Colusa County
Biographies
MARTIN A. REAGER
This gentleman is the oldest settler now living in Colusa County with the exception of W. S. Green. He was born at Flint Hill, Virginia, in the year 1829 and removed with his parents ten years later to Marion County, Missouri, where he passed another decade in the labors of the farm. In 1849, then only twenty years of age, young Reager was smitten with the gold fever and set out across the plains for the goal of his expectations. Driving an ox-team, it required one hundred and fifty days to complete his journey from Missouri to Shasta County, California, where he arrived in the fall of 1849. In the fall of 1850, he settled on the Montgomery grant, about ten miles northeast of Orland. He lived there twelve years when he moved to Stony Creek, four miles east of Orland, having pre-empted part of his farm and having purchased the other part from the railroad and of the State Agricultural College lands. On first locating here, he was occupied in teaming and stock-raising. His land is now all under improvement, no unimportant part of which is the cultivation of a fine orchard of cherries, apples, plums, nectarines, and apricots. He was among the first in the county to engage in fruit-raising.
Mr. Reager was married, September 2, 1860, to Mrs. Amanda Hemphill, a native of Pennsylvania, and they have four children. His home is a pleasant, attractive, and hospitable one, and his farm embraces over six hundred acres.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 361-362
JOSEPH S. GIBSON
This gentleman, a pioneer farmer of the county, resides on his extensive ranch, twelve miles southwest of Colusa. Mr. Gibson was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, May 29, 1826, and received the advantages of a common-school education in his early youth. He was brought up to farming and has followed that pursuit during an active and industrious life. He crossed the plains en route to California in 1850, coming to the State by way of the Carson and Humboldt route. After mining a short time in El Dorado County, he came to Colusa County in April, 1851, and located a ranch midway between Moon’s Ferry and Meridian. This proving, however, to be on a Spanish grant, he left it and came to his present place of abode, where he has ever since continued to reside. He owns eighteen hundred acres of splendid land, on which he raises large crops of grain, besides being largely devoted to stock-raising. His residence and surroundings are among the finest in the county and betoken thrift, taste and the enjoyment of domestic contentment. In 1874 Mr. Gibson was married to Miss Sarah Frances Larch, of Calloway County, Missouri, by whom he had two children. Mr. Gibson has served several terms as trustee of the Freshwater school district. His reputation for integrity and the esteem in which he is held by his neighbors and the rapidly-disappearing band of pioneers, show him to be worthy of the prosperity which his industry has secured for the enjoyment of his riper years.
“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 362