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


THOMAS DWYER.  Son of Patrick and Hanora Crotty Dwyer, was born in County Waterford, Ireland, in 
1828. In 1848 he, with his parents came to America and located in Boston. In 1853 he came via the 
Isthmus to California, arriving in San Francisco in November of that year. In 1854 he went to Shasta 
County and began mining on the east fork of Clear Creek. He then went to Siskiyou County in 1856 and 
mined at Sawyers Bar on the north fork of Solomon River. In July, 1859, he left Sawyers Bar and went 
to Boston and New York, at which place he was married. They left that city in October of that year for 
California and arrived in November. He returned to Sawyers Bar, where he resided till May, 1869, 
when he came to San Francisco. In October, 1870, he came to Napa County and purchased his present 
place of one hundred acres, where he is engaged in farming and grape-growing. He was married, 
September, 14, 1859, in New York, to Miss Mary Cummings, a native of County Waterford, Ireland, 
born March 13, 1836. They have four living children: Margaret, born December 22, 1860; Edward P., 
born April 22, 1862; William F., born April 25, 1872, and Cecilia, born March 5, 1878. They have lost 
seven children: Annie M., Mary B., Thomas P., Therca, Katie, Philip, Valentine and Agnes who was born 
in San Francisco and died in that place in September, 1870. Five of these children.  died within four 
weeks in November, 1877, with diptheria at Oakville, Napa County, and one, January 4,1878, of the 
same disease. The two eldest living were born at Sawyers Bar, Siskiyou County, and the two youngest 
were born at Oakville, Napa County. Four of the children that died were born at Sawyers Bar, Siskiyou 
County, and of the other two that died one was born at San Francisco and the other at Oakville, Napa 
County.