Sutter-Yuba County Biographies


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



 
JOHN HAVEY, SR.
 
For sixty-two years a resident of California, John Havey, Sr., is familiar with 
many of the events that have shaped the history of the State and is now living 
retired in Smartsville, Yuba County, enjoying in his later years the ease and 
comfort resulting from a life of industry and thrift.  He was born in Newark, 
N.J., May 16, 1849, and his parents, Patrick and Mary (Haley) Havey, were both 
natives of County Roscommon, Ireland.  About 1840 they emigrated to the United 
States, locating near Newark, N.J., where the father engaged in farming.  In 
1853 Patrick Havey started for the Pacific Coast by way of the Isthmus of 
Panama, his family remaining in the East, and on reaching the Golden State 
settled at Rose Bar, on the Yuba River.  In 1861 he was joined by his wife, who 
was accompanied by three of the children, John, Patrick and Katie, and seven 
years later the older children, Margaret, Elizabeth and Rosanna, followed.  Mr. 
Havey engaged in mining on the Yuba River and devoted his remaining years to 
that occupation.  He was born in 1815 and passed away about 1880, while the 
mother was eighty-two years of age at the time of her demise.  One sister, Mrs. 
Winnifred Jennings, remained in the East, her home being at Newark.  The 
brother, Patrick Havey, fought in the Civil War, enlisting at San Francisco in 
1862 and serving throughout that conflict.
John Havey, Sr., attended the public schools of Smartsville to the age of 
fourteen and then began working at hydraulic mining from Timbuctoo to Sucker 
Flat.  He is familiar with every phase of that industry and laid the foundation 
for his present prosperity by persistency of purpose and untiring effort.  He 
has made his home in Smartsville for the past sixteen years and previous to that 
time resided at Timbuctoo and at Sucker Flat.
Mr. Havey was married at Smartsville, May 8, 1881, to Miss Mary Pryor, who was 
born in Brooklyn, N.Y., her parents being Michael and Mary (Doyle) Pryor.  Her 
father came to California in 1855, and a year later was joined by his wife and 
daughter, Mrs. Havey being then in her infancy.  Mr. Pryor was one of the early 
miners of this district and for many years resided at Timbuctoo.  He had a 
family of five children, but Frank, the youngest, is deceased.  Those who 
survive are Mary Ann, Rosanna, Amanda and Katherine.  Eight children have been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Havey, namely: Gertrude, who died at the age of six years; 
Amanda, also deceased; John, a resident of Hammonton; Chester, at home with his 
parents; Lewis, who met an accidental death in 1922, by being crushed in the 
machinery of No. 5 Dredger at Marigold; Virginia, the wife of E. D. Bristow, of 
Niles, Cal.; Lucille, deceased; and Dewey.  Mr. Havey is a true type of that 
hardy, energetic and enterprising class of men who have done so much to develop 
the rich mineral resources of this great State.  His success has been won 
through industry and ability and the respect which is accorded him is well 
deserved, for honor and integrity are the keynote of his character.
 
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 846