Colusa County
Biographies
MARK BAILEY
This gentleman is a native of Moreland, Schuyler County, New York, born in the year 1833. He followed farming when a lad in his native State, and afterwards learned the trade of machinist, in Elmira, New York. After completing his apprenticeship, he lived for a short time in Iowa, and then in Faribault, Minnesota. He started for California in April, 1860, and arrived at Sacramento five months later. He first located at You Bet, Nevada County, conducting a butchering business for three years, and in the summer of 1863 he returned to his native State. While on this trip he was married, in 1864, to Miss Lucy W. Stevens, of his own native county of Schuyler. He returned to California in 1867 and settled at the headquarters of the Nome Lackee Indian Reservation, but afterwards moved to Paskenta, and finally located permanently in this county in 1873, settling on the Brown ranch, at Newville, containing twelve hundred and sixty acres of land, mostly grazing, with some bottom land, which produces large crops of grain. His chief occupation is in raising horses, cattle, hogs and sheep.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 399
J. W. BRIM
J. W. Brim was born in Tennessee, in the year 1835. He left Missouri for California on April 21, 1856, arriving at Oroville August 24. He engaged in mining at White Rock and Oroville, on the Feather River, and was very successful in this work. He came to Colusa County in 1856 and has since been occupied in stock-raising and farming. His farm embraces four thousand acres, a part of which is on the plains at the foot of the hills, and the remainder in Bear Valley, three miles from Leesville. It is on the latter portion of land that Mr. Brim resides. His home is a large and elegant one. In 1868 he married Miss Emily A. Smith, a native of Utah, and four children are the result of this union. Mr. Brim is highly respected and his energy is of the perpetual-motion order.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 399-400
G. H. PURKITT
George H. Purkitt, of Willows, who is well known all over Colusa County, came to California from Illinois in 1862, locating first for a time in Sacramento, and then engaged in hydraulic mining in Nevada. As an accomplished civil engineer, his services have been secured in various part of the State. He was appointed County Surveyor in 1872, serving one term most acceptably in that office. He first came to Colusa County in 1868 and spent a portion of his time on his arrival in hunting in the mountains. Mr. Purkitt is a keen sportsman and tells with gusto how in June, 1870, he lassooed antelope one mile and a half east of where now stands the aspiring town of Willows. He first settled in the town of Colusa, remaining there till 1874, when he removed to Willows and engaged in farming. Ten miles west of Willows is his ranch of twelve thousand acres, chiefly devoted to the production of grain and stock. This ranch is a model one in its methods of cultivation, its beauty of location and home surroundings. Particularly favorable has it proved in the raising of fruit. The peaches, cherries, apricots, pears, apples, plums, and nectarines which ripen here are not only an object lesson in early endeavors in horticulture in this section, but likewise an accepted prophecy, following hard upon fulfillment, of what the future wealth of the land shall consist.
Mr. Purkitt was married, in Sacramento, on April 27, 1873, to Miss Theodora Tiffe, and has a family of six children. His ranch, of which mention has just been made, has been surveyed and platted into subdivisions of ten, twenty or more acres, to meet the requirements of colonists or home seekers.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 400