El Dorado County
Biographies
JONATHAN LAUMAN
One of the pioneers of California, was born October 18th, 1829, at Christiana, Norway. He was one of a family of nine children and is at this time the only survivor of them all. His father was Joseph, and mother Grethe (Neilson) who was a Norman of the Northmen. In 1840 Mr. Lauman came to the United States and for a few years resided in New York city, where he received a good education in the primary branches. He went from New York to Iowa, settling in Lee county, and from there he crossed the plains to El Dorado county, where he arrived on the 7th day of September, 1850, in time to be a territorial pioneer.
He followed the mines continuously until 1857, when he settled on his present home of eighty acres. His farm is located in Kelsey township, and on it he raises some of the finest fruits and vegetables. He is the father of six children, viz.: Maria H., born January 15th, 1855; Thorval J., born January 16th, 1857; Josephine C., born January 17th, 1859; Theodore L., born May 9th, 1861; Mary A. L., born May 31st, 1867; Martha A., born March 31st, 1870, to all of whom he has given a good education. Mr. Lauman himself is a constant reader and is possessed of a thorough knowledge of history. He said to the writer “I am not much of a bible man, but go a good deal on the dictionary,” and we found his family record was kept in “Webster’s Unabridged.” He was always temperate in the use of intoxicating drinks. When he first came to America he embraced the principles of the Democratic party; but when the flag of his adopted country was fired on at Fort Sumpter he changed his membership to what he believed to be the safest guardian of his and his country’s liberty, and has since voted with the Republicans.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p – 226-227
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
JAMES HARRISON MILLER
The subject of this sketch is the oldest settler at Latrobe. He was the eldest child of a family of ten children born to John and Elizabeth Miller. He was born at Springfield, Robertson county, Tennessee; and until seventeen years old worked on a farm, after that entered a wholesale dry goods store in the city of Memphis as a clerk for W. D. and H. Connell. After four years spent in their employ, he engaged in the trade for himself at Pleasant Hill, Tennessee. On the second day of February, 1850, he left his native State to cross the plains to California, being one of the first to attempt the trip across the then almost untrodden plains. On the 13th day of August he arrived at Placerville, was taken sick at once and did not recover until December. He then went to Logtown and engaged in butchering. In 1857 sold it out and went to San Jose, in February. In May he returned to the mountains at Georgetown and thence to Nashville, where he engaged in work on the mills. He then went to Orum city and in company with Lyton Bostick opened a store, which they kept till 1861; declining health drove him out of the mercantile line and he engaged in stock raising, and is now one of the largest dealers in live stock in the county. He keeps about 6,000 sheep, 200 cattle and 30 to 50 horses, which find feed and range on about 7,000 acres of land owned by Mr. Miller. He has in addition a fine range for stock in the Sierra Nevada mountains, west of Lake Bigler. In 1869 he represented his county in the Legislature and again in 1877-78. Is Democratic in politics, and the only one in the family of his father and none other children. He was married in 1854 to Eliza A. Ewing, a daughter of Samuel Ewing, of Montgomery, Ohio. They have raised a family of six children, viz.: Tennie A., now Mrs. C. W. Duden, Libbie C., John Lyton, Mary M., Hattie N. and Nettie Frances. Mr. Miller is essentially a self-made man. His education was very limited, and when he did the first day’s labor in California he was $500 in debt, but by industry and tact has in a few years become one of the first men in the county financially.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p - 227
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler