COBB, John

(deceased)

From "History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881

Was born in Henry County, Kentucky, May 19, 1814. His father was a farmer. When John was but a child, his father moved to Indiana where they remained for six years, when they returned to Kentucky. When John was sixteen years of age, they returned to Indiana and his father resided in Jefferson County for five years, and then moved to Arkansas, where he died.

In 1832, John went to Vigo County, Indiana, on the Wabssh River where he followed keel-boating, carrying freight to all the towns on the river.

In October, on one of his trips, he laid up for the night at the foot of Coffee Island, eight miles below the Grand Rapids and two miles below Mount Carmel. About eight o'clock, he noticed quite a commotion taking place with the stars; they all seemed to be falling towards the earth; they seemed to inccrease thicker and faster until almost midnight, when all of them seemed to part in the center above, falling towards earth in all directions. They resembled many balls of fire, each leaving a brilliant light behind it; one would not get out of sight til another would be coming on the same line. The whole firmament seemed to be in a blaze of fire; it was the most beautiful sight he ever saw in his life. The stas seemed to gradually decrease in motion until about four o'clock in the morning, when all was quiet and every star was in its proper place. He then proceeded down the river into the Ohio, and down that stream to Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee River; he then went up the Tennessee with the keel-boat to Florence in Tennessee; then he returned to Indiana - to the Grand Forks, on the Wabash River. There he put in a crop of corn, sold it out, and went to Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana where he got a team and went back to Madison in Jefferson County after his mother, two sisters and brother and moved to Iowa Territory. They stopped at a place called Bloomington, which had one house in it, owned by John Vanater, the proprietor of the place. It soon grew up, however, to be quite a village and place of trade. It is located on the banks of the upper Mississippi River, thirty miles below Rock Island and sixty miles above Burlington. The name has since been changed to Muscatine City, Muscatine County. He then resided in that place where he followed farming and trading, for three years. In 1839, he took his mother on a visit to her mother, who resided in Madison, Indiana, in April of that year.

From there he returned to Iowa; staying there until fall, and started for Texas; got as far as Arkansas and was taken sick with the white swelling, which left him a cripple for life. He gave up the trip to Texas and returned again to Iowa in the spring of 1841, and remained there until 1843.

He then went to Quincy, Illinois. He married to Miss Jane Ann Leypold, April 18, 1844, who was a native of Ohio. Their first child, a son, was born February 18, 1845, and died August 15, 1845. Their next, a daughter, was born January 13, 1847. He lost his wife January 12, 1848 and his daughter died January 16, 1848.

On August 17, 1848 he was married to his second wife, Miss Esther E. Deming, who is istill living. She is a native of Ohio, and the mother of six children, whose names are as follows: John R. (Rufus), George O., Joseph D. (Deming), Mary H. O. , William T., and Hester E. The first one, John R. was born September 22, 1849, and the sixth one, Hester E., was born July 8, 1858.

In the spring of 1850, he started across the plains with an ox-team en route for California, bringing his family, consisting then of wife and one child with him. They reached Salt Lake, August 17, 1850, but owing to the delicate health of Mrs. Cobb, they remained there until the spring of 1851, when they crossed the mountains, and arrived at Ringold (Ringgold), near Placerville, California, on July 1st of that year. He then engaged in mining for about three weeks, when he bought into a grocery store and kept boarding-house, which business he followed until September.

He then sold out and moved to Napa Valley, Napa County and rented a place of John S. Stark, about four miles below Calistoga Springs, which he farmed one year. He sold his crop and went to Oregon in September 1852 and spent one year there, and returned to Napa County in August 1853. He then rented a place of John Tucker and Peter Teal for farming purposes. In October of the same year, he went north of Napa Valley, towards Clear Lake, and took up a place in what is now known as Cobb Valley, which took its name after him, he being the first settler there. He then moved his family there in November 1853; a wild wilderness of a place, inhabited by various kinds of wild game and animals; elk, deer, bears, panthers, wolves, wild cats and foxes.

In 1854, he was solicited to run for the office of County Assessor, and was elected. He assessed Napa County in 1855. He lived about five years in Cobb Valley, then sold out and moved to Napa Valley again; bought a tract of land in the said valley of M. D. Ritchie, and remained on it about eighteen months, and sold it out. He then moved out to Calyomi Valley and settled near where Middletown is now. He then farmed and raised stock on that place about three years.

About that time, Lake County was segregated from Napa County. He was then put in charge of the Calyomi and Guenoc grants, and moved to the Stone House. He was put in charge of the grants by Robert Waterman. He farmed that ranch two years, and leased out the farms on the grant to the settlers. He then moved to Sonoma County; remained there two years educating his children, and then returned to Lake County with his family to his place that he had previously entered, containing five hundred and twenty acres. He resided on this far about four years, improving it; then moved to Healdsburg (Sonoma County); resided there about eighteen months, completing the education of his children.

He then returned with this family to Lake County, to his farm, where he has resided ever since. By referring to the dates, it will be found that Mr. Cobb is about the first white settler, or the oldest settler, now in Lake County.

CRAWFORD, Woods

From "History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881

Was born in Richland County, Ohio, December 8, 1829. When he was nine years of age he, with his parents, moved to DeKalb County, Illinois, where he received his education. At the age of eighteen he began teaching vocal music, which he followed until March, 1850, when he went to Missouri, where he engaged in the same vocation until 1853. He then crossed the plains with ox-teams, and brought a drove of cattle.

He followed mining in Shasta County for one winter, and in the spring of 1854 came to Lake County with the Hammack party, arriving where Kelseyville now stands, April 16th. He settled in Big Valley, and engaged in farming and carpentering for about four years, and then turned his whole attention to farming until 1864. He then moved to Lakeport, and engaged in the practice of law, which he has since followed.

Since his residence in Lakeport he has filled the position of District Attorney for about five years--once by appointment and twice by election. He was appointed by the Legislture as one of the commissioners who organized Lake County. He was married, October 13, 1852, to Miss Margaret A. Hammack, daughter of Martin Hammack. They have six living children--Florence H., Crockett M., Susan R., Mary L., Emma, and Frank W., they have lost one, Elizabeth R.

DAVIS, Jeff

From "History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881
 

Was born in Tennessee, December 4, 1819. Here he resided on a farm until twenty-one years of age when he went to Arkansas and engaged in stock raising until 1848, when he went to Illinois. There he followed farming for two years, then he moved to Missouri where the same business was prosecuted until 1863; when he crossed the plains to California and arrived in Solano County in November. In the spring of 1864, he came to Lake County and settled in Scotts Valley, and after a few month moved to Lakeport where he remained until June 1865 when he went to Napa County and followed stock raising two years. The following four years were spent in hotel-keeping at Monticello. He next engaged in stock raising, and in November 1875, disposed of his interests in Napa County and returned to Lake and settled on his present place, consisting of four hundred and sixty-six acres, located in Coyote Valley, where he engaged in wool growing. Mr. Davis married, September 9, 1840, Miss Nancy Brooks. Their living children are: Polly A., James, George W. and Dixie. They have lost William, Benjamin F., Lillie I., and Thomas J.

p. 184 - INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD-FELLOWS - Friendship Lodge, No. 130, I. O. O. F. was organized December 25, 1868 at Guenoc, ...The following named gentlement have filled the position of Nobble Grand: H. J. Berry, O. Armstrong, George E. McKinley, William Amesberry, J. M. Davis,...............

p. 162 - EARLY SETTLEMENT - ...In Scotts Valley, Greenbury Hendricks, E. C. Riggs, William Gessner, John Lynch, J. M. Sleepter, J. Davis, A. F. Tate and J. H. Moore....

Contributed by Margaret Hinton
 

DENISON, James M.

(deceased)

From "History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881

Was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, November 24, 1818. When he was eighteen years of age he went to Iowa, where he followed farming until 1852. He then crossed the plains to California with ox-teams, bringing his family with him, and arrived in Placer County in October of that year. He followed mining there until 1857, when he came to Lake County and settled on Middle Creek near Upper Lake, and engaged in farming till 1861. He then returned East, and served as First Lieutenant of Company B, 20th regiment Iowa Volunteers, for three years. His family remained on their farm during his absence, and he returned in 1866, and remained there till 1875, when he constructed the toll-road from Upper Lake to Bartlett Springs. He was married April 26, 1843, to Miss Mary Jewell, a native of New York. He died December 8, 1876, leaving a widow, and eight children, as follows: Margaret E., Merritt L., Alice, Mary A., Victoria, Laura, James H., and Olive C.; and they have lost one, Daniel W.