California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
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 Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


ALLEN DAVIDSON. � Prior to his arrival in California at the age of 
sixteen years Allen Davidson had lived for brief periods in Illinois, Indiana 
and Fremont county, Iowa. A son of Joseph and Martha (Prescott) David- 
son, he was born in Greene county. Ill., August 6, 1837, and during August 
of 1853 he landed in California from a tedious trip across the plains. Prac- 
tically his first work was that of a farm hand in Sacramento county. Later 
he was employed on a ranch near Putah creek on the line between Yolo and 
Solano counties, after which he was employed on a stock farm in Colusa 
county. For brief periods beginning in 1857 he engaged in the stock business 
at Petaluma and Cloverdale. From 1862 to 1865 he mined on the Salmon 
river in Oregon and Idaho. Returning to California, he took up ranching 
near Geyserville, whence in 1871 he came to Mendocino county and settled 
on a ranch of two thousand acres at Blue Rock. The location was well 
adapted for the stock industry and he specialized in sheep. For eight years he 
carried the United States mail between Cahto, Mendocino county, and Hydes- 
ville, Humboldt county, but with that exception he devoted himself to general 
ranching until his death, which occurred August 8, 1908. By his marriage. 
October 19, 1865, to Mary P. Archambeau, he had five children, namely: 
Martha E., Mrs. L. C. Mau of Porterville ; Sarah C, Mrs. George W. Upp of 
Willits ; William A. of Laytonville ; Grace M., Mrs. Ferry of San Raphael ; 
and Laurence E. of Los Angeles. The Davidsons were among the most 
highly honored of the pioneer families of Mendocino county and in their own 
neighborhood they are influential, popular and deservedly prominent.