Yolo-El Dorado-Humboldt County CA Archives Biographies.....Oberhouse, William 1823 - ************************************************ 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 January 30, 2007, 10:21 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) WILLIAM OBERHOUSE, a Yolo County farmer, was born May 5, 1823, in Prussia, and was only six months old when his father died. In 1845 he emigrated to America, landing at New Orleans. The first five years in this country he was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, engaged as a ship-calker. In the spring of 1850 he came overland with mule teams to California, driving a team every day and having the ground only for a bed every night. He was just ninety days in making the trip, which was a pleasant one. He was among those who were the first to go upon the south side of the Humboldt, where there was plenty of feed. Arriving at Sacramento, the company disbanded and Mr. Oberhouse followed mining two months at Coloma, when he was taken sick and returned to Sacramento. Then he went by water from San Francisco to Humboldt County, being three weeks on the ocean. He visited Scott's River and Scott's Valley and Shasta Creek on mule-back, and, his mule becoming mired in the snow, he turned him down upon his side and dragged him down the hill by the tail! He stopped two weeks on Shasta, or Whisky Creek, and was raided one night by some Indians. Some of his company were killed and some robbed. He returned to Sacramento and drove a water-wagon until 1853, when he returned to Missouri by way of the Isthmus. Remaining at St. Louis until 1855, he came again to California, by way of the Isthmus. After visiting Sacramento and Yolo County, he took a piece of land in Solano County, which afterward proved to be grant land and he rented it for a time. Crossing the creek into Yolo County he purchased a squatter's claim to a tract which he has ever since made his home and which he has highly improved. There are now 480 acres of the homestead, and he raises hay, grain and live-stock. It is three miles east from Winters. Mr. Oberhouse was married in 1854, to Miss Frederica Bearnbum, a native of Prussia, and they have had three sons and four daughters, namely: Emma L., wife of George Sims; Ella L., George, William D., Louis E. and two deceased. All the sons are married. 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/yolo/bios/oberhous1159nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.3 Kb