HENRY AMES PRIEST

Sacramento County

Biographies

HENRY AMES PRIEST

HENRY AMES PRIEST.--Although born at the far eastern end of the continent, Henry Ames Priest has spent most of his adult life in Sacramento County, and he has never had occasion to regret the change from the rigors of the northeast climate to more pleasant surroundings in California. He was born in Palermo, Maine, April 11, 1846, and at the age of ten, in 1856, was brought by his parents to Preston, Fillmore County, Minnesota, and there raised on a farm. He is the son of Otis and Martha (Ames) Priest, natives of Maine, where the father was a farmer. In 1856 they moved to Minnesota and in 1878 they came to California. There were ten children in this family, six boys and four girls. William was in the 11th Minnesota Regulars until discharged, then enlisted in the 156th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving a year, until he died. Arianna, Mrs. Lang, died in Minnesota. Elethea is Mrs. F. Coe, of Maine. Daniel served in the 2nd Minnesota sharpshooters throughout the Civil War. He died in Oakland. John also served in the 2nd Minnesota sharpshooters, and now resides in Washington. Edmund was Captain of Company C, 3rd Minnesota Regiment; he died in Minnesota. James was in Company C, 3rd Minnesota Regiment and died in Oakland. Henry Ames, the subject of this sketch, enlisted in 1864, as soon as he had reached eighteen years, in the 2nd Minnesota Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, being mustered out on April 15, 1865. Henry Ames was detailed for garrison duty at Fort Snelling, Minn., recruited volunteers there and took one detachment to Nashville, Tenn., during Hood's Raid at that place. Mrs. Mary Dixon resides in Hayward, while Mrs. Ann Clark lives in Oakland.

At the close of the war the young soldier returned to Fillmore County, Minnesota, and for two years was superintendent of a large ranch there. In 1873 he made the journey to California, locating at Sacramento, and entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railway; a carpenter by trade, he helped build the depot in Sacramento, and following that worked on the Southern Pacific hotel at Pacific Grove, Cal. He then worked in that company's shop at Sacramento until 1886, the year of the boom in Southern California, which attracted him to San Diego, where he remained for five years. At the end of that time he returned to Sacramento and was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railway, until 1915, when he retired from daily occupation, though at times he still does carpenter work in Sacramento.

The marriage of Mr. Priest, which occurred in Cresco, Iowa, October 16, 1867, united him with Lona Winslow Prescott, a native of Prairie du Chien, Wis., a daughter of Amasa and Martha (Winslow) Prescott, born in Belfast, Maine. They settled at Prairie du Chien, Wis., where Amasa Prescott was baggage master on the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad. He enlisted for service in the Civil War, serving until he died one year later, leaving four daughters and two sons. The mother passed away before the war, and he had married again. The family moved West and came to Preston, Fillmore County, Minn. There Lona Prescott was educated in the public schools and there she met Mr. Priest. In 1917 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home. Seven children were born to them: Ernest A., a contractor in Oakland and San Francisco, died aged thirty-six; Dolly, who passed on at eighteen years; Charles H., of Los Angeles; Roy A., Ford agent at Ventura; Mrs. Florence E. Huey; Mrs. Grace H. Dosch, both of Sacramento, and Mrs. Martha Archer, of Auburn. Mrs. Priest is a member of Oak Park Baptist Church, the Woman's Relief Corps, and the National Alliance of the Daughters of Veterans. Mr. Priest has proven himself a worthy citizen of his home city, and has stood ready at all times to do his share in advancing its best interests. He was a member of the Highland Park School board, before that district was annexed to the city; always keeping up his interest in Grand Army matters, he has served in all the chairs in Sumner Post No. 3, G. A. R., at Sacramento.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 881. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.