Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Buck's Ranch And Valley 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

BUCK'S RANCH AND VALLEY.

   Eight miles from Meadow valley, on the road to Oroville, lies the well-known
landmark, Buck's Ranch. It is owned by William Wagner, one of the county
supervisors, and Mrs. Julia Haley, and consists of a hotel and store in which is
a post-office, large barns and farm buildings, and 1,200 acres of fine meadow,
hay, and grain land. In the autumn of 1850 Horace Bucklin and Francis Walker,
both from New York, located the valley. The honor of naming the place was
accorded to Horace Bucklin, and as he was usually spoken of as Buck, he called
it Buck's Ranch. In March, 1851, Colonel Healy became interested in the ranch,
and the same year bought the whole property. In the fall of 1852 he disposed of
a half-interest to Captain R. H. Fairchilds, and together they began the
erection of a house. Then a man by the name of Philpot purchased Colonel Healy's
interest, and the house was completed as it now stands, except a small addition
made at a later date. In 1854 Captain Fairchilds became sole proprietor, and
managed the place until 1859, when he sold it to Clark, Shannon, & Co. William
Wagner came to the ranch June 18, 1860, as a hired man, and worked, in company
with Mrs. Julia Haley, until 1863, when they purchased the place from the
creditors of Clark, Shannon, & Co., and have since so managed and made
improvements that it has become an exceedingly valuable property. The
post-office was established in 1861, and Mr. Wagner has been the postmaster from
the beginning. Buck's Ranch has always been an important station on the stage
and express route since its first establishment, and is the general supply point
for miners for a number of miles around. A large stock of goods is kept, and a
market supplies fresh meat to all who desire it. Many a man has been storm-staid
here for days, and the old expressmen and more recent stage-drivers can tell how
often they had just endurance enough to reach its hospitable doors before
falling exhausted with their efforts to battle with the fierce storms of winter,
and lie down in the snow to die. On the casing of a window is inscribed the
following: "I have been here six days; raining for the last 72 hours; the whole
valley submerged. Buck Whiting, Jan. 11, '62. Attest, L. G. Dawson, Mch. 5,'72."

   Mrs. Julia Haley filed a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the
United States February 18, 1876, doing so for the purpose of placing herself in
a position to acquire title to government land, such a step being necessary to
all persons of foreign birth. Of course no further steps were taken in the way
of naturalization. She is a most excellent and kind-hearted old lady, and scores
can testify to her many acts of charity and general kindness towards the weary
travelers on the road, coming in, as they often do, blinded and with weary and
frozen limbs from their struggles in the snow. She presides over the household
affairs, and the celebrity of her table for good things to eat has gone far and
wide. Another familiar face is that of Thomas, the Indian, who has been with
them since 1857.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/plumas/history/1882/illustra/bucksran126nms.txt

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