Sacramento County
Biographies
POWELL S. LAWSON
POWELL S. LAWSON, President of the Sacramento Society,
California Pioneers, is a native of New York City, Born August 17, 1829.
His father, Martin I. Lawson, was a ship carpenter by trade, and his ancestors
in this country, who were from Holland, were among the first settlers of New
Amsterdam. He spent the latter years of his life on a farm in Ulster
County, where he died, about 1856, aged 106 years and 7 months. His
mother, whose maiden name was Hannah Linas, was a
native of Ulster County, and was also from one o the oldest families of the
Empire State. She died in December, 1849, in her
fifty-ninth year. Powell S. Lawson, the subject of this sketch, was
reared in New York city, and in her public schools
received his education. He served his time as tinsmith, coppersmith and
sheet iron worker with Charles Zimmerman, at No. 232 Hudson street,
remaining with him till he had reached the age of nineteen years, and then
worked at his trade as a journeymen. When the discovery of gold in California
was made, he was like every one else, excited thereby, and his mind was soon
made up to go in person to the scene. Early in 1849 a party was organized
for this purpose. They purchased the bark “Galindo,” and left New York
April 7, under the command of Captain Macy, there being seventy in the
party. The voyage was a pleasant one until off the mouth of the Amazon
River, when their first rough weather was experienced. Off Cape Horn they
lay for thirty-two days under close-reefed sails, whilst the vessel was one
mass of ice. During two weeks of this time they had no fire even to cook
their food with. At the conclusion of the storm they started to resume
their voyage, but the rudder-head was bursted, and
they had to steer by a spar over the stern of the vessel. When they got
to Valparaiso they refitted, and thenceforward had a pleasant trip to
California. They arrived at San Francisco November 22, 1849, and Mr.
Lawson obtained work at his trade with Thomas H. Selby & Co., in the alley
between Sacramento and California, Kearney and Dupont street.
He remained there until March, 1850, and when working piece-work on stoves,
would make from $30 to $45 per day. He then came to Sacramento on the
propeller McKim, and a few days later proceeded to
Marysville, being introduced on the way to General Sutter, at the latter’s
farm. At Maryville he engaged an ox team, and with John Kehoe and John
Lawrence went to the South Fork of the Feather River, and took up a mining
claim two miles below Stringtown. They dug a
long ditch, and commenced mining. Mr. Lawson here took out his first
gold, his “find” weighing 73 cents. The party mining next below them
backed the water upon them, and they were thus unsuccessful. On the 3d of
July he started for Nelson’s Creek, and remained there with better success,
until August 20, when he went to Orion Valley. The first night he camped
there was the most memorable one of his life. A terrible storm came up,
the night was bitter cold, and in the morning there was eighteen inches of snow
all about him. He left there and went to Long Bar, on Feather River,
thence to Smith’s Bar, where he mined till
February. Then, with his companions, he went to Rich Bar, on the North
Fork of Feather River. Soon after their arrival they were snowed in, and
being out of flour, they made an attempt to go over to Lassen’s
ranch to lay in a supply of that article. Starting early in the morning,
the reached the top of the mountain that night, and there encamped. The
next morning the journey was resumed. There was a heavy crust on the
snow, and it was necessary to cut a trail down the mountain for the
mules. Only a portion of them were taken at first, and when a bench of
the mountain was reached, a halt was made, and the animals tied for safe-keeping,
while a trip back was made for those left behind at the camp. On arriving
there it was found that one was missing, and a search revealed the fact that she
was lying on the side of the mountain against a log. In order to release
her it was found necessary to cut down a sapling and let the log roll
away. This was done, Mr. Lawson having hold of a rope to keep the mule
from going down. When the log started to roll, the skin
being torn from Mr. Lawson’s hands. The mule rolled down and down
for fifty yards, and was finally stopped with feet in the air by the two pack
saddles which she carried. Mr. Lawson went down and shoved her over,
remarking that she was “all right.” It was a laughable incident, but it
was nearly night when they got back to the bench on
the mountain to camp for the night. The next morning the trip was
resumed. But when they got to the North Fork of the North Fork of Feather
River, it was found that the bridges were gone, and they could not get
across. So they went back to Rich Bar, and a few days later to Long
Bar. Mr. Lawson went from there to Marysville, thence to Sacramento, next
to Stockton, and from there to Smith’s Ferry, on Merced River. After
mining there a couple of weeks, he went to Flyaway Gulch, seven miles from
Coulterville, and then he and his companions struck a claim which they worked a
month by means of a rocker. There they averaged $22 a day to the
man. The Kern River excitement then came on, and in June, 1851, he
started for the new fields. After prospecting on Kern River for a time,
he left there, and on the 1st of August got back to Pleasant Valley,
on the Merced River. He worked off and on in the river and gulches until
September, 1852, and then went to San Francisco, and entered into partnership
with Joseph Vaile in the roofing business, which continued until February,
1854. He then went East, but returned in June,
via Panama, and went in business for himself in San Francisco. On the 1st
of January, 1855, he went to Mariposa. In July he came to Sacramento, and
from there went again to San Francisco. In August he proceeded to Shasta,
and mined about two miles above Redding until April, 1859. He then came
to Sacramento, took up his permanent residence here, and went in partnership
with George Boehme in the metal-roofing
business. After eleven years this partnership was dissolved, and Mr.
Lawson has since carried on business alone. He was married on the 5th
day of October, 1862, to Miss Alice Carrington, who died in 1882. Two
children were born to the marriage—May Frances, who died at the age of six
years, and Miss Alice Belle. Mr. Lawson was again married, his present
wife having been Miss Hannah A. Towner. Mr. Lawson is an old-time Mason,
having joined Sacramento Lodge in December, 1859. He joined Sacramento
Royal Arch Chapter in 1860; Sacramento Council, the same year; Sacramento Commandery No. 2, in 1865; and the Scottish Rite, and Grand Council in 1868. He is a member of
Sacramento Lodge, No. 2, I. O. O. F., and of Occidental Encampment, No.
42. In the days of the volunteer fire department he was a member of Knickerbocker Company, No. 5, and was its president five
years. He is past president of the Exempt Firemen. He joined the
Society of California Pioneers in December, 1859, and has ever since taken an
active interest in the welfare of the society. He was elected president
of local body in 1888, and re-elected in 1889. He is also a member of
Union Lodge, no. 21, A. O. U. W., and was a charter member of the first lodge
of Knights of Honor organized here. He has been a Republican in politics
since 1861, though he was previously a Democrat. Mr. Lawson is one of the
most respected and honored citizens of Sacramento, and his open-hearted ways
have won for him the respect and esteem of all with whom he has come in
contact. Having been a resident of California since the early mining
days, he has been an eye-witness to the great changes and progress made since
that time, and has extended acquaintance throughout the length and breadth of
the State.
Transcribed
by Karen Pratt.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An
Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 562-564. Lewis Publishing
Company. 1890.
© 2006 Karen Pratt.