Butte County
Biographies
THOMAS HENRY DAVIS
THOMAS HENRY DAVIS.—This native son of California has been closely identified with the development of the varied interests of Butte County, where he was born at Cherokee, September 6, 1861. His father was Henry Davis, a native of Wales, where he was married to Elizabeth Williams at Tredager. He was a miner in his native country; and when they came to the United States they stopped for a time at Pottsville, Pa., and there continued his occupation. Two children were born to them there. In the early fifties, Mr. Davis came to California and located in Grass Valley, where his wife and children joined him in 1857, coming via Panama and arriving at San Francisco on the Golden Age. The family later moved to Cherokee, where Mr. Davis followed quartz mining, and where he was foreman for the Rock River Mine. He died in 1871. His widow made her home with her sons, Thomas and George, until her death in 1899. Two of their children were born in Wales, but died on the voyage across the Atlantic and were buried at sea. Three children were born in California. The five born in America were: Elizabeth, Mrs. Fuqua, and Mary A., Mrs. McGrath, both living in San Jose; George, employed by the Diamond Match Company at Stirling City; Thomas H., our subject; and Henry, who died in Oregon City.
Thomas H. Davis was reared at Cherokee, and was educated in the public schools of Cherokee and Oregon City. He learned to be a stationary engineer, and followed his occupation in the mines and sawmills, with the Merrimac Lumber Company, Flea Valley Lumber Company, and Challenge Lumber Company. He also ran an engine at the Banner Mine for Charles Kinney, and later for Mr. Duncan, and for Major McLaughlin. He was employed also by the Golden Trout Mining Company, in Yuba County. In 1901 he dropped engineering to devote his time to stock-raising. Some time prior to this date he had bought a ranch; and to this he has added until he now has one hundred seventy-five acres, situated eight miles north of Oroville on the Cherokee road. Here he has made all the improvements, erecting suitable buildings for his stock, and also a comfortable residence. His brand, UD, on the left hip, is well known by all stockmen of the county. Mr. Davis leases land in order to have more range for his stock. He is also interested in mining claim on the east branch of Oregon Gulch, where he mines during the winter season. He and his brother, George, own the Hornet Mine, a patented quartz property near Cherokee. In politics, Mr. Davis is a Republican. In matters of public importance he is always found among the progressive citizens who lend substantial support.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1163-1164, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies