Plumas-Tuolumne County CA Archives Biographies.....Edman, J. A. 
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Author: Fariss & Smith (1882)

J. A. EDMAN.—Among the pioneers of Plumas county, and one of its most persistent
and enterprising miners, we may also mention J. A. Edman of Mumford's hill, now
the principal owner of the Diadem quartz-mine and placer mines adjoining. Mr.
Edman is a native of Sweden, and came to California at an early day, arriving in
San Francisco in March, 1851. After some years spent in mining on the lower Yuba
and in Tuolumne county, he went northward, in company with his friend and
present partner, A. E. Malmlund, and at first settled at Rush creek during 1853,
where he mined for one year. Attracted by the fame of Eagle gulch, he went there
during the summer of 1854, and for some time mined near Taylor's gulch. We next
find him at work on Spanish creek, where he was quite successful. In October,
1856, Mr. Edman started on a visit to Sweden, where he remained for nearly a
year, studying chemistry, metallurgy, and mining, and visiting the principal
mines of Sweden and Norway. The next year he made a voyage of exploration to
Honduras, where he examined several of the gold and silver mines on the eastern
slope of the mountains. Compelled by ill health and the unsettled state of
political affairs to abandon his project of engaging in mining in Honduras, he
returned to California, arriving here in April, 1858. The first ripple of the
Fraser river excitement was then perceptible; and investing his last dollar in
an outfit, Mr. Edman left on the first steamer for the promised land, with as
rough a crowd as ever went out of San Francisco. For one year he tried his
fortune on the lower Fraser, with moderate success; but preferring the climate
of California, he returned again in 1859 to his former haunts, and for some
years found profitable employment mining in Cornelison's gulch. In 1864 he
purchased the Mumford's hill placer claims, and since then has resided at
Mumford's hill, chiefly engaged in the exploration and developments of the
Diadem ledge, discovered by himself and Mr. Malmlund in February, 1865. With
firm faith in his own judgment, with but little outside aid, and against the
unfavorable opinions and comments of other miners, Mr. Edman has steadily, if
slowly, developed his mine, until he now finds himself rewarded for his toil by
the possession of one of the most valuable mining properties of the state. Since
his return to California in 1859, Mr. Edman has been a close observer and
student of geology and connected sciences, and has embodied some of his
observations in an article for Raymond's "Mineral Resources," giving the geology
of the south-western part of Plumas county, while he also has contributed some
papers to the Geological Survey of California. From the data in his possession,
Mr. Edman intends to publish a more extensive work on the practical geology of
the county. Feeling a deep interest in the advancement of popular education, Mr.
Edman has served one term as superintendent of schools, and at present is a
member of the board of education of his county.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/plumas/bios/edman304nbs.txt

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