Richard Joseph Aldridge died at sea, returning home after going to the 1849 gold rush. His friends returned with Richard's gold which they gave to his father. A 1905 article stated, "Joseph Aldridge was born in 1829, and after staying with his father until 1849, he joined the gold hunters bound for California where he stayed for 2 years. By this time he had amassed a quantity of gold and started for home by way of Cape Horn. On the voyage home, he sickened and died and was buried at sea. His friends who were with him brought the gold back and delivered it to his father.


A Simplified version of the Richard Joseph Aldridge Goldfields 1850 Letter to his Family, written while he was in California.

Feb. 17, 1850
California Gold Mines

Honored Father, Mother, brothers, sisters,
I now embrace the opportunity to write to you. I am well at the present and hoping that these lines may find you all enjoying the same blessing. After a journey of 7 months, and 11 days, we arrived at the gold mines on the America River, which is 200 miles south of San Francisco. When we got here, we found everything very high, flour was worth $1 per pound, pork, $1 per pound, coffee the same. Sugar , the same, dried fruit was worth $200 per pound. The Rainy seasons had commenced and we could not work in the mines, but we have made expenses. James Mullings, and George Mullings are at work with William and I. We have been at work about 20 days and we have made about one once a day to the hand. There has been a discovery of gold made about 70 miles south of this. We do expect to go there in a short time. There are many ways to make money here besides digging it out of the ground. James Mullings and myself made $175 a day at packing with seven mules. We have laid in our provisions for the summer. Our expense have been $3 a day since we have been here but that is not so much now. We found gold just as plenty here as we expected. When we left New Mexico, struck for the Great Salt Lake, we were 47 days making the trip across the Rocky Mountains, which was about 700 miles. We thought we would intersect the northern route at the Great Salt Lake, but when we got there, we of the distress theat were on that road we then turned and went south and struck at the Pearlblossom? Which is about 400 miles south of San Francisco. We had some deserts to cross which was 70 miles across. We had to cross then in the night. The day was so hot, we had to travel at night. About 15 mules were left of a night in the deserts we lost but one. And when we got to Purbelow? We found a beautiful country. There are men there has 25-30 thousand head of stock horses were ratin from $8 to $10. There rain there is clover and oats. The clover grown in the valleys and the oats on the hills. There is a great deal of game in this country. I have made $50 a day at hunting venison, is worth from .50 to .70 dents per pound. I have found some of my connections here in the mines, from Texas, a son of Benjamin Pleaseton. And also a son of Walter Muroughes. Tell Bedford I shall write to him next Sunday. So I shall come to a close. I want you to write to me as soon as your receive this letter. Direct your letters to San Francisco. Give my respect to all of my connections and inquiring friends. So I add more, only nmaning your and co, Richard J. Aldridge

On another day, he continued--
As I have not had an opportunity to mail this letter as soon as I expected, I shall add something more. There are a great many men in the mines and a great many of them making money, and a great many of them are not makng expenses. And some of they say if they thought that they could get to work their passage home, they would go to San Francisco and get aboard of a ship and leave. And California might go for them gold and all. There are as much friendship existing in these mines as any place as I ever was in. There has not been but one or two fusses this winter here, and they were by some of the Irish. There has been some 3 or 4 men eat up by the grisly bear this winter. Tell Lilly Hensly and Albert and Munrow Melton that I want them to write to me. William Turner send his respects to you. Also, I add no more at the present, only remaining yours and co, Richard J. Aldridge.

Another PS--
This country is good as I ever saw anywhere.

Letter is folded in such a way as to allow the following to be added without interfering with the address--
Mr. Bedford Aldridge, I now present myself to you, in order to let you know that I have not forgotten you and that I am yet alive and have gotten where gold is plenty but is hard to get, that is to take hard work to get it. Some days we make $8 dollars, others we make $250 but it is a very uncertain business. There is a company of 4 of us has made something over $1000. I told you that I would write to you and brother Nathan when I got here, whether it be advisable for you to come to California or not. I hardly know whether to say come on. It is not every one that comes to California that will make a fortune, but if you and Brother Nathan want to come and come and can’t make money enough to get back, I will give you enough to get back. Tell brother Nathan that I write to him that I would be at home next fall. I do not know at this time whether I will or not, but I will write to him in a few days. Yours Respectful, Wm Turner

Addresses thus--

Green County, St of Missouri
Springfield
Mr. Richard Aldridge Post Office

Residue of wax seal apparent on original