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  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 297 esteemed collaborator of this institution, who occupied for upwards of twenty years a room in the Smithsonian building, and assisted withont salary in the operations of the establishment. He was devoted to paleontology, and was one of the principal authorities in the country in the line of fossil shells. At the time of his death he had just completed a large volume on the paleontology of the Upper Missouri, published in connection with Dr. Hayden’s surveys. He was obliged, on account of his health, to spend hie winters in Florida; but delaying hie departure too long, and unduly exerting himself the day before he intended to leave, he was seized with a hemorrhage and after an illness of a few days died, on the 21st of December, 1876.” He was born in the city of Madison, Indiana, December 10, 1817, and had therefore just completed his fifty-ninth year at the time of his death. Gye ee T. BATCHELDER.—It is rare indeed §)) that a gentleman of a stronger or more ? genial personality is met with than Major Batchelder, the Postmaster of Chico, and one of its most eminent citizens. Le is a typical American, self-reliant, energetic, undaunted by obstacles no matter how portentous they appear, and always carrying to success whatever he andertakes. Major Batchelder was born in Waldo County, Maine, on the Penobscot iver, December 14, 1838, “a date easy to remember,” as the Major remarked with a smile, as it was the thirty-ninth anniversary of the death of Washington. His father, Samuel B. Batchelder, was a farmer and mill man, running grist and saw mills, an enterprising, hard-working man, who brought up his large family to industry and correct habits. As was natural to boys brought up on that coast, nearly all went to sea, three of the sons losing their lives on the precarious element. Another is living in Massachusetts, and a sister still resides in Maine. Like the others, H. T. also went to sea for a time, but he soon perceived the opportunities of the shore were better fitted to him, and accordingly he went to Hampden Academy to prepare himself for Bowdoin College. He never completed his course in the university, however, for when the call for men was made, at the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, he was one of the first to respond. He was assigned to Company A, Twenty-second Maine Infantry, which went into service under General Banks of the Army of the Potomac. In 1862 he was discharged, a disabled man. Shortly afterward he came to California, via the Isthmus, landing in San Francisco July 19, 1863. He came to Chico on March 18, 1864, from which date he has been actively identified with the best interests of the place. He came here to accept a position as a teacher in a country public school, but in a few months was appointed Principal of the Chico schools, a position that he held with etliciency and the general approval for the space of sixteen years. In those days there was one school with one teacher in Chico; now there are four schools and fourteen teachers. In 1885 he gave up school-teaching to accept a position in the Bank of Chico, remaining with it until he was appeinted Postmaster of the town in July, 1889. The office under his control is one of the most important in Sacramento Valley, and is well fitted and managed. During the four years 1872737475 Mr. Batchelder was Superintendent of Schools of Butte County, and for three years, 1876-77-78, was a member of the Chico Board of Trustees, being chairman dur ing the whole time. He is an active Republiean, taking part in nearly all conventions held by the party. He is a man of « quiet and go,” who makes himself felt in every office. He is intensely American, a hearty lover of CaliforIt is needless to state that Colonel Batchelder is a member of the G. A. R. promoter of the State militia, having served in every post from private to Assistant AdjutantGeneral of the Fifth Brigade, probably taking nia, and a public-spirited citizen. He has also been an active