Yolo-El Dorado-Sonoma County CA Archives Biographies.....Wyatt, James N. B. 1831 - 1911
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com January 18, 2006, 5:19 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

JAMES N. B. WYATT

    The era immediately following the discovery of gold witnessed the arrival in
California of thousands of eager young Argonauts and none among them was more
hopeful than James N. B. Wyatt. While the result of that trip was not an
immediate settlement in the west as a permanent home, the fascinations of the
country were so great that, later, after he had married and was earning a
comfortable livelihood in Missouri, he gave up everything there in order that he
might identify himself with the upbuilding of the west. Born in Boone county,
Mo., February 5, 1831, he had started with an expedition May 2, 1850, and had
furnished his quota of supplies necessary for the long journey across the
plains. After crossing the Missouri river at St. Joseph the emigrant train
followed the trail along the south side of the Platte river.

    The worst disaster in connection with the expedition was the outbreak of
cholera. Five wagons abandoned the train and the ranks of the remainder were
reduced by frequent deaths. In the hope of out-traveling the disease the
worn-out teams were pushed forward long after darkness, had veiled the earth.
Finally they reached the mountains and were able to secure pure fresh water,
which immediately stopped the trouble and from that time no trace of cholera
appeared to give new alarm to the emigrants. Unfortunately, after the cholera
disappeared there was a scarcity of provisions. Thousands of miles from any
habitation they found themselves reduced to a small supply of dried apples and
jerked meat. The emigrants became emaciated and one man was unable to leave the
wagon. The cattle had been worked so hard and fed so little that they were unfit
for food, the hide and bones presenting no attraction even for starving men. For
fourteen days they subsisted on apples and meat. Other wagons were so reduced in
supplies that they could not help the sufferers. On one occasion Mr. Wyatt saw a
man throw away a bacon rind. With the eagerness of a hawk for a young chicken he
picked up the discarded rind and eagerly swallowed it. In the search for food he
came to a camp and begged for something for the sick man in the wagon, but was
told that a pound of flour would cost him $2, and this sum he was obliged to
pay, both for flour and for bacon, at a station three hundred miles from Salt
Lake. At another trading post he was able to buy the same supplies for $1 per
pound.

    During the entire journey the fear of Indian attacks never left them. At one
place some Indians climbed into the wagons to search for food, but of course
found nothing. At one of the fords on the Humboldt river they showed
considerable hostility and there in 1852 they massacred a whole train of men and
women, carrying off two boys and four girls. Sometimes the emigrants quarreled
among themselves, but the only outbreak with serious consequences occurred when
Frank Shepherd was killed by another emigrant, who like himself came from Ohio.
The last three days of the journey were extremely trying, for the course of the
worn-out oxen and emaciated men took them through sage brush where water was
poor, where alkali was on every side and where dead horses and cattle could be
seen at frequent intervals on the road. The journey ended in the Sacramento
valley September 15, 1850, and soon afterward at Coloma, Eldorado county, Mr.
Wyatt met an uncle, Rev. Thomas Thompson, who was the first Christian preacher
in that region.

    The first sojourn of the young Missourian in California was marked by an
experience with mining around Coloma and with ranch pursuits at Napa as an
employe of John Stickter. On leaving Coloma he went to San Francisco and there
took passage for Panama on the "Golden Gate," a ship that on its next voyage
burned at sea, causing a total loss of passengers. Mr. Wyatt reached Missouri in
safety and at once took up farming pursuits. Soon afterward he married Ann
Williams, by whom he had the following-named children: M. Oscar, Frank M.,
Clarence E., Virginia (Mrs. Reuben B. Nissen), Flora E., Ella M., Emma L., May
D. and Lulu B. In 1864 the family crossed the plains and settled in Sonoma
county. During 1875 they removed to Maine Prairie in Solano county. In 1893 Mr.
Wyatt was engaged to take charge of the interests of his son-in-law, E. B.
Nissen, who owned a ranch near Capay, Yolo county. Eventually he established a
home at Winters and there, May 12, 1911, his life of usefulness came to an end.
Fraternally he held membership with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In
religion he was connected with the Christian Church. Politically he believed in
Republican principles, but went further in his beliefs than did his party, for
he included prohibition in his proposed ideal platform.

    The eldest son of J. N. B. Wyatt is Dr. M. O. Wyatt, now president of the
First National Bank of Winters. By his marriage to Lulu Shelford, of Cloverdale,
he has four children, Roy, Fred, Erna and Velma. The second son, Frank M. Wyatt,
who married Miss Nelia Shelford, of Cloverdale, formerly conducted a mercantile
business at Winters, but is now secretary and a director of the First National
Bank of Winters. The third son, Clarence E., who married Priscilla Hall, is
engaged in the jewelry business at Winters. All of the daughters are married
except the youngest, Miss Lulu, who is-assistant postmaster at Winters. Virginia
is the widow of R. B. Nissen, who was a well-known and highly respected citizen
of Yolo county; she had four children, Clarence, Claude, Babe (deceased), and
Frank. Flora married T. E. McFall, an undertaker at Winters; their family
includes the following-named children: Charles (deceased), Carl, Walter, Alfred,
Edgar (deceased), Claudia, Stella and Edith. Ella M. Wyatt married L. E.
Sturgill, of Oakland, Cal., and they had two children, Frank (deceased) and
Jessie. Emma L. is the widow of the late Dr. Gr. S. Conner of St. Helena, and
May D. married A. L. Marshall and resides at Winters. The widow of J. N. B.
Wyatt resides at her old home in Winters and now at the age of seventy-two years
she finds enjoyment in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.


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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