Butte County
Biographies
LORENZO I. BARHAM
LORENZO L. BARHAM--Of Lorenzo I. Barham
(familiarly known as Buck), for many years a resident of Chico, it can be truthfully said that in whatever business he
has been engaged he has done well, and he justly merit’s the large measure of
success which he has attained. He is a native of Butte
County, born at Dry Creek, January 8 1859. His father,
John James, was born in Callaway
County, Ky., and
was married to Miss Arabella Swaggerty,
a native of Missouri. He was one of the early settlers of California. With his wife and two children, accompanied by his
father’s three brothers, Thomas, Marcus and Charles, together with Dr. S. M. Sproul (who brought with him a band of cattle), he crossed
the plains with ox teams in 1855 and settled on Dry Creek, Butte County, where
he followed stock-raising and general ranching.
In the early sixties the father leased the
old Miller place, four miles out of Chico. Later he moved to Chico and was employed by General Bidwell on his
ranch. During this time he built a residence on Main Street, one of the first in town. Leaving the Bidwell
Ranch, he started in the draying business by himself, at which he continued
until his death in 1910. Mr. Barham’s mother,
although eighty-one years of age, is still living at the old home place, where
she has resided for fifty years. Mr. Barham’s
parents, John James and Arabella Barham, had nine children: James, now living in
Oakland; Mary, Mrs. C. S. Brickett of New York City;
Ollie, who was born at Bear River while the parents were crossing the plains,
and who died in Chico; Lorenzo I., of this review, living in Chico; Laura,
deceased; Gilbert L., with Busman and Hart, of Chico; Annie, living in
Chico; Hattie, who is Mrs. Goodfellow, living in San
Francisco; Lillie, now Mrs. Bowles, of Chico.
Lorenzo I. Barham
was educated in the public schools in Chico. In 1872, when thirteen years of age, he began
working on a ranch and driving team for his uncle, Ben Blevin,
remaining with him three years, when he began working for the firm of Tickner Burnham and Company, general merchandise, in
Chico. He drove team for them four years on the road, then
engaged in the saw-mill business, principally in Siskiyou
County, several years. In 1895 he started teaming on his
own account in Chico, beginning in a small way with only one team. By
strict attention to his business and by rendering excellent service to his
patrons, he has built up the larges business of the kind in this part of the
country, and is now using nine head of horses and two auto trucks of five
tons capacity each. His business extends into Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, Yuba
and Sutter Counties. He is also agent for the Sacramento Transportation
Company at Chico Landing.
On April 20, 1883, Mr. Barham
was married to Miss Jessie Mariam Platt, who was born
in Sierra County, Cal. Her father, Calvin Platt, was born in Ohio. In later years he lived at Bloomington,
Ill., where he was married to Anna Drake, a
native of New Jersey. The father crossed the plains from Illinois to
California, in 1861, and settled in Sierra County, where Mrs. Platt joined him
in 1864 and then she taught school one year near Oroville. Mr. Platt
followed mining for a time near La
Porte, then
came to Butte County, where he engaged in ranching until his death. His
wife is still living in Chico. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Platt,
Jessie, Mariam, and Ralph Platt, who is engaged in
the garage business at Chico. Mr. and Mrs. Barham have
five children: Anna Arabella, who is Mrs. La
Fever of Chico; Rodley L., in business with
his father; Lois, who is Mrs. Heberlie of Chico; Alice, and Harold. Mr. Barham
is a member of the order of the Woodmen of the World, and is Democratic in
politics. He is an all-around good fellow, well liked by his business
associates and the public generally. His wife is a member of the Christian
Church.
Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker, November 28th
2007.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 522-525, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
©
2007 Louise
E. Shoemaker.
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