San Diego County Biographies
 
R. S. FLOURNOY

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


a native of Missouri, was born at Independence, June 26, 1830.   His parents 
were natives of Kentucky. They had two children, both sons, of which R. S. was 
the oldest, and the other is since deceased. His father was a farmer and miller. 
The subject of this sketch remained at home until he was nineteen years of age, 
receiving a common-school education. In 1849 he left home for California by the 
Missouri and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, then took a sailing vessel for 
Chagres, small boats up the Chagres river to Cruces, and there walked 
twenty-five miles to Panama, hiring the natives to carry his baggage across on 
their backs. He remained at Panama about two weeks, and then paid $160 for 
passage by sailing vessel to San Francisco. There was great speculation for 
steamer tickets, some selling as high as $500. He embarked January 8, 1850, on 
board the brig Corbia, with a very full list of passengers. The Corbia was an 
old English tub, and from unwholesome food and bad water they experienced great 
discomforts. Panama fever broke out on board and many deaths resulted therefrom. 
After a passage of ninety days they arrived in San Francisco, April 8, 1850. He 
then passed eight years on the Yuba, American and Feather rivers, prospecting 
and speculating in mining interests, but with no satisfactory results. In 1853 
he bought a farm of 250 acres in Indian valley, Plumas County, which be managed 
until 1864, when he sold out and went to Taylorsville, same valley. In 1864 he 
bought a pack train of forty-four mules, and took a general line of groceries 
and supplies to Silver City, Idaho, but the market being over�stocked, he stored 
his supplies with a trusted friend, and returned; but later, his friend sold his 
supplies and defaulted, whereby Mr. Flournoy lost $20,000. He continued packing 
for two years, then sold his mules and in 1866 bought a farm of 200 acres, with 
stock and tools, in Genesee valley, and later pre-empted 200 acres, which land 
he resides upon and farms. He has a large fruit orchard of apples and such 
fruits as are adapted to a temperate climate, and has built a large brick house, 
three large barns and outbuildings. His principal crops are wheat and oats, and 
the land is also a fine grass country. Farming is similar to that of the East, 
except that irrigating is necessary, but they have water in great abundance. He 
was married at Elizabethtown, Plumas County, November, 1855, to Miss A. A. 
Varna. They have been blessed with seven children, three only surviving, the 
eldest being Harley C., then a daughter, Tiney, and the youngest a son, Robert 
W. All are living on the farm, his wife being deceased. His success is due to 
wise management in farming and stock-raising. He came to San Diego November, 
1886, and invested in real estate, improved and unimproved, and has since 
devoted himself to that line of business.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  340-341