Plumas County
Biographies
Allen J. Welden
He was the sixth son of a family of thirteen, the parents being Jacob and Polly (Murphy) Welden, and is a native of Sandy Creek, Oswego county, New York. His boyhood days were spent on the farm and attending school. His first venture was to purchase a farm in Oswego county, running in debt for it all. In 1850 he sold it, followed the gold excitement to California, and began mining on American river. Soon he went to Downieville, and finally to Poorman’s creek, in Plumas county. In 1851 he purchased the Illinois ranch from Goodrich and others, and in the fall went back to New York for his family, returning to his ranch in 1852. This he sold the following year, and in 1855 purchased his present residence, a view of which may be seen in this works. It now consists of 300 acres of good farming land. There were four other families in the valley when the Weldens came, and three houses at Quincy. The only two white women besides Mrs. Welden were Mrs. Judkins and Mrs. Bradley. Mails were costly, each letter requiring a dollar and a half for transportation; and other things were in proportion. Mr. Welden was married July 8, 1840, to Lucinda Morey, daughter of Isaac and Sibyl Morey of Oswego county, New York. There are four children: John A., born July 8, 1850, now married and living near Reno; Lillian L., born March 26, 1855; Carrie R., born May 30, 1865; Clarence G., born June 18, 1869. Lillian was married July 20, 1881, to Elbridge K. Grove, who was born in Plymouth, Ohio, February 6, 1849, and was the son of Rev. Philetus Grove, the first minister in American valley, whose death occurred at Woodland, Yolo county, December 28, 1869.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004
John F. Hartwell
He was born at Strong, Franklin county, Maine, May 19, 1820. He was the son of Ephraim and Mary Hartwell, who died when our subject was quite young. He grew to manhood in his native state, and emigrated in 1856 to California, in company with Mr. Brett and wife, and the latter’s sister. He was married August 9, 1857, to Elizabeth H. Norton of North Livermore, Maine, daughter of Zebulon and Mary Norton, who still survives him. A family of four is the result of their union: Louis B., was born August 23, 1858; William H., March 4, 1863; Nellie M., July 27, 1871; J. Frank, August 21, 1875. Mr. Hartwell died in June, 1880, mourned by many friends. The ranch consists of 250 acres of meadow and timber land. For many years he had been interested in lumbering and milling. The saw-mill in American valley cuts about half a million feet annually, and is conducted by his sons. The mill has an overshot wheel supplied by a flume, and was erected by Judkins and Cate. A view of the Hartwell property may be seen on another page of this works.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 283
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004
William Manson
This gentleman is the son of John and Margaret Manson of Ayershire, Scotland, and was born in Canada West, December 28, 1840. He followed the machinist’s trade until 1865, when on the fourth of May he started for California, coming via the Isthmus. He was first employed as engineer in a mine in Grass valley, and from there went to Downieville, where he opened a foundry, and operated it for nearly eleven years. At the same time he was considerably interested in the mines, and was one of the locators of the Bald Mountain extension. In 1877 he went to Greenville and opened a foundry, soon disposing of his Downieville property. He has suffered a good deal from fires, having been burned out three times. In June, 1881, he sold his foundry and turned his attention to mining at Elizabethtown. Mr. Manson was married in San Francisco, December 1, 1874, to Miss Jessie E. Pidwell of St. Johns, New Brunswick. They have two children; John Herbert, born October 23, 1875; Margaret Elizabeth, born January 21, 1877. Mr. Manson is a member of the Greenville Lodge of United Workmen, and also of the Grand Lodge of the state.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 284