Plumas County Biographies

 T. S. Battelle

Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004

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This is one of the early settlers in the valley. He was born in Washington 
county, Ohio, August 20, 1812. His father, Ebenezer Battelle, was one of the 
earliest settlers of that state, and died in his ninety-eighth year. When 
twenty-two years of age, our subject went to Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and dealt 
in merchandise for three years. Then he spent another three years in the same 
business at Clarksburg, Virginia, and several years at Muscatine, boating on the 
Mississippi. In 1852 he came overland to California, and farmed two years near 
Marysville. In 1854 he came to the Sierra valley, and located a ranch of 480 
acres close to Sierraville, where he has since lived. He was married August 29, 
1833, to Grace A. Fleming of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and she died June 19, 
1849. By her he had eight children, three of whom are living. On the first of 
March, 1850, he was again married, to Louisa Anderson of Pennsylvania, who died 
October 26, 1870. Mr. Battelle was married a third time, April 25, 1872, to Mrs. 
S. L. West of Waseca, Minnesota. 
 
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 
1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco,  1882. p 270

W. Smith Rains
 
Mr. Rains was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, December 16, 1833. At the age of 
sixteen he left his native state, and went to Missouri, where he remained for 
twelve years. April 29, 1861, he started overland for California, arriving in 
Sierra valley in September. He soon located on the ranch of 360 acres, on which 
he has since lived. It is situated two and one-half miles from Loyalton. He was 
the first to improve a farm in that part of the valley, fencing 160 acres of 
land that year. He was married December 23, 1856, to Miss Mary J. Stephenson, 
who was born in Boone county, Kentucky. Their children are Robert Lee, born 
August 13, 1863; Carlotta, October 20, 1865; Ordelle, October 16, 1870; Azalia , 
June 20, 1874; a son not named, August 28, 1878; Olivette, January 28, 1881. 
 
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 
1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco,  1882. p 269