Lake County Biographies

William C. GOLDSMITH

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Of all the old pioneers of Lake County no one is more generally and favorably 
known than the subject of this sketch. Mr. Goldsmith was born in Knox County, 
Indiana, April 2, 1830. In 1830, with his parents, he moved to Morgan County, 
Illinois. Here he learned the saddler's trade, which he followed until 1852, 
when he came to California. He crossed the plains with ox-teams, and arrived at 
Hangtown (Placerville) August 8th of that year. Of course, he dashed into mining 
- everbody did that, then --and followed it until the spring of 1853, when he 
went to Santa Clara County and engaged in farming for the next two years. He 
then went to Grass Valley, Nevada County, and resided there until August, 1857. 
He then came to Lake County and located where Lower Lake now stands, and engaged 
in farming and stock raising for the next six years. He then engaged in hotel 
and saloon keeping, which he followed till 1881, since which time he has been 
unemployed. No laudatory words are necessary at our hands, for Mr. Goldsmith is 
too well known by all the good people of Lake County. He was married, May 31, 
1860, to Miss Martha C. Asbill, and their living children are, John H., 
Elizabeth J., William L., Arthur H., and Edna M. They have lost three, Willie, 
Charles and Ernest. 

"History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881  


WILLIAM C. GOLDSMITH.� There is no better known citizen in the 
town of Lower Lake than its venerable postmaster and oldest pioneer, William 
C. Goldsmith. He has lived there continuously since August, 1858, has been 
justice of the peace thirty years, for the last twenty-four years consecutively, 
and postmaster for the past fourteen years, holding the office now under ap- 
pointment from the Wilson administration, though he himself is a stanch 
Republican. He is a veteran Odd Fellow, having belonged to the order for 
forty-seven years. 

Indiana is Mr. Goldsmith's native state. He was born in Knox county 
.April 2. 1830, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Ferkins) Goldsmith, the former 
born in Harrisburg, Pa., of Dutch descent, the latter at Beaver Pond, Ky., 
of French extraction. In 1833 the family moved out to what is now Scott 
county, in Illinois, settling at Winchester, where Henry Goldsmith passed 
the rest of his life, engaged at his trade of boot and shoe maker. He died at 
Winchester in 1856. and was buried there. His wife's death occurred there 
also, in 1875. Of the children born to this couple seven grew to maturity. 
William C. Goldsmith was the eldest, and his early life was spent at Win- 
chester, where he served an apprenticeship of four and a half years at the 
trade of harness maker with W. C. Gwin. At the end of that time he began 
to work as a journeyman harness maker, in 1849, following his trade at various 
locations. Greenfield, Jerseyville and Rockford, in Illinois; St, Louis. Mo.; and 
in 1850 returned to Indiana, where he worked mainly at Vincennes, though he 
was also employed at Petersburg, Pike county, and Washington, Daviess 
county. He left the latter place in February, 1852, to go to California, leaving 
the parental home at Winchester, Ill., March 28, 1852, in company with his 
father and uncle, John Goldsmith, and James Hamilton. They had a large 
immigrant wagon and four yoke of oxen, and equipment and provisions for the 
long journey across the plains. About April 1st they crossed the Mississippi, 
at Hannibal, Mo., went over the Missouri at St. Joseph, Mo., camping there 
six days, and on May 6th started overland toward the coast, making their 
way along the south side of the Platte river. They arrived at Hangtown, Cal., 
August 8th, by which time the father was so discouraged that he started back 
lor Winchester the next day. William C. Goldsmith went over to Kelsey's 
Bar, on the middle fork of the American river, and hired out as a cook. He 
also mined, farmed in the Santa Clara valley, and did other work, at different 
places, but after coming to California he followed his trade for only one month. 
He gave up farming in the Santa Clara valley when his crops dried up, and 
later was in the wood business at Grass Valley, coming from there to Clear 
Lake, Lake county, in 1857. In the fall of the year he went back to Marys- 
ville, where he worked the next year until the harvest was over, returning to 
Lake county and arriving at what is now Lower Lake in August, 1858; since 
the 23rd of that month he has been a permanent resident of Lake county. 
Now, at the age of eighty-four years, he is hale and hearty, and as he has 
never required the services of a doctor or a dose of medicine since he settled 
here his advice is, "If you want to live always, come to Lake county." In 1861 
Mr. Goldsmith went into the sheep business in Morgan valley, continuing to 
engage in that line until April. 1866, when he sold out and came to Lower 
Lake to live. He bought his present property there, a tract of twenty-three 
acres, in 1870. For twenty-four years he was engaged in the liquor business in 
the town, giving it up about 1901, when he became postmaster, at the age of 
seventy years. His popularity is well attested by the fact that he has been 
continued in office ever since, having many friends among the Democratic 
element in town as well as in his own party. His duties are conscientiously 
and faithfully performed, and he also serves as justice of the peace, first taking 
that office in the year 1867. Twent3'-four years ago he was re-elected, and has 
retained the office to the present. He has also been deputy assessor for super- 
visor district No. 2, having filled that position ably for two terms. ]\Ir. Gold- 
smith's first presidential vote was cast for John C. Fremont in 1856. He was 
one of the petitioners for the establishment of Lake county, which was made 
up of territory taken from Napa and Yolo counties. 

Mr. Goldsmith stands high in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to 
which he has belonged for forty-seven years, holding membership in Clear 
Lake Lodge, No. 130, at Lower Lake, of which he is the oldest resident mem- 
ber. He has been through all the chairs, has been representative to the Grand 
Lodge six times, and is a member of the Veteran Odd Fellows at San Fran- 
cisco. While still in the east, in 1845, Mr. Goldsmith joined the Christian 
Church at Winchester, Ill., but he has never transferred his membership. 

In 1860 Mr. Goldsmith was united in marriage with Miss Martha C. Asbill, 
daughter of William Asbill. who arrived in Lake county in 1859. Of their 
family, six grew to manhood and womanhood, viz. : John lives at Willows, 
Glenn county : Elizabeth is in San Francisco; William resides at Willows; 
Arthur is deputy postmaster at Lower Lake ; Edna is the wife of Ed. P. Reiley 
and lives in New York City; Clinton, who lives at home, is an employe of the 
Yolo Water and Power Company. 

History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In 
One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper