Butte County
Biographies
MRS. ADELIA LOCKERMAN
MRS. ADELIA LOCKERMAN.—Among the prominent pioneer
women in Butte County is Mrs. Adelia Lockerman of Pentz, who came with
her parents across the plains and located with them on Dry Creek, within six
miles of her present residence. She was born in Dane County, Wis., May 28,
1851. Her father, Leroy Wait, was a native of New York City. When a young man,
he migrated to Wisconsin, where he was engaged in lead mining until his
marriage to Mary Huston, a native of Michigan, who came to Wisconsin with her
parents when a little girl. After his marriage Mr. Wait followed farming in
Dane County, his farm being located three miles from Arena. Having purchased a
herd of cattle to drive overland to California, he crossed the plains in 1859,
bringing his wife and three children. A man called General Lee was captain of
the train of emigrants, who made the journey safely and with no serious mishap,
though trains before and after them were seriously molested by the savages.
After a six months’ trip they arrived in Butte County, where Mr. Wait bought
the Sam Faulkner ranch on Dry Creek; but unfortunately he lost all of his
cattle, they having died supposedly from eating poison weeds, and it nearly
broke him. He persevered, however, and started a hotel and stage station on his
ranch, of which he made a success. Selling the place, he removed to Magalia,
and thence to Dayton, where he bought a farm. His wife died there in 1862, and
two years later he sold the ranch. He died in Chico, aged fifty-nine years. Of
their six children four are living, Mrs. Lockerman
being the eldest and the only one now living in Butte County.
Mrs. Lockerman
was eight years of age when she had the romantic experience of crossing the
plains; and she vividly remembers the optimism and childish anticipation of the
journey and her fright and fear at each sign of Indians along the trail. In
California she attended school in Paradise and Dayton. After her mother’s death
she had the oversight of the family, being the eldest, and kept them together
with the father until the time of her marriage, on September 20, 1870, on Clear
Creek, when she became the wife of William J. Lockerman.
Mr. Lockerman was born in Montgomery County, Ill.,
and crossed the plains to California with his parents in 1856, locating at
Bidwell’s ranch, at Chico, where he grew up. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs.
Lockerman located on a ranch adjoining the present
place in the Pentz district, and there engaged in
sheep-raising and mining, running a hydraulic mine until he was stopped by the
anti-debris law. About twelve years ago he quit the sheep business and engaged
in contract hauling for the mines. He used two big teams and hauled for the
Perkins as well as the Pershbaker mines. A year
before his death he retired, and thereafter lived on his boyhood home place of
two hundred twenty-eight acres, which Mrs. Lockerman
still owns. He also owned a fruit ranch in Paradise, but this he sold. Mr. Lockerman passed away on October 1, 1911, aged sixty-eight
years, and was buried in the Paradise Cemetery. He was a worthy man, and was
highly respected. Fraternally, he was a member of the Odd Fellows and Woodmen
of the World. Since his death his widow continues farming on the home ranch,
devoting it to the raising of cattle and hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Lockerman
had the following children: Lawrence L., a conductor on the Southern Pacific
Railroad, residing in Roseville; Clarence, who died at twenty-six years of age;
Eunice, Mrs. Irwin, of San Francisco; Aleta, Mrs.
Childers, a teacher at Concow; and Tyson, residing in
Sacramento. Mrs. Lockerman is a prominent member of
Cherokee Rebekah Lodge. She has passed all the chairs
and been representative to the Grand Lodge several times. Liberal, enterprising
and hospitable, she is well known for her kindness of heart and the assistance
she renders to deserving people in need.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
09 May 2009.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1136-1137, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies