Butte County
Biographies
GEORGE W. GRIDLEY
GEORGE W. GRIDLEY was born in Cazenovia, New York, on the tenth day of August, 1818. At the age of fifteen he went west to live with his relatives, spending a few years in Bloomington, Illinois, with his uncle, Asahel Gridley. He afterwards went to Chicago, where he carried on quite a successful business auctioneering. In 1843, he removed to Galena, Illinois, engaging in the same occupation, and also embarking in the livery Business. On the first of March, 1846, he was united in marriage to Helen D. Orcutt, a native of Troy, New York. In 1850, Mr. Gridley left Galena, cross the plains to California, and settled in Sacramento, where he still continued auctioneering. While there, he narrowly escaped death from cholera. He returned overland to Illinois in 1852, to visit his family, which he had left there, but in the spring of 1853 began the overland trip again towards the setting sun, bringing with him a band of sheep, and leaving his family in Illinois. He settled four miles north of the Butte mountains, in Butte county. In 1855, he sent for his family, meeting Mrs. Gridley and their son Charlie at Auburn, upon their arrival, and brought them to his home. In time, Mr. Gridley became one of the wealthiest men of the county, owning a large and productive tract of land. He engaged heavily in sheep-raising for many years, and was remarkably successful. On the ninth of March, 1881, he died, leaving a family of seven children, six of whom were born in California, all of them now living. Mr. Gridley was a very generous and public-spirited man, and his death was regretted by all.
History of Butte County, California: From its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - Vol. II - Harry L. Wells & W. L. Chambers - 547 Clay Street, San Francisco, Cal., 1882.
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson
ABNER L. KNOWLTON
ABNER L. KNOWLTON was born in Windsor, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, September 1, 1832, and was the son of Gideon Knowlton. He lived at Windsor until twenty-two years of age. His early advantages for an education were very limited, but, at the age of twenty-four, he went to the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, supporting himself while there by sawing wood and teaching. He was there when the war broke out, and joined the fourth New Hampshire infantry, and served four years. His regiment was in Sherman’s command at the capture of Hilton Head, in South Carolina. He was in the expedition that captured Fernandina, Florida, and was at the siege of Charleston, participating in the operations of this division into the winter of 1863. From Charleston, his regiment went to Virginia, under the command of Butler, and was at the battle of Gloucester Point, at the occupation of Bermuda Hundred, and the engagement at Drury’s Bluff, called the Frog fight. The regiment was sent to join Grant’s forces at Cold Harbor, and took part in the battle of the Wilderness. From there, his companions were thrown across James river in front of Petersburg, where they assisted in the siege, and remained until the winter of 1864. Mr. Knowlton was at the battle of the mine. In 1865, he was sent south, under Butler, and was at the capture of Fort Fisher, and accompanied Terry on his second expedition. His regiment joined Sherman on his march from Columbia to Raleigh, being at the battle of Bentonville, in North Carolina. Mr. Knowlton was discharged in the summer of 1865, at Raleigh, and went back home, having gone into the service as private, and come back captain. He opened an office at Concord as civil-engineer, and lived there four years. He came west in the employ of the Northern Pacific railroad, as assistant engineer on the preliminary survey between Olympia and Portland. He then settled in Walla Walla, and served there as county surveyor for four years. He then came to Butte county, and was elected county surveyor in 1875, after being in Chico six months. He lost a re-election in 1877 by one vote, but obtained a re-election in 1879. Mr. Knowlton was married in 1866, at Concord, to Mrs. Lizzie E. Hoyt, of Fisherville, New Hampshire.
History of Butte County, California: From its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - Vol. II - Harry L. Wells & W. L. Chambers - 547 Clay Street, San Francisco, Cal., 1882.
Transcribed by: Betty Wilson