Tehama County
Biographies
Martin Corrigan
Martin Corrigan came to California in 1852, and for two years was a miner on Trinity River. In 1954 he came to Tehama County, and has grown up with the city of Red Bluff. It was an embryo town when he began his business career in it, and he has seen its wonderful growth and development, and has not been an idle looker-on, but an active worker and builder of the place.
Mr. Corrigan was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, November 21, 1826. His parents, Thomas and Ann (Condor) Corrigan, were natives of the same county. His father was a blacksmith, and also carried on farming in a limited way. Both Mr. and Mrs. Corrigan were devout Catholics. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth. He received a limited education, and learned the blacksmith trade in his father’s shop. In 1846, at the age of twenty years, he left home and friends, and sailed for America to make his fortune in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” He settled in Chicago when that city was in its infancy. It was a muddy little town, with a pole stuck up in the middle of the street, with a sign on it which read “No Bottom.” After working at his trade there for six years, he crossed the plains, in 1852, and spent two years at mining, meeting with indifferent success. He then opened his blacksmith shop in Red Bluff, at the corner of Main and Pine streets, where his fine block now stands. He carried on the blacksmith business for sixteen years, until 1870, when his shop burned. The ground on which it stood had become too valuable to be used for that purpose, so he erected some storerooms on it, and rented them. In 1882 they also were destroyed by fire. He then put up his present handsome block of buildings. He has four storerooms in a row, occupied by first-class business firms. He is now erecting another building on Main Street, 40x70 feet and two stories high. The lower story is to be occupied by a merchant tailor and a restaurant, and the upper rooms are for a lodging house. Mr. Corrigan owns a ranch of 1,315 acres, which also he rents. It is used principally as a stock farm. He owns a beautiful residence of High Street, only a short distance from the business center of the city.
Mr. Corrigan was married, in 1870, to Miss Catherine Sweeney, a native of Fall River, Massachusetts. Their union has been blessed with five beautiful daughters, all born in Red Bluff. All are at this writing residing with their parents. Mrs. Corrigan and her daughters are members of the Catholic Church.
At the time of the great fire in Chicago, Mr. Corrigan returned to that stricken city to visit and, if possible, aid his friends. He has since made two trips to Chicago, and on one of these visits his wife accompanied him. Mr. Corrigan is a good citizen, who attends strictly to his own business, and thinks for himself. He is generous and liberal in all his views. Politically he is a Democrat. He believes that one man is just as good as any other man as long as he is well behaved. He is quiet and unassuming in his manner, and never seeks notoriety in any way.
Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Page 745
Transcribed by Pat Houser
GEORGE W. EATON
GEORGE W. EATON is one of the prominent citizens of Tehama County. He was born in Weston, Platte County, Missouri, in sight of the city of Leavenworth, August 27, 1840. His parents, John and Susan Eaton, were both natives of Kentucky, the former of English, and the latter of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Eaton’s grandfather and great-grandfather were both soldiers in the Revolutionary war, and were pioneers of Kentucky.
The subject of this sketch was educated in western Missouri. In 1854, when in his fifteenth year, he came to the Pacific coast. Previous to that time, in 1849, his father had started to the far West and had died of cholera while on the way. When Mr. Eaton arrived in California he went direct to the mines at Hangtown, engaged in mining on his own account and met with good success. He then went to San Francisco with the intention of returning East. He changed his mind, however, and attended school there for ten months. Next he went to Marysville and worked at ranching for Mr. George Briggs, a noted fruit-raiser, working for him in summer and attending school in winter for two years.
In 1859, Mr. Eaton went to Butte County and engaged in stock-raising. At that time the range there was large and free. He began business in a small way, but soon his flocks and herds increased. In 1864 he purchased 320 acres of land, and soon added 320 acres more, making a section of land. This property he improved and on it continued his stock business until 1881, when he sold out and came to Tehama County. He had previously, in 1876, purchased 800 acres of land on Elder Creek, this county, and from time to time, up to 1886, he increased this tract by purchase until he now has 2,400 acres in one body. From 600 to 800 of this he farms to hay and grain and the rest he pastures. He also has some tracts of land in the mountains where he pastures his stock in the summer. From a small beginning, Mr. Eaton’s stock business has increased to large proportions. He now (1890) has 2,400 head of sheep, 260 head of cattle, forty-seven mules and sixty-five horses.
Mr. Eaton has an interest in a valuable chrome mine located just back of his ranch from which 3,000 tons of chrome are taken per annum. They ship to Baltimore and Philadelphia, to the only chrome works in the United States.
In 1865 Mr. Eaton was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Holland, a native of Illinois. To them have been born six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Fred R., Leath, Adelbert and Grace, born in Butte County, and Charles and Alice, born in Tehama County. Mrs. Eaton is a member of the Christian Church. Politically, Mr. Eaton is a Democrat. In 1884 he was elected a Supervisor of the county. When his term of office expired he was re-elected and is now serving as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Eaton is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is a modest and unassuming but enterprising citizen. Every movement that has for its object the advancement and development of the community in which he resides finds in him an earnest supporter.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Betty Wilson