Nelson Champlin

 

Nelson Champlin was born at LeRoy, Genesee County, New York, in 1827, and when ten years of age the family removed to Jackson County, Michigan, where his father died two years later. He learned the cabinet trade in the town of Albion, Michigan, and afterward went to Oyer’s Corner in Jackson County, where he was engaged in farming. In the spring of 1852 he, with five other young men, stated for California, Hiram Oyer, William and Major Porter being members of the company. Starting from Springport, they came overland, crossing the river at St. Joseph, Missouri, taking the Salt Lake route, and coming into the State via Sublette’s cut-off, and arrived in Hangtown August 22, having been on the journey five and a half months. When they reached Salt Lake he was ill with mountain fever, and has a very vivid recollection of the care and attention bestowed upon him by two women, the wives of a Mormon elder, to whom he owes his recovery. From Hangtown the party went to join Philip Oyer, a brother of one of the party, who had come to the coast in 1851 and located on the middle fork of the American River. They engaged in mining, and in the fall of that year went to Diamond Spring, El Dorado County, where he remained for eight or nine years. In 1861 he went to Virginia City, Nevada, and engaged in wood hauling, Hiram Oyer having the contract to furnish the Golden Curry mines with wood, and for two seasons he was engaged in that business. In 1870 he came to Sacramento and built his present residence on I street, but continued his interest in the wood business, having succeeded Mr. Oyer, until 1878, when he went to Mexico, where he was engaged in silver mining; his family remained in Sacramento.  During the succeeding seven years he returned home but twice. The Vaca and San Marcus mines were, at the time, considered to be marvelously rich, but they were almost inaccessible, lumber, timber, machinery and supplies having to be packed across the State of Durango on mules and burros. In 1888 he sold out his interest there and returned to Sacramento, which, notwithstanding his protracted absence, he had continued to claim as his home. He is a member of Tehama Lodge, F. & A. M., the oldest lodge in the State. Mr. Champlin was married in 1870 to Miss Sarah J.  James, a native of Wales, who came to the State of New York with her parents when a child. They have no children, if we except the two children of his brother-in-law, John W. James, above referred to as his business partner in the Mexican mines; he died leaving two bright pretty children, who are now members of the Champlin’s family.