Plumas County, California
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Plumas County was created on March 18, 1854 from Butte County. Territory which at one time was in Plumas County is now in Lassen County, Shasta County, and Sierra County. The County has had two Boundary Changes:

  1. Most of Plumas County territory was in Butte County from 1850 to 1854 when it was separated to create the new county.
  2. Territory in Yuba County from 1850 to 1852, was in Sierra County from 1852 to 1866, when it was added to Plumas County.

The Spanish originally called one of the tributaries of the Sacramento River El Rio de las Plumas or the "River of Feathers." In creating this county, the state Legislature gave it the name Plumas because all of the numerous branches of the Feather River have their origins in its mountains. The County Seat is Quincy . See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Plumas County are Sierra County (south), Yuba County (southwest), Butte County (west), Tehama County (northwest), Shasta County (northwest), Lassen County (north & east).

Plumas County Cities Include Portola. CDPs (A census-designated place (CDP) is a type of place or area identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes) Include Almanor, Beckwourth, Belden, Blairsden, Bucks Lake, C-Road, Canyondam, Caribou, Chester, Chilcoot-Vinton, Clio, Crescent Mills, Cromberg, Delleker, East Quincy, East Shore, Graeagle, Greenhorn, Greenville, Hamilton Branch, Indian Falls, Iron Horse, Johnsville, Keddie, La Porte, Lake Almanor Country Club, Lake Almanor Peninsula, Lake Almanor West, Lake Davis, Little Grass Valley, Meadow Valley, Mohawk Vista, Paxton, Plumas Eureka, Prattville, Quincy, Spring Garden, Storrie, Taylorsville, Tobin, Twain, Valley Ranch, Whitehawk

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County Court Courthouse Records

See Also California Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Plumas County Clerk-Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1873, Marriage Records from 1873, Death Records from 1873 and , Land Records from 1854.

The County Recorder-Clerk is responsible for examination and recording of all documents presented for recording that deal with establishing ownership of land in the County or as required by statute; administers the real property transfer tax law and maintains a permanent record and indexes of all documents for public viewing plus providing certified copies requested by the public; recording of all lawful documents such as deeds, deeds of trust, judgments, liens, affidavits, Uniform Commercial Code Financial Statements, etc; and the filing of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.

Plumas County Clerk of Superior Court has Probate Records from 1860 and Court Records from 1860.

The county Superior Court clerk has probate books and files from the county's superior court, civil court records, and naturalizations. Divorces may be here or in the Recorders Office, depending on how it was filed.

 Some early court records from the various courts may have been sent to the California State Archives. Besides court minutes and judgements, these records include tax lists, wills, deeds, estate inventories, and marriage bonds. The California State Archives has microfilm of selected county records, 1850–1919.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Plumas County, California Court Books at Amazon.com
  • California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968: This database contains indexes to voter registration lists from various counties in California from 1900-1968. Information listed in these records includes: name of voter, age, address, occupation, and political affiliation.
  • Naturalization Petitions for the Southern District Of California, 1887-1940icon (The National Archives): NARA M1524. Naturalization Petitions for the Southern District Of California, 1887-1949.
  • California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957: This database is an index to passenger and crew lists of ships and some airplanes arriving at Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Pedro, and Ventura in the U.S. state of California, between 1893 and 1957. Information contained in the index includes name of passenger, their age, gender, ethnicity, nationality or last country of permanent residence, arrival date, port of arrival, port of departure, and ship name. If a name of a friend or relative whom the passenger was going to join with, or place of nativity was provided, that information is included as well.
  • San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists Vol. I [1850-1864]: The volume offered here is a reprint of the first volume in a series dealing with passenger arrivals at the port of San Francisco between 1850 and 1875, though this first volume contains a selection of passenger lists extending only though 1864.
  • San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists Vol. II [1850-1851]: Volume II is based on completely different sources than the first volume in the series, which covered the years 1850-1864, and it encompasses an additional 16,500 passenger arrivals at San Francisco Bay during the 20-month period from April 1850 to November 1851.
  • San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists. Vol. III: November 7, 1851 to June 17, 1852: Volume III covers a seven-month period during which approximately 25,000 persons arrived at the port of San Francisco--nearly 50% more than the number of arrivals for the preceding 18-month period covered in Volume II. The year 1852 witnessed a surge in migration to California, and this volume reflects the initial thrust of that surge.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in California

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! A certified copy fee must accompany all requests for copies of vital records. Requests received without the appropriate fee will be returned to the sender. Make your check or money order payable to the Office of Vital Records. Checks must be drawn on a United States bank. Money orders must be drawn on a United States bank or issued by the United States Postal Service. Do not send cash. If no record is found, they will issue a Certificate of No Public Record and retain the fee for the search according to State law. Before submitting your application to the Office of Vital Records, please view the processing times to make sure they are acceptable for your needs. 

California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records, MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410; (916) 445-2684. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: The state of California began issuing certificates for births and Deaths in July 1905. Birth and death records for current year events and one year prior are available from the county health department; records for all years are maintained by the county recorder. If not, you should submit your request to the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the birth or death took place or order the birth / death certificate online through VitalChek.
    • Cost: $14.00 per birth certificate & $12.00 per death certificate.
    • Processing Time: 12-14 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Birth or Death Certificate) or 2-5 Days when you Order Online.
  • Marriage Certificates: The state of California began issuing certificates for marriages since July 1905, except for 1987 to 1995 (The state does not have indexes for the years 1987-1995 so you must request these from the county). Certified copies of public marriage records are available from both the California Office of Vital Records and the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the public marriage license was issued. However, the Office of Vital Records is limited in its ability to search the records, and it can take up to 2-3 years to obtain a certified copy from thier office. Therefore, we recommend that certified copies of public marriage records be requested directly from the County Recorder’s Office or online.
    • Cost: $13.00 per certificate.
    • Processing Time: 2-3 years when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you Order Online.
  • Divorce Certificates: Certified copies are not available from State Health Department. Certified copies of actual divorce decrees are only available from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. The Office of Vital Records issues a Certificate of Record that includes only the names of the parties to the divorce, the county where the divorce was filed, and the court case number – it is not a certified copy of the divorce decree and does not indicate whether the divorce was ever finalized in court. The Office of Vital Records only has information for divorces that were filed with the court between 1962 and June 1984, and our processing times can take up to 2-3 years or Online with VitalChek.
    • Cost: $12.00 per certificate. Fee is for search and identification of county where certified copy can be obtained.
    • Processing Time: 2-3 years when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you Order Online.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service. - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical California newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • California Birth Index, 1905-1995: This database is an index to over 24.5 million births occurring in California between 1905 and 1995.
  • California Death Index, 1940-1997: his database is an index to the death records in State of California, USA, from 1940 through 1997. The database provides such valuable information as first, last and middle names of the descendants, birth dates, mother's maiden name, father's last name, sex, birth place, death place, residence at time of death, death date, social security number (when available), and the age of the individual when they died.
  • California Divorce Index, 1966-1984: This database is an index to over 3.5 million divorces that were filed in California (U.S.A.) from 1966-1984. Information that may be found in this database includes spouses' names, divorce date, and divorce county or city.
  • California Marriage Index, 1960-1985: This database contains a statewide index to over 4.8 million marriages that were performed in California between 1960 and 1985. Information that may be found in this database includes the bride's and groom's names, their ages, the marriage county, and the marriage date.
  • California Marriages, 1850-1877: This database contains information on individuals who were married in select areas of California between 1850 and 1960. Note that not all counties are included in this index and within the counties that are included not all years within the date range...
  • California Death Index 1940-1997
  • Plumas County, California Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for California

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Plumas County, California are1860 ,1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Plumas County, California are Industry and Agriculture Schedules available for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Census Online - California Census Records
  • California Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Census Substitute; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index (excluding San Francisco County); 1870 San Francisco County Census Index; 1834 Census Index of Santa Barbara; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule.
  • Plumas County, California Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

California Antique Maps & Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for California and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for California showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for California showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Maps. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Maps by clicking the link below:

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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in California

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service Assessment List for California, 1862–66, is available on thirty-three microfilm rolls at the California State Library in Sacramento. The lists include names, location and description of business, and tax rate for individuals taxed.

Similar to tax records in their yearly listing of residents are the “Great Register” of California, which are miscellaneous county voting registers that exist from the mid-nineteenth century. The registers were compiled and printed about every two years. Before 1900, they show name, address, and age (but the age may remain the same after a man's first entry). From about the mid-1800s, physical descriptions are included, but after the 1898 register, only the name, address, party affiliation, and sometimes occupation are listed.

Before 1892, the lists are county-wide, but usually alphabetical only by first letter or surname. They are particularly valuable for foreign-born voters, as the date and court of naturalization are listed. Copies of the "Great Registers," (1866–1944) are at the California State Library, which also has alphabetical card file abstracts for some of the earlier registers for San Francisco. Records from 1946 are with the individual county registrars of voters.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other California Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Plumas County Museum Archives
  • Plumas County Historical Society, P.O. Box 695, Quincy 95971
  • California Genealogical Society, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, CA 94612-3031; 510-663-1358 fax: 510-663-1596
  • The California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94105; 415-357-1848 — voice; 415-357-1850 — fax; info@calhist.org — e-mail
  • California State Genealogical Alliance, 19765 Grand Avenue, Lake Elsinore, CA 92330
    One way to access many local and county genealogical and historical societies is through the Alliance, which publishes its own newsletter.
  • California State Archives, Office of Secretary of State, 1020 O Street, Room 130, Sacramento, CA 95814; Reference Desk: (916) 653-2246; General Information: (916) 653-7715; FAX: (916) 653-7363; E-Mail:ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
  • California State Library, 914 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814
  • The National Archives-Pacific Region
  • California Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in California

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Plumas County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Plumas County Tombstone Transcription Project.

There are no centralized repositories dealing with church records in California. Scattered records can be found in genealogical publications, the DAR compilations, and on microfilm. The Spanish missions have played a central role in California's religious history.

   Printed secondary sources of transcribed cemeteries exist for most California counties. The California State Society of the DAR has collected hundreds of such records. Transcripts are housed both at the national DAR and with some local chapters and libraries.

Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Plumas County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Plumas County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 


Image of historic Plumas County courthouse - click to enlarge
Plumas County Courthouse
Completed 1921

The size and cost of this classically inspired courthouse, which replaced a more modest New England-style building, was considered so exorbitant for the county that there was talk of recalling the board of supervisors. Over the years, several escape attempts were made from the jail, which was once located on the fourth floor of the building. One inmate broke his leg when the sheets he had tied together came apart as he lowered himself to the ground. The building remains in official use and is preserved in its near-original state. With an interior paved in Tuolumne marble and accented with pink Tennessee marble, the public spaces are favorite places for weddings and other social functions

Memorial and Biographical History of PLUMAS COUNTY. -
CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891.

The word "plumas" is Spanish for feathers. In 1824 a Mexican exploring expedition penetrated to the north and named the stream "Rio de las Plumas," on account of the feathers of a water-fowl which were found floating upon its bosom. The river is now called the Feather, but the Spanish name was applied to the county. At the same time the Yuba River was christened Rio de los Uva (pronounced by them cova), and Bear River Rio de los Osos.

The county is bounded on the north by Shasta and Lassen; on the east by Lassen, on the south by Sierra and Butte, and on the west by Butte and Tehama counties.

Plumas is one elevated and mountainous region, very little of it having an altitude of less than 4,500 feet. Pilot Peak, on its southern border, reaches an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, there being a number of other peaks in the Sierra further north nearly as high. These mountain ridges being eroded by many deep and precipitous canons, impresses upon the whole country a wild and rugged aspect. Scattered throughout these mountains are many small but fertile and well watered valleys, in which some grain is raised and many cows are kept, dairying being here the principal industry. The county, with .the exception of these open valleys, is everywhere heavily timbered with pine, spruce, cedar and fir. Plumas is abundantly watered by the several forks of the Feather and the Yuba rivers, and their numerous tributaries. The winter climate here is rigorous and the snowfall deep at that season. The summers, however, are long and pleasant— warm without being excessively hot.

Nearly all the water (including snow as melted) finds its way into the Feather River. The water-shed between the Nevada and Sacramento basins forms the dividing line between Plumas and Lassen, while the dividing ridge between the Feather and the Yuba rivers form the Sierra County line. On the northwest the dividing ridge between the waters of the Feather and the Buttes and Dry creeks form the boundary line, so that Plumas County lies wholly within the domain of Feather River.

Altitudes: Plumas House at Quincy, 3,400 feet; Geysers, 5,864 feet; Mount Ingalls, between Red Clover and Grizzly valleys, 8,470 feet; Mount Harkness, above Warner Valley, 8,875.

Lying partly in Plumas and partly in Sierra county, is the Sierra Valley, the largest in the whole Sierra chain. With an altitude of 5,000 feet, its atmosphere is cool, clear and healthful. It is a very prosperous section, containing six villages. One of these is Beckwourth; and this, as well as the valley and the pass at the northeastern end of the valley, was named after James P. Beckwourth, an old mountaineer whose autobiography has been published by the Harper Brothers of New York. The book contains many interesting stories, fraught with the usual exaggerations which no one has the opportunity of disproving.

Next, Peter Lassen settled at the head of the celebrated Lassen's Ranch, on Deer Creek, in Tehama County. It was in December, 1843, that this old pioneer started from Sutter's Fort and reached the place which he chose for his settlement in February following, having encamped several weeks at the Marysville Buttes. This was the first settlement north of Marysville, where Theodore Cordua was then living. Associated with Lassen was a Russian Pole named Isadore Meyerwitz. It is probable that these two men were the first to set foot within the present limits of Plumas County. They were here at least as early as 1848, and probably earlier.

From 1850 to 1854 all the Feather River region was attached to Butte County; meanwhile no law existed here but that of the miners. March 18, 1854, the act organizing the county of Plumas was passed, and the first officers elected were: William T. Ward, Judge; Thomas Cox, District Attorney; John Harbison, Clerk; George W. Sharpe, Sheriff; Daniel R. Cate, Treasurer; John R. Buckbee, Assessor; and Jacob T. Taylor, Surveyor. William V. Kingsbury was the opponent of Sharpe, and it is thought would have been elected in a fair contest. Buckbee's opponent was Christopher Porter, and for them the vote was a tie. They were persuaded to decide the matter by a game of seven-up, in which Porter was badly beaten! A merry drinking crowd of course attended the play. After considerable lively discussion the town of La Porte and vicinity was taken from Sierra County and annexed to Plumas, ,by the Legislature, March 31,1866.

The first District Court for Plumas County was held June 19, 1854, by Judge Joseph W. McCorkle, at American. Valley, the temporary county-seat named in the organizing act. The only business of the court was to discharge the venire of jurors whom the sheriff had summoned, and admit attorneys to practice. McCorkle came to California from Ohio in 1849, and in 1850 was elected the first district attorney for Butte and Shasta counties. In 1851 he served in the Legislature, and that fall went to Washington to represent his district in the lower house of Congress. Upon his return in 1853 the Governor appointed him Judge of the Ninth Judicial District, which then included Butte County, to fill the vacancy caused by the decease of George Adams Smith. He was occupying this office when Plumas County was created and attached to this district. In 1863 he moved to Virginia City, in 1868 to San Francisco, and later to Washington, District of Columbia, chiefly to prosecute claims before the Mexican claims commission.

William T. Ward, the first County Judge of Plumas County, was born in Massachusetts in 1802, and came from Wisconsin to California in 1853; from 1857 to 1861 he was a farmer; from 1861 to 1865 he was the proprietor of the Genesee mine; then he was a resident of Susanville until 1875, during a part of which time he was postmaster, and then he moved to Quincy, where he resided until his death, April 21, 1878.

In 1864 the county of Lassen was cut off, taking territory that contained, in 1860, a population of 476.

Financially, although there have been several defalcations in the treasury, Plumas County has kept up its good credit, so that its six per cent, bonds bear a premium in the market.

Both Plumas and Sierra counties have a "gold lake" in tradition; but the exact "gold lake" concerning which a curious man named Stoddard raised a great excitement in 1849-'50, can not now be identified, even if it ever was ascertained. There are several interpretations of Stoddard's story, which was to the effect that he found a large number of lumps of pure gold ou the edge of the pond where he got down upon his hands and knees to drink. When he started out with a company to rediscover the place, nearly a thousand others followed closely, and he either went off the trail purposely to keep the place a secret, or he lost his way. It is a secret to this day.

The result of the Stoddard gold-lake excitement was the discovery, by some small parties following it up, of diggings on Nelson, Poorman and Hopkins' creeks, early in June, 1850, and those on Rich Bar and Middle Fork a few days later. Then there was a rush to those points, and more than could be provided with claims, but they all had to leave on the approach of winter.

The pioneer wagon road ran from Meadow Valley to Buckeye; was constructed in 1856-'57; and the first turnpike company was formed March 28, 1860, who built the turnpike road from Plumas Mills to Indian Valley.

The first stage line operated in Plumas County was run by a joint stock company, namely, McElhany, Thomas & Co., organized in 1851 to run a stage from that point to Marysville twice a week. It ran and did well until winter set in, but did not resume the next spring. The next passenger enterprise was inaugurated in 1854, by Thomas H. Morrow, who ran a saddle-train of mules between Bidwell and American Valley. The next year he was succeeded by W. S. Dean, who ran the mules for a year and then put on stages. In 1858 he sold to the celebrated California Stage Company.

The principal towns in Plumas are Qunicy, the county-seat, La Porte, Gibsonville, Jamison City, Indian Bar, Greenville, Taylorsville, and Big Meadows, the last three being in the agricultural districts. There are besides these a number of mining camps and hamlets containing from fifty to 200 inhabitants each.

Quincy was laid out and named by H. J. Bradley, of Quincy, Illinois, and proprietor of the American ranch on which the village is situated. As an inducement to the people to locate the county-seat there in 1854 he built and tendered to the use of the county free of charge a rude shake building in the rear of his hotel. This was used as the court-room, while the other county officials found offices elsewhere in town. John Harbison, the county clerk, located his office in the upper story of the Bullard building, corner of Harbison avenue and Main street.

At the fall election there were three candidates for the honor of being the county-seat,— Quiney, Elizabethtown and O'Neill's Flat. Thomas B. Shannon, a merchant of Elizabethtown, worked for that place,—"Betsyburg," as it was called,—but the people concluded that that village was locked up in a ravine too narnow, and decided in favor of Quincy; and upon representation to the postoffice department at Washington that Quincy was a larger place than Betsyburg, the postoffice was the next year moved from the latter place to Quincy, greatly to the disgust of the abandoned ambitious little town. On each letter to that place the postage at that day was 25 cents, until 1858, when the California Stage Company took the contract for carrying the mail from Oroville to Quincy. Whiting & Co.'s dog express was chiefly depended upon in the winter for the transportation of mail.

A new and substantial court-house was completed in 1859. The first jail was a log structure, built in the spring of 1855, by John S. Thompson, at a cost of $500. In it convicts condemned for the gallows were safely kept. The present brick jail was built in 1863, by Mowbry & Clark, for $7,035.

Quincy is now a thriving mountain town, surrounded by good farms and a mineral region that is in a good way of development.

La Porte, at first called Rabbit Creek Diggings, is the most important settlement in the extreme southern portion of the county. It is pleasantly situated on the banks of Rabbit Creek, 14,500 feet above sea level, sixty-one miles from Marysville, twenty miles from Downieville and thirty-five from Quincy. The first house here was built in the fall of 1852, by Eli S. Lester, and was called the Rabbit Creek Hotel.

The first newspaper in Plumas County was established at Quincy in August, 1855, edited and published by John K. Lovejoy and Edward McElwain. It was named the Old Mountaineer, was independent in politics and successful in finances. In 1857 they sold to John C. Lewis and James McNabb, who changed the name to Plumas Argus and ran it until 1860, when it fell into the hands of the sheriff. During the three-sided campaign of 1856 three papers were published at the office of the Old Mountaineer, namely, the Argus, the Plumas Democrat and the Fillmore Banner. The Old Mountaineer was Republican, in politics.

At present Plumas County ships a great deal of the products of the dairy to San Francisco.

The representatives of Plumas County in the State Assembly have been: B. W. Barnes, 1871-'72; J, R. Buckbee, 1867-'68; J. D. Byers, 1873 -'74; J. W. S. Chapman, 1875-'76; R. A. Clark, 1863-'64; J. D. Goodwin, 1865-'66; M. D. Howell, 1863; P. O. Hundley, 1860; Richard Irwin, 1857; W. W. Kellogg, 1881; R. C. Kelly, 1856; Asa Kinney, 1855; John Lambert, 1869-'70; Calvin McClaskey, 1883; Charles Mulholland, 1880; Thomas B. Shannon, 1859-'60, 1862; J. L. C. Sherwin, 1858; R. H. F. Variel, 1887; J. H. Whitlock, 1877-'78; Joseph Winston, 1856; A. Wood, 1861; George Wood, 1881, 1885.

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