Marin County Biographies

OMAR JEWELL

Transcribed by Betty Wilson

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

 
             (deceased).  Whose portrait will be found in this work, 
was born in Schuyler county, New York, February 5, 1821.  When but four years of 
age he accompanied his parents to Canada, and resided opposite Detroit until 
1829, when they went to that city and there located.  At the age of fifteen 
years the subject of this sketch moved to Wheaton, Du Page county, Illinois, and 
commenced farming, which he continued in that section until 1856, in which year, 
leasing his farm, he removed with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 
embarked in the lumber and shingle trade.  At the end of three years, during 
which Mr. Jewell was engaged in this business, he returned to Illinois and 
settled on his farm in Du Page county, and there resided until 1861, when he 
removed to New York, being there appointed agent for D.M. Osborn�s Reaper and 
Mower, to proceed to the Pacific coast.  In December of that year he started for 
California, via Panama, and on arrival proceeded to Petaluma, where he 
established himself.  In April of the following year Mr. Jewell�s family, 
consisting of his wife and seven children, made the tedious journey across the 
plains and joined him in the month of September, 1862, when shortly after he 
transferred his residence to Marin county, and settled on the farm known as the 
Home Ranch, of Nelson H. Olds, and there dwelt until 1864, when he purchased the 
farm now conducted by his sons and built the present residence.  Though Mr. 
Jewell never held office in Marin, he was ever intimately connected with the 
county�s advancement, having its interest always at heart.  Married, February 
25, 1845, Viania Marsh, a native of Chautauqua county, New York, by whom there 
are Alva, born August 2, 1847; Viania, born August 15, 1849; William, born 
October 1, 1854; and Annie, born September 10, 1856.  The following members of 
the family are deceased:�Harriet, born September 1, 1845; died February 3, 1866; 
Emma, born March 4, 1851, died November 10, 1875; and Oliver, born January 10, 
1853, died May 8, 1869.  Mr. Jewell died January 1, 1875.
 
History of Marin County, California; Including Its Geography, Geology, 
Topography and Climatology; by J. P. Munro-Fraser, Historian; Alley, Bowen & 
Co., Publishers, San Francisco, California, 1880