Tuleburg to Knights Ferry

Isaac Dakin circa 1865 about 5 years after he moved to Knight's Ferry

Probably around 1858, Isaac Dakin and Laura Jameson arrive in Knights Ferry from Stockton. Laura's sister, Mary was already living there with her husband, David Merril Locke who figures later in the story. Knights Ferry is located on the norther shore of the Stanislaus River. Today it boasts the longest covered bridge in California and is the river rafting capital of the Stanislaus.

William Knight was the founder of Knight's Ferry (1849) and was killed in a gun fight on November 9th of the following year. John and Lewis Dent bought up the townsite and the surrounding land from James Vantine, William Knight's partner, for a paultry sum and began developing the township in 1851.

The Dents sold parcels in town, but for those showing interest in starting needed business, they cut a special deal. Isaac and Laura were given their lots for free since a blacksmith shop would provide an essential service for those in town as well as those on their way to the gold fields.

"The Dakins were about to cast their fortune with the tiny community just
getting a foothold on the north bank of the Stanislaus River. Traffic
between Tuleburg... and the recently discovered gold fields around Sonora, was
picking up dramatically.

all day long the road was marked by dusty clouds kicked up by horses, oxen,
mules and churning wheels. All night it was lighted by hundreds of
blinking lanterns hung from wagons traveling in both directions.

Isaac read the future with uncanny accuracy. He had heard, as he
labored in a Tuleburg blacksmith shop, that an establishment of like kind was
needed at the halfway station, Knights Ferry, to repair wagons and equipment of
the thousands of men as the dream of gold fortune led them that
direction."