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  

440 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. his tirst vote for the illustrious and lamented Abraham Lincoln, and has since been an iutelligent and firm adherent to the principles of his party. nfo Af se BASSETT CLARK, one of the successful: farmers of Butte County, was born in Richmond, Virginia, July 11, 1829, the son of Joseph Clark, also a native of that State. His parents had only two children, a sister and himself. At the age of fifteen he began to do for himself, first engaging as a clerk on the levee at St. Lonis, Missouri, four years. When the gold excitement began in California, he came with a party across the plains. On the way his stepfather, J. A. Dawson, died, being poisoned by eating wild parsnips. He traveled in company with John A. Dawson and son to Goose Creek, and then fell in with Lameltie, who promised him $100 when they arrived at Sacramento if he would help pack and drive the stock, and also gave him a mule to ride. When they got to the Humboldt, they met Captain John Turner’s train, and Lamelfie turned the stock over to him, which threw Mr. Clark out of his job,and he was obliged to come on foot. Turner finally got him to drive the hospital wagon. While on the forty-mile desert, the wagons were corraled and stock driven to Carson River. They there were detained with the wagon, and were without water, but begged a little (which was given to the sick) from the emigrants who were passing. When Mr. Turner returned Mr. Clark declined to drive the hospital wagon farther, and came on foot across the desert. He traveled all night and got across just as the sun was coming up in the morning. There he met Jeff. Wilcoxon, whom he had known in Carrollton, Missouri, and Mr. Clark came the rest of the way with him. The Indians stampeded their stock, near Tragedy Springs, and after following them a day and night recovered all buteight head. At Weaverville Mr. Wilcoxon opened a store, and Mr. Clark traveled on to Sacramento, and when he arrived he was tired, his feet were blistered, and he had only $2.50 left. He went to the hotel, took supper, and that night slept on some hay without a blanket. The next morning he returned to the hotel, and after eating his breakfast asked what his bill was. They charged him all the money he had, and he laughingly replied that “it was curious you could tell how much I had!’ Captain John Turner, withwhom he had traveled part of the way across the plains, came up and told him he could eat there until he found work. While walking down J street the next day he passed a man who proved to be Jim Clark, from Cincinnati, to whom he had loaned $50 on the plains, and who had $1,500. He told Mr. Clark he would divide, and the latter received $100 and a suit of clothes. At this time the Government was about to send a relief train to meet the emigrants, of which Colonel Marsh had charge, head-quarters, Starr, Bensley & Co., at Sacramento; and there Mr. Clark met Captain Robert Hutt, an old friend from St. Louis, who offered him the position of pack-master, providing he could pack a Mr. Clark was equal to the occasion, ordered two men to help him, and they tied a stick of wood in the mule’s month, and then packed him, which was done so well that Mr. Clark was employed to go with thetrain. They went by the Carson route, and on this side of the summit met Dr. Brown and his family, and offered them relief, and the train then crossed both summits and camped on Carson River, where they relieved Judge Sackett and his party. They soon met a great many people, whom they relieved: some had mule meat strung around their nezks, and others were not so fortunate as to even have such meat. When they returned Mr. Clark made a forced march, and camped on this side of both summits; some of the men were angry because they were made mule. to come so far, bnt that night there came a deep snow, and it was seen that if they had remained further back they never would have gut through in safety.