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Volume 049-4 - October 1995 (10 pages)
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Page: of 10
_ Nevada County Historical Society.
Bulletin
Volume 49, No. 4 October 1995
Henry Plumer, the Controversial Marshal
of Nevada County
by David Allan Comstock
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The arrest of Henry Plumer at Bannock City (left); execution of Plumer, Stinson, and Ray (right); from old woodcuts.
Elsewhere in this Bulletin, the reader will find a review of
Comstock’s latest book, Greenbacks and Copperheads. The
following history of Henry Plumer was pieced together by the
editor from writings in this volume and from Comstock’s
earlier volume, Brides of the Gold Rush.
The name of the marshal is sometimes spelled Plumer (as
Comstock does). Most of the other writings about him, however, Spell the name Plummer. There exists quite a lot of
information on Plummer (I know about some ten volumes
completely or partially dealing with him), most of them are
not very complimentary. But Plummer never got the benefit of
the doubt and it would be interesting to analyze what has
been written about him with this in mind.
The story which follows describes and discusses Plummer
as known in Nevada County. Some of the statements are
inaccurate and few are benevolent. We will not point out
these things, leaving it for the reader to study up on Plummer
if so inclined. Editor.
lL 1851, WHEN HENRY PLUMER WAS NINETEEN, he
came to Nevada City from Wisconsin to mine for gold. He
was a short man with a likable manner and good education.
In 1854, he was elected recorder of the Willow Valley Mining
District. At about the same time he began working for
Thomas H. Kern and B. H. Heyer in their bakery on the east
side of Pine Street, between Broad and Commercial streets.
In March 1854, he had purchased Kern’s interest and became
Heyer’s partner in the United States Bakery. A year later he
bought out Heyer too, and was sole proprietor just long
enough to negotiate a deal to sell the business to Louis
25