Who first discovered gold, where did he find it, and how was he rewarded? In 1848, found gold in California while trying to build a sawmill on the South Fork of the American River. This quickly led to the gold rush. Unfortunately, he did not gain a profit from the discovery but was given compensation of per month when he turned 62 years old. When he died, there was not enough money to pay for his burial.

a) Jed Smith - $1000 per month
b) James W. Marshall - $2 per month
c) Daniel Boone - $200 per month