Lassen County History
Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith, 1882, San Francisco

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper, Oct 2009

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http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

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MILFORD. 

On the tenth day of May, 1856, Robert J. Scott located, for farming purposes, a section of land 
about twenty-five miles south-east of Susanville. On a portion of this, one and one-half miles from 
the west shore of Honey lake, and on the stage road to Reno, lies the town of Milford. Scott built 
a shanty of logs and brush, inclosed five or six acres of his land with a brush fence, and raised a 
small crop. He diverted for irrigating purposes the water of Mill creek, a stream that flows from 
the mountains skirting the lake on the west, and discharges into Honey lake. About a year later 
Scott sold his claim to Peter Lassen, who proceeded to build a log house, but abandoned it before 
completion. It was near the site of Fail-child's saw-mill, about 400 yards west of town. In 1859 
Frederick Washburn and Thomas Fairchilds bought the property from the administrators of Lassen's 
estate, and in 1860 built the water-power saw-mill above alluded to, now owned by the widow 
of Mr. Fairchilds. In 1861 Judson Dakin and Joseph C. Wemple built a grist-mill, now in the 
center of the town, which has been operated by the water of Mill creek ever since. It is a two- 
story, frame structure, and is now owned by Mr. H. H. Dakin. 

The first residence in Milford was the log house which Lassen had commenced, and which 
Washburn and Fairchilds completed. In 1862 H. C. Wilkins built a store on the ground now 
occupied by H. H. Dakin's residence. In 1864 W. Adams opened a saloon, and in the fall of the 
same year E. T. Fairchild built adjoining it a two-story, frame hotel. These form a portion of the 
property of L. P. Whiting, in which H. E. McClelland now resides. The school-house was erected 
in 1865, and Miss F. Montgomery, now Mrs. E. V. Spencer, first presided at its desk. Washburn 
Brothers built the present blacksmith shop in 1864, and in 1870 completed the hotel now managed by 
S. A. Doyle. The name Milford was bestowed upon the settlement in 1862, at the suggestion of J. 
C. Wemple, on account of the mills which composed the business and industry of the place. The 
town now contains a saw-mill, grist-mill, hotel, store, blacksmith shop, butcher shop, post-office, 
school-house, and some fifteen dwelling-houses.