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. 413 Mining Company. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have one child, Lucile C. ae aofpcfeees ~ "AEZEKIAH CARMACK, one of the suc6 cessful ranchers and early settlers of Butte County, is a native of the State of Pennsylvania, where his grandfather, Abraham Carmack, his father, also named Abraham, and his mother, Susan (Wickham) Carmack, were also born. His ancestry on both sides have lived in that State for generations, but were originally from Scotland. Our subject’s father was both a blacksmith and mason, and later was in the foundry business. They were the parents of ten children, all of whom are now living. The father died when seventy-five years of age, and the mother when eighty-six. Mr. Carmack, the third child, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1830, and received his education in that State. In 1852 he came to California, to dig for gold, but first worked at farming for $80 per month at Bear River, and later at inining near Nevada City, in which he was quite successful. He left that clain, which was paying him $25 per day, and turned his attention to hydraulic inining at Manzanita Hill. He was one of the locaters of this mine, and helped organize the American Company, and they did the first ining of that kind, which proved a great success. He made out of this venture about $40,000, but suld out and went tu Missouri Bend, taking with him about 100 head of cattle. He had been running a dairy one year at San Juan, and in 1858 en. gaged in farming and cattle-raising, and the next winter purchased 160 acres ot land, giving his cattle a range of forty miles. In 1859 he went to Virginia City, and was one of the locaters of the Savage Mine, afterward called the Comstock. He remained there a part of his time until 1864, when he moved to Truckee Meadows, paying $5,000 for a half interest in an 400-acre hay ranch. Mr. Carmack sold his interest, sixty-six feet, in the Savage Mine, fur $11,000, to Senator Hearst, and also sold others interests he had there, for $5,000. He also sold his ranch, but purchased another on the Truckee Meadows, where he remained for about eight years. He sold hay there for $100 per ton, and later for $80, and it afterward came down to $40; and becoming dissatisfied with the results sold his interest for $5,000, and also 280 head of cattle. He then purchased an interest in a stock ranch on Pit River, and after a year sold out there and returned to Butte County, purchasing 160 acres where he now resides. In 1876 he bought 157% acres more, and now has a beautiful farm of 300 acres, situated about two miles north of Chico, and is a part of the Bidwell grant. Mr. Carmack has a very beautiful home, where he is raising grain and cattle, and also buys and sells stock. He was married in July, 1877, to Mrs. Josephine Henderson, whose maiden name was Taylor, and who was a native of Missouri. She is a member of the Christian Church at Chico. Mr. Carmack has always held himself alvof from all societies, and has always been one of the most reliable friends a man can have. He is frank and genial in his manner, and enjoys the confidence and good will of all who know him. niente BILLIAM THOMAS SOPER has reSVB sided in California for the last thirty =) years. He was born in Prince George County, Maryland, September 29, 1829. His father, Leven Soper, and his grandfather, Leonard Sorer, were natives of that State. His great-grandfather came from England before the Revolution and settled in Maryland. The father of our subject married Kittie Low, the daughter of John Low, who was a commiesioned officer on the side of the Colonics in the war for independence. It is tuld of him that he gave his time and furnished supplies during the war, without remuneration four it. Mr. Super, one of a family of seven children,