El Dorado County Biographies


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




 
WILLIAM H. VALENTINE
 
of Coloma Valley, was born in Queen�s county, New York, December 19, 1830.  His 
father was Obadiah Valentine.
            William�s boyhood days were devoted to obtaining what he could of an 
education in the common schools of that day, and in learning the machinist�s 
trade.  In 1849 he, in company with others, built a ship and sailed via Cape 
Horn from New York to San Francisco, leaving the former in August, 1849, and 
arriving in San Francisco in January, 1850.  He went to Nevada City, then a 
village of but three houses, and engaged in mining.  In 1851 he came to El 
Dorado county and was one of a company to build the first ditch in the county, 
called �Uniontown and Michigan flat ditch.�  In 1850 he had assisted in the 
erection of one in Placer county.
            For a number of years he was engaged in mining and ditching.  In 
1857 he located in his present home, and in 1859 began improving it; there is 
now about 4,000 fruit trees on the place and 4,000 grape vines.  In 1856 he was 
married to Laura J. Cromwell.  There are three children living and one deceased, 
Layton W., Louis H., and Carlton O., are living and Jennie A. died when four 
years old.
 
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & 
Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo 
Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p - 229-230
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler