Collection: Books and Periodicals

About This Item:

Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

e 276 Burch, Clerk; William H. Dixon, Sheriff; J. W. McGee, Assessor; Thomas L. Ball, Treasurer. Weaverville waa chosen by the same election as the county-seat instead of Eureka, althongh one poll-hook made the majority seem to be for the last named place. A new election was ordered, with the victory more definitely for Weaverville. Nevertheless, Judge William R. Turner compelled the officers of the county to repair to Eureka for possible District Court favors. The first court held at Weaverville was in 1853, presided over by Judge Peters. In the fall of 1850 Weaverville was settled with miners. who prospered well. Mr. and Mrs. Houghton kept the hotel, James Howe a large butchery and Mrs. Walton a cake shop. In 1851 a one-horse express and a banking establighinent were kept by a Mr. Hinkle. In the spring of 1852 R. Reading, agent of a San Francisco establishment, opened business in the commercial line. F. Blake, as agent for Rhodes & Lusk, ran an express, and in November added banking. It was said that these two houses, during the following season, averaged $15,000 of gold receipts per week. At Weaverville the first church was built by the Catholics, in 1853, at a cost of $4,500, and was furnished with a bell worth $700. Among the Protestants no religious services were kept up, except by the Methodists, until 1858. The first newspaper in the county was the Times, in 1854, established by Rowe & Conway. They were succeeded by Cressent, Dr. Trask, Williams, Crowningshield, Smart, Lloward, etc. In politics the paper was independent. Those were the times when Know-nothingism seemed to be iu the ascendant in that region; Deinoc racy rested on its oars and Republicanisin was rising but still very unpopular. In August, 1855, the Democrat was started by H. J. Howe and J. Crawford, but lived only a short time. January 26, 1856, the Journal was started, also independent, at Weaverville. The first school, a private one, was established HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. in 1854, by J. Adams. In 1856 Mrs. Niblett started another, and this year a public schoolhouse was erected. In 1856 an «indigent sick fund” was established, and also a Gerinan hospital at Weaverville. In 1854 an outbreak among the Chinese resulted in the death of seven on both sides and the wounding of some fifteen or twenty. Trinity County was the dwelling-place of the celebrated James W. Denver in 1851~’52, after whom Denver, Colorado, was named. He was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1818, and was an officer in the war with Mexico. Here in Trinity County he was elected to the State Senate, in 1852, while he had charge of the Emigrant Relief Train. He and Governor Bigler were charged with grave offenses in the management of this train, by the Alta California. Gilbert, the editor of that paper, challenged Denver to a duel. They met at Oak Grove, near Sacramento, August 2, 1852, and used rifles, at a distance of forty paces. Gilbert was killed. Shortly afterward Denver was appointed Secretary of State by Governor Bigler. He was elected to Congress in 1854. In the fall of 1856 he was appointed by President Buchanan Secretary of Kansas to Governor Shannon, and then became Governor of that Territory in 1858. In 1861 he became Brigadier General of Union Volunteers. He is still living, in Washington city. Trinity County has been represented in the State Assembly by the following named gentlemen: Fordyce Bates, 1859; John C. Burch, 1857; J. C. Dorr, 1865-66; T. E. Jones, 1867— 68; A.C. Lawrence, 1860; W. C. Martin, 1853; J. H. Matthews, 1862; S. F. McKenzie, 1852; George O. MeMullin, 1852; John McMurray, 1869-70, 1881; J. C. Montague, 1877~'78; Jolin Musser, 1854; E. Neblett, 1858; M. W. Personette, 1863-64; J. S. Pitzer, 1853; R. G. Reading, 1853; E. A. Rowe, 1855; T. W. IL.Shanahan, 1887; W. J. Tinnin, 1871-74; W W. Upton, 1856; F. Walter, 1861; John Yule, 1885, and perhaps by others, named under head of adjoining counties elsewhere.