Plumas County Biographies

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta Jun 2009

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Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith , 1882, San Francisco.ons donating to this site retain the rights to 
their own work.


BIOGRAPHIES OF SENATORS AND ASSEMBLYMEN

RIPLEY C. KELLEY. - Was the discoverer of the diggings on Willow Bar, below 
Junction Bar, on the north fork of Feather river. He went on the bar in August, 
1850 to prospect, and found gold in abundance. In one day he panned out 
twenty-two ounces. One day in September, being out of provisions, Joe Barnett, a 
stranger, came along, and Kelley left his claim in charge of him while he went 
to his friends on Nelson creek for supplies. He found them, the Wisconsin 
company, taking out such good pay-dirt that they induced him to remain with 
them. Other parties soon settled on his claim at Willow bar, and made fortunes 
in a few weeks. However, he made a good sum on Nelson creek, and went back to 
Wisconsin in the winter. He afterwards returned to Plumas, and was elected 
assemblyman in 1855, with Joseph Winston. Since his brief official career, he 
has been continuously interested in mining pursuits, and is now mining on 
Poorman's creek.