Price of Sheep and Cattle - Sonoma, California - 1873

LETTER CONCERNING THE PRICE OF SHEEP AND CATTLE – SONOMA, CALIFORNIA

Written on the engraved stationary of the Matteson House, Chicago, Illinois and dated March 8, 1873. Complete with stamped transmittal envelope.

On a visit to Chicago, George W. Mapes, a livestock dealer of Plumas County, California writes this letter to Mr. A, Markes in Oregon.

Letter in full – spelling not corrected:

Chicago, March 8, 1873.

Mr. A. Markes

Dear sir I wish you would give me the price of different kinds of stock boath Sheep and Cattle of different grades I am here on a visit will leave for my home in California in a few days I want to envest in live Stock this spring I thought some of going to Oregon if I can do as well as in California and if you will give me the price I will be much obliged till you are better paid the weather is very warm here for this season of the year the weather has been very cold here the past winger, Please let me hear from you an return mail and oblige.

Yours Truely

Geo __ Mapes

Direct-

Beckwith - Plumas Co. Cal.

A notation on the back of the letter in a different hand, presumably that of Mr. A. Markes is dated April 2/73 and he writes

Answered

You can buy Cattle yearlings – 8

2 year olds – 15

3 year olds – 20 also Cows

Sheep ___- ____ sold to which and may become cheaper after shiring Cattle may also come down.

(History)

Born in 1833, Mapes was a native of New York. His father was Ira Mapes. From New York they moved to Michigan where he proceeded by steamer to California in 1854. At that time he was engaged in placer mining in Sierra and Nevada counties for four years, but with little success. Thus in 1858 he became engaged in the stock business in Sonoma County, California, preferring high-grade Durham cattle. Meeting with a great deal of success in the cattle business he became a proprietor of large stock ranches in California, Oregon and Nevada and owner of thousands of acres. He removed to Plumas County, California, in 1863, and resided in the Sierra Valley for seventeen years during which time he did business in Virginia City and later in Reno, furnishing the towns with beef cattle. In 1866 he married Josephine Whitcraft, daughter of John Whitcraft and Alluna (Shaw) Whitcraft, and they had three children.

In 1880, Mapes and his family moved to Reno, Nevada and invested in realty including the large block in which the Reno Mercantile Company did business, the block in wwhich the Levy store was located, and also the block in which the Frank clothing house was located. Mapes was also proprietor of the telephone building and a large stockholder of and President of the Washoe County Bank.

Source: Nevada State Journal for March 29, 1920 and April 9, 1934.

Letter and transmittal envelope in vg cond.