Mendocino County
Biographies
Burns, Benjamin
Benjamin Burns. Was born seven miles south of Lexington, Kentucky, November 10, 1809. When he was but four years of age his parents moved to Washington county, Tennessee, where he resided till 1817. He then, with his parents, moved to Howard county, Missouri, where he lived till 1824. The family next moved to Jackson county, that State, where the subject of this sketch followed farming till 1830. He then moved to Clay county, Missouri, where he was united in marriage with Miss Ann Baxter, January 8, 1832. She was a native of Kentucky, born November 11, 1812, and died March 3, 1851. Soon after their marriage he moved to Gentry county, Missouri, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he followed till 1854. May 11, 1851, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Eliza Steel Uhl, relict of Jesse Uhl. She was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1814. In 1854 they crossed the plains to California and settled in Shasta county, where he mined till the spring of 1857, when he located at Sebastopol, Sonoma county, and remained there till 1839. He then moved to Mendocino county and settled on his present place of five hundred and fifty-five acres. He has eight children as the fruits of his first marriage, as follows: James G., born November 1, 1832; Elizabeth H., born March 22, 1835; Horatio, born June 25, 1837; Mary F., born July 3, 1839; Sarah E. born November 22, 1842; William B., born November 23, 1844; Amanda Jane, born February 20, 1848; and Martha S., born March 10, 1850.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 580
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Davis, William F.
William F. Davis. Only child of Thomas and Susan Hartgraves Davis, was born in Hopkins county, Texas, February 8, 1852. He resided in Texas till 1865, when he immigrated to California and settled in Los Angeles county, where he resided for over one year. He then came to Mendocino county and settled in Mendocino City, where he resided till 1876. He then came to Little Lake or Willitsville, where he formed a partnership with W. L. Brown in the hotel and livery business, which he has since continued. He married, April 14, 1880, Miss Sadie Upp, who was born in Little Lake, Mendocino county, California, July 25, 1858.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 580
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Dougherty, Benjamin
Benjamin Dougherty. Was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, February 12, 1815, where he received a common school education and was engaged in farming and flat boating till September, 1845. He then emigrated to Adams county, Illinois, where he filled various positions till 1850. On March 19th of that year, he left for California, coming via Hedspeth route, and arriving in Sacramento July 22d of that year. He immediately began mining on Weaver creek, four miles south of Coloma, where he continued till September. He then went to Slate creek, El Dorado county, where he spent the winter of 1850-1851. In the spring of 1851, he went on a prospecting tour to Consumnes; thence to Sacramento, and from there up the Feather to Bidwell’s Bar; then to Wyandotte City, where he mined for a short time; and then back to Bidwell’s Bar, where he worked for a short time. In the fall of 1851, he went to Shasta county, and spent the winter on Churn creek. In the spring of 1852, he, with six others, went to Cow creek, that county, on a prospecting tour. We next find him at Weaverville, Trinity county, where he engaged to work at whip-sawing at $8 per day. In the winter of 1852, he went town Trinity river to Canadian Bar, where he engaged in mining till April, 1853; he then returned to Weaverville, and in that vicinity remained till the fall of 1855. He then went to Arbuckle, Shasta county, where he engaged in whip-sawing till May, 1856. In the above-named month, he came to Mendocino county, and settled on his present ranch, where he has since continuously resided, being among the first to take up land in this vicinity. He is unmarried.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 580, 581
Transcribed by Pat Howard