El Dorado County CA

Biography of Thomas Guinean

THOMAS GUINEAN. – The proprietor of the Esmond Hotel, in Portland, Oregon, and one of the most popular men in his line upon the Pacific slope, was born in the city of Quebec, Canada, in 1838. In the year 1849 he was left an orphan and thrown upon his own responsibilities, and went down to Boston, but within a year left the old Puritan city and journeyed on to New York, where he took passage in the steamer California to San Francisco, arriving at the Golden Gate in the early part of 1852. He remained in San Francisco nearly one … Read more

Biography of James S. Dysart

JAMES S. DYSART. – The subject of this sketch, a portrait of whom is placed in this work, was born in Delaware county, New York, March 22, 1838. His parents were Duncan and Elizabeth (Shaw) Dysart, natives of Scotland. James resided at the place of his birth until he was seventeen years old, when he went via Nicaragua to California to join his brother Alexander, who was living in San Francisco. He reached that city in 1855. His first location was at Placerville, where he engaged in lumbering. That point he made his home till 1862. In that year he … Read more

Biography of John Wasson

John Wasson, of Chino, is most widely known as an editor, but this accomplishment has been rather an incident than a design in his career. He was born in Wayne County, Ohio, August 20, 1833, on a farm. He received such education as the very common country schools afforded. Attendance on school was secondary to farm work in summer, and to some extent in winter. He was dissatisfied with farm life, but was notably a good worker with all farming implements. At the age of nineteen he went to California; spent 1852-’53 in the mines of El Dorado County. Sickness … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Horace H. Walling

Horace H. Walling has been a resident of San Mateo County since October, 1905. He was born in Kirkville, Iowa, on December 5th, 1869. In 1882 his parents came to California, locating in Woodland, Yolo County, where he finished his education in the public schools. Upon leaving school he entered the office of the Woodland Mail to learn the printing trade and journalism, and for a number of years followed the printing and publishing business. During his newspaper experience he was the founder and owner of one of the principal papers of Placerville, El Dorado County. In 1901 he became … Read more

Biography of Hon. E. L. Smith

HON. E.L. SMITH – Although these sketches deal mainly with men who came hither in the forties and fifties, we are yet occasionally reminded of the fact that length of residence does not constitute the only just claim to recognition in our annals. Every decade has its pioneers. Nearly every year has seen added to our number someone who by force of character, intelligence and industry has made himself a place in the esteem of the people, and in the business fabric of the country. The subject of the present subject was a pioneer of 1861. Though thus not f … Read more

Indian Hostilities in California and New Mexico – Indian Wars

general kearney

In New Mexico, which became a part of the United States territory at the same time as California, the Indians are numerous and far more formidable than those farther west. The Apache Indians and Navajo Indians are the most powerful tribes west of the Mississippi. Being strong, active, and skillful, war is their delight, and they were the terror of the New Mexicans before the territory was occupied by the United States troops. The Pueblo Indians are among the best and most peaceable citizens of New Mexico. They, early after the Spanish conquest, embraced the forms of religion and the manners and customs of their then more civilized masters. The Pimos and Maricopos are peaceable tribes who cultivate the ground and endeavor to become good citizens. They are much exposed to the irresistible attacks of the Apache Indians and Navajo Indians, and, very often, the fruits of their honest toil become the plunder of those fierce wanderers.

Biographical Sketch of McDonough B. Rees

McDONOUGH B. REES. – This is a brother of the well-known pioneer, W.H. Rees, of Marion county, and has in his own right earned a wide reputation as a man of unusual force of character and enterprise. He was born in Ohio in 1831, and came to Oregon in 1854. Much of his life on this coast has been devoted to prospecting and mining. As early as 1855 he was at the Pend d’Oreille mines, and in 1856 returned to the Willamette valley amid great dangers from the Indians. After farming a few years in the Willamette valley, he went … Read more

Biography of Robert Bruce

ROBERT BRUCE. – Mr. Bruce was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 10, 1828, where he remained until 1844, receiving a common-school education, and learning the trade of gold-beating. In 1844 he went to England, remaining about a year, and moved thence to Canada, locating near Montreal. After remaining there four years, he crossed the plains to California in 1849 on the hunt for gold. The first year as spent in traveling from one mining camp to another until, in 1850, he located at Hangtown, where he engaged in placer mining for seven years. From this point he went to Yreka … Read more

Biography of Olney N. Morse

The subject of this sketch, who was one of the argonauts of 1849, was born in Westfield, Chautauqua county, New York, December 4, 1826, and is the son of William and Lydia Ford Morse. During his early years he resided on his father’s farm, and received his education at the common schools until the spring of 1849. In that year he organized a company with nine other young men to cross the plains to the gold fields of California. Being elected secretary and treasurer of the party, he was sent to St. Louis in advance, and purchased the outfit and … Read more

Biography of Fenton M. Slaughter

Fenton M. Slaughter is one of the well-known and prominent men of San Bernardino County. A brief review of his life is one of interest in the annals of Southern California. Mr. Slaughter was born January 10, 1826, a descendant from an old colonial family of Virginia, who emigrated from England in 1616. His father, Robin Lewis Slaughter, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, April 25, 1779, the son of Robin and Ann Slaughter. October 25, 1803, he married Miss Elizabeth Gillem, a native of Rockbridge County, Virginia. He died in 1834, leaving a family of eleven children for his … Read more

Biography of Seneca LaRue

Seneca LaRue, one of the horticulturists of the Riverside colony, came to Riverside in 1876 and located on Arlington avenue, where he purchased a claim of forty acres of Government land for which he eventually secured a patent. Immediately upon his purchase he commenced his horticultural pursuits, first planting a vineyard and some deciduous fruits as well as oranges, but later his experience led him to uproot the deciduous trees and replace them with citrus fruits. His orange grove is about twenty-two acres in extent; fifteen acres, being above the canal, is not irrigable. The older trees are seedlings, but … Read more

Biography of Hon. Emory C. Ferguson

HON. EMORY C. FERGUSON. – Mr. Ferguson, whose portrait is placed in this history, was born on a farm in Westchester county, New York, March 5, 1833, and is the son of Samuel S. and Maria (Haight) Ferguson. He resided in his native county and learned the trade of a carpenter until reaching his majority. April 5, 1854, he with his brother Yates (who came to California in 1849 and had returned East) started via the Isthmus of Panama for the Golden State, arriving in San Francisco in May. Our subject immediately proceeded to the mines on the middle fork … Read more

Biography of John H. Townsend

John H. Townsend was born at Smyrna, Costa (now Kent) county, Delaware, March 16, 1843. When seven years of age his parents removed to Madison county, Indiana, and settled at Collinsville, where he lived with them until he reached the age of eighteen years, and was there educated. On leaving home in 1861 he went to Placerville, California. On his arrival there he had but six dollars. On the first day after his arrival he was employed as a clerk by B. Meacham, a dry goods merchant, at a salary of six hundred dollars per year and board, and remained … Read more

El Dorado County, California Cemetery Records

Most of these cemetery listings are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Cemeteries hosted at El Dorado County CAGenWeb Project Clarksville Cemetery, aka Old Mormon Tavern Morrison Ranch Cemetery St. John’s Catholic Cemetery Cemeteries hosted at El Dorado County California USGenWeb Archives Bryant Cemetery Latrobe Cemetery Methodist Episcopal Pioneer Cemetery Mormon Island Relocated Pioneer Cemetery Pilot Hill Cemetery Shingle Springs Cemetery Union Town Cemetery Cemeteries Photos hosted at El Dorado County California Transcription Tombstone Project Bryant Cemetery Duroc House Cemetery Georgetown Pioneer Mormon Island … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lucas Hoagland

Lucas Hoagland, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born in Michigan in 1837. His father, Abraham, and his mother, Margaret (Quick) Hoagland, were born in the old country. They moved to Michigan in 1824, where Mr. Hoagland worked at his trade, that of a blacksmith. He was Captain of the militia that serenaded General Lafayette, and moved to Hancock County, Illinois, in 1845. After a short sojourn there he moved to Council Bluffs, where he spent one winter, and then moved to Salt Lake, where he died in 1879. The subject of this sketch was the oldest of seven children. … Read more

Biography of Joseph K. Vincent

More than thirty-seven years have passed since Judge Vincent arrived in Idaho, and he is justly numbered among her honored pioneers and leading citizens. He has been prominently identified with her business life, being connected with mining, agricultural and commercial interests, and although he has rounded the psalmist’s span of three-score years and ten, and although the snows of many winters have whitened his hair, he has the vigor of a much younger man, and in spirit and interest seems yet in his prime. Old age is not necessarily a synonym of weakness or inactivity. It needs not suggest, as … Read more

Biography of Frank Harris

Hon. Frank Harris, the leading lawyer of the bar of Weiser, and a member of the state senate of Idaho, is a native of California, his birth having occurred at Placerville, on the 20th of June. 1854. He is the second in order of birth in a family of seven children, whose parents were William and T. E. (Saltzman) Harris. The Harris family is of English descent and was founded in Virginia in colonial days. William Harris, the grandfather of our subject, was born in the Old Dominion, and when the Revolutionary war was inaugurated aided in the struggle for … Read more

Burwell, Walter J. – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Died-At his home in South Union, October 9, 1926, at 12:30 a. m., W. J. C. Burwell, age 72 years, 3 months and 8 days. The funeral took place from the Episcopalian church October 10, 1926. The services were conducted by Rev. Bradner of the Episcopalian church. W. J. C. Burwell was born, June 30, 1854, in Placerville, Calif., where he lived until young manhood, when he did governmental work in Alaska, Canada and South America. He then came to Oregon remaining but a few years, after which he moved to San Francisco, Calif., where he … Read more

Biography of Henry Babel

Henry Babel, deceased, formerly proprietor of the celebrated springs which bear his name, and which are now the property of his widow, was born near Hanover, Germany, on August 2, 1826. In 1845 he immigrated with his parents to America, and settled in Lebanon, Illinois, where his father and mother both died within a year. After their decease Henry went to St. Louis, Missouri, and on October 8, 1849, he married Miss Elizabeth Holadway, a native of Tennessee, a descendant of Scotch ancestry on her father’s side, and English on her mother’s. Early in May, 1850, Mr. Babel and his … Read more