USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 71
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 71
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 71
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F. L. FISCHER was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1849. When fourteen years old he worked in a brewery, and learned the trade at which he worked until 1869. In 1870, upon the breaking out of the Franco-Prussian war, he went into the army, where he served till 1874, when he was discharged, and emigrated directly to California. He located at Sierra City, worked one year there in the mines, and then went to Downieville. Here he was employed five years in the brewery. In October, 1881, he purchased an interest in the Sierra Brewery, which he owns at present, in company with William Junkert. Mr. Fischer was married in 1877 to Mrs. H. Fischer of Sierra City.
N. B. FISH, the present sheriff of Sierra county, was born in Waldo county, Maine, December 28, 1830. In 1850 he went to work at ship-carpentering at Damariscotta, and stayed there three years. In 1854 he came to California, arrived at La Porte in June, and went to mining at Secret diggings. He followed mining there and in the northern part of the county until 1874, when he was appointed under-sheriff. In 1877 he was elected sheriff, and re-elected in 1879. He is a very efficient officer, and a man highly honored and esteemed.
ROBERT FORBES, a native of Dundas, Ontario, came to Grass Valley, Nevada county, in the fall of 1864, where he remained two years. In 1866 he came to Downieville, and worked in the foundry and machine-shop for a number of years. In 1877, he, in company with James Taylor, purchased the foundry at Downieville, which is now in a flourishing condition. Mr. Forbes was married in 1872 to Henrietta Ann Allen, a native of Downieville. They have had three children, two of whom are living. James Taylor came from Louisville, Kentucky, to Grass Valley, where he worked as a machinist for his brother. In 1874 he went to Virginia City, and came to Downieville in 1877, when he entered into partnership with Robert Forbes, in the foundry. Mr. Taylor was married in 1850, at Dublin, Ireland, his wife dying in 1874, and has one child living.
HARDWADE
J.W.BROWN
HARDWARE
J.W.BROWN
HARDWARE STORE OF J. W. BROWN, DOWNIEVILLE, SIERRA CO., CAL.
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PETER GOFF is of Irish nativity, and was born in Dublin, April 8, 1830. He went to the sea - - - for a living in 1846, and followed the life of a sailor for seven years. He came to San Francisco in November, 1851, soon after located in El Dorado county, where he mined until May, 1852, when he came to Sierra county, and mined on the north and south forks for seven years. In December, 1860, he came to Sierra City, where he has since resided, being engaged in mining until 1867, when he opened a boarding-house and started a livery stable. At present he is engaged in the livery business. He was married in 1866 to Miss M. Murphy of San Francisco, and to them have been born three children.
WILLIAM HASKINS was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1826. He learned the carpenter's . trade in his native country, and has followed it since. In 1864 he came to Forest City, Sierra county, where he-has since resided. He was married in 1852 to Miss S. Vinall of Surrey, England.
PHILO A. HAVEN is a native of Chatauqua county, New York, where he was born in the year 1818. In 1834 Mr. Haven moved to Joliet, Illinois, then in Cook county. Here he remained until he followed the eager tide of gold-seekers westward, in 1849. He journeyed overland in a train of seventy-four men, but left them at Salt Lake, and with six others came on in advance. They came through the Henness pass, and camped on Bear river on the tenth of August. On the sixteenth he was mining at Slate range, on the Yuba river, but a few days later came three miles farther up the stream, and bought a claim of Cut-Eye Foster, which he also worked a few days. With his cousin Carlos Haven, Warren Goodall, and Thomas Angus, he came up to Little Rich bar, a half-mile below Downieville, which he and an Indian had located on the twenty-fourth of August. They worked there that fall, and went out with one hundred and twenty pounds of gold, going down the Sacramento river to San Francisco. Mr. Haven carried his portion, thirty pounds, in a shot-bag that was tied up in a gunny sack. While there he bought at Geary's auction sale five lots in the hills, for $2,900. He loaned three thousand dollars to the Bowers brothers, who were mining at Deer creek, now the site of Nevada City. He soon went up to see them, and they offered him a claim that would pay fifty dollars a day, but he refused it, as he could make much more at the forks of the North Yuba, where he had been in the fall. Seven men started with him December 31, 1849, for his old diggings, but they all left him during a big snow-storm on the Middle Yuba. Three others, the Lewis brothers and Chamberlain, however, joined him, and they proceeded onwards to Forest City, camping that night in a heavy snow-storm. They arrived at Goodyear's bar January 10, 1850, where they obtained forty pounds of flour, paying four dollars a pound for it. The article was not very savory, as there were grubs in it an inch and a half long. They found the ground at Little Rich bar all claimed by other parties. Mr. Haven's party then located two and one-half miles up the north fork, and camped where Thomas Steele's residence now stands. Our subject's brother, James M. Haven, came there in the spring, and the old company divided, Mr. Haven having the choice of claims, and the Lewis brothers taking the specimen purse of $5,000. He then prospected at Howland flat, and was exploring the head of Nelson creek when the Stod- dard party came along in search of the fabulous Gold Lake, and he went with them until they dis- banded at Humbug valley. He then found rich diggings on the north fork of Feather river, and spent part of the winter of 1851 at Big Rich bar. During a terrible snow-storm, in which he and his companions nearly lost their lives, he went to Bidwell's bar, being en route to the states. In the summer of 1852 he returned to Downieville, and worked on Sailor flat one hundred days, tak- ing out $4,000. In the fall Harrison Wheeler, Joseph Limperich, Frank Fellows, and Mr. Haven built the saw-mill above Downieville. Mr. Haven cut the first tree himself, which furnished 10,000 feet of lumber, and brought $500. It was built for the purpose of defraying the expenses of
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prospecting. He found the Excelsior diggings four miles north-west of Downieville, which he worked until 1858, and then commenced prospecting quartz at Gold Lake, and built the dam at the foot of the lake in 1859. At that time there was a hotel at the head of the lake, built by Mr. Church. Mr. Haven organized the Gold Lake mining district, and with his brother built a mill to prospect quartz, together with a saw-mill and residence. In 1862 he discovered the placer claims, and has since been actively engaged in working them by hydraulic means.
C. A. HERINGLAKE .- He was born in Westphalia, Germany, July 3, 1827. When fourteen years old he began to learn the trade of baker and confectioner, at which he worked until he came to the United States in 1855. After his arrival in this country he spent three years at his trade in Dayton, Ohio. Part of the years 1858-59 he spent in Indiana, and from 1859 to 1861 in Illinois. At that time he came to California, worked one year at his trade in San Francisco, coming to Downieville in the spring of 1862. Here he ran a bakery for a year; then, in company with A. C. Busch, opened a hotel. In 1865 he bought an interest in the Gold Bluff Mining Company, and worked with it for a year, when, with A. C. Busch, he bought the Sierra City ranch. They kept the hotel till 1872. At that time they opened a store, which they are now running.
S. D. HILL was born in Walpole, New Hampshire, in the year 1821. Two years afterward his parents moved to Stowe, Massachusetts. When sixteen years old he began work in a woolen factory at Feltsville, Vermont, where he learned the trade. In 1846 he bought the mills, and continued the business for himself until 1849. Mr. Hill came to California in the fall of 1850, and mined first at Salem bar, near Mormon island. In March, 1851, he came to Downieville, and has lived there since. In 1854, in company with George Webber, he bought the Durgan saw-mill. In the following year he sold his interest to Webber, and with Bradburn and Smith built a mill on the South fork, a half-mile above Downieville. In 1858 he resumed mining, and has been engaged in this occupation since. In 1859 he located the Slug Canon quartz-lead, which proved very rich. In 1861 he located the Oro mine, near Downieville. He was married in 1842 to Miss E. A. Giddings of Feltsville, who has borne five children, four of them still living.
JOSEPH HUTCHISON was born in Scotland in 1828. When fourteen years old he started out for himself, and came to the United States, stopping in Jo Davis county, Illinois, till 1850, where he was engaged in lead-mining. At that time he came across the plains, arriving in El Dorado county in August. Shortly afterward he mined at Mokelumne hill. In 1851 he went back to Illi- nois, but in 1853 returned to California. After mining six months at Johnstown, he removed to Weaverville, Trinity county, and remained four years at mining. He then went to Tehama county, engaged in stock-raising till 1862, when he came to Sierra county, located at Sierra City, and, in company with S. N. Wilcox, built a hotel, which they ran till 1866, when Mr. Hutchison sold out, and followed the live-stock business till 1874, at which time he bought into a meat market with I. T. Mooney. In 1880 they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Hutchison opened the market he now owns. He was married in 1852 to Miss M. M. Goldthrop of Illinois, by whom he has had two children.
I. G. JONES, the present county surveyor, was born in Ireland, November 25, 1832. In 1842 his parents emigrated to this country, and after stopping a short time in Ohio and Illinois, settled at St. Louis, in 1847, where our subject studied surveying. In 1850 he took the southern route to California, arriving at Los Angeles in November; soon after which, he went to Nevada county, and engaged in mining at Nevada City. In September, 1851, he came to Downieville, and bought the Washington claim on Durgan flat. In the following spring he reorganized the Jersey com- pany, and flumed the river, which operations paid well. In December, 1853 he started for New
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York on the steamer Winfield Scott, which was wrecked on the Anna Cappa rock off Santa Bar- bara, where the passengers were seven days on the rock, when they were taken off by the Califor- nia and continued the voyage. In July, 1854, he returned to Downieville, and resumed mining in the Jersey company. In the following year he commenced surveying, and has followed it since that time. Mr. Jones was appointed U. S. deputy mineral surveyor in 1872. - He was elected county surveyor in 1872, which office he has held continuously since. In 1875 he organized the Bald Mountain Extension Gold Mining company. He was married in San Francisco, in October, 1877, to Miss Mary Tibbey of that place.
DR. ALEMBY JUMP was born April 10, 1821, on the bank of the Ohio river, in Belmont county, Ohio, where his parents resided on a farm. His father removed to Richland county in the fall of that year, where the doctor was raised, attending school during the winter months. At the age of twenty he went to a school at Norwalk, Ohio, under the direction of Dr. Thompson, a Methodist clergyman. Here he taught school during the winter months, and also assisted on his father's farm. He commenced the study of medicine in May, 1846, in the office of Dr. Bushnell, at Mansfield, Ohio, and graduated February 21, 1849, from the medical department of the Western Reserve college at Cleveland. He then began practicing at Bryan, Williams county, Ohio; but on the twenty-third of April, 1850, started across the plains to California, arriving in October, and began mining at Logtown, El Dorado county. He was one of the party who discovered the Eureka mine in Plumas county, in the spring of 1851, and gave the name to the company. He remained at the mine until October, 1852, and then went to Plum valley, Sierra county, where he spent the winter. July 18, 1853, he bought the office of Dr. D. P. Durst at St. Louis, and practiced medicine there eleven years, being burnt out three times during this period. He removed to Downieville October 7, 1864, and took charge of the Sierra county hospital, to which he had been appointed by the board of supervisors. With the exception of five years, when Dr. Chase was county physician, he has held this position ever since. He was elected coroner in 1865, and served six years. In 1873 he was re-elected, and held the office until March, 1880. Dr. Jump was mar- ried October 20, 1863, at St. Louis, to Miss Mary E. McCrory of Pennsylvania. They have one son, Robert L., born September 1, 1864, now a student at Berkeley. The doctor is interested in a hydraulic mine at American hill, and several others, having spent $30,000 in mining without draw- ing a dividend. He enjoys a large practice in Downieville and the surrounding country.
HENRY H. KENNEDY, son of Maxwell and Eveline Kennedy, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, December 19, 1837. He was reared at his father's home until twenty-one years of age, when he left Ohio, February 5, 1859, and came, via the Isthmus, to San Francisco. He proceeded at once to Eureka, where he worked in a mill, summers, and mined the remainder of the year, until the spring of 1863, sinking what he made in the mill into a tunnel in the Wahoo diggings near St. Lonis, where he is still interested. In 1863 he went to Oregon, intending to go to the mines at the head of Columbia river, but taught school instead; and came back to California in November, 1864. After teaching one term of school in Sacramento county, he returned to Sierra county in the spring of 1865. In the fall he went back to Ohio, via Nicaragua, and lived there for nearly ten years. He was married January 8, 1870, to Miss Clara Harding, who was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, January 7, 1852, and was the daughter of John A. and Mary J. Harding. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have had four children, as follows: Harding, born December 28, 1870; Ellis, born September 2, 1873; Laura, born November 27, 1875; and Clara, October 16, 1881-all now living. In 1875 Mr. Kennedy returned to California with his family, landing in Truckee, April 15, 1875, and purchased his beautiful ranch at Goodyear's bar of Jason Campbell, on which he erected, in
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April, 1880, their present elegant home, shown on another page. The ranch has reached a high state of development, and is as desirable a piece of property as can be found, there being one thousand fruit trees in bearing, and many other improvements. Mr. Kennedy is a member of Downieville Lodge No. 123, A. O. U. W.
WALTER B. KIMBALL was born in Chicago, February 3, 1838. He was raised and educated . there until twelve years of age, when he went to Watertown, New York, with his mother, his father having previously gone to California. Mr. Kimball returned to Chicago in 1855, and in 1861 came, via the Isthmus, to this coast. Proceeding at once to Eureka North, he engaged in mining. In 1872 he moved to Downieville, clerking for two years in Dr. Aiken's drug store. He opened a drug establishment of his own in 1874, which he still conducts. Mr. Kimball was elected a justice of the peace in 1879, re-elected in 1880, and holds this office at the present time. He was married September 20, 1865, to Amelia Collier of Eureka, and has four children : Hattie, Harlow, Nellie, and Walter. He is a member of Downieville Lodge No. 123, A. O. U. W.
DR. JOSIAH LEFEVER, one of a family of sixteen, was born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1822. His parents were among the earliest pioneers of the state, having moved there from Virginia in 1808. His father, Isaac Lefever, served his country in the war of 1812. Josiah graduated at the Starling Medical College of Columbus, Ohio, in 1850, and commenced practice at Williamsport, Ohio, where he remained two years. In 1852 he came to California, and located at Little York, Nevada county. From there he moved, in April, 1853, to Park's bar, and in the fall of that year gave up the practice of medicine and went to ranching in Sutter county. In August, 1854, he moved to Forest City, resumed the practice of medicine, and has continued it at that place ever since. He was elected to the legislature in 1858, and in that year was married to Miss M. A. Sullivan of New York city.
W. T. LUTHER, the present county assessor, was born in Swanzey, Rhode Island, January 2, 1825. In 1843 he began work at pottery-making, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which he followed for six years. In January, 1849, he left for California in the ship Hopewell, and arrived in San Francisco in August. Soon after he went to Jacksonville, where he mined a short time; then he returned to San Francisco, and, in partnership with Captain Sam. Vincent & Son, bought a schooner and carried freight to Stockton. Freight then brought sixty dollars per ton, and for lumber seventy-five dollars per M. In the summer of 1850 Mr. Luther mined on Slate and Nelson creeks and Feather river. In the fall he settled at Marysville, and ran a pack-train from that place to the mountains, until the year 1859, when he came to Sierra county and bought an interest in the Gold Valley quartz-mine. In 1861 he established a packing and forwarding business at Downieville. Mr. Luther was elected county assessor in 1879. He was married in 1872 to Miss L. L. Diffen- derfer of Iowa.
I. MARTINETTI was born in Switzerland in 1841, and emigrated to the United States in 1860. He came direct to California, arriving in June. He mined in El Dorado county three years, and then went to Gold Hill, Nevada, where he conducted a bakery for eighteen months. He then came to Sierra county and settled at Sierra City. Here he mined two years, and in 1869 built a hotel, which he kept until 1872. At that time he formed a partnership in general merchandise business with N. Tartini. He was married in 1877, to Miss M. Williams of Monte Christo.
A. J. McGUIRE was born in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1838. In 1852 he began work in a cabinet shop, and continued at this labor for three years, learning the trade. In 1857 he, went to Iowa county, Iowa, and followed farming two years. In May, 1859, he started for California, across the plains, and reached Sierra county in October. He soon went to mining at
RESIDENCE OF M. HARDEN. - SIERRA VALLEY, SIERRA CO, CAL .--
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Deadwood, and was there till 1863, when he came to Downieville. Here he did carpentering until 1870, when he opened a shop for all kinds of wood-work and repairing. He was married in 1874, to Miss E. Cruikshank of Yuba county, by whom he has had two children, one of whom is living.
N. H. MEANY is a native of New York city, and was born in August, 1831. In February, 1849, he shipped as a seaman for California, arriving at San Francisco in February, 1850. Soon after, he went to Sacramento, and was principally engaged in clerking there for four years. In August, 1856, he came to Sierra county, and commenced mining at Forest City. He moved to Downieville in April, 1866, and has resided there since that time. He was married April 29, 1860, to Miss A. W. Potter of Forest City, the union being blessed with a son and a daughter.
LEWIS MOWRY was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1827. He began work in a dry-goods house in 1843, and was employed two years, when he was engaged in a woolen-mill, and remained three years. In 1848 he went to Fairfield, Iowa, and took charge of a mill there. He crossed the plains in 1852, arriving at Downieville in November, and began mining at Sailor ravine. In a year he opened a bath-house, which he ran till the fire of 1858; then owned a grocery store for two years, after which he started an auction and commission business, conducting it three years, but not finding it profitable, returned to mining. In 1864 he went into the grocery store of John Weil, present state treasurer. In 1876 Mr .. Mowry was appointed administrator of J. Ballou's estate, and conducted a grocery belonging to it for two years; then the present enter- prising firm of Spaulding, Mowry, & Co. was formed.
L. NESSLER was born in the province of Vorarlberg, Austria, in 1825, on the seventeenth of March. He began as a butcher in 1843, and worked at the business until he came to the United States, in 1854. After stopping a year in Wisconsin, he came to California, and arrived in Downie- ville November, 1855, where he was engaged in mining until the following spring. Then he went to Camptonville, Yuba county, and was engaged in the occupation of a ferrier for a year, after which he returned to Downieville and worked in a brewery three years, when, in company with Joe Wackman, he bought the business. In 1864 the brewery was burned, and they lost $10,000. They immediately rebuilt, at a cost of $8,000. Two years after, Mr. Nessler bought out his partner, and ran the business alone for two years, when he formed a partnership with J. A. Blohm, which existed for eight years. In 1870 the brewery was again burned. Mr. Nessler now conducts the business alone. He was married in 1863 to Miss M. Garibaldi of Downieville, who has borne him four children, three of whom are living.
J. W. OREAR is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and was born January 6, 1836. In 1854 he came across the plains to California, arriving at Sacramento in September, and from there came directly to Downieville, where he has resided ever since. After mining nearly a year he entered the employ of the Alta California Telegraph company; helped put up the line from Nevada City to Downieville; opened the offices at Forest City and Camptonville, and soon after took charge of the Downieville office, which place he still holds. He was married in 1861, in Downieville, to Mrs. C. Fox, and again in 1875, to Miss Ida Secretan of Downieville. He has had one son by his first wife, and a son and daughter by his second wife.
L. H. OSGOOD was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 14, 1833. In 1845 his parents moved to Winnebago county, Illinois, where our subject remained till 1854, in the fall of which year he came to California, stopping a short time in San Francisco, and moving to Sierra county in May, 1855, where he mined for a season at Craig's flat. He then went to Poker flat, and remained until 1865. Mr. Osgood was engaged in the dairying business from 1858 to 1861, and in butchering from 1859 to 1864. In 1859 he was appointed under-sheriff. In 1873 he commenced reading law, and in 1877 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been engaged in practicing law.
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BENJAMIN PAULY is a Bavarian, and was born in 1826. His parents came to New York city when he was seven years old. At the age of fourteen he commenced work in a butcher's shop, was there four years, when he went into business for himself, and opened a pleasure garden. He arrived in San Francisco in the fall of 1852, and after working at his trade a short time in this city, went to Amador county and commenced mining. He stopped there but a short time, but came to Sierra county in November of 1852, and followed mining in the vicinity of Downieville until 1858, when he bought the East fork saw-mill, which he now owns and has been running since that time.
H. H. PURDY was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1828. In 1831 his parents moved to Oneida county, where our subject lived until 1846, when he went to Utica to learn the jeweler's trade. Three years after, he opened a shop in Rome, New York, and remained there until he came to California, in 1852, starting in March, via the Isthmus, and arriving in San Francisco in July. In August, 1852, he came to Downieville, and purchased an interest in the jewelry store of Benjamin Green, which they ran for four years. In 1856 Mr. Purdy acted as deputy county treasurer, and with Mr. Green, was engaged in constructing a ditch at Eureka, doing their banking with Langton & Co. This house failed, and Mr. Purdy lost heavily ; sustaining losses also on the Minnesota ditch, which proved unremunerative. In 1859 he was engaged with his father, S. Purdy, in a foundry at Downieville. In the following year he went to Silver City, Nevada, and worked at his trade there a year. In 1861 he went on his ranch in Long valley, and remained there until 1869, when he returned to Downieville, and opened the store in which he is now interested.
W. RYAN was born October 16, 1828, in London, England. At the age of twelve he started out for himself, and followed a sailor's life ten years, when he landed in San Francisco, in Novem- ber, 1850, and went to mining at Harrisonville, Yuba county. He mined at Pine Grove in 1852, at Poker flat in 1853, and at Eureka, Sierra county, from 1854 to 1866; since which time he has been engaged principally in clerking. In 1870 he moved to Downieville, and was appointed postmaster in 1874, having held the position ever since. Mr. Ryan was deputy recorder from 1866 to 1870, and deputy county clerk from 1872 to the present time. He was married in August, 1868, to Miss E. A. L. Rich, by whom he has five children.
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