Biography And Early Life Sketch Of The Late Abram Sortore, Including His Trip To California And Back
Alexandria, MO: 1909. Wraps. 10 pp. 22 cm. “This autobiographical statement consists of a letter written to Sortore’s niece, Jennie Thomas, dated March 25, 1909. He wrote: ‘I was then 21 years old with no sweetheart to leave behind I joined with three of my neighbors in the great rush to California for Gold.’ Sortore left from Keokuk, Iowa, in March 1850, traveled overland via the California Trail, and arrived in Placerville, where he found his first nugget. Sortore and companions mined near Louisville on the South Fork of the American River. Eventually, he mined on the South Fork of the Yuba River near Bridgeport. In October 157, he returned home via Nicaragua.” (Kurutz, Gary, The California Gold Rush: A Descriptive Bibliography . . ., p. 604)). Sortore’s narrative also includes his account of the Mormon settlement at Nauvoo, where he arrived “in time to see the smoke and hear the roar of ‘Cannon’ when the Citizens fired on the Mormons to drive them from Nauvoo.” “A very scarce pamphlet, with only a few copies known to exist.” (Mintz, Lannon W., The Trail: A Bibliography of the Travelers on the Overland Trail . . ., p. 124). 10 pp. Original printed blue paper wrappers. Very light fading along the extremities; else near fine. Scarce. Cowan p. 894. Flake-Draper 8281, Kurutz 593, Mattes 970, Mintz 431. Condition: Near fine. Item #28589
Price: $400.00