Lassen County
Biographies
Edward Kingsbury
He was born October 29, 1830, in Summit county, Ohio, where he remained until seventeen years of age, when he removed to Illinois. In the spring of 1860 he crossed the plains, stopping at Aurora, Nevada, where he engaged in mining. He remained there until the fall of 1864, when he came to Lassen county, but returned to Nevada the next year, stopping at Pine Grove until the fall of 1868, when he again came to Lassen, and bought the farm of 160 acres in Honey Lake valley, four miles south-east of Susanville, where he has since resided. In politics, Mr. Kingsbury is a democrat. On the twentieth of October, 1850, he was married to Miss Casandra Durbin of Illinois, to whom were born two children: David O. born October 2, 1852; and Charles W., November 20, 1854. His wife died August, 1868, at Mound City, Kansas. He was again married to Mrs. Cynthia Wentwourth of Susanville, who had one child, Clara I., born April 24, 1866, and who resides with them.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 502-503
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Gurdon W. Meylert
He is the son of Secku and Abigal (Nichols) Meylert, and was born at Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1837. He had the benefit of a good education, having attended the Lewisburg University and the Polytechnic Institute of Troy, New York. At the age of fifteen he taught school at La Porte, Pennsylvania. He commenced traveling at an early age, visiting the South Sea Islands, and spending a number of months in China. In November, 1855 he landed in San Francisco, and adopted the profession of teacher. Taught for several years in Napa county. In the winter of 1861 he located to Sacramento, but the floods of 1861-62 destroyed all his accumulations. In 1862 he was engaged in business in San Francisco, traveling over the state for a portion of the time. He settled in Plumas county in March, 1863, tried mining for a time, but being unsuccessful, went to teaching, and followed it four years, during which time he held the office of county superintendent of public instruction. Since his residence here he has been identified with and largely instrumental in bringing to successful completion every public improvement in the county. He has held many positions of trust in the county. Mr. Meylert has recently removed to Janesville, Lassen county, where he purchased the beautiful home formerly belonging to L. N. Breed, together with other large interests, including a general merchandise store here, and another in Susanville. He is receiver of the United States land office at Susanville. His father, Secku Meylert, was a man of those sterling qualities which make men, and which he has transmitted to his sons, Gurdon W., General A. N., Michael, and Dr. A. P. —all of whom are men of high moral character, great energy, and strict integrity, and enjoy the confidence and respect of all who know them. Gurdon W. was married in January, 1864, to Miss H. E. Madden, daughter of G. W. and Eliza Madden of Taylorsville. His portrait and view of his residence may be seen elsewhere in this work.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 506-507
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Henry Snyder
He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, January 20, 1834. When nine years of age his parents removed to Elkhart county, Indiana, where he remained until the spring of 1855, when he went to Iowa, where he lived for ten years. While in Indiana he learned the trade of miller, which business he followed while in Iowa. In 1859 came to California, overland, driving the first team that ever crossed the present site of Virginia City, Nevada. He remained there a short time prospecting, and then went to Tuolumne county, California, and remained there about one year. He then returned to Iowa, and remained there until 1865, when he returned to California, overland, stopping in Butte county. From there he went to Plumas county, and mined one year. From there, in 1871, he went to Lassen county, and was a miller in the “Lassen Mills” at Johnstonville until 1875, when he bought a half-interest in them with W. H. Hall, which they have since managed in partnership. He is a member of F. & A. M., Lassen Lodge No. 149, and of Chapter No. 47 and Commandery No. 13. He was married April 29, 1858, to Elizabeth Heckart, who died on the plains, May 25, 1865; was again married to Mrs. Martha McColm, September 17, 1879, who was born in Warren county, Illinois, August 24, 1852. She has one child by her first husband: James D. McColm, born October 17, 1866. His children by his first wife are William H., born November 6, 1861; Fannie M., August 9, 1863, and Libbie A., May 10, 1865.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 505
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Isaac M. Stewart
He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1838. When nine years old he went to Fulton county, Illinois, where he remained until 1855, when he removed to Madison county, Iowa. In the spring of 1861 he came to California, overland. He stopped in Honey Lake valley for about three months, and then went to Marysville. He was back and forth from there to the valley until 1866, when he settled on the O’Neil ranch, where he stopped until 1868, when he bought the ranch of 280 acres, six miles south-east of Susanville, where he has since resided. In politics, he is a republican. He was married in Marysville, California, April 26, 1866, to Miss Sophia More, who was born in Wisconsin, November 26, 1846. Their children are Walter C., born March 18, 1867; Jennie E., April 12, 1870; Ada E., January 3, 1873; Charles Markus, October 28, 1876; and Laura S., August 27, 1880—all born in Lassen county.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 505-506
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004