Collection: Newspapers > Nevada County Nugget

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Title: May 2, 1973 Collection Type: Newspapers Collection Name: Nevada County Nugget Published: May 2, 1973 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Physical Format: Newspaper # of Pages: 12 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Printed or handwritten: All printed text Date Scanned: 2023-04-12 16:57:56 Scanning Equipment: Professionally Scanned OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: JPGs First Created: 2025-03-17 04:14:10 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:14:10

Original Held At: Doris Foley Library Location: 211 North Pine Street, Nevada City, CA 95959

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6 The Nevada County Nugget May 2, 1973 Prominent people M.J. Brock Published TALLMAN HATHWAY ROLFEA native of Maine, Tallman Hathaway Rolfe was born in Rumford, Oxford County, on September 7, 1824, and when he was ten years old his father moved with his family to Caldwell County, Mo.; four years later the family removed to Nauvoo, Hancock County, Ill. The subject of this sketch was of a studious disposition and although the opportunities for obtaining an education, in what was then called the ‘‘West,’’ were unfavorable, yet his love for books, aided by a retentive memory, enabled him to teach himself, so that when he was fourteen years of age he was regarded as an authority in matters relating to history, and he was an excellent mathematician. He served four years in a printing office, as an apprentice, mastering the business in all its details and devoting all of his spare time to the well-stocked library of his employer. At eighteen years of age he commenced to study law in the office of C. L. Higbee, and continued there two years. In 1845, when Rolfe still lacked six months from reaching his _ Majority, he determined to see the ‘Far West,’’ and he was engaged to drive.an ox team to Oregon for a man named Stevens, who gave the law student his ‘‘grub”’ in consideration for his services as a ‘‘bull whacker.’’ They started in March, 1945, from Pontoosack, or Spillman’s Landing, on the east side of the Mississippi River, a few miles below Burlington, Iowa, and reached Oregon in the fall, and Rolfe located a claim on land fifty or sixty miles east from where Oregon City now stands. He lived on his claim, in company with a fellow-settler named Stump, until the summer of 1847. Rolfe related an incident connected with his life in Oregon, which shows the primitive life the pioneers lived; some of the party with whom he crossed the plains traveled farther westward than where he had settled, and stopping at a small settlement, found the families located there without a school for their children; they wanted a school and the new-comers told of their traveling companion who could read and write, and whom they warmly recommended for the teacher. A committee was appointed, sent for Rolfe, and when they met an arrangement was made without delay that Rolfe should take charge of the school, with a salary of twelve dollars a month and board, stipulating that he should board around with the parents of his scholars. The committee was compelled to admit that the twelve dollars must-be paid in wheat; Rolfe did not want wheat, and finally a compromise was effected; the salary should be one-half money and one-half wheat. After ~. Making a canvass of the settlement the committee informed him that the money could not be raised, so he returned to his own claim. In 1847, in company with a party of eight men, Rolfe came from Oregon to California, overland through Pitt River Indian country, finally arriving at Monterey. Here the young pioneer found congenial employment as a printer on the California Star, and he remained in the Star office until after the discovery of gold, in 1848, and he got out two copies of the paper after nearly everybody else had rushed to the “Diggins”! He then started for the mines with one companion, going from San Francisco in a whaleboat up the Sacramento and Feather Rivers. He worked in the mines, a part of the time on Bidwell’s Bar, and was successful until the river rose and drove the miners from the bar. He then went down to Sutter’s Fort, where Sam Brannan had a store, and there he was engaged as a salesman in Brannan’s store, and remained there until the winter of 1848-1849. During the summer of 1849, Rolfe entered into a partnership with David A. Chever, to open a store in Yuba City, which town had been laid out by Sam Brannan, Henry Chever, and others. Rolfe and Chever took a flatboat loaded with building Sacramento to Yuba City, where h erected in Yuba City, in August, 1 down from the mines in September three men formed the entire white There was an Indian village on the judge when the new constitution wa elected in Sutter County, as the off when California became a State. Judge Rolfe was universally re: for his earnest determination to do t simplicity and sincerity were so mai his sentiment or his purpose. He became best known to the § nection with the press. He was Sacramento in 1850, and in 1853, in « and I.J. Rolfe, his brother, he bou newspaper of Nevada City, and ch Democrat, and on the retirement o Rolfe became the editor. In 1863 remained there until the later par Nevada City and became proprietor Gazette, which he published until reengage in mining. In 1872 he wa after he had become much debilitat regain his health by residing in Sz useful life was nearly closed and he November 18, 1872, aged forty-eigl The character of Tallman Hath pioneer deserve rememberance. pioneering enterprise, energy, reso life by a sturdy manhood, and f1 through life alone, having never n 7 Sa a CURTH ST ABOVE SOUTHEAST SIDE. HORSES. CARRIAGES & YEH HORSES TAKEN AT ee Dees