JAMES M. CHUBBACK

Butte County

Biographies

JAMES M. CHUBBACK

JAMES M. CHUBBUCK.--A self-made man who saw his opportunity of serving his fellow man by accepting public office, and who for two full terms was the fearless, independent and popular sheriff of Butte County, James M. Chubbuck was born at Oroville on December 9, 1860. His father, J. M. Chubbuck, was born at Boston, Mass., and came to California at the time of the pioneer days, and died when the subject of our sketch was a babe.

Left an orphan at a tender age, James was reared with public school advantages, though his opportunities were very limited, because he had to "paddle his own canoe." As a matter of fact, he had only six weeks of schooling after he was eight years of age. For a time he lived at old Hamilton with Mr. and Mrs. Robert Moore; then he worked out on different ranches in the vicinity of Chico, and afterward engaged in ranching, threshing and saw-milling.

Then he was elected constable in Chico, and served as such and also as deputy county sheriff for six years. He also became marshal of Chico. About this time he began to enter the field of politics, and for many years was a member of the Republican County Central Committee. In 1902, James Chubbuck was elected sheriff of Butte County on the Republican ticket, but the election was close and contested, and it took him over a year to win. During his fight for the office he had an express business in Chico. In April, 1904, he took the oath of sheriff. In 1906, he was reelected by a big majority, serving until January, 1911.

Mr. Chubbuck proved a very able officer, and was unusually successful in the administration of public affairs committed to him. He was sheriff during trying and difficult times for a peace officer, as it was the period of building of the Western Pacific Railroad and also the Western Power Company, both of which enterprises naturally brought a good sprinkling of bad men into the county. There were many murders, and in some cases the evildoers were not overtaken or the deeds known until the bodies were found in the river or elsewhere.

In the prosecution of his arduous duties, Sheriff Chubbuck made it his business to eat and sleep in the workmen's camps, made friends with them, and in that way obtained their assistance when he needed it. He carried no gun, and he let the fact be known that he went unarmed, as he felt that he could thus better pacify the turbulent element. Most of this kind of work he attended to himself, and ofttimes no one knew who he was after until he arrested the party. He thus made some effective captures.

Since he retired from the sheriff's office Mr. Chubbuck has been engaged in mining, being especially interested in dredging, placer and quartz mining. With some local men he is interested in locating and making plans for a waterpower project at Bald Rock Canyon, on the Middle Fork of Feather River, for the purpose of conserving water for generating electric power, which occupies all of his time.

Mr. Chubbuck resides in Oroville, where he was married years ago. His bride was Mrs. Annie Margaret (Thomasson) Shelton, was born in Chico, the daughter of Hardy Thomasson, a pioneer of this county. By her first marriage there are two sons: Zella Shelton, agent for the Northern Electric Railway at Oroville, and George Shelton, an insurance man in San Francisco.

More than ordinarily popular in social circles, Mr. Chubbuck is especially so in fraternal circles, holding membership with Chico Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. E. , Chico Parlor, No. 23, N. S. G. W., of which he is past president; the Foresters of America at

Chico; and the Deluge Hose Company in Chico, of which he is an ex-foreman.

Transcribed by Sande Beach.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 678-681, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

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