Dear Cousins:
Here's a biography written by Charles Hunter about his
gggrandfather James Leander Cathcart Sherwin. It's an
eye opening chapter in the history of the west. We
have to thank the Sherwin family diaries and our
cousin Charles Hunter for this wonderful tale. I
think that James Leander Cathcart Sherwin definitely
embodies the intiative, curiosity, and civic spirit of
his name sake James Leander Cathcart who was born in
Ireland and died in Washington, D. C. in 1843.
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 14:26:52 -0700
From: charles hunter <hunter.charles(a)comcast.net>
To: "Cathcart, Delphine" <ddc94559(a)yahoo.com>
Subject: J.L.C.
JAMES LEANDER CATHCART SHERWIN
J.L.C. Sherwin, 9/10/1825--12/3/1918, someone pointed
out that that dashis about a whole lifetime. To fill
in that dash by writing the biographyof someone who
has been dead 86 years is difficult. No one alive
today remembersthe person himself. But his deeds are
told and retold, and that is hearsayfor the most part.
I#8217;m going to put down what I have learned, and
I#8217;ll tryto indicate where the facts and the
inferences are.
Both of J.L.C.#8217;s grandfathers fought in the
Revolutionary War. Hugh Mulloy,his maternal
grandfather, worked his way up to Major in George
Washington#8217;sArmy. He was severely wounded twice
in the battle of Monmouth, and had tobe discharged as
unfit for further duty. Supposedly his discharge was
signedby Washington and Lafayette, but was destroyed
when the British burned Washington,D.C. in the war of
1812. He was the last surviving veteran in the
stateof Ohio, dying 11 July 1845.
Elnathan Sherwin, his paternal grandfather, also
fought in the RevolutionaryWar enlisting as a
lieutenant in Clinton#8217;s Fort militia (his
father, alsoElnathan, also fought in the Revolutionary
War near Canada). Jr. was in thebattle of Saratoga. I
believe all three were awarded land in Ohio for
theirservice in the war (they all came from New
England). One of Elnathan Jr.#8217;sbrothers went
into partnership with a Williams, starting
Sherwin-WilliamsPaints.
J.L.C.#8217;s parents were William Sherwin and Martha
Mulloy. One of Martha#8217;ssisters, Charlotte,
married a David Cathcart who had an uncle, father
(thereis no record or a marriage though) or possibly a
brother, James Leander Cathcart (Navy pension number
12413 Rev. War). This relative had been captured
bythe British in the Revolutionary War, escaped from a
prison ship in New YorkHarbor, and rejoined the fight.
He continued to serve in the U.S. Navy,and was
captured by the Barbary Pirates in Algeria and held
for 11 years. I#8217;m not sure if he was ransomed
(the USA did ransom some 200-300 prisonerin 1805),
released by the U.S. Navy or if he escaped, but he did
return toTripoli as an Consul General of the U.S. at
Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli for9 years, then at Madeira
for 9 years then Consul at Cadiz for 3 years.
Hereturned and was Agent of the U.S. in Louisiana for
one year then moved toD.C. He must have been held in
high esteem by William and Martha as theynamed their
second son after him (their first son was named
Justice).
James was born in Point Pleasant, Claremont Co., Ohio,
September 10, 1825,the second of 7 living children. I
know nothing of his early life thereother than they
were neighbors of the Grant family (U.S. Grant).
Accordingto his granddaughter, Dorothy Sherwin Vellom
Joseph, J.L.C#8217;s sister, Suzanna,made a reference
to his being educated
#
at his uncle#8217;s (unspecified) Clermont Academy.
The family moved to or aroundFalmouth,
Pendelton Co., Kentucky in 1844.
His future bride, Nancy Colvin, was 11 that year.
He, of course, was 19that year (her birthday was 21
September, 1833). Again, we don#8217;t know muchabout
them during this time. He did give her a photograph
before leavingfor California in 1849, and they
corresponded by mail according to familylore.
There are shipping records of James and his brothers
William and Hugh arrivingin San Francisco, California
by ship in 1849. Family lore has them crossingMexico
and catching a ship from there, or, crossing the
Isthmus of Panamaand catching a ship from there.
Historically, either was possible. Thenext I can find
is that they are in Plumas Co. His brother, Hugh,
died 22March, 1857 in Plumas Co. J.L.C. undoubtedly
sought gold, but he found surerways to make money. He
went into storekeeping business with John W.
Thompsonat Nelson Point. He also built a flume and
sold the water carried by itto miners. He built a saw
mill at Independence Bar on the Middle Fork ofthe
Feather River. And he opened Sherwin House, also at
Independence Bar. Everything in the area has been
destroyed by fire or fires. There isn#8217;t now,any
evidence of the flumes ever being there.
In February of 1854, the county sheriff arrested him
-- with 11 others --on a charge of vigilantism. The
others paid bail, but J.L.C. refused toon principle,
so spent a month or so in jail. The judge dismissed
the chargein April. It seems the group held a trial
of an accused murderer, foundhim not guilty because of
extenuating circumstances and let him go. Thatis
different from what we usually think of vigilanteism.
He seemed to be active in local affairs as well. In
1855 he was appointedthe only known
#8220;Pathmaster#8221; of the area. In this capacity
he kept the manypaths to the outside world as well as
other mining areas in good conditionby either,
requiring work to be done on paths or fines paid by
the communitiesso that the paths could be kept up. He
was elected unanimously presidentof the Democratic
County Convention in 1856. He was elected to the
statelegislature in 1857 as a Democrat. The ninth
session of the legislatureconvened on Jan. 4, 1858.
He and S.A. Ballou are mentioned as part of themake up
from Plumas County. In the diary of #8220;
California#8217;s Bantam Cock#8221; (Calif.Historical
Society, Vol. 9 Pg. 250 & 269). The diary again,
February11, 1858, #8220;On hand at roll call. In the
afternoon took a recess and wentat the Vigilance Bill.
Stafford of Placer, Street of Shasta, Stout of
Sacramentoand Sherwin of Plumas, all pitched in
against the bill and closed with Mooreof S.F...#8221;
one wonders which side Sherwin was on. I would guess
that becauseof what happened in 1854 and then later in
1871, he was for Vigilance committees.
#
The diary cited, didn#8217;t give a closing date, but
on Monday, April 26, thehouse convened
as usual, then on April 27, the author
(California#8217;s Bantam Cock) cashedhis scrip and on
the
28th bid adieu to the Governor (Waller). . J.L.C.
must have been a goodwalker, because
at the close of the session, he challenged fellow
legislators to a footrace back to Plumas County,
willing to bet $1000 he would win (no takers). In the
early years, the term, like now, was for two years,
but then the legislaturemet only one of the two years.
Apparently they only met for 4 months inthat year.
Correspondence (unspecified person) in the PLUMAS
STANDARD fondly rememberedSherwin#8217;s contribution
to Nelson Point:
#8220;...I believe my authority will abundantly
justify me in saying that J.L.C. was a great man. He
was an active, bustling sort of man, and positivelythe
greatest talker that ever lived. Mr. Peter Newsby, in
speaking of theloquacious tendencies of this great man
once said, in my presence, that J.L.C.always put him
in mind of a bumble-bee. But let us be a little more
seriousfor once-- Sherwin was enterprising, ambitious,
and full of romantic schemes. he quit merchandising in
#8216;53, to engage in a mining enterprise. By his
indomitableenergy in the spring of #8216;54 two large
flumes sprung up like magic. Theyconveyed water to
the
miners on the bars and flats of the creek and river
for a distance of aboutthree miles. The
flumes cost about $25,000, were only moderately good
property, but a perfectGod-sent to the people of
Nelson. He represented our county in the
assembly,during the session of 1857, and was honest
and faithful. That you will admitis saying a great
deal for a California
assemblyman. Sherwin left his mark on Nelson Point,
as indeed he will dowherever he may wander. Many
laughed at his road scheme, and more, perhaps,at his
political course; but we had better all admit at once
that the roadhe worked so hard to get through is
sorely needed at this time...Had we hadsome more men
in the county of Sherwin#8217;s public spirit, it
would have beena great deal better for us.#8221;
(from the book NELSON POINT by David F. Matusak).
He sold his stores and other businesses in Plumas
County to John Thompson,signing the deeds on November
6, 1858, and was married in Falmouth, Kentuckyon
December 16, 1858. I assume he took a packet to S.F.,
a ship to Panama,then he could have taken the newly
constructed train across Panama or walkedto the
Atlantic side, caught a ship to New Orleans and
finally a riverboatup to Kentucky. Anyway, he made
the trip in at most a month and 10 days.
In April of 1859, they leave for the West. Nannie
becomes very ill in St.Louis. The next date I have for
them is from Nancy#8217;s diary of their wagontrip to
California. She wrote the diary from the day they
left until thepages were full, which was in Nevada.
If there was a second diary, it hasnot been found.
She wrote in pencil and the writing was fading, so I
#
donated the diary to the Bancroft Library at the
University of Californiawhere it can be
preserved. They were delighted to get it. Though they
have many diariesof pioneers coming West, they had
none written by a woman. It opens on May10, 1859 in
Bloomington Iowa. J.L.C.#8217;s sister, Nancy, and
her husband, Dr. Lancelot
Carr and their children, Charlie, Lizzie, and Nanny
(that makes 3 Nancyson the trip); a Mr. William Miller
and his wife and children, Arthur andElla; William
Fee, George Jones; and James#8217; cousin Uriah were
on the train. We believe it started in Iowa because
that is as far as the railroad went. Nancy
doesn#8217;t say it, but she was pregnant and had a
hard time on the journeyacross the nation. She lost
the baby, and family lore has it that they
#8220;adopted#8221;an Indian baby to soothe
Nancy#8217;s loss. After a month, the Indian
familyasked her for the baby and, of course, she gave
it up.
They arrived in Plumas County in December of 1859. In
1860, J.L.C. was electedthe Public Administrator in
Plumas Co. On 27 June, 1860, they are listedin the
1860 census. Living with them was Uriah Sherwin.
James is listedas a farmer with property valued at
$5,700. Their residence was listed asAmerican Valley,
Plumas Co., CA.
I don#8217;t know when they sold out and moved to
Ophir City, Nevada. But theirfirst daughter, Lillie
Mae, was born there on 17 May, 1863, as was
NannieMinor Sherwin, their second
daughter on 31 July, 1865. James was in the lumber
business there. He supposedlyfailed in business
there. But for whatever reason, we find him in Inyo
County,for their third daughter, Martha Katherine
Sherwin was born in Round Valley,Inyo Co., CA on 11
February, 1867. I could find no history of Ophir
City,NV.
On September 17, 1871, 29 convicts escaped from the
Nevada State Prison atCarson City. 6 of them made
their way to what is now Convict Lake. Therethey set
an ambush and killed the posse leader, Robert
Morrison, and anothermember of the party. They
murdered and mutilated a postal worker after usinghim
as hostage. Three of the convicts then went to Long
Valley and RoundValley. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, they
were captured by J.L.C. and 5 others. They were turned
into the sheriff. On the way back to Nevada,
vigilantesstopped the wagon, tried them and hanged the
two major killers, and sentthe third convict back to
Nevada prison. My resource (The Murders at
ConvictLake, by George Williams III) didn#8217;t state
who the vigilantes were.
Again, according to his granddaughter Dorothy), from
the late 1870#8217;s throughthe 1880#8217;s, he owned
and ran a lumber mill in Mammoth Lakes, Mono
County,Calif. It was known as Sherwin Shake and
Shingle Mill located on SherwinCreek in Old Mammoth.
I have seen relics of the mill in the museum at
MammothLakes State Park, attributed to the Sherwin
Mill. I have heard stories ofhow the family would
summer in Mammoth and winter in Round
#
Valley. On 20 Aug., 1880 he recorded his 160 acre
homestead known as the#8220;Sherwin
ranch in Bridgeport, Mono County also in Independence,
Inyo County In 30Sept. 1883 he recorded 160 more acres
in Mono Co. This land includes muchof RockCreek. He
bought 160 acres from Mary Cornwell on 7 April, 1885
adjacentto the land he had bought in 1883 and now
sold to his brother Tom.
His Round Valley home still has the foundation of the
house and the cellarthere. In 1985, my son, Steven,
and I went there and took some cuttingsof grapes
planted (we think) by J.L.C. and brought them to our
homes wherewe have them growing. From a vintner in
Livermore, Steve found out theyare mission grapes .
My great Aunt Kate in her memoirs, mentioned
cominginto the valley from Mammoth and being greeted
by Mrs. Sherwin who had asoft Kentucky drawl. They
were treated to watermelon and grapes and toldto rest
there for a while. This was in 1895.
We know that J.L.C. had scraped a road into the valley
from the Mammoth area, we believe in the 1870#8217;s
and charged toll to use it. The grade is stillcalled
Sherwin Grade on highway 395, but the road now takes a
more directroute to the valley as cars can more easily
handle the steep grade. Thereare still parts of the
original road to be found by the wagon tracks wornin
the rocks. He also built a saw mill on Rock Creek.
We could find whereit was by the pond that is still
there, but no other sign of the mill exists.
Again, granddaughter Dorothy Joseph remembers a story
about James takingit upon himself to make sure the
local Indians claimed land through the HomesteadAct,
so that they wouldn#8217;t lose their ancestral lands.
This action was notlooked upon favorably by some of
his Caucasian neighbors. However, on 28Feb. 1886
J.L.C. was elected chairman of the Cooperative Union
of Owens ValleyFarmers and Producers, so I suppose the
hard feelings weren#8217;t widely held. The meetings
took place in the Bishop Creek Methodist Church (which
laterwill have a large stained glass window to honor
Nancy after her death in1905).
His first daughter made a bad marriage, and had to
divorce her husband. Nancy and J.L.C. took the three
children in and raised them (one was my grandmother).
Nancy died 5 May, 1905. Family lore has it that
doctors told her when shewas 16 that she wouldn#8217;t
live to see her 20th birthday. She not only livedto
see her 71st birthday, but had 6 living children.
James died December 3, 1918 in his 94th year. Both
are buried in the Bishopcemetery,
#
section 7, row 3 and graves 23 and 24. There were no
markers, so on Oct.13, 1994 I had
markers put on in a ceremony. The two descendants
there were granddaughterDorothy, and myself,
great-great grandson. Many descendants helped me
payfor the markers
which are brass. On J.L.C.#8217;s I had #8220;A Man
to Match the Mountains#8221; put onbecause of the
inscription over the supreme court building in
Sacramentowhich states, #8220;Send me men to match my
mountains.#8221; On Nancy#8217;s I had themput
#8220;Pioneer Woman#8221;, which I thought was a high
honor.
Various land forms are named for J.L.C. Sherwin. They
are; in Mono County,Sherwin Grade, Sherwin Hill,
Sherwin Lakes, Sherwin Meadow, Sherwin Creek(and its
state campground) and Sherwin Summit. In Plumas
County, SherwinRavine.
Besides the census reports of various decades and
Revolutionary War Pensions,I used the shipping
arrivals at the Mormon Family History Center for a
lotof information. I also used notes from Dorothy
Sherwin Vellom Joseph, WilliamSmith and Nicky Minor.
And I found deeds in Quincy, Plumas Co.
Books:
California Historical Society, vol. 9, pages 250 and
269
Diary of Nancy Colvin Sherwin
History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties 1513-1882
by Fariss &Smith
Murders at Convict Lake by George Williams III
Nelson Point by David Matusek
Precious Lading by Kate Bigelow Montague
The Sherwin Files by Genevieve Garst
submitted by:
Charles R. Hunter, son of
Muriel Bigelow Hunter, daughter of
Blanch Brooks Bigelow, daughter of
Lillie Mae Sherwin Brooks, daughter of
James L.C. Sherwin
For those who are decendents of J.L.C. and Nancy E.
(Colvin) Sherwin, herparents were:
Birkett (1792-1873) and Nancy (Minor) Colvin
(1797-1883)
grandparents:
Henry (1762-1839) and Catherine (Williams) Colvin
(1760-1842 & Waller(1773-1836) and Mary (Colvin)
Minor (1776-1825