Plumas County Biographies

William F. Johnson

Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004

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

 
Mr. Johnson is a native of Elbing, Prussia, where he was born October 3, 1830. 
In 1853 he came to America, and in 1854 to California, via Cape Horn. In August 
of that year he went to Goodyear�s bar, but after a short time returned to 
Marysville, where he made the acquaintance of John McGee, with whom he traveled 
to Plumas county, and engaged in mining on Coyote hill, near Spanish Ranch. From 
here he went to Jamison creek, where he spent fourteen months, made some money, 
and in a short time became one-third owner of the Mammoth ledge. It proved an 
unsatisfactory investment, and he sold out and went to Mexico. He soon returned, 
however, and after engaging in mining at Butte bar, and being proprietor of the 
mill in the Argentine district for a time, he concluded to settle down, which he 
did by purchasing the home where he now resides, at the head of American valley. 
He was married May 29, 1870, to Maria Fisher of Somersetshire, England, where 
she was born November 13, 1846. Four children are the result of this marriage, 
with dates of birth as follows: Harry T. Godfried, April 29, 1871; William 
Francis, November 4, 1872; Carrie Sarah, February 9, 1874; Isadore R., July 18, 
1878.
 
Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 
1513 to 1850. � Fariss and Smith, San Francisco,  1882. p 285