Sonoma-Placer-Nevada County CA Archives Biographies.....Needham, Festus 1834 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Needham, Festus. Was born in county Galway, Ireland, on January 3, 1834. In 1853
he emigrated to the United States and settled in Northumberland, Coos county,
New Hampshire, where he was engaged in railroading. After two years he emigrated
to California, via the Nicaragua route, and arrived in San Francisco October 13,
1855. He then went to Placer and Nevada counties, where he mined for seven
years. In 1857 he visited Petaluma for two months, again going to the mining
district. In 1864 he moved to the mines in Idaho, but the following year
returned to this State, going to Antioch, Contra Costa county, and was employed
by the Pittsburg Railroad Company as foreman and paymaster for two years. The
road was then in course of construction. His next move was to Scott county,
Minnesota, where he settled on a farm near Spring Lake, but only remained about
eighteen months, when he returned to California and took up his residence in
Petaluma, and was employed as foreman of the grading of the San Francisco and
North Pacific Railroad, from Donahue to Healdsburg. After the completion of the
work, he was appointed road master, holding this responsible position till 1873.
He was at the same time engaged in the grocery and liquor trade in East
Petaluma. On selling out this business in 1873, he moved to the west side of the
creek and opened a like business, which is continued to the present writing. Mr.
Needham married, on September 13, 1857, Miss Mary Kenney, who is a native of the
county of Galway, Ireland. Their children are: Mary Ann, born October 13, 1858;
Michael F., born May 24, 1861; Margaret, born November 14, 1866; Joseph, born
December 27, 1868, and William P. S., born April 19, 1873.

Additional Comments:
Petaluma Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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