Mendocino County
Biographies
Cummings, John
John Cummings. Was born in Canada, February 18, 1840, where he resided till 1868, during which time, and when of a proper age, he learned the carpenter trade, which he followed till he came to California, for which place he started November 4, 1868. He located at Caspar, Mendocino county, January 3, 1869, and worked at his trade till 1872, when he returned to Canada and sojourned four months, and in September of that year he with his wife returned to California, locating again at Caspar. He then worked at his trade one year, when he went to work in the Caspar Mill, filling the position of sawyer. He worked at that one year, when he was made foreman of the mill, which position he filled for four years and a half. He then left the mill and embarked in the liquor business, which he has since continued. He married August 24, 1872, Miss Catherine Williams, a native of Canada, born October 10, 1852. Their children are: John Albert, born October 22, 1872; Lottie May, born May 4, 1874; Margaret H., born May 6, 1877; and James Kinned, born April 25, 1879.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 p. 532
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Coombs, Silas
Silas Coombs. This gentleman, whose portrait appears in the body of this work, was born in Lincoln, Maine, June 17, 1817, and was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Fossett Coombs. At the age of twenty-two he began business operations on his own account, embarking in a lumber speculation, in connection with which he conducted farming operations. He remained here till April, 1856, on the 3d of which month he sailed from New York city for California, coming via Panama. He arrived at the latter place just in time to suffer all the ill effects from the riot which occurred in that year between the natives and the emigrants, losing all his earthly possessions, save the very clothes on his back. On his arrival in San Francisco, like a true Maine-ite, he proceeded at once to the lumbering regions, making his first stopping-point at the Albion Mill, in Mendocino county. He worked here for six months, and then concluded to try his luck at mining, and with that object in view he went to Tuolumne county, engaging in that business for a period of eight months. He then very wisely concluded that mining would not pay as well in the long run as working in the woods, so he returned to Albion and took the logging contract for that mill which he continued for sixteen months. He then worked a year in the mill and woods on wages, at the end of which time, in connection with Mr. Ruel Stickney, he took the contract for furnishing the mill with logs, at which business he continued for the next seven years. In 1864, Messrs. Coombs & Stickney erected the mill at Little River; continuing in the lumber business till 1874. Mr. Stickney sold out to C. H. Perkins; they built another mill one mile below town. They now have two mills at Little River. Mr. Coombs also has an interest in a mill at Salmon Creek, and is quite largely engaged in navigation, owning quite a number of fine vessels. He has a very nice residence, with conservatories, verandahs and all the modern improvements of an Eastern home, and is one of the wealthy men of the coast. He is one of of the first mill-men along the coast, and a man of sterling worth in the county where he resides. April 7, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret J. Boyd, a native of Bristol county, Maine, born October 26, 1837. their children are: Susie, born April 12, 1866; Annie, born May 13, 1868; Silas, born March 28, 1870; and William, born November 21, 1872.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 532, 533
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Corrigan, James S.
James S. Corrigan. Was born in Thorso, Ottowa county, Canada, February 22, 1840, and was the oldest child of James and Nancy Pinkerton Corrigan. He was educated at the common schools of his native place, and resided there till 1867, when he immigrated to California via Panama, and located in Caspar, Mendocino county. There he resided for one year, when he came (in 1868) to Little River, and in 1871 began his present mercantile business, which he has since followed with marked success. Married November 24, 1874, Emma Harris, daughter of Seth Harris and Delia A. Betts, who was born in Ripon, Wisconsin, May 26, 1851. They have one child, James C., born June 25, 1878.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 p. 533
Transcribed by Pat Howard