California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 IRWIN JAY BUCKLEY. On a farm of three hundred and fifteen acres located between Snelling and Merced Falls, Merced county, resides I. Jay Buckley, a progressive, practical and successful farmer. He was born November 17. 1845, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and represents the eleventh generation from Peter Buckley ( spelled by him Bulkeley ) , who emigrated from England in 1635. In direct line of descent Sylvanus Buckley, father of I. J. Buckley, was born in Norwich, Otsego county, N. Y., and was reared on the farm owned by his father. He married Phoebe Merriman, also a native of that county, and a descendant of Scotch-Irish an- cestors, who were soldiers in the Revolutionary war. She was also closely related to the Win- chesters, who were the founders of the Universalist religion. Sylvanus Buckley was ambitious and energetic, and in his early life sought a location in various localities. In 1844 he removed to Iowa, and at Mt. Pleasant engaged in the manufacture of plows. While thus engaged he heard the glowing accounts of the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast, and accordingly closed up his business and started across the plains en route to California in 1840. Arriving at his destination, he mined in Placer county for a time with fair success, which enabled him to pay a visit to his family in Iowa in 1853. from whence he moved his family to his old home in Ostego county, N. Y. He came back to the mines and remained for another period, return- ing to New York in 1856, when he brought his family to California by way of the Nicaragua route, arriving in San Francisco July 20 of that year. From this time he turned his attention to fanning, and unfortunately invested in what proved to be a part of a Spanish grant in Ala- meda county, near Alvarado. In 1861 he located in Merced county, and in the vicinity of Snelling embarked in the sheep business, and at the same time was interested in some mines in Nevada. He met with a fair degree of success in his stock business and became owner of about eighteen thousand acres of land. As a public spirited man he gave his best efforts toward the advance- ment of the community where he made his home. At the time of his death, 1888. he was seventy- nine years old. He was survived by his wife, who died in 1892, in her eighty-fourth year. There were six children in the family, viz: Henry A. (who died in 1872), Horace F., I. Jay, George W. (who died in 1902), S. P., and C. O. E. I. Jay Buckley was reared under the parental roof, attended the public schools, and as soon as he was of age to be useful about the farm assisted his father with the duties incident to farm life. He was closely associated with his father's varied interests until the death of the latter. In 1887 he purchased his present ranch, made such improvements as were necessary and has fol- lowed diversified farming since that date, and has made this his residence with the exception of about three years spent in Merced. In 1878 Mr. Buckley was united in marriage with Mary, a daughter of the late John M. Mont- gomery, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this volume. Of this union was born one child, a daughter, Irma, the wife of John Jardine, of San Francisco. Mr. Buckley is a stanch Republican and has served the party in various capacities in Merced county. He is un- ostentatious in manner, public spirited and well read, very fond of books, and at one time was the owner of one of the largest private libraries in the county, which unfortunately was de- stroyed by fire. He is one of the substantial citizens of Merced county, and his long years of association with its best interests have brought good results.