James Weir

 

James Weir, deceased, was born November 21, 1827, in Shieldmains, Ayrshire, Scotland, his parents being John and Elizabeth weir, who were farmers in Scotland, where they lived and died. They had a family of five children: Elizabeth, Jane, John, Jeanette and James. James was raised in Scotland. He had access to the public school, and received a good education in the high branches. He was employed as a clerk in a grocery store, learned the trade, and followed it till he grew tired of it, and determined to come to America and try his fortune in this country. In 1853 he left Scotland and landed in Canada, where he remained a short time, then went to Ohio and was there engaged a year at farming. In 1854 he started for California, coming via New York and Panama. While crossing the Isthmus he was robbed of his baggage, consisting of his clothes and some valuable books which he prized highly, so that on landing in San Francisco he had nothing but the clothing on his back. He came immediately to Sacramento and went to the mines at Coloma, where he remained a year, but was not very successful. Abandoning it at last, he came to Sacramento County and obtained employment with John B. Taylor and Mr. Crites, but remained with neither very long. He then took up some land in Brighton Township, at that time a part of the Folsom grant, and had to pay the price of it several times over before the grant was confirmed.  In 1862 he sold that place, which is now owned by C. M. Boyce. He had an intention of returning to Scotland, but changed his mind and bought a place from Robert Patterson, on which he lived until 1875, when he bought the place adjoining, from Newell Kane. It contains 700 acres of fine land, and has all the best improvements. Mr. Weir was married to Mrs. Ellen Sullivan, widow of Cornelius Sullivan, by whom she had one child, in April, 1863. Her maiden name was Kennelly. She was born in Ireland, and emigrated to this country in 1853, settling in Ontario county, New York. She was there married to her first husband, who died in 1858, and came to California by water in September, 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Weir had five children, all of whom are living. Mr. Weir died December 12, 1888, after an illness of about three weeks. He was a man of strong convictions, and once forming an opinion generally abided by it. He took an active interest in farming, at which he was very successful, and gave most of his attention to it. To his family he was kind and good, taking pleasure in supplying all the wants of his children. He was a highly respected citizen in the community in which he lived, and his death caused the loss of a much honored neighbor and friend as well as a good husband and father. He was raised a Presbyterian from childhood, and lived up to the doctrines of his religion to within a week of his death, when he embraced the Catholic faith. He left five children: Mary Elizabeth, Catharine, Jane, Jeannette, Margaret Ellen, and James M.