Mendocino County
Biographies
Gillaspie, Henry L.
Henry L. Gillaspie. The subject of this sketch was born in Amherst county, Virginia. After receiving a sufficient education, he began teaching school, which he followed until he was twenty-eight years of age. He then turned his attention to law, and began practicing at the age of thirty, in connection with which he conducted the farming business also. This was continued for about ten years, when he quit farming, and paid his entire attention to law, until the breaking out of the war. He spent the years of the war in Georgia and elsewhere, and at the close of it he returned to West Virginia. He was shortly afterwards appointed Circuit Judge by the Legislature, and at the expiration of the term he was elected by the people, to fill the same office. Before the term of office had expired a new constitution was adopted, which beheaded him officially. He then came to California, and began practicing law, and in June, 1879, located at Ukiah, Mendocino county, August 9, 1849. He was married in Franklin county, Virginia, to Miss Letitia M. Menefee, a native of that State.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 642
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Higgins, William
William Higgins. Was born in Illinois, May 4, 1833. He went to Missouri when quite young and spent five years. In the fall of 1845, he went to Nauvoo City, Hancock county, Illinois, and spent three years; thence to Iowa in the spring of 1849, and in the spring of 1850, crossed the plains with ox-teams, in company with his father’s family; remained two years in the mines and then returned to the Atlantic States, and spent the summer in Texas. Then went to Jackson county, Missouri, to spend the winter. In the spring of 1854, crossed the plains a second time, bringing a drove of cattle. He spent two years on the San Joaquin plains, and thence to Russian river, locating three miles south of Sanel, arriving there October 16, 1856. Here he remained ten years, and in 1866, moved six miles above Sanel, and 1872, to Ukiah valley, where he has since resided, engaged in farming. Mr. Higgins married, August 31, 1870, Miss Clarica Jane Brown, a native of Oregon. Their children are: Rosalie, Jane Adaline, Ida May and William.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 642
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Henry, George
George Henry. Born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, September 3, 1833. At the age of nineteen he came to California, via Panama. After spending two years in San Francisco he went to Oregon, where he engaged in lumbering, which he followed for three years. He then went to Fraser river, where he remained about eighteen months. He then returned to San Francisco, and was in the employ of the Government about one year. He then made his home in Petaluma till 1876, when he came to Mendocino county and bought the Seven-mile House, which he has since kept. He married, August 6, 1875, Miss Mary Payran, a native of Virginia.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 642, 643
Transcribed by Pat Howard
Harrison, Thomas Williamson
Thomas Williamson Harrison. The subject of this sketch is one of the oldest in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, having settled in the former county early in the fall of 1852. He was born in Portsmouth, Norfolk county, Virginia, February 22, 1832. He resided in his native State till the fall of 1851, receiving in the meantime his education. Having a desire to see the gold fields of California, he shipped on board the ship Eclipse at New York and sailed around Cape Horn, arriving in San Francisco about the middle of April, 1852. He went to the mines and spent the summer, and in the fall came to Sonoma county, where he remained till 1859. He then came to Mendocino county and opened a store at Sanel, which he conducted about one year. He then sold out and returned to Sonoma county, where he had a stock ranch. In the fall of 1864 he opened a store in Geyserville, in that county, which he conducted about six months, when he disposed of it. He returned to Mendocino county in 1868 and in the fall of 1869 went into the Clerk’s office in Ukiah as Deputy under James Fowzer, remaining there about eighteen months. Mr. Harrison was married in the fall of 1869, at Sanel, to the widow of W. E. Connor and a granddaughter of Bartolo Bojorques of Petaluma. By this marriage he has at this date, November, 1880, five children: Eva Romona, born August 31, 1870; Ann, born June 13, 1873; Josephine Ella, born November 3, 1875; Harriett, born August 9, 1878; Maddox Robinson, born July 30, 1880. Mr. Harrison is at present living about two miles south of Ukiah on a small farm, which he cultivates himself, and also holds the office of County Surveyor.
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 643
Transcribed by Pat Howard