Plumas County
Biographies
Judge William T. Ward,
the first county judge of Plumas county, was born in Cummington, Massachusetts, February 28, 1802. He was raised on a farm until about eighteen years of age, when he quit farm life, moved to Vergennes, Vermont, and embarked in the mercantile business. Here, at the age of 23 years, he married Miss Harriett Sherill, and all of their children, except the youngest were born to them at this place. In 1836, in obedience to New England adventure and enterprise, he moved west, and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Here he invested all his means in an iron foundry, and in commerce upon the lakes in connection therewith, and did a large business until 1846, when he lost most all of his property by fire. He then moved to Wisconsin, and engaged in the business of milling and merchandising until the winter of 1852-53, when high floods destroyed his mill property. He then turned his face towards the Pacific, crossing the plains in the summer of 1853, and reached Plumas county late in the fall of that year. He settled with his family in Indian valley, upon what was then known as the Isadore, now called the Hickerson ranch. At the organization of Plumas county he was called by the people from his farm life to the position of county judge. This necessitated his removal to Quincy, the county seat, where he resided until the close of his official term, in December, 1857, discharging his judicial functions to the entire satisfaction of the public and with honor to himself. He then returned to his home in Indian valley, and enjoyed the quiet independence of farm life until the mining excitement of 1861, when he purchased the Genesee mine near Genesee valley, in this county, and with his family moved there, and continued to prosecute his mining operations until the death of his wife in August, 1865. Shortly after, he went to Susanville to live with his son John, remaining until 1875. While there he held for a number of years the position of postmaster. He then removed to Quincy, where he still resided till his death, which occured April 21, 1878. Judge Ward was a splendid type of that New England manhood and persistent effort—that indomitable will and pluck which has caused the stock of his native section to dominate so largely the institutions of our country.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 178-179
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
William A. Cheney
This gentleman is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and settled in La Porte in the fall of 1876, as a minister of the gospel. He remained there during the winter, and came to Quincy to attend the republican convention of 1877, entering the lists as a candidate for the county judgeship. He received the nomination over T. F. Emmons of Greenville and J. W. Walker of Taylorville. The delegation from La Porte demanded the nomination of Cheney, and the leaders of the party, remembering how, on a former occasion in 1869, a bolt had occurred under similar circumstances, whereby Pappy B. W. Barnes had been defeated by G. C. Charles, conceded the point, and put the La Porte man on the ticket. Walker, an intelligent young Louisiana man, and Emmons, a pioneer of the party in Plumas, felt greatly aggrieved, and left the convention in disgust. Jackson Urie was the democratic nominee, and though a pioneer, familiarly known, was defeated by Cheney at the election by a small majority. Judge Cheney, though not a law student, had the advantage of being a man of education. After his election, Judge Cheney moved to Quincy, abandoned the pulpit, and turned his attention to the law. In 1879 Judge Cheney ran for joint senator from Butte and Plumas counties, having opposed to him George H. Crossette, democratic, of Chico, and John C. Gray, new constitution, of Oroville. Both of these he defeated by a large plurality. In December, 1879 he was admitted to practice in the supreme court. He now resides in Sacramento. His overweening self-esteem and confidence in his own superiority have not endeared him to the people of Plumas county.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 180
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004