Lassen County
Biographies
Captain E. S. Talbot
His grandfather, Ambrose Talbot and his father, Enoch Talbot, lived in Cumberland county, Maine where Captain Talbot was born, in the town of Freeport, June 12, 1834. He attended school until 1849, and then went to sea, his father being a sea captain. During the war he had command of a steam transport in the U. S. service, running a large portion of the time in conjunction with the army of the Potomac. He first became master of a merchant vessel in 1856. In 1874 he abandoned the sea, and came to Lassen county from San Francisco. He was elected county judge in 1877 for a term of four years, but the office was abolished January 1, 1880, by the new constitution. In the fall of 1881 he was appointed deputy by Sheriff Skaddan. He is a member of the lodge, chapter, and commandery of Masons, and the A. O. U. W., at Susanville. June 28, 1855, Captain Talbot married Sophia Bacon of Alexandria, Va., born there in 1835. Their children are Susan J., born January 26, 1858, on ship A. H. Stephens, off the coast of Peru; Mary S., born December 13, 1859, at Freeport, Maine; Grace N., May 3, 1863; S. E., November 23, 1864; Bane S., March 5, 1868; Evan B. , January 22, 1870—all at Alexandria, Va.; Maud S. and Horace, July 25, 1876, in Lassen county. Bane died at Alexandria, in August, 1868; Horace, August 15, 1876, and Maud S., October 27, 1879, in Lassen county. Susan J. married P. J. Goumaz, June 28, 1880. Grace N. married H. N. Skaddan, November 16, 1880, and died November 20, 1881.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 376
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hon. A. T. Bruce
This gentleman came to Lassen county in 1866, and engaged in the editing of a paper at Susanville. In 1867 he was elected to the county bench to succeed Judge Harrison, and occupied the position two years. He was a young man of considerable ability and of good education.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 375
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hon. Albert A. Smith
This gentleman was born in Orleans county, N. Y., November 24, 1832. He was compelled to leave the Albion Academy at the age of fifteen, because of impaired eyesight. In 1848, the family removed to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and in 1852 to Dartford, in the same state, where his father and mother lived until their death, at the age of 86 and 72 respectively. In 1855 Albert came overland to California with John S. Ward, going through Beckwourth pass to Quincy. He mined there for a time, and then worked at carpentering in American and Indian valleys till April, 1857, when he came to Honey Lake valley. He ranched until 1861, and then worked at his trade until May, 1864, when he was chosen the first county clerk of Lassen county. He was twice re-elected on the republican ticket. In 1870 he was appointed district attorney, to succeed W. R. Harrison, deceased. In October, 1872, he was appointed county judge, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John S. Chapman. In 1873, he was defeated for the same position. In 1874 he became U. S. Deputy Surveyor, and in 1877 he was elected county surveyor. In 1880 he again became U. S. Deputy Surveyor; and in the spring of 1881 became engineer of the Eagle lake irrigation scheme. In September, 1881, he was appointed postmaster at Susanville, and now holds that position. He is a member of Lassen Commandery No. 13, K. T., of which he was commander for one term.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 375
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hon. Calvin McClaskey
This gentleman was born in Fairfield, Ohio, March 25, 1829. There he received a common-school education. In 1850 he removed to Illinois, and engaged in farming for four years, reading law during his leisure hours. In 1854 he removed to this state, and in 1872 came to Susanville, and was appointed a justice of the peace the same year. In 1873 he was elected county judge, to succeed Judge Chapman, and held the position four years. In 1878 he was admitted to practice in the district court, and has continued the practice of the law in Susanville with good succeed. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. at Susanville. He was married December 13, 1865, in Virginia City, to Miss Annie J. Slovan, born in Canada in 1840. They have two children: Lillie Celeste, born December 2, 1866, in Yuba county; and Theodocia Belle, born September 13, 1874, in this county.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 375-376
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hon. Isaac N. Roop
The part taken by this gentleman in the settlement of this region and the formation of a government fully appears in the preceding pages. He was one of the four gentlemen admitted to the bar by Judge Mott in 1862. In 1865 he was elected district attorney of Lassen county, and served two terms. It is related of him that while he was serving in this capacity, the grand jury presented an indictment against a man who had stolen a horse. Roop drew up the document in a few minutes, and presented it to the foreman, who read it and remarked: “Governor, I’m afraid this is rather brief. That complaint would not hold in any court.” “Why not?” asked Roop; “I’ve got whereas in three times.” Roop was a popular man, jovial and good natured, always ready to tell a story or laugh at an anecdote.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. -
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 376
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hon. Isaac Newton Roop
Governor Roop’s grandfather was a German, and his grandmother a native of England. His father, Joseph Roop, married Miss Susan Engle, and reared a family of nine sons and two daughters. The subject of this sketch was the fifth son, and was born in Carroll county, Maryland, March 13, 1822. In 1838 the family moved to Ashland county, Ohio. December 24, 1840, Isaac married Miss Nancy Gardner, born in Alleghany county, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1822, and settled on a farm adjoining that of his father, and also manufactured and dealt in lumber. Three children were born to them: Susan Engle, November 13, 1841; John V., November 27, 1843; I. J., November 30, 1845. June 20, 1850, Mrs. Roop died, and in September Mr. Roop started for California, leaving John in charge of his grandfather Roop, and I. J. and Susan with their grandfather Gardner. Mr. Roop clerked in a store at Oak Bottom until June, 1851, and then went to Shasta and kept public house. In October he went to Bear river, and lived there until March, 1852, when he was appointed postmaster as Shasta. June 14, 1853, he was burned out, and lost about $10,000, all he had. He then went over the mountains, and located a land claim at Honey Lake valley. His after history—how he made his settlement, engaged in the formation of a government for Nevada and became the governor, was admitted to practice law, and participated in all the public movements in this section—is fully detailed in the preceding pages. He practiced law in Susanville until the time of his death, February 14, 1869. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was buried with honors, a large concourse of citizens attending his funeral. His two sons served in the Union army during the war. I. J. Roop died from the effects of a wound received at the battle of South Mountain. John V. settled in Iowa after the war, and in 1877 removed to Blue Springs, Nebraska. Susan came to California in 1862, and lived with her father. She married A. T. Arnold, December 27, 1864, and still resides in Susanville.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 412
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004