THOMAS CALLEY PERKINS

 

Thomas Calley Perkins, merchant at Perkins, was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts January 24, 1830. His father, Thomas Perkins, was born in New Hampshire, January 20, 1803, and “ran away” from home at the age of fourteen years. Going to Marblehead, he fell in with Captain Calley, a sea captain, with whom he went to sea. He continued the life of a sailor until at length he became the master of the vessel; and he followed the sea until 1836. During that time he married a daughter of Captain Calley, Miss Mary, who was born July 13, 1809. In 1836 they moved from Marblehead to Illinois, locating in Hancock County, where he bought a quarter-section of land and entered into agricultural pursuits, and resided there until his death, October 2, 1844. His wife had died March 15, 1843. They brought up two children to the years of maturity, Thomas C. and Elizabeth; the latter was born September 9, 1837, in Illinois, and is now the wife of Mr. Savage, residing in Humboldt County. Mr. Perkins, the subject of this sketch, was six years old when his parents removed to Illinois, leaving Boston on the first railroad built in the United States. Leaving the railroad, he came into New York City on a sailing vessel, thence went to Philadelphia and thence across the Alleghany Mountains by stage to Pittsburgh, down the Ohio River by boat, up the Mississippi River to Quincy, and settling north of that place, on the frontier, on the “raw” prairie. In those primitive times Mr. Perkins had to obtain his education mostly by home study, at which he was naturally industrious. When he was fourteen years of age his parents died, and he chose a guardian, by whom he was employed for a time, and then he went to work in a store at Pontoosuc, Illinois, where he remained a year. Then he went upon the rivers Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland and Missouri for about two years. Returning to his guardian, he worked for him on a salary of $100 a year; but as his labors there were too severe, he remained with him only ten months. Leaving Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, March 18, 1850, he came overland to California, with four others, taking five yoke of oxen and one wagon, independent of any train. Mr. Perkins walked all the way, from a point three miles north of Carthage, to Placerville, California, with the exception of half a day. At the head of the Humboldt their provisions gave out, and at the sink of the Humboldt they had nothing to eat but beef and coffee; and the longer they boiled the beef in the alkaline water the tougher it became. Upon reaching Ragtown on this side of desert, they found plenty of flour, at $2 a pound! And thenceforward they had a plenty to eat. They reached Placerville about the middle of August, and on the 1^st of October they came into Sacramento County. The first work in which Mr. Perkins engaged here was to haul hay from some place west of the Sacramento River to this city, buying it at $20 a ton and selling it at $40. Soon he had a two-week spell of sickness, during which time he lay in a tent near the present corner of Eighth and M Streets. The Asiatic cholera then breaking out here, he took his team and went to Rough and Ready, Nevada County, to escape that fearful scourge. The next spring he returned and located in Brighton Township. During the summer of 1851 he was employed on a farm on the American River, and in the fall located a piece of ground where Routier Station now is, took up his residence in a hut and commenced cutting wood; but was soon taken sick again, and until the following spring he lay in the Four-Mile House at Hoboken, on the American River; was there during the fall of 1852. During the summer of 1853 he was employed by a Mr. Jones, at $75 a month, at a hotel eight miles south of Shasta. In the winter of 1854 he was married, in Brighton, and he followed farming near Routier Station. During the summer of 1855 he resided at Forest Hill, Placer County, teaming; and in the fall of 1856 he settled upon his present property, where he has ever since resided. He followed farming and teaming until 1863; after this date the latter vocation was not profitable. In 1864 he opened a store and ran it two years only, and in the spring of 1881 he established his present business. His farm comprises 250 acres, devoted principally to grain and hay; two acres are in vines. In early years Mr. Perkins was a constable for a number of terms; and during the war and some time afterward justice of the Peace. Up to 1884 he was a Democrat, and since that time a stanch Republican. For a number of years he has been a member of Capital Lodge, I.O.O.F., and for several years also of Sacramento Lodge, F. & A.M. The post office was established at this place in 1864, and a short time afterward he was appointed postmaster, in which office he served until he was removed about four years ago, for political reasons. He was married June 4, 1854, to Rebecca Frances Young, a native of New York, who came to this State in the fall of 1852, crossing the plains from Galena, Illinois. They have two children: Harriet Adel, who was born August 27, 1859, and is now the wife of H.S. Small, of Oakland; and Charles Calley, born August 30, 1862. They have also lost five children, all sons, who died young.