The True Story of the California Gold Discovery

History books have long taught that JamesMarshall. It was washing day and, at Marshall's
Marshall was the discoverer of gold in California. Itsuggestion, the nugget was put into the
is said that he found it in the mill race (thewash-kettle among the boiling suds. After some
drainage channel) of a water powered sawmill helittle time it was found to be untarnished and
was building. Literally hundreds, if not thousands, ofMarshall said it must be gold, and he took it to
books and articles have taught this story, and itSutter's fort where it was tested and found to
was long repeated by Marshall himself when hebe truly gold.
was still alive. However, in researching the factsWhile Marshall was gone to Sutter's fort the little
and history of the discovery of gold in California, itboys picked up about four ounces more of gold,
may be that Marshall's claim was not quiteso that when Captain Sutter came up to the
accurate. The true story may be that it wassaw-mill to see for himself, which he immediately
found by some children who lived at the campdid, Uncle Peter showed him this second discovery
established by Marshall for his workers and theirof the boys and satisfied him that a most
families. In researching the old stories, I camevaluable source of wealth had been found. Then
across the following tale:Sutter and Marshall and Wimmer, calling the
"At a place in California known as Coloma livedColoma Indians together, entered into an
Peter Wimmer, who had married my father'sagreement or lease with them, by which they
sister. I always knew him as Uncle Peter. He hadleased from the Indians twelve miles square."
crossed the plains in about 1846, and afterwardSo while Marshall was present, the actual
had remained at Sutter's fort. About the first ofdiscoverer of California's gold may have been little
April, 1847, I received a letter from him whichJohn Wimmer, a young child who lived in the
changed all my plans. Wimmer was the partner ofColoma camp of the workers and their families. It
James Marshall. In that letter he told me that,shows the huge impact that even one child can
some time before, Captain Sutter had made ahave. The letter also shows that Sutter, Marshall
contract with him and J. W. Marshall, they agreeingand Wimmer little understood the gigantic impact
to build for the captain a saw-mill at Coloma onof the discovery, one that would change the
the south fork of the American river.western US forever, by leasing 12 square miles as
Uncle Peter had four children, three boys and athe "most valuable source of wealth". In truth, the
little girl - all my cousins. While the mill-race wasCalifornia gold deposits extend for more than 100
being dug, the children found it to be a placemiles along the western front of the Sierra
which they liked to play in, and one day, whileNevada mountain range. It would be less than a
thus playing, little John Wimmer, the second oldestyear before the flood of "49ers" coming from the
boy, found a piece of gold of the value of abouteastern US would overrun even the 12 square
eight dollars. It was bright and pretty, and he ranmiles and the original claimants would loose even
to the house and showed it to his father andthat.