Placer
County
Biographies
JOHN HOLDER
Almost half a century has passed
since John Holder came to California, the year of his arrival here being
1852. He is now located in Penryn,
Placer County, and is spending the evening of his life in an honorable
retirement from labor. Mr. Holder is a
native of North Carolina, his birth having occurred there on the 26th
of January, 1826. Of German and English
ancestry, he represents old families of the North state. His father, Michael Holder, was born in North
Carolina and was of German lineage. He
married Miss Katie Donaway, a lady of English lineage
and a representative of a family that had long been connected with the
south. The father followed the
occupation of a bricklayer and builder and spent his entire life in North
Carolina. Both he and his wife were
members of the Methodist Church and his death occurred when he had attained the
age of seventy years, his wife having previously departed this life. They were the parents of six sons and six
daughters and of the family only two sons and three daughters yet survive.
John Holder is the only one in
California. He was educated in the state
of his nativity, whence he removed to Indiana in January, 1852. In company with three of his neighbors, he
came to California, by way of the Isthmus route. His first business venture here was at placer
mining at Osley Bar, on the Yuba River; but, not
meeting with very great success in his search for gold, he turned his attention
to brick-laying, a trade which he had learned with his father, following that
pursuit in Sacramento. Later, however,
he came to Newcastle and once more attempted his fortune in the mines, this
time mining with gratifying success, not only in mining but in buying and
selling claims. In 1856 he married Miss
Sarah M. Rowles, who came to California in 1853, and
since his marriage Mr. Holder has lived within three miles of Newcastle. He has been connected with various business
enterprises, conducted a hotel, was engaged in merchandising for fourteen
years, and was agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company for eighteen years.
Unto our subject and his wife were
born two children, a son and a daughter:
William Francis Holder, who is now a railroad agent in Arizona; and
Emily Jane, who is the wife of John Conners. Mrs. Holder died in Newcastle in 1871, and
her husband remained single for seventeen years. In 1888 he was married to Miss Mildred
Elizabeth Johnson, who has since been to him a faithful companion and helpmate
of life’s journey. In 1877 Mr. Holder
returned to the home of his birth. He
had been absent for twenty-five years, during which time his parents, three
sisters and three brothers had passed away, and there was more sadness than joy
connected with the visit. After two
months’ absence he returned to California and has since gone three times to
visit relatives and friends in Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas.
At Penryn he is engaged in
fruit-farming, owning thirty-five acres of rich land and a pleasant cottage
there. He makes a specialty of raising
apples and grapes and is successful in this undertaking. He richly deserves the comfortable competence
he has acquired, for it has been obtained entirely through his own efforts and
by honorable business methods. He is one
of the old Masons of the county, having received the sublime degree of Master
Mason in Gold Hill Lodge in 1854.
Politically he is a Democrat, and religiously he and his wife are
connected with the Baptist Church. There
is much in his life record that is worthy of emulation, for he has been true to
every duty, whether of a public or private character, and in his career has
manifested many sterling elements.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 653-654. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.