El Dorado County
Biographies
JAMES ASKEW
Was born on June 23, 1831, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. His parents were Christian and Ann Askew. Here young James had to attend school until he was 12 years of age, when his father required his help on the tow path on the canals, where he worked faithfully for the next five years. But when about 17 years old he quitted this kind of work and for four years he went as a mate on a canal boat. The desire to see other countries drew him away from home; on the first of January, 1853, he left his native town to go to America, taking passage on board the ship Ellen Maria, from Liverpool to New Orleans, where he arrived on March 7th, and after a short stay of two days concluded to got to St. Louis, where he was married on the 3d of April, same year, to Jane Lodge. There was no stop at St. Louis for the young married pair however; with a view to go to California they took up the travel again by the way of Keokuk to Kanesville, where they attached themselves to a party of 40 wagons to go across the plains. A heavy snow storm, which was encountered after passing the South Pass, brought great loss to the party, so that they reached Salt Lake City, on October 9th, quite destitute and nearly starved. The advanced season did not allow them to continue with the journey and they concluded to stop here till the next spring. For James Askew, however, this expected next spring did not come before the year of 1857, when he became able to start with his family for California, on March 20th. Being the first train which crossed the Sierra Nevada mountains that season, they had to shovel their way through the snow on the summit, but reached Mud Spring (El Dorado) on the 4th of June. From here Askew went on to Latrobe, where he first engaged in mining together with one called ‘Uncle John,’ but not finding the fortune he had expected, returned to El Dorado, where he engaged alternately in teaming for the mines and mining for himself until 1861, when he bought a ranch one mile from El Dorado, the same he is residing on still. He made this a dairy ranch, supplying the town people with milk, but kept on mining and teaming. Not quite satisfied with his location he traveled in 1865 and ’66 over the greater part of the State, with the purpose to hunt up a better place to settle on, but always returned home convinced that he could not find anything better, and commenced to improve what he had got. He first directed his attention to his stock, which had to be improved for dairying purposes, and he bought a bull calf, Gen. Grant, and three heifers, all the best Jersey breed, from direct imported stock. These were the first Jerseys brought in the county and he took all the premiums for Jerseys at the County Fair, and one premium at the State Fair, in 1870, and in 1871 took three more premiums at the State and County Fairs on the same stock. He also took the first premiums for best roll and firkin butter at the County Fair since 1878, as well as at the State Fair since 1879. He introduced the first carp in the county, keeping them for breeding; for which purpose he has two large ponds covering about one acre of ground. Mr. Askew’s marriage was blessed with seven children, two girls and five sons, viz.: Emily Jane, born August 7, 1855, at Salt Lake City, died; James Henry, born at Ogden, November 11, 1856; John Edward, born at Mud Springs, September 29, 1858; Walter Lodge, born August 1, 1860, drowned in a mining ditch August 2, 1862; George William, born January 23, 1863; Herbert, born August 26, 1866, died; and Nettie Louvina, born April 6, 1871.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p – 230-231
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler