California Biographies

Source:
History of Napa and Lake Counties
San Francisco, Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1881

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011

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


DEWELL, BENJAMIN. Was born in Ohio October 27, 1823. In 1840 he, with parents, moved to Indiana, 
where he resided until 1845, when, in company with several others, he crossed the plains to California, 
arriving in Napa Valley in October of the above year. The first winter was spent where Calistoga is now 
located ; and in the spring of 1846 he went to Sonoma and served in the Bear Flag War, and then 
joined Fremont's regiment, and in the fall the regiment was ordered below, but only got as far as Los 
Angeles when a treaty was made and the war ended. The subject of this sketch then returned to 
Sonoma and in the spring of 1847 settled in Guilicos Valley, where he followed farming and stock 
raising until May, 1854, when he came to Lake County and settled on his present place, consisting of 
one hundred and sixty acres, located just above Upper Lake where he has since been engaged in 
farming and stock raising. Mr. Dewell was one of the parties who made the Bear Flag which was raised 
at Old Sonoma June 14, 1846, and his mother-in-law, Mrs. W. B. Elliott, furnished part of the cloth of 
which the flag was made. Mr. Dewell married May 5, 1850, Miss Celia H. Elliott, by whom he has eight 
living children : Samuel L., Luella, Orlena, Elmer E., May, Lottie, John K. and Charles W. They have lost 
two, Sarah E. and Jane.