USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 44
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 44
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 44
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CYRUS LAUFMAN, son of Jacob and Margaret Laufman, was born in Franklin county, Pennsyl- vania, November 11, 1830. His father moved to Illinois when Cyrus was eight years of age, and settled in Edgar county, where he carried on a tanning business. He left for California April 30, 1849, and arrived at Deer creek in October. He mined on Feather river during the winter, and as soon as he could travel in the spring started out with hundreds of others to find Stoddard's Gold
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lake, arriving in Plumas county, at Nelson Point, about the last of April. In May be came over into American valley, in company with half a dozen others, searching for Rich bar, of which Hobbs, one of the party, had been given an inkling by a brother Mason. They failed to find it, however, and returned to Nelson creek, but in a couple of weeks it became generally known where Rich bar was, and they went to it, but all the ground had been located before they arrived. They then mined at Nelson creek and on the south fork of Feather river until the winter of 1851, when he went back to Illinois for a visit, and upon his return mined on Jamison creek and on the south · fork. Again, in 1853, he went cast, and on the first of January, 1854, was married to Miss Laura Price, daughter of William and Rebecca Price, now of Taylorville. In the spring of 1854 he set- tled in south-western Missouri; but in 1856 he sold out and came back to Plumas county, settling in Indian valley, where he has been engaged since in farming and mining. His first wife died Jan- uary 24, 1870. He was married a second time, to Maria S. Henderson of Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, who died February 1, 1878. The children by his first wife were Florence (deceased), Juan, Annette, Jacob B., Mary, Susan (deceased), Robert E. Lee, Margaret, and Philip (deceased). By his second wife he had one daughter, Susie H. Laufman.
NATHANIEL B. FORGAY was born at Natchez, Mississippi, November 7, 1839. In the year 1854 he came overland with a team to California, settling at Spring Garden ranch, and mining for six months. From there he went to Indian valley, and worked on a farm until 1857, and then mined at Rich gulch until 1863. For a few months he freighted from Indian valley to Virginia City, Nevada. In 1864 he bought the farm now owned by William Foreman, and sold it in 1868, when he went to Big Meadows, purchased another ranch, sold it the following year, and went to Indian valley. He then bought the Maxwell place, near Greenville, on which he has since resided. With additions made, he now has 388 acres. He was married April 25, 1865, to Miss Lucretia Johnston, who was born in Pennsylvania, May 12, 1840, and came to Plumas county in 1864. Their children are Lizzie, born January 29, 1866; Paradine, March 14, 1867 ; James A., April 12, 1868; Arnold, June 12, 1870; Alma, September 26, 1872; Leota, October 28, 1878-all of whom are living in Indian valley. Mr. Forgay is a member of Indian Valley Lodge No. 136, I. O. O. F.
JAMES FORD, son of James and Polly (Wing) Ford, was born in Grafton, Grafton county, New Hampshire, October 18, 1817. When nineteen years old he joined a U. S. surveying party, and assisted in the survey of the southern part of the Black Hawk purchase, which embraced a large territory now in Iowa. In 1840 he accompanied his father to Randolph county, Illinois, where they were engagad in running steam and water saw-mills for several years. In April, 1852, he started for California, coming overland with his wife, and spent his first year mining on Spanish creek. In March, 1853, he located the ranch of 460 acres he now lives on, having to pay fabulous prices for the first seeds planted. At the time he settled in the north arm of Indian valley, there were only two other farms, those of A. C. Light and William Hussey, Mrs. Ford being the only white women in the north arm for two years. James Ford was married March 3, 1852, to Mrs. Martha McCord of De Witt county, Illinois, where she was born Octobor 6, 1835. The children born to them are as follows: Maggie B., born February 1, 1856; Frances Rowena, April 12, 1857; Mary Alice, March 28, 1859; Harriet L., January 11, 1862; Jesse M., April 29, 1864; James Trumbull, April 20, 1866; Sheridan J., September 23, 1868; Sallie M., April 5, 1871; Martha Grace E., June 5, 1873; Annie E., June 17, 1875; Albertie W., December 6, 1878-all of whom are living.
THEODORE F. EMMONS, son of Jeremiah and Martha Emmons, was born at Chester, Morris county, New Jersey, in July, 1829, where he lived with his parents until March, 1853, when he started for California, via the Isthmus, landing in San Francisco, April, 1853. He soon began sluice-
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mining on Poorman's creek, in company with others, and sometimes with his sluice-fork caught nuggets so large as not to be able to pass between its prongs. He mined two years, and then opened a store which he ran one year. In 1856 he went to Indian valley and bought the Hall ranch of 800 acres, which he sold in 1857. In 1867 he settled in Greenville, where he has since lived. In 1871 he was elected justice of the peace of Indian township, and in 1873 was elected county surveyor by the republicans. In 1875 he was again made a justice of the peace, to which he has been twice re-elected, and still holds the office.
J. M. BLOOD, son of Joseph and Rachael Blood, was born in Monroe county, New York, October 9, 1830. At the age of fourteen he went to Rochester to learn the trade of molder; and four years after he emigrated to Peoria, Illinois, where he worked as his trade until 1852, when he crossed the plains to California. He was married January 1, 1852, to Miss Ellen Brady, eldest daughter of John and Mary Brady, at Peoria; and on the third of April they started on the long western journey. They arrived at Marysville in the fall, and Mr. Blood worked at carpentering and building until 1856, when he removed to Elizabethtown, where he, in company with his brother James A., and E. D. Hasselkus, opened a general merchandise store. In 1858 he and his brother sold out and went into the cattle business. In the fall of 1859 our subject bought the Conant ranch of 600 acres in Indian valley, on which he resided until 1877, when he sold it and removed to Greenville. Two years after, he bought it back again, and again lived on the place. Mr. Blood died December 8, 1879, leaving his wife and seven children: Laura C., born October 29, 1854; Rachael S., December 19, 1857; John M., February 20, 1861 ; Ira E., April 19, 1863 ; William W., March 26, 1865 ; George D., September 17, 1869 ; May Ella, May 18, 1872. Of these, Rachael was married to John S. Bransford, July 31, 1878; Laura C. was married to John R. Murray, August 18, 1880. Since her husband's death, Mrs. Blood has traveled most of the time, but now resides in Greenville.
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E. W. TAYLOR, son of Seth and Miriam Taylor, was born at Forest Lake, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1831. He remained on the old homestead most of the time until 1861, when he came to California, and reached Taylorville September 13, 1861. He was engaged in running grist and saw mills, and in farming, until 1872, when he removed to Squaw Queen valley, and followed dairying for two years. He then returned to Taylorville, and farmed until 1881, when he went into the freighting business. He was married February 12, 1856, to Miss Ruth E. Warner of Forest Lake, Pennsylvania, and to them have been born the following children : Azelia Coralinn, born December 28, 1856 ; Clarence Ashley, October 30, 1859 ; Ernest Wallace, August 21, 1862; Miriam Alida, February 27, 1864; Seth Terrill, February 14, 1866; Olive M., August 22, 1868; Clara Elma, May 16, 1871 ; Justice Edwin and Jobe T., January 29, 1878. Ernest died December 28, 1862; and Clarence, February, 1862. Mr. Taylor is a member of Plumas Lodge No. 132, A. O. U. W., and a republican in politics.
ROBERT S. FLOURNOY, son of Roland and Margaret Flournoy, was born June 26, 1830, at Independence, Missouri. He received his education at private schools, there being very limited facilities for education at public schools. In 1849 he came to California, leaving home in the fall, and arriving at San Francisco April 8, 1850. He went to Bidwell's bar, Butte county, and mined in that vicinity for three years. In December, 1853, he came to American valley, and began mining at Elizabethtown, two miles north-west of Quincy. He remained here, mining and carrying on a liquor business, for about four years. In the fall of 1858 he went to Indian valley, where he rented the Blood ranch, and worked it one season. He then bought the Cook ranch, now the Evans ranch, and lived on it four years, when he sold it in the fall of 1863, and bought the Madden,
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now the Drodge, ranch. This he finally sold, and in the spring of 1865 moved into Taylorville, ran a pack-train for a while, and then bought the Mead ranch, in Genesee valley, where he now lives. He was married November 28, 1855, to Miss Angelina Varner, at Elizabethtown. They have had seven children, as follows: Maggie, Fannie, John, Lucy, Harley, Timney, and William ; Lucy, John, and Fannie died in 1865, within a few days of each other.
EDWIN DOUGLAS HOSSELKUS, son of Nicholas and Lucretia Hosselkus, was born October 19, 1828, at the town of Amboy, Oswego county, New York. When he was eight years of age his parents removed to Peoria, Illinois, where they lived two years, afterwards residing a year at Meredosia, and many years in Fulton county. At these places Edwin received a good common- school education, and from 1848 to 1852 he was engaged as clerk in a general merchandise store in Farmington, Illinois. In April, 1852, he came across the plains, and arrived in Marysville the first of November. Here he was engaged in various pursuits. In August, 1854, he opened a store at Elizabethtown, and remained about four years; when, in 1858, he removed the establishment to Taylorville, and continued in business at this point until 1865. In 1862 he had bought a ranch in Genesee valley from Boyd and Clark, and when he sold his store in 1865, he moved thereon. In 1875 he was elected a member of the board of supervisors, served three years, and was re-elected in 1878. September 26, 1859, he was married to Miss Mary Tate of Taylorville. Their children are Frank, born September 21, 1860; Elmira, August 19, 1862; Mary L., August 20, 1867; John, June 13, 1870. Mr. Hosselkus' ranch in Genesce valley contains 1,000 acres, and has a fine brick residence and many out-buildings. The Genesee post-office. is here. He also owns a fine dairy ranch in Squaw Queen valley, which contains 520 acres of excellent grazing land.
NOBLE C. CUNNINGHAM .- Captain Cunningham was a native of Ohio. In early life he removed to Missouri, where he married and settled. He served his country in the Mexican war, having enlisted in Missouri under Colonel Doniphan. Upon his return he went to St. Louis, where he lived until 1849, when he came overland to California. After a brief sojourn in the mines, he settled in Sacramento, where he was elected marshal in 1850, and took an active part in the squatter troubles of that summer. Soon after the organization of Plumas county, he came here and engaged in merchandising at Long valley, Nelson Point, Round valley, and lastly at Taylorville. . In 1868 he returned to Missouri, and from there to Texas, where he died in 1878. He was for a time captain of the Plumas Rangers.
JOHN HARDGRAVE, son of William and Sarah Hardgrave, was born April 30, 1816, at Port Hope, Canada. When twenty-one years of age he left home and journeyed to Michigan. Here he dealt in general merchandise until 1852, when he came overland to this state, arriving in Marysville in October. He farmed in the vicinity until 1864, when he went to Taylorville and bought the Vernon House of a Mr. Springer, which hotel he still owns. He was married April 11, 1841, to Miss Diana Jiles, daughter of Abraham and Nancy Jiles, who was born at Phelps, Wayne county, New York, February 4, 1823. Four children were born to them: Anna, born August 18, 1842; Cornelia, March 11, 1843; William, August 24, 1846; Sarah, December 4, 1849. Anna died November 12, 1843, in Jackson county, Michigan. The rest are still living with their parents in Taylorville.
HENRY C. BIDWELL .- Mr. Bidwell was born in Middlebury, Vermont, June 9, 1831. He left Middlebury for Boston, at the age of thirteen years, and went to work in a store, remaining until 1847, when he joined the First Regiment of Mexican volunteers, and went to the war. He remained in Mexico until 1849, becoming familiar with the language. On the discovery of gold in California, he started for this coast, and arrived at San Francisco about the first of July of that
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year. For a while he was connected with the Sacramento Steamboat Company, after which he went to Chico with his father, Mr. Daniel Bidwell. From Chico he moved to Pescadero, where he engaged actively in mercantile pursuits. In 1860 he first came to Plumas county, and was engaged in mining in the county until the time of his death. For. a few years before he died he was very successful, and at the time of his death was president of the Green Mountain G. M. Co., the Cherokee G. M. Co., the Gold Stripe M. Co., the Round Valley Water Co., the Rising Sun Co. ; and besides, had heavy interests in Idaho mines, which promised large returns. Mr. Bidwell was an old member of the Society of California Pioneers, and took a lively interest in the affairs of the organization. He left an invalid wife, a son and daughter, and a host of friends to mourn him. He was one of the most enterprising citizens of the county, and may be said to have been the father of Greenville, in which town he died November 28, 1880. His funeral was attended by hundreds from all over the county, all business in Greenville being suspended. The body was taken to Oakland for burial, where his family was residing at the time of his death.
CHARLES GREGORY RODGERS, son of Charles and Rebecca Rodgers, was born at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, August . 16, 1837. When he was four years old his parents removed to Bellville, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. He attended school at Bellville for seven months, and the remainder of his education has been gathered in the school of life. At the age of thirteen he commenced work in a general merchandise store in Bellville, for his board and clothes. Through his energy and attention to business he advanced step by step, from errand-boy to manager of the business. In the spring of 1858 he started for the west, and traveled through Missouri and Kansas, spending that winter in Illinois. In April, 1859, he started for California with a mule team, arriving at Inskip, Butte county, in August. He went to work on what was called the Miners' ditch, for three dollars per day, half cash and half water scrip. In a short time he bought a mining claim that was considered worthless, on the line of the ditch he had been working on. The scrip procured water for his mining claim. He went to work on it with a man by the name of Carroll, working with a rocker. It paid them five dollars per day each for about a month. The winter coming on, they were compelled to quit work. They wintered at Inskip, and in the spring went to work on their claim again, ground-sluicing, until that fall, making $8.50 per day to the man. By this time he concluded that the claim was worked out, and they abandoned it. He spent the winter at 'Wyman's ravine, and in the spring of 1861 started for Plumas county on foot, not having money enough to buy a mule. He got to Wolf Creek in July, and began prospecting. He worked there for two years, but with little success, and at the end of that time was in debt to a fellow-miner ten cents for postage. From there he went to Crescent Mills, feeding in that for Blood & Pulsifer for about six months. He worked at various mills in that vicinity, and at mining, until October, 1876, when he was appointed superintendent of the Green Mountain Gold Mining Company's properties. He has always been engaged in prospecting and endeavoring to develop mines, at times being heavily involved on that account. When he was most involved, to the amount of $15,000, his health gave out, and he was sick for nearly a year. At times the future looked very dark to him; but he kept his courage up, and finally paid all his liabilities, and to-day is in easy circumstances. Through energy and skill he has made the Green Mountain one of the best paying mines in the state, and for himself an enviable reputation as a mine and mill manager. August 16, 1876, he was married to Miss Libby M. Hamler of Utica, Licking county, Ohio. They have two children : Philip James, born September 4, 1877, and Oscar Charles, born April 4, 1879, both at Green Mountain. He is a member of Greenville Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Greenville Lodge, A. O. U. W .; in politics a democrat.
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R. W. YOUNG was born March 17, 1833, in Glengarry county, Canada, and was the son of George and Nancy Young, of Scotch ancestry. In 1852 he came to California, via Panama, arriving at San Francisco late in the fall. He was taken with the Panama fever before landing, which for some time threatened his life; but he recovered at Marysville, and soon went to Butte county, living at Bidwell's bar, and five months at Oroville, then Ophir, being engaged in Rodgers' hotel, where he entirely regained his health. He went to Gibsonville, Sierra county, the next spring, and mined nearly a year. In the spring of 1854 he went to Poorman's creek, Plumas county, and mined until 1857, not making much success. He then went to Taylorville with his brother, W. G. Young, and followed carpentering until November, 1859, when he walked over the snow to Bidwell's bar, and went by the Panama route to his home in Canada. In May, 1864, he began mining in the Shandier gold mines, sixty miles south-east of Quebec, but worked out his claim by November, and on the twenty-seventh of April, 1865, started again for the Pacific coast. From San Francisco he went to Portland, Oregon, and then up the Columbia to Walla Walla. From there he went overland on foot to the Indian mission at Cour de Leon, where the rumors of gold discoveries had drawn three thousand miners, who were thirsting for the gore of the man who had got them to go there. Mr. Young and two others bought an Indian pony for thirty dollars, tied on their baggage, and started for Montana across the mountains. He landed at Blackfoot City on the fifth of July, with fifty cents in his pocket, which he spent for bread. He struck a job in the mines at six dollars a day, and a few weeks after started a meat market, in which he made money. In the fall of 1866 he closed his market, saddled his mule, and went to Walla Walla. In December, 1867, he went to Canada, and for the next four years was engaged in the cattle trade, during which time he visited Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and other states. March 24, 1869, he was married to Miss Maggie McRae, daughter of Duncan and Maggie McRae, of Canada. In June, 1871, he came with his family to California, and settled in Indian valley, Plumas county, where he has since lived. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Young are Annie, born January 11, 1871 ; Walter Edmund, October 6, 1872 ; Forest, September 22, 1876. Mr. Young is a member of Greenville Lodge No. 249, F. & A. M.
MATTHIAS FRALICH is a native of France, and was born April 12, 1826. In 1848 he came to America, landing in New York. He resided in New Orleans and Chicago until 1852, when he came to California, via Panama. He remained a short time in San Francisco, and in the spring of 1853 came to Plumas county, in which he has since lived. Most of the time since he has been engaged in mining at different places. In May, 1877, he settled on the ranch of 80 acres he now owns, which is situated in the suburbs of Crescent. There is a fine orchard on the property. May 15, 1861, he was married to Mary Durner of Marysville, who was born in Germany, August 31, 1839. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Fralich are George, born December 27, 1862; Minnie, May 2, 1864 ; Mary, April 10, 1868; Lena, May 12, 1869; Amy, February 8, 1872; Joseph, May 29, 1876, died November 2, 1876; August, August 29, 1879.
JOHN B. FRITSCH, son of Antone and Elizabeth Fritsch, is a native of Alsace, Germany, and was born February 26, 1829. At the age of eighteen he came to America, stopping for brief periods at New York, New Orleans, and St. Louis, spending two years and a half at the last place. Six months after, he came overland to California, and commenced mining on Feather river and Nelson creek. In the winter of 1856 he removed to Indian valley, and in the fall of 1857 purchased a portion of the Desch brothers' farm, 200 acres on the west side of Indian creek, where he has since resided. In 1862 he added 160 acres. In the spring of 1858 he built a log cabin on the farm, which still stands on the site of the town of Crescent. At that time there was not a house within
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a mile of him. On the fifteenth of May, 1877, he sold the farm to his brother Martin, but still lives there with him.
ROBERT L. McGILL was born in Scotland in 1818. At the age of eleven he ran away from home, went to sea, and coursed the raging main for three years, when he left his ship at Quebec, and sailed on the great lakes until 1849, when he came by water to San Francisco, arriving on the thirty-first of December. He had not been ten minutes ashore when he got the job of carrying a trunk from the wharf to Wilson's Exchange, for which he was paid ten dollars. Two months after, he went to the mines and visited many camps, reaching Rich bar on the Feather river in October, 1850, where he mined for some time. Later, he purchased and conducted a saw-mill at this place. In 1853 he did the first hydraulic mining in the county in French ravine. He followed the Fraser river excitement in 1858, and upon his return, a year and a half after, he mined at Rich bar, 12- mile bar, and in Round valley, where he built the Lone Star quartz-mill, which ruined him finan- cially. In 1868 he went into the liquor business, and has followed it since. He is a member of Lassen Commandery No. 12.
ISAAC C. PATCH was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1823, where he lived until the fall of 1861, when he came overland to California, and settled at Taylorville. He is a millwright and carpenter by trade, having built six different quartz-mills in Plumas county. In 1874 he took C. H. Lawrence into partnership with him, and they together built a water-power grist-mill, a planing mill, and a sash factory. Mr. Patch was married March 29, 1850, to Miss L. Merse, by whom he has one daughter, Dora, born December 29, 1851. Mr. Patch is a member of Greenville Lodge No. 252, I. O. O. F.
RICHARD THOMPSON, son of Richard and Mary Thompson, was born November 16, 1834, at Yorkshire, England, where his father was engaged in farming. In the spring of 1843 the family came to the United States, and settled the year following in Fayette county, Illinois. In 1859 our subject and his father came overland to California, driving out a band of stock to Indian valley. For several years he rented and worked different ranches, but in the fall of 1862 he, in company with George A. Lee, bought the Chipman ranch in the north arm. In 1864 he bought out Lee, and has since run it alone. He was married December 18, 1856, to Miss Susan J. Hickerson, daughter of A. J. and Margaret Hickerson, now of Plumas county. Their children are Robert A., born September 11, 1857 ; Mary M., August 18, 1859; John W., September 8, 1861 ; Harriet, December 18, 1863; Augusta A., August 31, 1867. John W. died August 6, 1864, and Harriet, August 8, 1865. Mr. Thompson is a member of Taylorville Lodge No. 136, I. O. O. F.
JOIN MCBETH, son of James and Charlotte McBeth, was born in New York City, in the year 1823. Upon arriving at the age of discretion, he clerked in a grocery store until 1849, at which time he came to California, via Galveston, Texas, and Cook's route, arriving in San Francisco on the second of September. March 8, 1850, he started for the mines. His first efforts were on Mormon island, and following the Gold-lake excitement, brought up in Plumas county in September, 1850. Since living in this county, he has been engaged in ranching, lumbering, mining, and trad- ing, generally giving his attention to the last. Since 1876 he has had a store in Greenville, in partnership with J. D. Compton. He is also postmaster, and agent for Wells, Fargo, & Co.'s express. In 1868 he was married to Miss Charlotte Emmons, daughter of William and Hannah Emmons, then of New York state, now of Vallejo. They have had three children : Jesse, born November 23, 1869 ; Horace, January 12, 1872; Laura, December 11, 1878. Mr. McBeth owns a dairy ranch of 600 acres, twelve miles west of Greenville, which is conducted by his brother, James McBeth.
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