Samuel HARKLEROAD

                   FROM THE FILES OF NEIL HARKLEROAD - " EUGENE (SAMUEL'S BROTHER) AND SAMUEL WENT WEST TO CALIFORNIA WEST TO CALIFORNIA FOR THE 1849 GOLD RUSH.  THEY ARRIVED TOO LATE FOR THE BIG STRIKE.  EUGENE RETURNED TO IOWA, WHILE SAMUEL WENT ON TO SAN FRANCISCO WHERE HE SAILED TO AUSTRALIA FOR THAT GOLD RUSH, HOWEVER HE WAS UNABLE TO GET INLAND TO THE GOLD FIELDS AND WAS FORCED TO WORK PASSAGE BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO AND RETURN TO IOWA.  NEIGHTER BROTHER HAD SUCCEEDED IN MAKING MUCH MORE THAN EXPENSES.  IN 1859, COLORADO HAD ITS PIKES PEAK GOLD RUSH WHICH WAS TOO MUCH OF A TEMPTATION, SO BOTH BROTHERS AGAIN HAD TO GO TO PIKES PEAK. SAMUEL REALIZED ABOUT TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT HE HAD A GAMBLING PROBLEM. EUGENE RETURNED TO IOWA AND RAISED A FAMILY.  SAMUEL RETURNED WEST AND SETTLED IN OREGON IN 1863 TO RAISE A FAMILY SOME OF WHOM NOW LIVE IN CALIFORNIA." ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE IN "BULLWHACKERS MULESKINNERS..." HE ARRIVED IN OREGON ON 22 NOV 1864.  HE SON GEORGE DESCRIBES HIM AS "...HE WAS 5 FEET 10 1/2 INCHES HIGH, WEIGHED 187 POUNDS..."