USA > California > A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of northern California, including biographies of many of those who have passed away > Part 96
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HARRY T. GIBBS.
Harry T. Gibbs, who is engaged in general merchandising in Georgetown. has spent his entire life in California. He was born in the old historic town of Coloma, where Marshall first made the discovery of gold in 1848. His natal day was June 21, 1870. His father, W. B. Gibbs, was a California pioneer and died when his son Harry was only three years of age, while the mother passed away in 1892, at the age of fifty-four years. They left three children. The eldest is now Mrs. William Brown, of Newcastle : the second is William B., also of Newcastle ; and the youngest is Harry T. Gibbs.
The last named acquired his education in the public schools of George- town and on putting aside his text-books he secured a situation as clerk in the pioneer store of B. F. Shepherd, a prominent merchant of the early days. in whose service he remained for fifteen years. He closely applied himself to his work, mastered the principles of the business and became one of the most trusted employes of the house and at length was taken into partnership, a connection which was continued for two years, on the expiration of which period Mr. Shepherd, desiring to retire from the business, sold his interest
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to Mr. Gibbs and the latter has since been sole owner of the enterprise He lias a double store, well stocked with an excellent line of general merchandise to meet the wants of the farming and mining community around Georgetown and also to supply the city trade. His patronage comes from over a radius of nearly twenty miles and his business is therefore very extensive.
Mr. Gibbs may truly be said to be a self-made man whose advancement in the world is due to his own industry, integrity and business talent. He began as a poor boy in a humble clerkship, receiving but a small salary, but to-day he is the owner of the establishment in which he entered upon his busi- ness career. He is liberal, enterprising and public spirited and has a host of warm friends in the county in which he has so long been widely and favorably known. Close attention to business and honorable methods in trade made him prominent in commercial circles and his prosperity is well earned. Socially he is connected with the Chosen Friends. The advancement and progress of Georgetown are dear to him, and he withholds his support from no move- ment or measure which he believes will contribute to the general good.
JAMES B. HAYFORD.
James Barrows Hayford is a prominent citizen of Placer county and one of her supervisors. He resides on his fruit farm at Sunny Side. He is a native of Oxford county, Maine, born November 3. 1840, and is descended from English ancestors, tracing back the lineage to the year 1190, the family origi- nally belonging to the nobility. William Hayford, the progenitor of the family in the United States, emigrated from England with his two brothers at a very early date in the history of the colony of Massachusetts. Many of the descendants still reside in the old Bay state, Maine and New York. Gustave Hayford, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Maine. He married Miss Lelfa Barrows, a native of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and a direct descendant of Miles Standish. Gustave Hayford was a merchant and manufacturer of farm implements and later in life a farmer. He came to Cali- fornia in 1856 and after some time spent in this state returned to the east, but again came to California in 1879 and resided in Colfax until the time of his death, which occurred in the ninety-third year of his age. His wife died in 1878, aged seventy-five years.
The son, James Barrows Hayford, was educated in the public schools in Canton and came to California in 1859. At the opening of the Civil war, in answer to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, he resigned his position, pay- ing six dollars per day, and enlisted at San Francisco, March 18, 1863. Three of his brothers were already in the army. He was first in a California battal- ion, which was sent east and mustered into Company M, Second Massachu- setts Volunteer Cavalry. He was under General Augur in the defense of Wash- ington and later served under General Sheridan. Being sent to Washington to return some horses, in company with some of his regiment he was captured and was in Libby prison for three months, after which he was sent to Belle Isle. When he was finally exchanged he was a mere skeleton, only weighing
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ninety-five pounds. He was in ill health for two years following and has never fully regained his health.
Upon his discharge from the army, Mr. Hayford took up his residence in Boston and remained there until 1869. That year he removed to California and became engaged in a shipping and commission business, freighting goods to Grass Valley and other points. He continued in that business until 1876, when the narrow gauge railroad was built to Nevada City. Accompanied by his family he went to the Centennial at Philadelphia in 1876, and spent a season in visiting his relatives and old friends. Returning he engaged in the drug business in Sacramento for several years and also dealt in general merchandise. On account of his wife's failing health, he retired from business and removed to Colfax to secure a higher altitude. The change in climate, however, did not benefit Mrs. Hayford and she died after a residence of seven months at that place.
Mr. Hayford was married, in 1872, to Miss Mary J. Innis, of Easton, Pennsylvania. Two daughters were born to them, Lula M. and Effa M. both of whom are at home with their father. Mr. Hayford has one hundred and sixty acres of land on which are three thousand five hundred fruit trees, com- prising a large variety of choice fruits, most of which are apples and pears. He is one of the pioneer fruit-growers in this part of the state.
In politics Mr. Hayford has always been a stalwart Republican. He was under sheriff of Placer county for four years under Sheriff Butler, and in 1896 he was chosen supervisor of the county, which office he is now creditably filling. He has always been deeply interested in all that pertains to the welfare of Placer county. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, having been made a Master Mason in Colfax, in 1872. He has been an active member of the blue lodge and has been high priest of the chapter three terms.
JAMES MAHON.
James Mahon, of Colfax, Placer county, California, came to the state in 1849. He was born in Oswego county, New York, in 1832. John and Cath- erine (McLaughlin ) Mahon, his parents, were both born in Ireland. Leaving Dublin, in which city they were married, they came to the United States in 1826 and located in Oswego, New York, where Mr. Mahon was engaged as a ship chandler. There were seven children in the family, of whom two are now living. Both the father and mother are now deceased. Mr. Mahon died in 1864, having attained the age of sixty-eight years, and his wife passed away in 1870, aged sixty-five years.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of his native city. When seventeen years of age he went to New York city, intending to become a ship carpenter, but on his arrival there he heard of the great gold discoveries in California and determined to seek his fortune in the west. With a friend he embarked on the ship Queen of the West and worked his way around the Horn to the Goklen Gate, the journey requiring six months' time. On the 12th day of July, 1849, he landed in San Francisco and on leaving this
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city went to Sacramento and finally to Murphy's Camp. At the latter place he was paid seven dollars per day for his labor. He next went to Coloma, where he worked for a short time and then took up his residence in Auburn, Placer county, where he was engaged in carrying water to the mines at a salary of five dollars per day. Later he worked in several of the early mining camps. Michigan Bluff, Forest Hill and Yonker Jim's and also had claims of his own, which paid from ten to fifty dollars per day. Occasionally he found nug- gets worth one hundred dollars. He continued mining until 1859 and then engaged in teaming, hauling brick to Auburn. In 1861 he became the proprie- tor of a saloon in Auburn and later was interested in saloons at Clipper Gap, Colfax and Alta. He now owns the Railroad saloon at Colfax.
Mr. Mahon was married, in 1873, to Miss Ellen Ballen, of San Francisco, a native of New Orleans. They have one son, John Thomas Mahon. Although Mr. Mahon is a Democrat, he is nevertheless liberal in his views. He is a well preserved '49er and an excellent specimen of the many brave sons Ireland has furnished the United States and California.
JAMES GLEASON.
Back to the stanch old Irish stock does Mr. Gleason trace his lineage, and that in his character abide those sterling qualities which have ever marked the true type of the Irish nation, is manifest when we come to consider the more salient points in his life history, which has been one marked by consecutive industry, invincible spirit, sturdy loyalty and unwavering honor,-all of which have eventuated most naturally in securing him a position in the respect and esteem of his fellow men.
James Gleason has been a resident of California since 1855 and is now liv- ing at Iowa Hill. He is a native of Tipperary county, Ireland, born on the 25th of October, 1825. His parents, Michael and Elizabeth ( Hannay ) Glea- son, were also natives of the Emerald Isle, were industrious and respected farm- ing people and were devout members of the Catholic church. The father departed this life in the sixtieth year of his age and his estimable wife attained the very advanced age of ninety. They had six sons and three daughters, four of whom are living ; two at the old home in Ireland : Mrs. Margaret Brenan. of Rhode Island ; and James, of this review.
The last named was educated in his native country, but in 1851 he hade adieu to home and friends preparatory to sailing for the new world. He crossed the Atlantic to New York, where he arrived on the 5th of July, 1851, and there he worked for wages until the 12th of April, 1855, when, imbued with a com- mendable desire to better his condition, he sailed for the Eldorado of the west, making his way to California by way of the Nicaragua route. He arrived safely in San Francisco on the 8th of May, his capital consisting merely of a good constitution and a pair of willing hands. He worked on a farm for four months for sixty dollars per month and then, desiring to try his fortune in the gold diggings, he went to Murphy's Camp. in Calaveras county, working for wages in placer mines. Later he started on foot for Iowa Hill, work-
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ing his way to Carranto and finally reaching his destination. He carried with him seven hundred dollars in gold in a belt. He was strong of limb and fear- less of heart and he carried no weapons, unlike most of the men of the time, feeling that if he needed to defend himself he could do it with the stones which were plentifully strewn over California's surface. He arrived in safety, how- ever, at Iowa Hill. on the 12th of November, 1855. and for forty-five years has been one of the intelligent, industrious and successful citizens of the town. When he reached this place he began working for wages as a miner but. later secured the position of manager of the ditch which conveyed water to the mine and to the town. In 1883 he became the owner of the ditch and the water-right and has since been sole proprietor and manager. The ditch is about fifty miles in length and is a very valuable property, owing to the fact that the water sup- ply for this section of the country must be brought from the mountains.
In 1861 Mr. Gleason was united in marriage to Miss Marcella Reid, a native of county Tipperary, Ireland. She came to California in 1859 and has been a faithful helpmate to her husband, a good wife and a loving and indul- gent mother. They have three children: Michael, who is now in charge of his father's large ditch interests and is also connected with mining; Mary, an accomplished daughter who is at home with her parents, caring for them in their declining years: and Eliza, who is now the wife of P. J. Sullivan, of San Francisco.
The parents are strong adherents of the Catholic faith. They are a worthy old couple now well advanced in years and in the evening of life are enjoying many comforts which have come to them through the efforts of Mr. Gleason. He did not win a fortune in a short time by finding rich gold deposits, but through his earnest and persistent labor he has year by year added to his cap- ital until he now has a very comfortable competence.
ALBERT G. READ.
Albert G. Read. a highly respected California pioneer of 1850 and a prom- inent merchant of Forest Hill, has resided in the town and vicinity for a period of fifty years. He is a native of New England, born in Boston, Massachusetts, March II. 1830, and is descended from the early Puritan settlers of that sec- tion of the country, the Reads having come from England to America and located in Massachusetts in 1645. Several generations of the family were born in Boston. The grandfather and father of Albert G. both bore the name of Davis Read and were natives of Boston. The former was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war, participating in the battle of Bennington, and attained the ripe age of eighty-eight years. Davis Read, Jr., married Lucinda Davis, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, and a descendant of Welsh ancestry, her forefathers also having been among the early settlers of New England. His age at death was eighty-four years, and his wife passed away at the age of seventy-six. For many years they had resided in Walesburg. Vermont, where he was a prominent and influential citizen and where he filled the office of selectman of
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the town. They were the parents of twelve children, only four of whom an- vive at this writing, Albert G. being the youngest.
Albert G. Read received an academic education, and in lus youth learned the trade of tanner and currier, three generations of the family having followed that business. The gold discovery in California caused him to leave home and friends and face the dangers of a voyage around the Horn. He sailed from Boston, October 31, 1849, and arrived in San Francisco. April 7. 1850. There were plenty of ships in that harbor without crews, the sailors all having gone to the mountains in quest of gold. He set up his tent near where the Cosmopolitan Hotel now stands, and remained there four months in charge of a lumber yard. Lumber was brought there by lighters from the east and was sold for one hundred and thirty dollars per thousand feet. In the month of August he, with a company, set out for the mountains to find a claim, taking their goods on a pack mule and stopping first at a point near Georgetown. His first year's min- ing on the river was attended with poor success, owing to the fact that he did not understand the business. Later he, with others, flumed the river and met with better success. After the flume was completed for a distance of a mile and a half and the miners in the locality were numerous, Mr. Read boarded a hundred of them ; but at the end of the season the failure in this mining enter- prise was so complete that the men could not pay him their board-bills and he lost heavily. Some of them asked him for work, wishing to pay their indebted- ness in that way, and as the flume was abandoned he set them to the task of gathering up the lumber and piling it on the bank of the river. After this was accomplished the freshet carried off a part of the timber. Most of it was saved. however, being securely fastened with ropes, and four months later he sold it for fourteen thousand dollars.
That winter Mr. Read had a pack train composed of twenty mules that brought supplies from Hoboken, the freight on the same being twenty-five cent- per pound. He was located on the middle fork at Big Bar. and from that point his train made four trips during the winter, the snow at times being six feet deep. At Mount Gregory he paid fifty cents per pound for beans, with which he fed his boarders. Their chief articles of food were beans, bacon, potatoes. beef and coffee. Board was fourteen dollars per week for each person. In the fall of 1853 he sold out and went to Todd's Valley and engaged in merchan- dising, dealing in miners' supplies, making money rapidly and remaining there until 1865. While there he built a large brick store building, which still stands. He established himself as a merchant in Forest Hill in 1887, and has done a prosperous business here ever since. During his long career as a merchant Mr. Read has spent much money in different mining enterprises. Many tun- nels in which he was interested proved failures and most of his money invested in them was lost. His object, however, was to do what he could to develop the mines of the county, and as he has assisted in accomplishing this his money has not been spent in vain.
In 1867 Mr. Read was happily married to Miss Emma Moody, a native of Pennsylvania, who traveled life's pathway with him for nearly three decades. but died in 1894. Of the children born to them only one survives-Walter
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C. Read. now a resident of Newark, New Jersey, where he is engaged in the manufacture of brushes. He is an inventor also, much of the machinery in his factory being of his own invention.
Politically the subject of our sketch has been a Republican ever since the organization of the party, and to him belongs the distinction of having helped to organize the Republican party in his locality. He was a member of the first Republican convention held in Placer county. He has long been identified with the Masonic order, having been made a Master Mason in Todd's Valley, in 1867, since which time he has been an active and efficient member of that time- honored organization.
ENOCH E. SCOTT.
En ch E. Scott has been a leading factor in the business interests of Iowa Hill for many years and his efforts have contributed in a large measure to its commercial activity. He is a stockholder and manager of the large mercantile company of that town, and the reputation which he enjoys in business circles is unassailable. Mr. Scott was born in Toronto, Canada, on the 2d of Jan- ary. 1861, and is of Scotch lineage. His parents were Seth and Susan B. ( Foote ) Scott, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Canada. Their farm was situated on the boundary line between Canada and the United States, lying partly in the British province and partly in this republic. In 1868 they sold that property and removed to Detroit, Michigan, and there the father engaged in dealing in live stock. His wife died in 1869, at the age of forty-four years, leaving to her husband the care of their four children, namely : Henry S., Walter D., Enoch E. and Harriet. In 1874 the family removed to Sacra- mento, California, and the father died in Napa City, this state, on the ist of November, 1898, at the age of seventy-six years. He and his faithful wife were members of the Episcopal church and were people of the highest respectability.
Their son, Enoch E. Scott, was educated in the Pierce Christian College and he entered upon his mercantile experience as a clerk. Later he embarked in business on his own account in Colusa county, where he remained for twen- ty-two years, and in 1896 he came to Iowa Hill. For a time he acted as man- ager of the firm of Weber & Company, of Sacramento, and on their retirement he became connected with the mercantile company of which he has since been manager. This is a stock company, composed of the following named : Sey- mour Waterhouse, president : E. Waterhouse, vice-president : and Enoch E. Scott, secretary and manager. They have a large store and carry a complete stock of general merchandise, hauling their own goods. They have two large freight wagons, each drawn by six horses, and these are almost constantly on the road, bringing the merchandise from the railroad at Colfax to the store at lowa Hill. Mr. Scott and the company with which he is connected liave also various mining interests and are actively engaged in the development of the rich drift mine on which the prosperity of the county now largely depends.
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In 1888 Mr. Scott wedded Miss Minnie Leggett, of Columbia, Missouri, and their union has been blessed with a son and daughter,-Allen E. and Florence E. Mr. Scott is a valued member of the Masonic fraternity and is past master of the blue lodge in Colusa, of which he has been a member since 1887. In his political sentiment he is a Democrat, but is an independent voter. He indeed deserves mention among lowa Hill's most prominent merchants and among her representative citizens and should find a place in the history of the men of business and enterprise in the great west whose force of character, strength, integrity, control of circumstances and whose marked success in estab- lishing great industries, have contributed in such an eminent degree to the so- lidity and progress of the entire county.
WILLIAM REA.
William Rea, one of California's prominent pioneers, residing at Forest Hill, came to the state in 1854. He is a native of the state of Maine, born on the 25th of March, 1833. of English ancestry. His parents, Robert and Mary ( Hawks) Rea, were born in England, and in early life emigrated to New Brunswick, Canada, where they were subsequently married, and whence they crossed the boundary line into Maine, where he followed the occupation of millwright for many years. He died in the sixty-fifth year of his age and she reached the ripe age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom reached maturity and of that number three sons and a daughter are now living.
William was the sixth born in the above family, and in his native state was reared and educated, learning in his youth the business of saw-milling, his father owning and operating a saw-mill. On reaching his majority young Rea left home and came west to California, making the journey by way of New York city and the isthmus of Panama. Having arrived in the Golden state, he first located in Greenwood Valley. He afterward went to Sacra- mento Valley and was at Lake Park four months, while there helping to build a sawmill, after which he came to the Forest Hill Divide. For a few months he worked for wages at this place, then purchased some horses and engaged in teaming, doing job work, which he found more profitable than working for wages. Later he bought a saw-mill, and for twenty-five years was engaged in the manufacture of lumber. At the end of that time he rented the Forest House and turned his attention to the hotel business, which he conducted suc- cessfully for a number of years. The Forest House he conducted five years, after which he built the large Rea Hotel in Forest Hill, the same being con- ducted under his own personal management until 1896. That year lie rented his hotel and retired from active business, taking advantage of that period of rest which should come at the close of every busy, active life. Another successful business venture in which Mr. Rea has long been engaged and which has been a profitable one for many a California pioneer, is that of staging. For twenty years he has been interested in a stage route, his line of operation being from Forest Hill to Auburn, and from Colfax to Forest Hill and Michi-
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gan Bluffs. Progressive, enterprising, honorable and upright in all his busi- ness transactions, Mr. Rea has had a successful career, acquiring at the same time a competency and a host of warm friends.
In his native state he married Miss Augusta Rice, by whom he had two children, one of whom was killed by an accident in his father's mill, while the other, James F., is a mining man in California. After seven years of happy married life Mrs. Rea died, and in 1863 Mr. Rea wedded for his second wife Miss Ann Allen, of St. John. The children of this union are five, namely : Elida, wife of George W. Murdock, a resident of Port Henry, New York; Minnie, at home : Ida, wife of Thomas Brown, of Bath, Maine; and William H., a resident of Forest Hill. In his pleasant home in this sunny land Mr. Rea is surrounded with all that goes to make life happy. Politically, Mr. Rea has always been in harmony with the principles advocated by the Repub- lican party and has given his support to it. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, being a charter member of the lodge at Forest Hill.
OSBORNE J. SPENCER.
Osborne J. Spencer, who resides at Iowa Hill, Placer county, is a repre- sentative of that great band of emigrants who came to California in 1852. An almost countless throng proceeded across the plains or came by steamer. He was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, on the LIth of June, 182 ). his par- ents being Edward and Margaret (Osborne) Spencer. They were married in their native country and in 1844 emigrated to the United States. bring- ing with them their five children. They settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the father, who had been a substantial farmer of the Emerald isle. brought with him to America a snug sum of money which he deposited in a Cincin- nati bank. That institution failed. however, and he accordingly lost his money. In 1858 he returned with his wife to Ireland, where they had prop- erty interests, and he died in the land of his nativity, in 1863. at the age of sixty-three years. Her death occurred in Cincinnati, when she was about the same age.
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