Colusa County
Biographies
J. B. DE JARNATT
Mr. De Jarnatt is a native of Kentucky, born in the year 1846. When he was but seven years of age, his parents removed with him to Savannah, Andrew County, Missouri, where his father carried on a mercantile business, in which he continued till 1863, and during which time young De Jarnatt received the principal part of his education.
In company with his father’s family, he removed in 1863 to Denver, Colorado, and in the spring of the following year they set out in search of a place for a permanent home, traveling through a portion of Montana, and after a protracted wandering they located at Yamhill County, Oregon, where the elder De Jarnatt leased a farm, his son, J. B., securing a position as clerk and book-keeper in a store in Lafayette, in the same county. The family remained in Oregon till the spring of 1866, when they set out for Colusa County. Arriving at Colusa on June 5, Mr. J. B. De Jarnatt immediately secured employment in the office of Jackson Hart, then County Clerk, with whom he remained nearly four years.
In 1870, Mr. De Jarnatt was associated in San Francisco with W. S. Green, in the real-estate business, and, in connection therewith, in the conduct of a newspaper called “Green’s Land Paper.” After spending nearly a year fruitlessly in this enterprise, he returned to Colusa County, and in March, 1872, again went to work in the Clerk’s office under the administration of G. G. Crandall, with whom he remained two years. In 1874 he made the first map of Colusa County under contract with the Board of Supervisors. It was subsequently approved, and declared the official map of the county. He next served as book-keeper for Jackson Hart, until his election, in 1877, to the office of County Clerk, in which position he served two terms. His courteous demeanor, his peculiar qualifications for the discharge of official duties, coupled with an unquestioned probity of character, rendered him extremely popular. Mr. De Jarnatt was married, in April, 1868, to Miss M. A. Green, a native of Missouri, though a resident of Colusa County since her fifth year, by whom he has several children. Mr. De Jarnatt is a strong advocate of irrigation and of having large tracts of land cut up into small farms and sold, thus inviting immigrants of the best class and making it a county of prosperous homes. In 1883 he blazed the trail and showed the way which others have since followed in planting an orchard and cultivating it with care. Brentwood Farm, which belongs to Mr. De Jarnatt, is located over a mile northwest of Colusa. It consists of two hundred acres, of which seventy are planted in grapes and fruit. It is as tidy and thrifty an orchard and vineyard as can be found in the State, and on this pleasant spot Mr. De Jarnatt has built a handsome residence.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 435-436
H. W. C. NELSON
Hubbard William Clabourn Nelson was born in the State of Tennessee, on August 15, 1830. His father was a practicing physician, and after receiving an education in the school of the neighborhood, the subject of this sketch decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, and entered upon the study of medicine with a view to making the healing art his profession in life. He had made a small progress in his studies when the news of the discovery of gold in California decided the elder Mr. Nelson to become one of the great army of adventurous Argonauts to cross the plains to the new Golconda in search of fame and fortune. H. W. C. Nelson joined a party of which his father was a member and which left the city of Memphis, Tennessee, on March 17, 1849, taking the Santa Fe trail. The company arrived at Sacramento on September 18 of the same year. Dr. Nelson opened a hospital at Sacramento, but young Nelson went to the mines on the American River, and followed that pursuit with varying success for four years. In 1853 he moved to Yuba County and invested his hard-earned money in a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. In the following year he engaged in freighting between Sacramento and Marysville. In the fall of 1857 Mr. Nelson came to Colusa County, settling on Stony Creek. He entered into partnership with Thomas McClanahan and engaged in stock-raising and wheat-growing. This partnership lasted until 1877, since which time Mr. Nelson has farmed several hundred acres of land which he owns. In 1887 he was instrumental in organizing the Bank of Orland, of which corporation he is a director and vice-president. He lives three miles east of Orland on his large farm, and enjoys himself in looking after his extensive interests.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 436
DR. L. P. TOOLEY
This gentleman was born in Glasgow, Howard County, Missouri, December 15, 1848. He was brought up on a farm under the care of his grandfather and continued to follow farming till the year 1861. The war between the States had no sooner begun than young Tooley, though only thirteen years of age, enlisted in the Confederate service under General Price and served over three years as a private. After the war he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and enlisted in the United States service, and, having been sent to the frontier, was doing duty in fighting Indians, where he remained two years.
He began the study of medicine in 1866, and in March, 1869, graduated from the St. Louis Medical College.
In 1872 Dr. Tooley came to Colusa County and practiced his profession with success at the county seat for a period of seven years. In 1879 he came to Willows, where he now resides, and formed a partnership in the practice of medicine with Dr. W. C. Baylor, of that place, which partnership still exists. He was elected Coroner in 1874, and continued to hold that office for eight years. He is now a member of the Board of Health at Willows.
Dr. Tooley was married to Miss M. Herndon, a Missouri lady, by whom he has three children.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 436-437
EDWIN SWINFORD
Edwin Swinford was born in Platte County, Missouri, August 20, 1855. He is a son of William C. Swinford, a native of Kentucky. When young Swinford was six years of age, his parents moved to Santa Clara County, this State. In 1871 he came with his parents to Colusa, where he has since resided. Edwin received a good common-school education and then entered the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa. In 1877, one year before completing his college course, he left school and entered the office of Ex-Attorney-General A. L. Hart, where ht took up the study of law. The following year he entered the Hastings Law School, and in December, 1879, was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of this State. He began practice in Colusa, and in 1882 was elected District Attorney of Colusa County, and in 1884 was re-elected. In 1890 he was again a candidate for the office and was elected by a large majority. Both as a defending or prosecuting attorney, Mr. Swinford enjoys the reputation of being vigorous and effective.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 437