DR. WILLIAM W. LIGHT

DR. WILLIAM W. LIGHT, of Sacramento, was born July 29, 1819, upon a farm about two and a half a since miles from the little town of Bethel, Claremont County, Ohio. It was in this same county and only six miles away that the illustrious General Grant was born. They were boys together, attended the same school at Bethel, and when Grant receive the appointment to West Point, young Light was there to congratulate him. When eighteen years of age he began the study of medicine in Cincinnati, and at the same time carried on a chemical laboratory in that city, in company with his brother George, the firm name being G. & W. Light. Although never proceeding to a degree, Dr. Light became in this way a physician and surgeon of practice and experience. In 1840 he began also the study of dentistry, fitting himself thoroughly for the profession, which he now carries on quietly but successfully. He was associated in Cincinnati with Dr. J. S. Liggett, a well-known dentist at that time. Dr. John Morehead, his preceptor, manifested so great interest in a young Light that he willed him the whole of his valuable medical library. January 1, 1849, Dr. Light started for California, coming by way of New Orleans and the Isthmus, having to wait two months at Panama for a vessel. Two of the party became impatient and returned to the States. During this time, however, the Doctor was kept busily employed as a physician to the many poor wretches that he found sick at Panama. Finally he obtained passage on the old whaler Humboldt, with 362 other passengers, and they lived on jerked beef, hard tack and water contained in old whale-oil-soaked barrels during a voyage of 102 days to San Francisco. They reached the Golden Gate August 30, the Doctor being eight months on the journey from Cincinnati. But the remarkable part of the life of Dr. Light begins with his residence in California. He came directly up to Sacramento and found employment almost immediately with the Ormsbys, who had set up a mint and were coining gold. Not knowing how to do the annealing, however, they were making bad work of it and were glad to employ the Doctor at $50 a day to superintend the works; but he shortly afterward quit that situation and tried mining at Weaverville, near Hangtown, with but trifling success. He went thence to Shingle Springs, where he made money, and there he met a Spaniard who induced him with others to go to Dark Gulch, near Sonora, where he reported that gold was very plentiful. On arriving there, however, the Spaniard skipped out and they discovered, when too late, that it was all a game gotten up by a storekeeper of that part to sell his goods to the men who should flock to the gulch. Dr. Light then went to the Stanislaus River, and in 1851 returned to Sacramento. In the partnership with Drs. Ames and McKenzie, he conducted an extensive medical practice, continuing it during the terrible cholera visitation in 1852. One of the most effective remedies of the time was "Light' s Cholera Remedy." After the flood of 1852 he began the practice of dentistry, continuing until 1863, and having as partner for a while a Dr. Pearson. In 1861 Dr. Light had become interested in mining properties in the State of Sonora, Mexico. James Roundtree, a relative of his wife, had located the Deus Padre mine at Alamos, Sonora, making Dr. Light a part owner. He went there to inspect the property for itself in the others interested, and in 1863 he was sent there by his associates to act as metallurgist at the mine. Contrary to his judgment and strongly expressed opinion, they sent down expensive mills and other machinery before development would justify it; and when the results proved Dr. Light correct in his views they determined to sell out in San Francisco at a fictitious value, and to do so wished the Doctor to prepare bogus assays for them. This he refused, whereupon they declared him mistaken and proceeded to make the sale at all hazards. He was induced to give a power of attorney of his share that the sale in San Francisco might be completed. The sale was carried out and Dr. Light’s share, $55,000, placed in the hands of the agent, who immediately departed for Germany between the night and morning, and has not since been heard of. The Maximilian catastrophe took place during these years, and Dr. Light acted as surgeon for the soldiery, who were numerous in that part of Sonora, and thus won their friendship. One day a soldier came to him with a piece of rock, asking what it was. It proved to be ore of almost fabulous richness. Guided by the soldier, he went to the spot and saw that it was truly rich as a dream. Later he located the mine, calling it the Dos Hermanos, erected smelting works and began operations. The mine was equal to its promise and he made money, carrying his bullion to Hermosillo, where it was turned into coin. Of course, it was necessary in that lawless country to exercise the greatest caution lest a band of roving Yaqui Indians or bandits should find out he had money and raid him. All went well, however, until one day the Doctor befriended two deserters from the American army. They must have leagued themselves with the Yaquis; for one afternoon when A. A. Light, the Doctor's brother, had gone to a distant stream to bathe and the Doctor was seated at his door with his nephew, a band of Indians appeared and began to speak to him. Suddenly he was seized from behind and at the same time felt the sting of a bullet wound. A tussle began, for the Doctor is a man of nerve and sinew like steel. Again and again he was wounded, when he made his way to the door, thrust it open against the efforts of the deserters inside, and found that his weapons had been thrown upon the floor from the wall where they had hung. Groping for them with his eyes half blinded by blood, he fortunately found a rifle and cartridges, and then began a terribly unequal battle. The roof of the adobe was set on fire and other damage done, but in the end victory remained with the Doctor, though he was wounded in five places and was there alone. His nephew had been stretched dead at the first volley, and the brother had been killed at the river; but five of the Yaquis fell to the Doctor's unerring aim, and his fame as a marksman deterred the wretches from another attack. The burned roof fell in upon the house, covering up money and all other valuables, and a rain next day converted all to ruins. Undaunted, Doctor Light stayed by the place, although suffering painfully from his wounds having to keep his gun beside him night and day and be incessantly watchful. He had an Indian boy, who alone remained with him, gather up the rubbish in the house which contained his money and valuables, and wash away the dirt; and even him he had to threaten with death to make him stripped naked to keep him from stealing. Dr. Light finally left the mine to be worked by others on commission, who remained however but a short time. He came to Sacramento to form a company of trusty people and returned to his mine; but, failing to find men he wanted, he abandoned the enterprise. He was the more readily induced to do this as our Government was then preferring claims against Sonora which it was thought would lead to the annexation of that State. Amongst these is Dr. Light' s claim, reckoned at $500,000. Dr. Light was married to Mrs. C. M. Weber, a lady of unusual talent as a writer, artist in botanist. Unfortunately, a considerable portion of the fruits of the labors both of the Doctor and his lady were destroyed by the fire of 1852. She died in Mexico. Dr. Light is a man of peculiar and independent views, a true friend to the sufferer and the poor, for whom many an act of charity has been performed, quietly and unostentatiously. He is a capital story teller. His snug home on I street is a museum of curious and instructive things. He is a member of the Masonic order, and holds pronounced views against the use of tobacco and liquors, and is a believer in "free-thought."

An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. By Hon. Win. J Davis. Lewis Publishing Company 1890. Page 271-273.

Submitted by: Nancy Pratt Melton.