Butte County
Biographies
MRS. AMERICA RAY LEININGER
MRS. AMERICA RAY
LEININGER.--One of the pioneer women living in Butte County, who can recall the
episodes of the early days in Northern California, is Mrs. America Ray Leininger of Chico. She was born at Nodaway City, Mo., a
daughter of James F. and Ann Eliza (Copeland) Ray, the former born in Illinois
and the latter in Indiana. Mr. Ray lived in Missouri, then in Indiana, and in
1852 crossed the plains to California and engaged in mining in Plumas County.
In 1856 he was joined by Mrs. Ray and their four children, who came via Panama
and located in Plumas County. She lived but two months after reaching this
state and died at their home leaving four children. For years Mr. Ray was
employed in the custom house at San Francisco and when he retired he moved to
Santa Rosa and died in that city. The four children born into this family were:
America, of this review; Taylor, who was killed by Indians while mining in
Arizona; Mrs. Ellen Mitchell, who is living in Sacramento; and Mrs. Mildred
Newcomb, who lives in San Francisco. It was in 1858 that Mr. Ray and family
settled in Butte County.
America Ray attended school in the
East and in Quincy, Cal., and came with her father to Butte County, where in
1859 she married Thomas J. Bidwell, a brother of
General Bidwell, born in New York State. He came to
California in 1856 and entered the employ of his brother, having care of his
orchards. Later he engaged in the
general merchandising business, purchasing the store from his brother; was
appointed postmaster and carried on the business until his death in 1867. One
child, Lillie, now Mrs. Collins, of Sacramento, was born of this union.
After the death
of her husband, Mrs. Bidwell sold the store, and
later she married Harry Fuller, who was a prominent business man of Chico and
agent for Wells, Fargo Express Company here. He died in Chico, and some time
later his widow married Mr. Leininger. She lives at
her old home, at 128 Hazel Street, Chico, where she is surrounded by her many
friends of olden days. Mrs. Leininger is a member of
Josephine Chapter, No. 104, O. E. S.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 444, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2006 Sande Beach.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies