San Joaquin County
Biographies
HORACE D. NORTHROP
HORACE D. NORTHROP was born
in Franklin County, Vermont, November 16, 1824, son of Isaac and Polly (Rice)
Northrop, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Springfield,
Massachusetts. Our subject was left an orphan early in life, his father dying
when he was but four years of age, and his mother when he was ten. There were
four children in the family, Horace being next to the youngest. He, after the
death of his mother, went to live with an aunt till he was fourteen years old,
when he hired out by the month, worked about eight months, then returned to his
aunt and did chores for his board, going to school that winter. The next year
he hired out to the same man again, staying about three months. He then went to
work for a cousin, with the agreement that at the time he left him he was to
have two suits of clothes, $150 in money, and during the time that he remained,
three months’ schooling in the winter. He made his home with him till he became
of age, when he went to Boston and engaged in the oyster business. For several
years he worked for another man, after which he did business for himself,
continuing in that trade for about eight years. In the year 1850 he started for
California, but on reaching Iowa he stopped with a brother who lived there, and
who had persuaded him to remain there. Accordingly our subject purchased a farm in Jackson County, and engaged in farming. The same
year, and shortly after he had bought his place, he was united in marriage to
Roxana Wilson, a native of Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He lived on his farm in
Iowa about fourteen years, up to 1864. His first wife died January 8, 1856, at
the age of thirty-four years, six months and eleven days. She was the mother of
four children, two of whom died in infancy. The others are George L., born
November 24, 1853, now occupied in farming in Calaveras County, California, and
Samuel W., born November 22, 1855, also farming in western Iowa. Mr. Northrop
was married to Mrs. Lydia C. Wilson, his present wife, a native of Canada,
March 1, 1862. Her maiden name was Cram. She went to Iowa in 1860, and came
with her husband in 1864 to California. They crossed the plains in wagons,
being accompanied by several other California-bound families. The train left
Iowa May 3, and reached Red Bluff, Tehama County, on the 22d of August, being
nearly four months on the road. For about a month the party camped at Battle
Creek, Tehama County, visiting friends there, and from there they went to Napa
County, thence to Stockton, not yet decided upon a place for settlement. In
October of the same year Mr. Northrop arrived in the vicinity where he now
resides, and the following year purchased the ranch upon which he has ever
since made his home. This ranch contains 162½
acres of choice farming land, which is under good improvement, devoted
principally to general farming.
Mr. and
Mrs. Northrop have four children: Frances C.
(deceased), born in Iowa, June 11, 1863, died January 19, 1885; Ella, born May
17, 1867; Cora E., April 26, 1870, and Charles W., October 10, 1873. Mr.
Northrop and wife have been members of the United Brethren church since 1878.
Politically he has not taken
an active interest. He belonged to the Democratic party
until 1884, since which time he has affiliated with the Prohibition party.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 466-467. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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