From: Judy Davison
Date: Wed 1/14/2004 7:03 AM
Subject: GOLDRUSH MOST WANTED
My 2nd great-grandfather was Joshua T. Smith, b. KY or TN (ca 1815-1828). He
married Rhoda Baldwin Sparks in Warsaw, Gallatin Co Kentucky on 22 Oct 1851.
Their only child Eliza was born 15 Nov 1853 and never saw her father.
These are the only hard facts I have about Joshua, and I have never located him
in any census records. Family tradition has it that Joshua Smith went to
California with "relatives" to prospect for gold in 1853. He wrote his wife to
tell her he had struck it rich and was coming home immensely rich. He was said
to be on a wagon train of Kentuckians in the California desert that was attacked
by Indians 2 Feb 1854. There were no survivors. It is a fascinating story but I
cannot find any historical proof and, of course, the "immensely rich" part is
highly suspect. Maybe somebody else has knowledge of an Indian attack on a wagon
train in Feb 1854.
Thanks very much for any help.
Judy Davison
Goldrush Most Wanted | California Genealogy | Free Genealogy