A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for John A. Curtis
From "4. Onesimus and Mary.doc" by cptkurk (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/101589659/person/150029378679/facts):
John was counted twice on the USFederal Census in 1850. Once in Missouri on 10/04/1850 with his family, and again on 12/03/1850 in California with his brother Harvey. Mostly likely they went to California for the Gold Rush. He was still listed as a miner in San Francisco in 1852. It is not known how long he stayed in California, but there was a gap of 7 years between his children.
The California Gold Rush was sparked by the discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 and was arguably one ofthe most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century. As news spread of the discovery, thousands of prospective gold miners traveled by sea or over land to San Francisco and the surrounding area; by the end of 1849, the non-native population of the California territory was some 100,000 (compared with the pre-1848 figure of less than 1,000). A total of $2 billion worth of precious metal was extracted from the area during the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
Page generated on 12 November 2025