Calaveras
County
Biographies
JOHN J. McSORLEY
One of the leading mining men of
Calaveras County is John J. McSorley, owner of the Crystal and Boundary Cone
mines, both of which he has successfully operated for many years. He was born on the old home place near
Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, March 29, 1868, a son of Terrance and Mary (Colgan) McSorley, who came to
California from Massachusetts, by way of Cape Horn. Mr. McSorley went to work in the mines for
wages, and afterward acquired property of his own, on which he developed some
valuable mines, among which was the Green Mountain mine. He was one of the successful mining men of
the mother lode and remained actively identified with that line of business
until his death, which occurred in 1890.
He was survived for over three decades by his widow, who passed away in
1922. They became the parents of six
sons and two daughters. One of the sons,
A. I. McSorley, a leading member of the California bar, severed as district
attorney and as judge of the superior Court of Calaveras County. Another son, R. V. McSorley, served for
twenty-five years on the Oakland police force, while Thomas C., was President
Hoover’s representative in Alaska. The
McSorley brothers in the course of years have worked and developed many good
mining properties in various localities from Alaska to Mexico.
John J. McSorley attended the local
schools, and while still young took up the fascinating work of mining, his
interests being in various parts of the coast region. He also had extensive interests in Mexico at
the time of Villa’s insurrection, and suffered a complete loss of all his
investments there. He is at present
confining his activities mainly to the Boundary Cone and the Crystal mines,
which were discovered by his father and from the latter he is getting out fine
crystals for the United States government.
He gives employment to a number of men.
Mr. McSorley married Miss Nettie M. Portoris, a member of an old pioneer family that crossed
the plains in the early days and settled in Calaveras County. Mr. McSorley supports the Republican Party
and stands for those things which are calculated to promote the public
interests. He is a charter member of the
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge at Tonopah, Nevada. His hobbies are mining and cattle. He is the owner of five thousand acres of
land, and his mines are located on this property. He has worked hard and continuously in his
day and has truly earned the substantial success which is now his.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3, Pages 296-297. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Calaveras County Biographies