Jerome M. Sleeper - Was born in Vermont, December 17,1840. When he was but a child his parents moved to Buffalo, where about six years were spent, when they returned to Chelsea, Vermont, where he resided with his parents until March, 1863, when he sailed for California, and arrived April following. He at once settled on a ranch about one mile west from Upper Lake, where he is engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Sleeper married, August 22,1874, Miss Mary E. Sleeper, a native of California. By this union they have three children: Flora J., Ellery D. and Mary E.

Carlos P. Scranton - Was born in Ohio, May 14,1830. Here he resided on a farm with his parents until 1851, at which time he crossed the plains to California with ox-teams. The first three years were spent in the mines in Placer County, after which he went to Sacramento County, where he remained until the fall of 1857, when he came to Lake County. After spending one year at Lower Lake he returned to Sacramento City, where about eight years were spent. He then returned to Lake County and settled on his present place, consisting of about three hundred acres, located about one mile and a half, north from Lower Lake, where he is engaged in farming, stock raising and wool growing. During his residence in Sacramento Mr. Scranton received injuries at a fire which rendered [him a cripple for life. He was married, in 1857, to Miss Alice Slater, a native of Illinois. She died in December, 1867, leaving three living children: Maryetta, Robert E. and Lorenzo B. They lost one, John.

B.F. Shaul - Was born in Indiana, October 12, 1829. Here he resided on a farm until he was twenty-two years of age, when he came via Panama to California, arriving at San Francisco December 17, 1852. The first eight years were spent in mining in Grass Valley, and in June, 1860, he came to Lake County, and located at the Mountain mill. Here five years were spent in milling, after which he settled on his present place, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres, located about five miles from Kelseyville. Mr. Shaul married, November 5,1865, Miss Georgie Maning, by whom he has seven children: George M., Annie M., Aaron B., Benjamin F., Henry B., Jessie & and Ruth E.

D.O. Shattuck - Was born in Tennessee, September 17, 1831. When but a child he, with his parents, moved to Mississippi, where fifteen years were spent. They then moved to Louisiana, where they resided until 1849, when the subject of this sketch, in company with his father and two brothers, came to California via Panama, arriving at San Francisco April 3,1850. The first four months were spent in the Custom House in San Francisco, after which he went to the mines and mined for four months. He then went to Sonoma County, and followed farming in Sonoma Valley until 1871, when, on account of failing health, he came to Lake County and settled on his present place, consisting of four hundred acres, located in Bachelor Valley, about five miles from Upper Lake, where he is engaged in farming, dairying and wool growing. Mr. Shattuck married, November 3,1853, Miss P. Sneed, a native of Missouri. By this union they have six living children: Dickson S., Ella, James W., Charles S., Lizzie and George P.

Morean Sleeper - Is a native of Orange Coupty, Vermont, and was born September 29,1828. When fifteen years of age he went to New Hampshire, where he learned the mason's trade. After a residence there of two years he went to Wisconsin, where he followed his trade until 1850, when he went to St. Charles, Missouri. There he followed his trade for' about two years, and then, after paying a visit to Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Vermont, he came to California via Panama. He arrived at San Francisco April 15,1854. Here he worked at brick-laying until fall, when he went to the mines, and returned to San Francisco in the following spring, where, as before, he followed his trade through the summer, and in the fall went to Downieville, on the Yuba River. Here he followed mining until October 15, 1857, when he met with a serious accident, which resulted in the loss of his eye-sight and of one hand. The accident occurred as follows: Mr. Sleeper was sitting upon a large boulder, holding the tamping iron, in the act of filling tamp dirt upon a charge of powder which had already been put into the hole. He was assisted by a man who was using a sledge upon the iron Mr. Sleeper was holding. By some unknown means the powder became ignited, and while the tamping was going on the blast went off, blowing Mr. Sleeper about fifteen feet, destroying his eye-sight so that he has never been able to see since, and also mangling his right hand so as to necessitate amputation at the wrist. Immediately after the accident he went to San Francisco, where he was treated by Dr. Toland until about the middle of December, 1857, when he came to Lake County, where he has resided with his brother, D. O. Sleeper, about two miles above Upper Lake. Since coming to this county the subject of this sketch has accumulated land until he now owns about eleven hundred acres.

John D. Stephens - Was born in East Tennessee, January 16,1836. When about sixteen years of age, his father being dead, he, with his mother, moved to Arkansas, where they resided about three years. The subject of this sketch then came to California, coming across the plains with an ox-train, and arrived at Rough and Ready September 10, 1854, after a tedious trip of five months and ten days. Like all who came to California in those days of gold, he took at once to mining, which he followed until 1860, when he changed his avocation to that of teamster, which he continued until October, 1865, when he came to Lake County, and remained at Upper Lake until December of the above year, when he returned to the mines, and in August, 1866, again returned to Lake County. He settled on his present place, in Scotts Valley, in November of the above year. Mr. Stephens married, September 10,1866, Miss Mary A. McLean. Their children are, Albert S., Laura E, Hector W., Augusta L and John H.

Michael Shepard - Was born in Massachusetts, May 5, 1835. When sixteen years of age he shipped on board the "New Jersey," for California. Rounding Cape Horn, they arrived at San Francisco October 11, 1849. The subject of this sketch went at once to the mines and followed mining until September, 1856, when he came to Lake County and settled in Bachelor Valley, where he still resides. He owns six hundred and forty acres of land, and is engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Shepard married, April 10,1875, Mrs. Lucy Meredith, a native of Iowa. By this marriage they have one child, Birdie; and by her first marriage Mrs. Shepard has four children: Lottie, Maggie, Joseph and Shepherd. In the fall of 1866 his eyes were injured while plowing among some poisonous weeds, and for the next succeeding five years he was blind, or worse than blind. After eminent physicians had failed to cure, a lady, Mrs. J. A. Harris, of Lower Lake, effected an entire cure in a few months.

Robert O. Smith - Was born in Indiana, in 1832. When but a child his parents moved to Tennessee, and in 1840 moved again to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. After a residence here of one year they moved to Ohio, and after a year or so they moved to Virginia, where they resided about two years, and then took up their residence in Wisconsin, where they resided until 1849, when they started for California, and after spending the winter of 1849 in New Mexico, they arrived in California in November, 1850. After teaming and mining for a short time in the southern mines, the subject of this sketch engaged in farming near Stockton, in the San Joaquin Valley, until 1854, when he went to Sacramento. Here he remained, being engaged in different pursuits, until August, 1858, when he came to Lake Conuty, and followed farming in Seotts Valley until 1863, when he established a brewery in the above-named valley, which he conducted until the fall of 1864, when he changed his location to where he now is, about one-half mile above Lakeport Here he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he works, as well as attending his brewery, a history of which will be found in its proper place. Mr. Smith married, February 6, 1856, Miss Caroline Holman, a native of Missouri. Their children are, Frances A., Emily J., Annie L., James R. and Caroline R.

A.A. Slocum - Was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, A. D. 1824. He caine to California by water, and arrived in September, 1849. He has followed sundry business callings with, varied success. He settled in Lake County before its organization, and was at one time Associate Justice of the Court of Sessions of this county. He is at present engaged in farming and merchandising at Kelseyville, and is agent for Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express.

Caspar Sweikert - Was born in Wittenberg, Germany, January 11,1826, where he learned the blacksmith's trade, and followed it until 1850. He then came to America, and spent about four years in St. Louis, working at his trade. In 1854 he came to California via Panama, arriving at San Francisco in April of that year. He then went to Sacramento, where he followed his trade for nearly two years. In 1856 he went to Napa City and bought into a shop, and remained there until 1858. April 28th of that year he came to Lake County, and opened a shop at Upper Lake, which he conducted until 1873, when he purchased a ranch in Big Valley, where he farmed and followed his trade until April, 1876. He then bought and settled, upon his present place, consisting of six hundred and thirty-nine acres, located in Coyote Valley, where he is engaged in farming and stock raising. He was married, April 12, 1860, to Miss Isabella Duffy, a native of New Orleans. They have three living children: Clara B., William H. and Augustus H. They have lost five: Jane S., Mary L., Emma M., Anna L. and Caspar C.

M. Starr - Was born in Canada West, July 6,1835, where he spent his early youth in assisting his father in the flour mill When young Starr was about eighteen years of age he, with his parents, moved to Wisconsin. Here they remained five years, when he moved to Iowa. At the end of another five years Mr. Starr came to California, arriving in August, 1861, having crossed the plains with horse-teams. He conducted a mill at Petaluma for the first four years, and then went to San Francisco, where he resided for three years, being engaged in dealing in hay and grain. In 1868 he erected and put in operation a flour mill at Oakland, which he conducted until 1871. He then went to Livermore Valley, where he conducted a mill for eighteen months. Thence he went to Santa Rosa, where he was engineer in the "City Mills" for the same length of time. In 1875 he came to Lake County and purchased the Lakeport Mill, which he has since conducted. He was married, June 11,1856, to Miss Nancy A. Weatherbee, a native of Indiana. They have lost one child, William.

Wilburn Smith - Was born in North Carolina, February 17,1824. At the age of fourteen he went to Missouri, and from there visited Texas and New Mexico. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California, arriving at Sacramento in August. He spent the first eighteen months in the mines, and then returned to Sacramento and worked on a ferry boat for about eighteen months. The next two years were spent in Yolo County, and the following four years in Green Valley, Solano County. A year was spent at teaming in Nevada, and eighteen months at farming in the same State. He then returned to Yolo County, and followed farming for three years. In the spring of 1869 he came to Lake County, and settled in Bachelor Valley, where he now owns three hundred and twenty acres of land, and is engaged in farming. He was married, May 30,1858, to Miss Abbie Linder. They have one living child, Sarah E., and have lost three: Fannie, Richard and Carrie M.

D.O. Sleeper - Was born in Orange County, Vermont, November 27,1825, where he resided on a farm until twenty-three years of age. wben he went to Benton County, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. In May, 1852, he started across the plains for California, and arrived at Colfax October 6th of the same year. He engaged at once in mining, which he conducted, in connection with farming and teaming, until October 28,1857, when he came to Lake County, and located on his present place, about two miles above the town of Upper Lake, where he has continued to reside ever since. He is engaged in farming, stock raising and wool growing. Mr. Sleeper married, in May, 1852, Miss Mary J. Way, a native of Indiana. They have five living children: Eveline, Charles, Ed., Jennie M. and Katie. They have lost Frank, Albert and Lee.