through some pretty rough experience. He afterwards engaged in farming, which continues to be his sole occupation, and since 1858 has traded extensively in cattle. He came to Butte county in March, 1881, when he purchased his present residence. Mr. Wagoner was married in Oroville, in 1858, to Lucy Culver, a native of Vermont. She died in June, 1876. He was again married, on the fourteenth of July, 1880, to Miss Annie Stewart, who is proud of having been born, raised and married near Yuba city, Sutter county. Mr. and Mrs. Wagoner's present residence was formerly owned by Thomas Dignen.

MICHAEL HENRY WELLS was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the twenty-fifth of December, 1832. He was the son of Elisha and Eleanor (Silvis) Wells. His father was a wholesale commission merchant, and a member of a firm that was established in 1814. The boyhood days of Mr. Wells were spent in the public schools, and clerking in a drug-store of his native city. In the autumn of 1849, he set sail for California, via Cape Horn, and arrived in San Francisco in June, 1850. In 1852, he returned to the East, and, in 1853, came back to the Pacific Coast, and this time followed the mining excitement to the mouth of Rogue river, in Oregon. During the Indian outbreak in 1856, he was one

In the autumn of

of the company of 130 at Fort Miner, of whom seventy were killed by the savages. the same year, he removed to Yankee hill, or to the vicinity, and has since been identified with the locality and its industries. He visited his eastern home again in 1870. In 1876, on his return from the Centennial exposition, he was united in marriage to Miss Dora E. Spencer, daughter of John W. and Abbie A. Spencer, of Belle-Plaine, Shawano county, Wisconsin. The ceremony took place on the eighteenth of November, 1876. There are, at this time, two children, Elisha John, born February 21, 1878, and Eleanor Augusta, born June 4, 1880. Mr. Wells is a zealous member of the Masonic fraternity, of lodge No. 124, at Cherokee, of which he was master for two years, and, although the lodge met weekly, he did not miss one meeting. He is a member of Franklin chapter, No. 22, and of Oroville commandery, No. 5. In 1852, he was one of the organizers of the fire company in San Francisco called the Pennsylvania No. 12. The engine was built in Philadelphia, and manned by Pennsylvanians. has been a justice of the peace for twenty-one years, and a merchant at Yankee hill since 1858. He is also postmaster, which office he has held through several changes in the administration. His library is a very fine one, the volumes having been selected with great judgment and taste, and number about 1,500. Mr. Wells is a genial, hearty man, whom it is a pleasure to meet. A view of his place on Yankee hill may be seen elsewhere in this volume.

He

JESSE WOOD.-He was born October 29, 1839, in Appling, Columbia county, Georgia. His father, John W. Wood, his grandfather, John Wood, and his grandmother, were all natives of Georgia. His father died of pneumonia, November 16, 1840, and was a well-to-do farmer. When Jesse was ten years of age, his mother married William E. Price, and removed to Barbour county, Alabama, where our subject was educated in the academy and high school of Glennville. In August, 1857, he entered the junior class of Emory and Henry college, Virginia, and graduated June 8, 1859, having been tutor of mathematics during his senior year. On the eighth of October, 1859, he received a license to preach in the ministry of the Methodist church. He was admitted to the Alabama conference in December, 1860, and was appointed to Union Springs. He was married January 29, 1861, to Alice Catherine Tison, daughter of James G. and Adriana (Ott) Tison, natives of South Carolina. Miss Tison was a graduate of the Glennville female seminary. Mr. Wood became president of the Tuskegee female college in 1863, continuing in that position till the close of the war, when he was appointed two years to the Tuskeegee circuit, and two years to Auburn station, in a ministerial capacity. He came to California via the isthmus, arriving July 13, 1868, in San Francisco. He preached in Stockton till October, when, by appointment of Bishop Marvin, he took charge of the church in San Francisco, serving two years, seven

months of which he was engaged as principal editor of the Spectator. He was then appointed to Vallejo and Napa. Having freely made known to the conference that he thought differently from it in matters of doctrine and church polity, he asked to withdraw, but was persuaded to remain a member. However, he retired to St. Helena, Napa county, and taught school for a time, when he was appointed to preach at Chico, taking charge October 22, 1871. In 1872, he taught in the public school of Chico, preaching at the same time. Here he remained until May, 1876, when he accepted a position as deputy county clerk under J. R. Robinson, and shortly after was invited to the pastorate of the First Congregational church, which he accepted. Upon the resignation, in July, 1877, of Mr. Robinson, Mr. Wood was appointed clerk, and served out the unexpired term. In September, 1877, he was elected superintendent of public schools, was re-elected in September, 1879, and still holds the position, being a zealous and efficient guardian of the school interests of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have been blessed with a large and interesting family of ten children, of whom six are girls and four boys. At their new homestead farm in Oregon township, they have recently settled. The place is called Eyrie villa, because of its elevation and the fine view to be seen. Many valuable improvements are being made.

JOHN C. YOUNG.-Mr. Young was born in the province of New Brunswick. He came to the United States and settled in California in 1852. For seven years he mined on Thompson's flat. In 1866, be purchased his farm at Gridley. It consists of two hundred and forty acres of highly improved land, on which he has a very comfortable and convenient residence. Mr. and Mrs. Young have had four sons and one daughter born to them, the latter deceased. Mr. Young is one of the substantial men of Butte county.

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