Plumas County
Biographies
George Wilson Humphrey
He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Lufkin) Humphrey; was born in Cumberland county, Maine, June 8, 1834. He left the school of his native town in 1852, and came to California. The first two years he spent in the Sacramento valley, clerking a portion of the time. Early in the spring of 1854 he went to the mountains, and drove cattle for two years, living at Forest City. . He then clerked for a time at Smith’s flat, near what is now Alleghany. In the spring of 1855 he had been employed on Langton’s pioneer express as a rider, and after a time established a saddle-train business on his own account, carrying the mail and express until 1859, when he moved his headquarters to Sierra valley, and ran a stage line to Virginia City, connecting with his saddle-train to Downieville. These he conducted until the completion of the Central Pacific railroad over the mountains. In 1864 he purchased and began to reside on the ranch he now owns. It consists of 1,500 acres of land, and he handles from one to two thousand head of cattle annually. Mr. Humphrey was married October 27, 1862, to Edith A. Lockhart, daughter of William and Mary A. Lockhart of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where she was born September 18, 1844. Their children are Henrietta Elizabeth, born October 10, 1864; John E., September 17, 1866; Frank E., July 9, 1868; May Josephine, July 28, 1870; Herbert, January 3, 1872; James L., January 16, 1874; Jacob Butler, April 22, 1876; Susan Winnefred, March 22, 1878; infant daughter, July 7, 1881. Mr. Humphrey’s present residence and buildings were erected in 1879, a view of which may be seen elsewhere.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 266
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Oct 2004
David B. Keyes
He was born at Barry, Vermont, April 19, 1829. He started out in life for himself when fourteen years of age, going first to New York, and then to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he worked in the Tremont cotton manufactory for four years. From there he proceeded to Boston, and in 1851 purchased a farm at Belrica, which he worked until the spring of 1855, when he came to California, via Panama. From San Francisco he went to Downieville, and engaged in packing until the fall of 1856, when he bought an interest with his brother John in a milk business at Nevada City, which occupation he followed for a number of years. In the fall of 1864 he came into Sierra valley, Sierra county, and rented a dairy ranch for four years, when he located what is now the G. W. Keyes ranch, and carried on dairying there for three years more. In 1874 he sold the ranch and bought the Doom hotel in Loyalton, which he ran for two years, leased it for the same length of time, and then traded it for the Antelope Neck ranch, which he still owns. In 1881 he bought the Dodge hotel in Loyalton, of which he is at present manager and proprietor. Mr. Keyes was married January 13, 1851 to Eliza Gardner of Winthrop, Maine, by whom he has had eight children: Harry G. (deceased), Katie G. (now Mrs. Dory), Annie W., Eddie (deceased), Edwin B., Zenas W., May S., and Harry. He is a member of Sierra Valley Lodge No. 184, F. & A. M.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 266
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Oct 2004
Corel Howk
Mr. Howk was the first of five children, three sons and two daughters of Alanson Howk, and was born at Wellington, Lorain county, Ohio, April 6, 1829. Alanson Howk was of Holland descent, and was born September 15, 1800, in New York. He was one of a party of five men the first to settle in Lorain county, Ohio, being then nineteen years of age. In 1828 he was married to Theodocia Clifford of Rhode Island. Alanson Howk died April 6, 1851, and his wife March 31, 1880. Corel Howk worked on the farm until March, 1852, when he came overland to California. He conducted the Iowa hotel at Placerville until June, 1853, when he sold out and came with his family to Sierra valley, Sierra county, and located on the Beatty & Stewart ranch. Shortly after he sold this and located the Sulphur springs in Sierra valley. Here he built a house and lived until 1861, when he sold out and went into stock-raising, changing his residence to Beckwourth. In 1864 he went east, intending to remain, but came back the following year. Upon his return he bought a ranch from Dr. Webber, and raised stock until 1872, when he again sold out, and has since been dealing in horses. In 1876 he purchased a comfortable home in Loyalton, where the family has since resided. He was married January 1, 1848, to Miss Ordelle Caroline Freeman, who was born in Cayuga county, New York, April 13, 1831, and was the daughter of Simeon and Olive (Jackson) Freeman. They have two children, Electa Jeannette, born November 29, 1864, and Simeon Jonathan, born February 1, 1868. Mrs. Howk is a woman of high literary tastes, and years ago contributed many valuable articles and sketches for the newspapers and periodicals of the coast. Some of her best efforts were published in Hutching’s California Magazine, and the Golden Era. Her various nom de plumes were, Alice, Dolly Dodson, and Chatterbox, under which she is quite widely known. Their accomplished daughter possesses rare musical talent, and is also a frequent contributor to various publications.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 266-267
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Oct 2004