Bethena in 1858 married Matthias Slatten (b. 1837 NC), the son of John Slatten and Mourning Richardson. Not long afterwards in the Spring of 1861 he departed with several others to go to the gold fields in the Kansas Territory. According to his last letter to his wife he was in a place known as Gregory's Diggings outside of Denver City which later became the capitol of Colorado. Bethena and her son moved in with her parents to await Matthias' return. According to descendents after the letter below was received, Mattias was never heard from again.
John Hamilton Gregory, also a native Georgia from Cherokee Co discovered a gold lode on 5 May 1859 which caused an immediate gold rush to the Kansas (now Colorado) Territory.
Dear Wife,
I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am in the land of the living and enjoying tolerably good health. I hope when these lines come to hand they may find you and Jackson enjoying good hearlth, and kind blessings of heaven. I received your kind and affectionate letter the 5th inst. and was very glad to hear that you and Jackson were well and that you have become better satisfied. I also received a letter from Father the same day stating that you had received three letters from me. I had a very pleasant trip across the Plains compared to what I expected to find. Notwithstanding some days it was very disagreeable traveling, the wind and dust sometimes almost blinding me. The plains are generally level and frequently we would travel a whole day at a time and not see a tree or bush of any description of the land. The land from Leavenworth City to Fort Kearney is the best land I ever saw in my life to take in on an average. The soil will average from three to five feet deep from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney. From Fort Kearney to Denver City up the Platte it is not good for anything but for a pasture for the emigrants stock to graze upon. I reached the mines on the 29th of April being 42 days crossing the plains. It cost me about one hundred and thirty dollars from home here. There were four of us bought a claim and went to work. I worked four days and took the chills and I sold out my interest for fifty dollars cash, less than what I gave.
I am staying with Washington and Charles Kiker and S C Smith. Washington Kiker started on a prospecting expedition on the 5th inst with Green Russell and Mer Wllis, over to Snowy Range. They (Russell and Willis) prospected over there last season and Mer Willis and Russell both said they believed it to be the richest mining country in the world. They had to go in two companies to keep the Northern people from following them, they want to have a Georgia crowd. As soon as they return I expect to move over there myself .
As for the Gregory Diggings as they are called a man has a very poor showing unless he has a pretty good capital to commence with. If I had a quartz mill here I could make a half bushel of dust in twelve months. The gulch claims are near about all worked out that are worth anything and the people who own claim here ask as much for them as they think is in them and frequently a great deal more.
Lizzie, i am writing you the truth just as it is. I have come here to make money and I am going to make some before I go back, if I live. I don't expect to make it in the mines for they are not worth having, those that I could get and those that are worth having I can't get. So you see how it stands. But to say there is no gold here would be telling an untruth. There is no gold here in vast quantities but it is in leads.
Across the Snowy Range where I expect to go it is more pleasant than here. You may be sweating here an in half hour it may be snowing. I have seen that frequently. I believe I have written about all that as would be of interest to you. I will write again before I leave here and let you know where I am going. You may still direct your letters to Denver City.
I remain your affectionate husband.
Matthias Slaten
[Courtesy of Tom Bates, descendant of Matthias and Bethena Adams Slatten.]
Bethena and Matthias had one son: Andrew Jackson (1859-1947) #
1860 U S Census Gordon Co, GA, p. 301, dwel 397, fam 381, NAM No M-653, roll 124, Sonora, farm laborer, 19 Jun
John Hamilton Gregory, also a native Georgia from Cherokee Co discovered a gold lode on 5 May 1859 which caused an immediate gold rush to the Kansas (now Colorado) Territory.
Dear Wife,
I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am in the land of the living and enjoying tolerably good health. I hope when these lines come to hand they may find you and Jackson enjoying good hearlth, and kind blessings of heaven. I received your kind and affectionate letter the 5th inst. and was very glad to hear that you and Jackson were well and that you have become better satisfied. I also received a letter from Father the same day stating that you had received three letters from me. I had a very pleasant trip across the Plains compared to what I expected to find. Notwithstanding some days it was very disagreeable traveling, the wind and dust sometimes almost blinding me. The plains are generally level and frequently we would travel a whole day at a time and not see a tree or bush of any description of the land. The land from Leavenworth City to Fort Kearney is the best land I ever saw in my life to take in on an average. The soil will average from three to five feet deep from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney. From Fort Kearney to Denver City up the Platte it is not good for anything but for a pasture for the emigrants stock to graze upon. I reached the mines on the 29th of April being 42 days crossing the plains. It cost me about one hundred and thirty dollars from home here. There were four of us bought a claim and went to work. I worked four days and took the chills and I sold out my interest for fifty dollars cash, less than what I gave.
I am staying with Washington and Charles Kiker and S C Smith. Washington Kiker started on a prospecting expedition on the 5th inst with Green Russell and Mer Wllis, over to Snowy Range. They (Russell and Willis) prospected over there last season and Mer Willis and Russell both said they believed it to be the richest mining country in the world. They had to go in two companies to keep the Northern people from following them, they want to have a Georgia crowd. As soon as they return I expect to move over there myself .
As for the Gregory Diggings as they are called a man has a very poor showing unless he has a pretty good capital to commence with. If I had a quartz mill here I could make a half bushel of dust in twelve months. The gulch claims are near about all worked out that are worth anything and the people who own claim here ask as much for them as they think is in them and frequently a great deal more.
Lizzie, i am writing you the truth just as it is. I have come here to make money and I am going to make some before I go back, if I live. I don't expect to make it in the mines for they are not worth having, those that I could get and those that are worth having I can't get. So you see how it stands. But to say there is no gold here would be telling an untruth. There is no gold here in vast quantities but it is in leads.
Across the Snowy Range where I expect to go it is more pleasant than here. You may be sweating here an in half hour it may be snowing. I have seen that frequently. I believe I have written about all that as would be of interest to you. I will write again before I leave here and let you know where I am going. You may still direct your letters to Denver City.
I remain your affectionate husband.
Matthias Slaten
[Courtesy of Tom Bates, descendant of Matthias and Bethena Adams Slatten.]
Bethena and Matthias had one son: Andrew Jackson (1859-1947) #
1860 U S Census Gordon Co, GA, p. 301, dwel 397, fam 381, NAM No M-653, roll 124, Sonora, farm laborer, 19 Jun
Bethena in 1858 married Matthias Slatten (b. 1837 NC), the son of John Slatten and Mourning Richardson. Not long afterwards in the Spring of 1861 he departed with several others to go to the gold fields in the Kansas Territory. According to his last letter to his wife he was in a place known as Gregory's Diggings outside of Denver City which later became the capitol of Colorado. Bethena and her son moved in with her parents to await Matthias' return. According to descendents after the letter below was received, Mattias was never heard from again.
John Hamilton Gregory, also a native Georgia from Cherokee Co discovered a gold lode on 5 May 1859 which caused an immediate gold rush to the Kansas (now Colorado) Territory.
Dear Wife,
I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am in the land of the living and enjoying tolerably good health. I hope when these lines come to hand they may find you and Jackson enjoying good hearlth, and kind blessings of heaven. I received your kind and affectionate letter the 5th inst. and was very glad to hear that you and Jackson were well and that you have become better satisfied. I also received a letter from Father the same day stating that you had received three letters from me. I had a very pleasant trip across the Plains compared to what I expected to find. Notwithstanding some days it was very disagreeable traveling, the wind and dust sometimes almost blinding me. The plains are generally level and frequently we would travel a whole day at a time and not see a tree or bush of any description of the land. The land from Leavenworth City to Fort Kearney is the best land I ever saw in my life to take in on an average. The soil will average from three to five feet deep from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney. From Fort Kearney to Denver City up the Platte it is not good for anything but for a pasture for the emigrants stock to graze upon. I reached the mines on the 29th of April being 42 days crossing the plains. It cost me about one hundred and thirty dollars from home here. There were four of us bought a claim and went to work. I worked four days and took the chills and I sold out my interest for fifty dollars cash, less than what I gave.
I am staying with Washington and Charles Kiker and S C Smith. Washington Kiker started on a prospecting expedition on the 5th inst with Green Russell and Mer Wllis, over to Snowy Range. They (Russell and Willis) prospected over there last season and Mer Willis and Russell both said they believed it to be the richest mining country in the world. They had to go in two companies to keep the Northern people from following them, they want to have a Georgia crowd. As soon as they return I expect to move over there myself .
As for the Gregory Diggings as they are called a man has a very poor showing unless he has a pretty good capital to commence with. If I had a quartz mill here I could make a half bushel of dust in twelve months. The gulch claims are near about all worked out that are worth anything and the people who own claim here ask as much for them as they think is in them and frequently a great deal more.
Lizzie, i am writing you the truth just as it is. I have come here to make money and I am going to make some before I go back, if I live. I don't expect to make it in the mines for they are not worth having, those that I could get and those that are worth having I can't get. So you see how it stands. But to say there is no gold here would be telling an untruth. There is no gold here in vast quantities but it is in leads.
Across the Snowy Range where I expect to go it is more pleasant than here. You may be sweating here an in half hour it may be snowing. I have seen that frequently. I believe I have written about all that as would be of interest to you. I will write again before I leave here and let you know where I am going. You may still direct your letters to Denver City.
I remain your affectionate husband.
Matthias Slaten
[Courtesy of Tom Bates, descendant of Matthias and Bethena Adams Slatten.]
Bethena and Matthias had one son: Andrew Jackson (1859-1947) #
1860 U S Census Gordon Co, GA, p. 301, dwel 397, fam 381, NAM No M-653, roll 124, Sonora, farm laborer, 19 Jun
John Hamilton Gregory, also a native Georgia from Cherokee Co discovered a gold lode on 5 May 1859 which caused an immediate gold rush to the Kansas (now Colorado) Territory.
Dear Wife,
I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am in the land of the living and enjoying tolerably good health. I hope when these lines come to hand they may find you and Jackson enjoying good hearlth, and kind blessings of heaven. I received your kind and affectionate letter the 5th inst. and was very glad to hear that you and Jackson were well and that you have become better satisfied. I also received a letter from Father the same day stating that you had received three letters from me. I had a very pleasant trip across the Plains compared to what I expected to find. Notwithstanding some days it was very disagreeable traveling, the wind and dust sometimes almost blinding me. The plains are generally level and frequently we would travel a whole day at a time and not see a tree or bush of any description of the land. The land from Leavenworth City to Fort Kearney is the best land I ever saw in my life to take in on an average. The soil will average from three to five feet deep from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney. From Fort Kearney to Denver City up the Platte it is not good for anything but for a pasture for the emigrants stock to graze upon. I reached the mines on the 29th of April being 42 days crossing the plains. It cost me about one hundred and thirty dollars from home here. There were four of us bought a claim and went to work. I worked four days and took the chills and I sold out my interest for fifty dollars cash, less than what I gave.
I am staying with Washington and Charles Kiker and S C Smith. Washington Kiker started on a prospecting expedition on the 5th inst with Green Russell and Mer Wllis, over to Snowy Range. They (Russell and Willis) prospected over there last season and Mer Willis and Russell both said they believed it to be the richest mining country in the world. They had to go in two companies to keep the Northern people from following them, they want to have a Georgia crowd. As soon as they return I expect to move over there myself .
As for the Gregory Diggings as they are called a man has a very poor showing unless he has a pretty good capital to commence with. If I had a quartz mill here I could make a half bushel of dust in twelve months. The gulch claims are near about all worked out that are worth anything and the people who own claim here ask as much for them as they think is in them and frequently a great deal more.
Lizzie, i am writing you the truth just as it is. I have come here to make money and I am going to make some before I go back, if I live. I don't expect to make it in the mines for they are not worth having, those that I could get and those that are worth having I can't get. So you see how it stands. But to say there is no gold here would be telling an untruth. There is no gold here in vast quantities but it is in leads.
Across the Snowy Range where I expect to go it is more pleasant than here. You may be sweating here an in half hour it may be snowing. I have seen that frequently. I believe I have written about all that as would be of interest to you. I will write again before I leave here and let you know where I am going. You may still direct your letters to Denver City.
I remain your affectionate husband.
Matthias Slaten
[Courtesy of Tom Bates, descendant of Matthias and Bethena Adams Slatten.]
Bethena and Matthias had one son: Andrew Jackson (1859-1947) #
1860 U S Census Gordon Co, GA, p. 301, dwel 397, fam 381, NAM No M-653, roll 124, Sonora, farm laborer, 19 Jun
Inscription
Blessed are they that mourn
Family Members
Siblings
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Edith M Adams Lashley
1835–1891
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Cicero Columbus Adams
1836–1919
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Samantha Caroline Adams Love
1842–1905
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Mary J. Adams Hill
1845–1918
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PVT John Melton Adams
1846–1910
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Sarah Ellen Adams Abbott
1850–1884
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Frances C. "Fannie" Adams
1855–1923
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Hasseltine Judson Adams Hill
1855–1952
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Margaret Adams Gaston
1856–1934
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Laurann Callie Adams
1857–1934
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F. B. Adams
1861–1861
Children
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