could moisten my throat to swallow." During the journey, Edward lost his shoes, and one night had to kill a rattlesnake who attempted to "share his blanket." At San Luis Rey, Edward and his companions met up with some U.S. Dragoons, and they joined them as mule drivers.
Upon arriving in Northern California, Edward wrote, "The idea of getting a fortune in a day is all a humbug." He stayed at a place called Chinese Diggings for a few months, then went to San Francisco, where he found his brother Farrington working in a saloon. Edward later returned back east, this time through Panama, and was "robbed of some of his possessions." He did keep enough gold to make a watch case for his future wife Deborah, whom he met in Boston after returning.
Edward lived out his life in New England. When he died at age 79 in 1906, his wife died two days later.
(Information contributed by Laura Mitchell #47694635)
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