San Joaquin County
Biographies
JAMES JOHN EMSLIE
JAMES JOHN EMSLIE, a farmer
of San Joaquin County, California, is a native of the highlands of
Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where he was born July 19, 1819, his parents being
John and Jane (Cummings) Emslie, the former a native of Morayshire and the
latter of Aberdeenshire. They have always made their home in Scotland. The
mother is still living, at the age of ninety years. In the family there were
eleven children, five sons and six daughters: three of the children are
residing in California.
The subject of this sketch made his home
with his parents until about nineteen years of age. In the fall of 1839 he left
Great Britain for the United States, sailing from Liverpool for New York, where
he arrived in February, of the following year. On his arrival he was “about
broke” as he terms it. He made arrangements to have himself and baggage taken
to a boarding house, where he remained three weeks. After securing a job, he
went to his landlord and said he was going but could not pay his board just
then. The man made him pawn his baggage, which he did, realizing $5, $3 of
which he paid the man, leaving $2 in his own possession. He went to Lodi, New
Jersey, between New York and Newark. From that time on he made his residence
principally in New York State, working at the bricklaying trade, at which
business he continued up to the time he came to California. Leaving New York,
February 8, 1849, he made the journey across the Alleghany mountains, overland,
as far as Cincinnati, then took the river boat for New Orleans; from there he
steamed across the Gulf to Rio Grande City, on the Rio Grande river, where he
purchased two mules and went through Mexico, part of the way over the trail of
General Taylor, arriving at San Diego, thence proceeded to Los Angeles, where
he stayed two weeks: was there at the time the new constitution of the State of
California was adopted. He made the trip from San Pedro to San Francisco in a
sailing vessel. He mined in Shasta County for the greater part of a year. In
the fall of 1850 he returned to New York State via Panama. After remaining
there two years he concluded that California was the better place in which to
live. Accordingly February 5, 1853, he again started for California via the
Nicaragua route. He followed his trade in San Francisco for seven years. In
1860 he settled on the place where he now lives. His wife and family had come
out in 1855. The first piece of land selected by Mr. Emslie was afterward
abandoned on the suggestion of his wife; and the little miner’s cabin which
they had purchased was transferred to their present place, where it was their
home for some time. Here he has resided ever since. The ranch contains two
quarter-sections of land in Liberty Township, near the Elliott Township, near
the Elliott Township line.
Mr. Emslie was married at Yonkers,
Westchester County, New York, February 4, 1847, to Margaret Eliza Post, a
native of New York city. The family consists of eight children, namely: Orin
William, Christian Tripler, Mary Jane, James Jamison, Eric Warnock, Maggie
Crawford, Carrie, Charles Cumming.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 437-438. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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