Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Buckingham, Robert H. 1834 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 1, 2005, 4:08 pm

Author: Tom Gregory

JUDGE ROBERT H. BUCKINGHAM

   As long as Washington, or Broderick (or whatever the pretty riparian town on
the bank of the Rio Sacramento just opposite the state capital may be called),
exists, Judge Robert H. Buckingham will be remembered. As a fisherman on the
river, as a fish commissioner on duty throughout the state of California, as a
justice of the peace in his township and as an all-around citizen of Yolo county
he made good. The earliest thing that occurred in his life was his birth at New
Haven, Conn., in 1834. Naturally other things occurred there during his
seventeen years' residence in the old Nutmeg State, but they will not be
recorded here. When he left his native city he was on his way to gather some of
the gold he heard was to be found in distant California. The steamship Daniel
Webster, a historical old Atlantic liner, carried him and about eight hundred of
the west-bound tourists down to Greytown, making their way by Lake Nicaragua to
the Pacific side. It cannot be told how many of that number reached San
Francisco, but the subject of this sketch landed safely December 1, 1851. After
trying his " 'printice hand" at mining, however, without accumulating much of
the yellow mineral, he found himself where he is at present—in Washington, in
1852. Salmon were running freely in the clear waters of the Sacramento then, and
the young man from Connecticut went after them, and during many following years
he hauled in numberless nets full of the noble quinnat. In fact, he has been
connected with that industry nearly all his California life. It was a profitable
business when fish sold from the boats at forty and fifty cents per pound, and a
big salmon could produce many marketable pounds of the delicacy. When the
fishers packed for the mines they used ice that had been shipped around the Horn
all the way from Maine or Massachusetts, and sold here at fifteen cents a pound.
Later on the ice was brought from Alaska.

    In 1883 Judge Buckingham was appointed a state fish commissioner, serving
four years as president of the board—and not a better man for the place could
have been found. Under his management the industry flourished, there being over
fifteen hundred fishing boats on the river. In 1889 he engaged in the grocery
business in Washington and continued therein for ten years. He served as justice
of the peace of Washington township for twelve years. His political faith is
Democratic and for a long time he was an active member of the Democratic state
central committee. He was married in Sandwich, Ill., in 1861, to Miss Sarah Jane
White, a native of Washington county, N. Y., and they celebrated their golden
wedding in 1911. Their children are Fred M. and Henry. Fred married Miss Annie
Kemler, and they live in Paradise valley, Nevada; Frederick, Emilie and Jeanette
are their children. Henry, who resides in Washington, married Miss Maggie
Fisher, and to them were born Frank, Mildred, Florence and Helen.

    Judge Buckingham has retired from business and in his pleasant home in
Washington, on the green banks of the river he loves, he passes a quiet life. He
is still interested in the sport and old Izaak Walton himself was not more keen
to seek the "place of the finny prey." Many prominent professional men of the
state may remember with pleasure their fishing trips with the judge. With such a
guide and companion they had no trouble in catching a fine string. Judge
Buckingham is now the oldest resident of Washington, where he has been in
business since July, 1852.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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