Sierra County
Biographies
Aaron Davis
This gentleman was born at Newark, New Jersey, May 24, 1813. When six years of age he accompanied his parents to Mount Vernon, Ohio, which he made his home for sixteen years. He then went to Cincinnati, and was engaged for three years in mercantile pursuits, being also one of the contractors of the Illinois and Michigan canal, commenced in 1836. In 1840 he went to Grant county, Wisconsin, and was occupied in merchandising and smelting lead, serving as deputy sheriff for two years. In 1849 he came overland to California, via the Lassen trail, arriving in Marysville September 21, 1849. He spent four years in mining, and then settled in Nevada county, where he engaged in merchandising, milling, and mining. In 1867 he removed to Sierra valley, and bought a ranch of 320 acres one mile west of Sierraville, on which he has since lived. Mr. Davis was a delegate to the state republican convention in 1872, and was elected a supervisor from the third district, in 1879. He was married December 25, 1838, at Ottawa, Illinois, to Miss Emma O’Hara, daughter of Captain William O’Hara of the British army. Their children are Morris W., born May 10, 1843; Wood B., May 21, 1847; Thornton E, July 18, 1855; George G., January 21, 1858; Emma N., December 3, 1859; Aaron Davis, Jr., June 2, 1862. Morris married Grace Cullen in 1864, and is living in San Francisco; Emma was wedded to H. O. Nichols of Sierraville, in June, 1880.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 270
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
Hiram Lewis
This gentleman was born if Franklin county, Missouri, December 5, 1820. He remained in his native state engaged in farming until 1854, when he came overland to this state with his family. He farmed one year in Santa Clara county, six years in Sonoma county, and two years in Solano county. In the spring of 1863 he removed to Sierra valley, where he purchased a farm of a Mr. Jenney, which now consists of 360 acres. He was married in Cass county, Missouri, January 18, 1844, to Miss Sarah Farmer, who was born in Meggs county, Tennessee, May 16, 1829. Their children are Mary A., born November 21, 1844; Melinda R., December 4, 1852; Nannie S., February 10, 1856; William S., February 17, 1858; Horace E., October 2, 1861; R. H., March 5, 1870. Their daughters are all married.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 269-270
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004
James Nicholson
He was born in Nova Scotia January 1, 1848. When fifteen years of age he came to California, via the Horn, and arrived at the Golden Gate in July, 1863. He at once started for the mining regions, and in the course of his peregrinations traversed nearly every part of the state where mining was carried on, and mined himself wherever he stopped. In 1869 he came to Sierra valley, and bought the Wood ranch, four miles east of Sierraville. Here he remained until 1876, when he sold out and traveled through California and Nevada for two years. In 1878 he went east on a visit, and while there was married to Miss Mary Tate of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The same year he returned with his wife to Sierra county, and has since lived on the Olby ranch, which he bought in 1880. It is situated between Randolph and Sierraville, and consists of 300 acres. One child has been born, William, the date of whose birth is October 2, 1881.
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. - Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 270-271
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2004