Spencer D. Pennell - Ghost of Bidwell Bar

Spencer D. Pennell was born 30 January 1825 to Joseph D. Pennell and his wife the former Miss Davis. When Spencer was about 5 his mother passed away and Joseph married Phoebe Stockman. Spencer was born in Canandaigua in Ontario, New York. The name Canandaigua comes from the Seneca word Kanandarque which translates to "the chosen place". The town is located at the northern end of Lake Canandaigua where springs of burning natural gas were recorded by Robert de la Salle when he explored in 1669.

I can find nothing else on Spencer until his death in Bidwell, Butte County, California.  

Bidwell Bar, a gold mining camp in Butte County was located at the end of the California Trail and was founded by John Bidwell in 1848. John Bidwell who was 21 and Captain John Bartleson  were the first to put together an emigration attempt with a wagon train heading out from Missouri and ending in California in 1841. There were 60 members in this group of travelers and the trip took 5 months and covered 2,008 miles of desert, dry lake basin and mountains. Half of the group changed their minds at Sheep Rock, Idaho and took the Oregon Trail. The rest all made their way to California with no maps and no guides. Everyone survived the trip. 

In 1842 Bidwell turned his diary of the journey over to a publishing company and many future emigrants and travelers would use the book as a guide. Was Spencer part of the first group of travelers or was he inspired by reading the book. Maybe he was tempted by the gold found at his hero's mining camp, Bidwell Bar and took off for riches and adventure with Bidwell's Diary Book in hand. 

On 4 July 1848 John Bidwell discovered gold on the Middle Fork of Feather River. By 1851 Bidwell had a population of about 2000 which warranted a post office and made it the County Seat for Butte County. By 1853 the population had soared to over 3,000. On 2 August 1854 a fire broke out in the town and most of it was destroyed. 

UNION HOUSE BIDWELL BAR CA. A fire destroyed the first Union House (also known as Fitzgerald House) August 2 1854 along with most of the town.

My 2nd cousin, Spencer D. Pennell died on 22 August 1854. Just 20 days after the start of the fire. Did he die from injuries he received as a result of the fire.