Western Expresses | F

Anan Fargo began in the express business in late 1851, partnering with William E. Singer in Singer & Fargo’s Express. He left that partnership when W. S. Dean was brought in and started his own express line. Fargo & Co.’s Feather River Express began advertising Jul 22, 1852 in the Marysville Heraldand continued to do so through Nov 26, 1853, being superseded by W. E. Singer & Co.’s Feather River Express. The Oroville Butte Record made the last mention of Fargo’s Express on Dec 17, 1853.

George S. Farley began operating Farley’s Express in 1857. From his base in Camptonville, he served Galena Hill, Young’s Hill, Indian Creek, Indian Hill, Indian Valley, and Railroad Hill. Charles E. Delong’s journal confirms that Farley practiced medicine while on his express route (he was a physician in Alabama prior to coming to California in Apr, 1850). Farley’s Express operated until early 1858, when John E. Fuller took over the route. In late 1859 or early 1860, Farley joined up with Fuller t  form Fuller & Farley’s Express, which ran over the same route of the predecessor companies. They sold out to Bearss & Smith in the summer of 1862.

Fast Freight & Express Company filed for incorporation Jul 4, 1863, based on an article in the Sacramento Daily Union of that date. However, their first advertisement did not appear until Apr 11, 1864 in the San Francisco Daily Alta California. They appear to have operated at first between San Francisco and Sacramento by river, later adding Virginia City by wagon, based on advertisements. Their last ad found to date is from the Apr 22, 1865 San Francisco Bulletin.

James May Ford was agent for Monson & Co.’s Express in Coloma and Greenwood by Sep, 1850. Contemporary Marysville newspapers list him in that capacity through Jan, 1851. He formed Ford & Co.’s express around the same time, operating until at least Jan, 1852. By May, 1852 he had left the express business and went on to become a daguerrean artist in San Francisco.

Robert Francis and James S. Bump formed Francis & Co.’s Express in late 1859. Based out of Gibsonville, they ran to La Porte, Onion Valley, and Nelson’s Point. They connected with Whiting & Co. at Quincy; Everts, Wilson & Co. at La Porte; and Wells, Fargo at Marysville. The express operated as Francis’ Express after Bump left the partnership. Holland, Morley & Company bought them out in May, 1862.

John M Freeman bought out T.R. Hawley’s interest in Hawley’s Express on Nov 11, 1850. The route was between Sacramento City and San Francisco by steamboat with further service to river offices north to Marysville. Adams Express operated as Freeman’s agent and expediter in San Francisco. The express served as a trunk line connecting at Sacramento with Bower’s Express for service to Nevada City and with Langton’s Express for service to Downieville. After his purchase of Mumby’s Express in June 1851, Freeman sold out to Adams & Co on Aug 16, 1852. After serving as an agent for Adams & Co for several years, he started a new Freeman’s Express after Adam’s failure in February 1855.

John Freeman was Adams & Company’s agent in Panama at the time of the company’s collapse on Feb 23, 1855. Shortly thereafter, he opened an express business under his name. He contracted with Cova & Company in Panama to act as his agent on the Isthmus. He quickly extended from a base in San Francisco to Australia, New York, and inward to all the mining areas of California. By July of 1858, he was handling mail to British Columbia and was a major rival to Wells Fargo. As he did in his initial express foray of 1851 (then selling to Adams), he again sold the California express business, this time to Wells Fargo in Nov, 1859. He continued to operate the ocean-to-ocean route from San Francisco to New York, via Acapulco, Panama and Aspinwall for an additional 11 months.