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


JOHN THOMAS HAM.� While passing practically all of his life in 
California and all but the first twenty-two years within the limits of Men- 
docino county, Mr. Ham claims Missouri as his native commonwealth and 
was born May 12, 1847, being three years of age at the time the family crossed 
the plains with a party of emigrants. The memories of childhood cluster 
largely around Eldorado county and he recalls the appearance of Hangtown 
with its great throngs of gold seekers, its crude buildings and frontier en- 
vironment. In those days it was customary to pay as high as $26 for a 
fifty-pound sack of flour, and other groceries were proportionately expensive. 
From the age of fourteen he v\'as self-supporting, his first work being for 
ranchers and his later employment taking him to placer mines. During 1865 
he left Eldorado county for San Francisco, where he obtained a position in 
a machine shop, continuing there for three years. The year 1869 found him 
in Mendocino county, where at first he was variously employed in different 
departments of the Reese Lumber Company. Leaving the mill in 1870, he 
contracted to keep the toll-road in repair. In 1871 he became cook in the 
Bear river lodging camp. Leaving the camp in 1873, he took a similar posi- 
tion at the cook-house of Silas Coombs, and continued in the role of chef for 
three years. 

The first association of Mr. Ham with the sheep industry dates back to 
the spring of 1876. when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Round 
valley and embarked in stock-raising. The success of the work necessitated 
a larger tract. By successive purchases he added to the original acreage until 
he now owns twenty-five hundred acres of range land, which since his retire- 
ment from farming in 1910 has been leased to others. As a result of his long 
and intelligent devotion to his chosen occupation he is in a position to enjoy 
every comfort and may pass his declining years happily and without financial 
anxiety in his pleasant home at Covelo. Although he has been successful 
as a sheep-raiser it is not to be inferred that he met with no discouragements. 

Every occupation has its hardships, every business its handicap, and the sheep 
industry is perhaps even more subject to misfortune than many other lines 
of enterprise. The severe printers often caused Mr. Ham a heavy loss. A 
late spring often caused the loss of many a lamb. Unseasonable weather at 
one time and another has cost him heavily, yet taken altogether the business 
was profitable and his intelligent management brought a merited reward. 
With all of his own work, which necessarily demanded the closest attention, 
he yet found leisure to aid in local enterprises and was particularly helpful 
in the building of good roads through the county. All through his voting 
history he has given his ballot to Democratic principles and candidates and 
has been a warm supporter of that party.