▁a ▁bow ling ▁al ley . ▁One ▁woman ▁writes ▁of ▁seeing ▁a ▁" l ady ▁b ull fig h ter ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mines ▁in ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Nev adas , ▁where ▁there ▁were ▁fewer ▁white ▁women , ▁Mexican ▁and ▁Chile an ▁women ▁gained ▁importance ▁as ▁increased ▁competition ▁caused ▁them ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁larger ▁towns ▁and ▁cities ▁and ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁smaller ▁gold ▁min ing ▁cam ps . ▁ ▁This ▁opportunity ▁for ▁up ward ▁economic ▁gain ▁was ▁easier ▁for ▁non - white ▁women ▁than ▁for ▁non - white ▁men . ▁ ▁Writ ers ▁and ▁journal ists ▁ ▁Some ▁women ▁wrote ▁letters ▁home , ▁di aries , ▁or ▁newspaper ▁articles ▁describing ▁their ▁experiences ▁during ▁the ▁Gold ▁R ush , ▁which ▁were ▁collected ▁and ▁published ▁by ▁later ▁histor ians ▁to ▁offer ▁insight ▁into ▁their ▁jour ne ys ▁West ▁and ▁life ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁more ▁notable ▁works ▁is ▁The ▁Sh ir ley ▁Let ters , ▁by ▁Louise ▁Am elia ▁Kn app ▁Smith ▁Cla ppe . ▁Other ▁writers ▁include ▁Lu zen a ▁Wilson , ▁Mary ▁Jane ▁Meg quier , ▁ ▁S all ie ▁H ester , ▁and ▁El iza ▁F arn ham . ▁Jenn ie ▁Carter ▁wrote ▁for ▁the ▁African - American ▁California ▁newspaper ▁The ▁E lev ator ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁ ▁The ▁scarc ity ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁California , ▁ske wed ▁the ▁marriage ▁market ▁in ▁their ▁favor . ▁While ▁parent al ▁appro val