Description: California Gold Rush History! No other know photos of George and William Swan and their families! This historically important collection contains CDV photos from the Swan family of the El Dorado County / Placerville/ San Francisco area. Also included in this collection is a typed record of the Swan brothers. This typed documentation was found in the Swan family photo album with the CDV photos. The photos date to the 1860's - based on the CDV paper stock, photographer, wardrobe, and hair styles. The list of items included in this listing, is as follows: 1) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - MR. GEORGE W. SWAN - Excellent condition. Name written in pencil on lower front. "Geo. W. Swan." Photographer: Vance's Gallery Bradley & Ruilofson - San Francisco. 2) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - MRS. GEORGE W. SWAN - Excellent condition. Name written in pencil on front lower. "Mrs. Geo. W. Swan." Beautiful dress! Photographer: Vance's Gallery Bradley & Ruilofson - San Francisco. 3) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - Two boys. Sons of William H. Swan. Name written on back: "Mrs. Wm. H. Swan." S. S. Polhemus, Photographer. Whitewater, Wisconsin. 4) 1860's Photo -LILLIE G. SWAN - Fair condition. Baby photo. Some yellowing. Cut into oval. No backing. Name written in ink on back. Unsure of her relation in the families. 5) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - MR. WILLIAM HENRY SWAN - Excellent condition. No name or other identifiers. No guarantees, but I believe this to be William because this photo was found in the same album near George and they have very similar facial features. In the photo, he is also holding a gold watch (which is referenced in the documentation on page 3.) Lastly, William was 12 years younger than George, which mirrors the age gap seen in the two images of the brothers. 6) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - MR. WILLIAM HENRY SWAN. Close up shot. Same photographer mark as #5 & 7. 7) 1860's CDV Studio Photo - MRS. WILLIAM H. SWAN - Excellent condition. Beautiful dress. Same photographer mark and studio flooring/backdrop as #5 & 6. No name or other identifiers written on image. 8) Collection of other CDVs from the Swan photo album. All are from the same 1860's era. None are ID'd, but were likely friends or relatives. 12 total. 9) Typed Record - The typed record is five and a half pages in length and documents both George and William Swan from their births to the mid-late 1800's. The document was found inside the album. (I'll be selling the empty album separately.) After George invented a threshing machine he used the money from the sale of the plans to fund a move to California in 1849 during the gold rush. He had great success as an entrepreneur, developing the George Swan Ditch to bring water to the mines at Dry Diggings. He later built a series of very lucrative toll roads including a very important road from Placerville to Lake Tahoe allowing gold and silver miners to take their spoils to Nevada, became the president of the Placerville-Sacramento Railroad, and much more. George also built the Slippery Ford river crossing and the Slippery Ford House. William followed his brother to California and worked as a 28 mule "Express Train" driver for the Wells Fargo Express before it was Wells Fargo. He also worked with locals Placerville to develop law and order and bring down vigilante gangs in the area. The documentation reflects some of his interesting adventures. This document is typed with a typewriter and I estimate it was written around 1950. This is an educated guess because the paper's watermark indicates "Eaton's Bond Corrasable Berkshire USA," which was introduced in the 1950's. In the attached photos I've only included the first couple pages of the document, leaving the rest as an adventure for the winning bidder. I made my way into a pretty deep rabbit hole as I read more about the Swans. I believe I just scratched the surface. I've included some of the online research excerpts below... ------------- EXCERPT FROM "EL DORADO COUNTY ADVENTURES" WEBSITE: ....Lack of legislative financing prompted the move to toll roads developed by private entrepreneurs. West of Johnson Pass, the Slippery Ford Grade down to Strawberry was rebuilt by George W. Swan. The first toll-supported bypass of Peavine Ridge was built by Ogilbyand opened in 1861. The road left the old road from Placerville at Pollock Pines, followed the ridgetops and slopes south of the river, crossed the river east of White Hall and then followed Highway 50 along the north bank to the 1858 county road west of Kyburz. Some stretches were more challenging. Prior to two bridges being built near Slippery Ford, traffic had to cross the South Fork of the American River on a granite surface. Many horses and mules lost their footing on the smooth rock and wagons and cargo were washed down the river. The Slippery Ford House was a 1860s stage stop at the base of Lovers Leap east of Strawberry. This quote from Over The Mountains Again by Q.S. on his travels appeared in the Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 23, Number 3540, 2 August 1862. The quote is courtesy of John Winner, member and past president national preservation officer of the Oregon-California Trails Association. The Oregon-California Trails Association works to locate, mark and preserve trails. Last year, as well as my poor pen could do it, I gave a description of Slippery Ford and its terrors, as well as horrors. Thanks to Mr. Swan, they are now numbered among the things that were, and one can now enjoy the magnificence and grandeur of the scenery in and about this pass which, I again say, I do not believe the world can rival or excel. Swans Summit grade commences at Strawberry, crossing the river there, and working its way between two bold but gigantic peaks of rock, recrosses again, about midway of the Ford, and then, by two mammoth ascending curves, reaches the top of Slippery Ford hill, and the traveler may rest awhile at Sayles Station, or go on, as the humor or circumstances dictate. I wish some painter, or sketcher, at least, would transfer this splendid scenery to paper. It is grand, beautiful, and even awful, in its majesty. First there is the South Fork of the river itself, which comes tumbling, with foam and roar, down a precipice a mile in length, and full 800 or 1,000 feet in hight. Travelers today can enjoy the beauty of Horsetail Falls while driving on Highway 50. A part of the old road bed, though overgrown with shrubs and some trees as tall as 80 feet, can still be seen on the hillside across the river from Whitehall. The ditch above the road washed out some of the road in 1875. And the heavy rains and subsequent collapse of the hillside in 1983 destroyed another section. _______________ Adventures in California History "Pitsenberger" website: see very good detailed accounts of the toll roads, photos of Slippery Ford grade, and much more. ----------------- Holabird Americana Auction site - search "Swan" in past auctions to see many documents and receipts from the George Swan estate. One document showed that George Swan and William Randolph Hearst were introduced in 1879 and had business dealings. ______________ This collection of CDV photos and documentation would make a great addition to any museum or gold rush collection. This is truly one of a kind, and will likely never be seen again after it is acquired by a lucky bidder. Good luck! Will be shipped securely, double-boxed, with insurance and Signature Confirmation (will require a signature upon delivery.)
Price: 1499 USD
Location: Bakersfield, California
End Time: 2024-08-13T01:41:43.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Unit of Sale: Lot
Antique: Yes
Photo Type: CDV
Color: Sepia
Date of Creation: 1860-1869
Image Color: Black & White
Material: Paper
Region of Origin: California!!!
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Subject: California, Gold Rush, Toll Roads, Strawberry, CA, Placerville, CA, El Dorado County, Lake Tahoe, CA, Wells Fargo, American Express, Gold Mining, Silver Mining, Comstock Lode, History, Wagons, Kingsbury
Vintage: Yes
Type: Photograph
Format: Carte de Visite (CDV)
Year of Production: 1860's
Original/Reprint: Original Print
Theme: Cities & Towns, History, People, Portrait, Railroadiana, Topographical, Transportation, Travel, Western, Working Life
Style: Documentary
Features: One of a Kind (OOAK)
Time Period Manufactured: 1850-1899
Featured Person/Artist: William Swan, George Swan, Swan Family
Production Technique: Albumen Print
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
