Tehama-Butte County CA Archives Biographies.....Barham, James Louis 1852 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 6, 2007, 11:55 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) JAMES LOUIS BARHAM is one of the prominent citizens of Tehama County, California. He was born near Springfield, Missouri, October 2, 1852, and is the son of John and Arabella (Swagerty) Barham. His parents were born in Kentucky, and their ancestors for many generations were natives of that State. They crossed the plains to California in 1857, spent two years at North San Juan, and in 1859 settled in Chico, Butte County. The subject of this sketch is said to have been the first boy who went to Chico to reside. He lived there continuously for twenty-two years, and his parents still reside at that place. Mr. Barham is the oldest of a family of eight children. His education was received at Chico. He earned his first dollar by washing bottles for Hon. E. P. Pond, present Mayor of San Francisco, who is now (1890) the Democratic candidate for Governor of California. Mr. Barham was the pioneer expressman of Chico. He carried the express for Wells, Fargo & Co., and the mail for a number of years. He subsequently accepted a position as clerk for G. W. Dorn & Co., dealers in general merchandise, and was in their employ seven years. He then spent a year in Tombstone, after which he returned and accepted a clerkship with Cone & Kimball, of Red Bluff. For six years he was employed by that firm, and during that time he became widely and favorably known as a most obliging and competent business man. In 1886 he was chosen by the Democratic party as their candidate for County Assessor. He made a lively and spirited canvass, speaking all over the county. His opponent had held the office for thirteen years, but Mr. Barham was elected by a majority of 354 votes, carrying every precinct except two. He entered upon the duties of his office determined to conduct it in accordance with the law and without being influenced by either party or property. Many of the papers in the office, that would have been of value to him, were destroyed by the former incumbent, which made his duties much more difficult; but he succeeded in reducing the taxation of the county $1.10 per hundred less than the average of the three best years of his predecessor, and he found and assessed 70,734 acres of land in the county that had before escaped taxation. In 1890, without opposition, he was renominated by his party and elected over the strongest man in the Republican party by a majority of 295. Mr. Barham was married November 25, 1875, to Miss Georgia Holcomb, a native of St. Louis, California. They have one child, Courtney, born in Chico. Mr. Barham is the owner of a comfortable home in Red Bluff. Our subject is a prominent Mason, has been and is Master of Vesper Lodge, No. 84, and is Inspector of the district, appointed by Grand Master Estee. Mr. Barham is also a Knight Templar. His wife is a member of the Episcopal Church, and his political views are Democratic. He is a business man of ability and enterprise, and a citizen every way worthy of the confidence and respect of the people of the county. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/barham686gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb