John Bottoms was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1812, and came to America in 1840; he landed at New Orleans, and from there went to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he was a member of the Mormon Church. He remained there until 1845, when he went to Cincinnati and worked in a bucket factory for about three years. In 1848 he went to Council Bluffs and remained there until 1852. He then went to Salt Lake City and remained there until 1858, when he came to California. During this time he had had prolonged trouble with the Mormons and concluded to stand their arbitrary treatment no longer: hence he crossed the plains to California. He worked in Los Angeles County for a while and then came to San Bernardino County, where he purchased a ranch, on which he has resided ever since.
He was married in Cincinnati, in 1847, to Miss Althea Ugle, a native of that city, of German descent. Mr. Bottoms is one of the first settlers in this valley, has been an honest and upright citizen, and is respected by all who know him.