Mahlon Dickerson Fairchild's "Pioneer Reminiscences" is a 175 page typed manuscript describing in rich and interesting detail his journey from New York to California via Panama in 1848 and his prospecting, mining and adventures in the mining country of California, Nevada and Arizona from 1848 to 1866. Trained as a newspaper man, he often worked for his brothers as a correspondent for papers they published, but "reminiscences" is primarily focused on: his mining activities including early gold panning on the American River; hydraulic mining in Nevada County, CA; prospecting for Copper on the Colorado River in Arizona; and searching for salt deposits in the basin and range country of Nevada. The "Reminiscences" are well written and engaging. The box includes handwritten drafts of portions of the work from which completed work was created.

Mahlon Dickerson Fairchild was born on September 7, 1827 in Oneonta, Otsego County, New York, the son of David Fairchild and Deborah Palmer. His father was a newspaper publisher in Western New York state and all of his 6 sons were trained in the trade. Mahlon Fairchild came to California via the Isthmus of Panama arriving in San Francisco on the whale ship "Sylph" on July 26, 1849. During his early years in the West he actively pursued prospecting and mining, while serving as a correspondent for his brothers' newspaper, the Daily Reese River Revielle. For the last 25 years of his career he worked in the land and surveying department of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He lived in Rocklin, Placer County, California. He wrote an extensive history of the state of Nevada and a history of Placer County, California. He was a member of the Society of California Pioneers. Fairchild died in Oakland, California at the age of 85 on April 8, 1913. he was survived by his wife, Mary E. Fairchild; 2 sons, William F and Mahlon David Fairchild and 3 daughters, Mrs Theodore H Thomas, Mrs R. Masson Smith and Mrs Frank Hall Watters.

1.0 box (6 folders)

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