Today, April 2, is the 175th anniversary of the day John, Jesse, and Joseph Green started for the gold mines.

Californians

At least fifty persons from this county, left this place during the past week for California. The company from Dayton left on Monday, on board the Timoleon, which boat we understand they chartered to take them through to St. Joseph, on the Missouri river. All Dayton precinct was down to see them off, which gave our landing altogether the most crowded and bustling appearance we have ever seen it bear. The company is composed of as good men as there are in the county, and we are sorry to lose them. May their brightest anticipations be realized!

Our Ottawa boys, although there is quite a number of them, have been leaving for a week or two, in parties of two or three. There are among them some of the best of men, and a few whose loss we shall probably be able to survive. May they all have the best of luck, and come back with gold enough to improve the river to Ottawa, and build a bridge across the Illinois!¹

1. The [Ottawa IL] Free Trader, April 6, 1849, page 2, col.2