Sonoma-Placer-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Singley, James 1817 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Singley, The Honorable James. Was born in Philadelphia, on April 25, 1817, where
he resided till 1836, then moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in March of that year.
From here he went to Norfolk, Virginia, where he enlisted in the United States
Marine Service and shipped on the vessel "North Carolina," touching at Rio De
Janeiro where they remained one month, then rounded Cape Horn, thence to
Valparaiso, Chili, and after a stay of six weeks at this port, proceeded to
Callao, South America. After nine months service at this place, the ship
returned to Valparaiso where the subject of this sketch left the service and
visited the interior of that country, returning to the city and sojourning one
year. In 1842 he again took up a seafaring life, which he followed for a number
of years, and during the time was Master of the ship "Cabija." In 1847 he took a
residence at Lima and Callao, where he was engaged in merchandising till late in
1848. On the first of January, 1849, he sailed on the steamship "California" for
this State, arriving in San Francisco on February 28th, of that year. He at once
proceeded to the mines on the middle fork of the American river, near Michigan
Bluff, and on his route passed through Sonoma. After remaining in the mines six
months,—he was obliged to leave on account of ill health—he came down
Sutterville, and there engaged with Messrs. McDougal and Blackburn as clerk.
This occupation he followed till the Fall of 1849, then moved to San Francisco.
Here—in 1850—he was joined by his wife from Peru, South America, where she had
lived during Mr. Singley's residence in this State. August, 1851, they settled
in Petaluma, and, with but few exceptions, their home has been here during all
these years, and he is now the oldest living settler in the city. In 1857 he was
elected to the lower house of the State Legislature, filling this responsible
position one year. He has also served three years as County Supervisor, and
during one term was elected President of the Board. He was appointed station
agent at Petaluma, for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and sold the first
railroad ticket in the county. He married in the city of Lima, Republic of Peru,
South America, Miss Jane Villalta. She was born in the city of Lima, Peru, South
America, on June 24, 1824. Their children are Mattie, now Mrs. Cox, born in
Callao, March 13, 1848; Mary, now Mrs. Field, born February 20, 1851; Helen,
born February 18, 1853; James A., born January 25,1856; Charles E., born May 2,
1858; George W., born July 7, 1860; Katie, born December 11, 1862; Frank R.,
born February 4, 1865; Gertrude, born April 1, 1867.

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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