John David Borthwick
Encyclopedia
John David Borthwick, born (1824-1892) in Edinburgh, Scotland, to a prominent physician, was a nomadic Scottish journalist and author who received both a gentleman’s and artist’s education. In 1845 an inheritance was settled on him, and when he turned 21, he set out to see the world.
. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama
at Chagres
on a small sailing ship from Panama City
, where he stayed until the spring of 1851, reaching San Francisco in the summer of that year. He traveled in Gold Rush California from 1851 to 1854, eagerly observing and sketching about every ethnic group he met. arrived in Sacramento City in 1851 by river steamboat.
In 1853 he left for Nicaragua on his way to the Atlantic Seaboard and then Australia, from where he returned to Scotland via Panama in 1856. In 1857 he published materials from his California travels in Harper's Weekly, in California Magazine, and the reminiscence of his adventures in a book called Three Years in California. This book, which offers fascinating descriptions on mining techniques, personal interactions, transportation, crime, holidays, hotels and restaurants, entertainment of the social life of the era and the growth of California. It is focused on his experiences and encounters with gold camps such as Sacramento
, Coloma
, Nevada City
, Placerville
, Downieville
, Jacksonville, San Andreas
and Sonora
. It is considered one of the most entertaining and accurate depictions of the early Gold Rush
period, and remains one of the classic first-person accounts of the Age of Gold in America.
Borthwick illustrated his book with eight of his own lithographs, depicting card games, dances, mining operations, and Chinese emigrants. His attention to detail and his engaging portrayals are considered one of the most realistic representations of the time.
In 1856 Borthwick returned to Edinburgh and began organizing his notes for the purposes of publication and his paintings were exhibited in several galleries including the Royal Academy.
It is surmised that J. D. Borthwick was one of the sons of Peter Borthwick, a descendant of Baron Borthwick. But there is no evidence to substantiate this.
A travel gambling kit that belonged to Borthwick was recently featured on the History Channel show Pawn Stars
. An expert deemed the kit authentic to the period and estimated the value at somewhere between $7000-$10,000. The owner of the kit decided not to sell the item after learning this. However, the kit included 1880 era features, including royal flush artwork (not a feature of poker
until the 1870s) and an 1880 revolver. Borthwick left California in 1853 and never returned to the United States. Between 1857 and his death in 1892 he resided in Paddington, London, England. Further, the Pawn Stars episode refers to him as a professional gambler, but there is no evidence that he ever pursued gambling as a livelihood. The episode also mis-identifies Borthwick's book as being about gambling.
Work and life
Borthwick traveled in Canada in 1847, south to New Orleans, and then northwards as far as New York where he lived for some time, until he was struck with gold fever in May 1850, and quickly moved to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
at Chagres
Chagres
Chagres, a village of the Republic of Panama in the Colón Province. It has a harbour from 10 to I ~ ft. deep, which is difficult to enter. The port was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, and was opened for traffic with Panama, on the Pacific coast, by way of the Chagres River, in the 16th...
on a small sailing ship from Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, where he stayed until the spring of 1851, reaching San Francisco in the summer of that year. He traveled in Gold Rush California from 1851 to 1854, eagerly observing and sketching about every ethnic group he met. arrived in Sacramento City in 1851 by river steamboat.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Coloma
Coloma
Coloma may refer to:In places:*United States:** Coloma, California** Coloma, Michigan** Coloma, Wisconsin** Coloma , Wisconsin** Coloma Township, Whiteside County, Illinois** Coloma Charter Township, Michigan*Spain** Santa Coloma, Asturias...
, Nevada City
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
, Placerville
Placerville, California
Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Downieville
Downieville, California
Downieville is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Sierra County, California, United States. Downieville sits at an elevation of...
, Jacksonville, San Andreas
San Andreas, California
San Andreas is an unincorporated census-designated place and the county seat of Calaveras County, California. The population was 2,783 at the 2010 census, up from 2,615 at the 2000 census. Like most towns in the region, it was originally founded during the California Gold Rush...
and Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
. It is considered one of the most entertaining and accurate depictions of the early Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
period, and remains one of the classic first-person accounts of the Age of Gold in America.
Borthwick illustrated his book with eight of his own lithographs, depicting card games, dances, mining operations, and Chinese emigrants. His attention to detail and his engaging portrayals are considered one of the most realistic representations of the time.
In 1856 Borthwick returned to Edinburgh and began organizing his notes for the purposes of publication and his paintings were exhibited in several galleries including the Royal Academy.
It is surmised that J. D. Borthwick was one of the sons of Peter Borthwick, a descendant of Baron Borthwick. But there is no evidence to substantiate this.
A travel gambling kit that belonged to Borthwick was recently featured on the History Channel show Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars is an American reality television series on the History Channel, produced in Manhattan by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24-hour family business operated by patriarch Richard...
. An expert deemed the kit authentic to the period and estimated the value at somewhere between $7000-$10,000. The owner of the kit decided not to sell the item after learning this. However, the kit included 1880 era features, including royal flush artwork (not a feature of poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
until the 1870s) and an 1880 revolver. Borthwick left California in 1853 and never returned to the United States. Between 1857 and his death in 1892 he resided in Paddington, London, England. Further, the Pawn Stars episode refers to him as a professional gambler, but there is no evidence that he ever pursued gambling as a livelihood. The episode also mis-identifies Borthwick's book as being about gambling.
Publications
- Quartz Mining in California (Hutching's California Magazine vol. II, no. 4, October, 1857).
- The Gold Hunters (1857)
- A First-hand Picture Of Life in California
- Gold in California (Illustrated London News, January 24, 1852)
- Mining Life in California (Harper’s Weekly, October 3, 1857)
- Mining Camps in the Early Fifties
- JD Borthwick "Sees the Elephant"
- Looking for Gold
- Miner's Laws
- Gold is Where You Find It
- On Gambling in San Francisco
Reprints
- The Outing Library reprinted Three Years in California in 1917, with an introduction by Horace Kephart. The Outing Library edition was reprinted in 1929 by International Fiction Library, and Joseph A. Sullivan’s Biobooks brought out a new edition in 1948.
External links
- Full text of Three Years in California at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- A Scotsman in Nevada City: The Adventures of J.D. Borthwick in 1851 at Sierra Nevada Virtual Museum Website.