The Editor, Process, & Purpose

By absorbing this expanded version of Robert Clark’s memoir of his adventures as a 49er from Northeast Missouri, the reader can gain deeper and broader insight into the arduous pursuits and social schema that shaped men and the development of the western expansion of the United States in the mid-1800s. It is not the goal of this compilation to retell all that the 1848-1860s gold fever and decades following contributed to establishing western settlements.

There is a plethora of material published about the Gold Rush era that one can consult—many referenced in the Bibliography.

The edited and reformatted memoir that appears in Enterprising Young Men strives to create a version that is more likely to be read by twenty-first century readers. The nuances of Robert Clark’s dialect, personality, and choice of words—including those recognized now as offensive, though used as accepted terminology within Clark’s arena—are retained. Much of the improper grammar is retained to preserve the manner of speaking at that time. Some punctuation and spellings have been altered to enable ease of reading. Reading aids, such as footnotes to provide additional information, are included to bring a deeper understanding of things mentioned by Robert Clark. Supplements are provided to help organize and clarify certain activities, people, relationships, places, and events. The goal is to help the reader engage with the events of 1850, and with that, reflect upon them as they explore their own life, character and time period.

I recommend reading this book slowly, as each sentence offers much to ponder and presents new questions about Robert Clark and his time as a young, enterprising man. Quickly scanning through the pages will deny the reader opportunities to consider the elements that impact man and nature, then and now.

Many questions came to mind for this editor during the process of researching and studying this period of time and the words Bob Clark presented. There is much I uncovered that could not easily be included in this resuscitation of his memoir, so I look forward to sharing additional nuggets with you through this website. I encourage readers with information about these and other Northeast Missouri men who traveled west as argonauts to contact me (see the Contact page) so that others can expand their understanding as well.

For those reading these pages with appreciation for their Northeastern Missouri ancestors: may your imaginations soar. Whether the ancestor was one who traveled west to harvest dreams of adventure and financial security, or the one who managed the homestead, cultivated fields, and cared for livestock, longing for the safe return of their enterprising men far away, may you ponder their courage, character, challenges, and determination.

Regardless of the reason for holding a copy of Enterprising Young Men, readers of Clark’s experiences—seeking gold and the challenges of returning home safely—can be assured the thrill of adventure and expansion of their knowledge of this pivotal time in American history.

I look forward to hearing how this book has impacted you!

Marsha K. Clark