Mendocino County
Biographies
Buchanan, C. J.
C. J. Buchanan. Was born in Inverness county, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, April 15, 1849, where he resided till May, 1863. Moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts, and resided till 1866; moved to Penobscot county, Maine, where he engaged in lumbering, which business he followed, together with building railroad bridges, dams, wharfs, and driving logs in the rivers till 1875. He then came, via Panama, to California and settled in Point Arena. Engaged in work in the woods till March 1876, when he went to San Francisco and engaged as conductor on the Market Street Railroad, which he followed till September of the same year, then returned to Point Arena and opened a saloon, which he kept till February 1877, when he moved to Cuffey’s Cove and engaged in the same business till July of the same year. Became engaged to be married in 1876, but the lady declined to marry him whilst in the saloon business. He quit it and bought in a livery stable. He was married, August 1, 1877, to Mary A. McMaster, who was born in Cherryfield, Maine, July 1, 1856. Her parents moved to Orono, Maine, in 1860, where they resided till August, 1875, when they came overland to California and settled in Point Arena. He is a Deputy Constable and still in the livery business. Their children are: May, born May 1, 1878; Charley D., born December 31, 1879.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 p. 531
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Colby, Henry
Henry Colby. Was the youngest child of Abner and Nancy Stewart Colby and was born in Genesee county, New York, December 5, 1827. During his early youth he was sent to the common schools, and at an early age he began working at the machine and engineer’s trade, under his father. At eighteen years of age, on account of his health he went to sea, sailing before the mast on a whaling voyage, and going to the Arctic regions, on the ship South America, and was absent four years. He then returned to New York, but immediately proceeded to Charleston, South Carolina, where he followed the trade of engineer for two years. He then returned to his native county and embarked in the manufacture of staves and the cooperage business, which he followed till 1862. In April of that year he, with his wife, came to California. From New York they sailed on the steamer Ocean Queen to Panama, and there they took the steamer Golden Gate, arriving in San Francisco May 19th of that year. He worked at his trade in San Francisco for seven months, and then went to Mare Island Navy Yard, where he was employed as engineer till the spring of 1863. He then returned to the city, where he worked at his trade till 1865. He then came to Mendocino county, and for two years filled the position of engineer and machinist at the Noyo Mill. In June, 1867, he returned East with the intention of remaining, but only stayed seven months. He then returned to California, and once more settled in San Francisco, and there took charge of a stave factory for a short time, when he went into the sash and blind factory or Prescott & Co., which he superintended for two years. In April, 1871, he returned to this county and took charge of the Albion Mill for three years. He then, in 1875, purchased his present ranch of one hundred and seventy-nine acres, and has since been engaged in farming. Married September 1, 1853, Miss Mary Root, who was born in Utica, New York, March 30, 1829. They have no children.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 p. 531
Transcribed by Pat Howard