Arrive San Francisco
April 1, 1849SS Oregon
From New York
Captain Pearson
Passage
Passage:
The Oregon left New York for San Francisco on December 2, 1848.
She put into Panama on February 23, 1849, where more than 1200 passengers,
all bound for California gold mines, had been waiting for more than
two weeks in deprivation. Only 250 made it aboard the Oregon
for San Francisco. She arrived April 1, 1849, where she anchored near
a U.S. warship in order to prevent the crew from deserting to the gold
fields, as had happened earlier with the California.
Alta California, April 9, 1849
The papers are literally filled with articles relating to California, some of them, of course, base fabrications. Column after column is taken up with the names of persons who have sailed for this modern El Dorado, and probably at no time since the Crusades has an event transpired which has so set the world agog, and almost turned over the foundations of society.
We make a few quotations from papers placed in our hands by friends, but the crowded state of our columns renders it necessary to defer important extracts until our next.
Interminable debate on the slavery question, or other obstractions, continue the order of the day in Congress. There is some prospect of passing a bill to extend the Revenue Laws to California at an early day. The Postage Reduction Bill has not passed in either House. A branch mint at New York is being advocated again, and there is some prospect of its being authorized. A branch mint for California is also being advocated without any apparent opposition . . .
STEAM SHIPS FOR THE PACIFIC.--Several steamers are now up for
the Pacific. A new line of steamers is to be established between San
Francisco and Panama, which with Howland & Aspinwall's line, will greatly
facilitate travel and trade between our Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
There is some talk of a line to run from San Francisco to China, but
nothing has been decided upon.
The whole amount of gold received in this country from California, to
the present date, is only about sixty thousand dollars. We have
rumors of half a million being on the way, and it is said the British
steamers on the Pacific have taken off $300,000 from California . .
.
GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!!!--Since the glowing accounts from California, we have had wonderful stories of deposits of gold in Western Texas, in the valley of the River Gila, in Virginia, in Georgia, in the Rocky Mountains, and even in Ireland!! but none of them can compare with the reports of California, of twenty-five pound lumps!
Cargo: No information.
Passengers:
No passenger list located to date, however, we have located references
to various arrivals from other sources, i.e.
MARCH 31st.�The Pacific mail steamship �Oregon� arrived with about three hundred and fifty passengers, among whom were Col. John W. Geary and family. Col. Geary had been appointed postmaster for San Francisco, with powers to create post-offices and appoint postmasters throughout the territory; also to establish mail routes and make contracts for carrying the mails. He was the bearer of despatches from the United States Government to the commanders of the military and naval forces on the Pacific, and brought with him the first regular mail from the Atlantic States that was opened in San Francisco.
John W. Geary went on to become San Francisco�s last Alcade and first Mayor, and the Annals of San Francisco, 1966 (first published in 1855 and 1939) provided a detailed account of the family�s departure from New York on the Falcon and their travel across the Isthmus and trials in Panama while awaiting the Oregon to reach Panama after rounding the Horn.
Also, from The Annals of San Francisco and other sources:
Theodore T. Johnson, who went to the mining camps for one month, then
left for Panama.
Brig. General Montgomery D. Course (born March 14, 1816, Alexandria,
D.C.). He left for San Francisco after serving in the War with Mexico.
Upon arrival in San Francisco, he was a miner, merchant, steamboat agent,
custom house officer, deputy marshall of Sacramento, and captain of
the Sutter Rifles of Sacramento.
Rev. Albert Williams, Presbyterian Church, Passenger: And it so happened
that along with them came several Christian people who made each other's
acquaintance during the long voyage and very naturally laid plans together
for the constituting of a church, if the way should be open for it,
when they should arrive in San Francisco. It was in accordance with
these plans that the First Presbyterian Church was organized six weeks
after their landing, on the 20th of May. No more churches were ready
for organization till July, about the time of the formation of this
Congregational Church. As soon as the termination of Mr. Hunt's chaplaincy
could be brought about satisfactorily to all concerned, the members
of the congregation who wished to form a Congregational Church, retaining
Mr. Hunt as minister, at once associated themselves together for that
purpose.
Cargo
Not listed.Passengers
Geary, John W.Williams, Rev. Albert
Rev. Albert Williams (1809-1893) was founder of San Francisco’s First Presbyterian Church. He resigned his pastorship October 8, 1854. This account of the sixth Great Fire comes from his book "A Pioneer Pastorate and Times..." published in 1879.
Full list not located yet.