In 1848 he took over as master of the whaler Niantic and in May 1849, Henry Cleaveland was in Paita, Peru, as captain of her.
He learned of the discovery of gold, sailed to Panama, picked up 249 passengers, charging $150 to $250 each, and arrived in San Francisco on July 5, 1849.
Once the Niantic anchored, its crew left town along with the passengers.
The whaler's owners pulled the ship ashore, dismantled its masts and rigging, and constructed offices and warehouses on her.
(In the book "The Cleaveland Name in History" — right — you'll discover the origins of people with the Cleaveland surname. You may discover the countries and ports they left behind, the ships they sailed and more. You'll get a better idea of where people sharing the Cleaveland name settled and where they may reside today in the United States, Canada, England and other countries.)