Shasta County
Biographies
FRANCIS CONNELLY
came to California in 1850 and is consequently one of the early settlers of the country who have acted their humble part in founding this great State. He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, June 28, 1817. His parents, John and Nancy (Bard) Connelly, were intelligent and industrious Irish people, who came to the United States in 1821, settling at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where they resided and raised their children. Five of their nine children are still living. Mr. Connelly, the subject of this sketch and their eldest son, learned the trade of carpentry in Pennsylvania, worked there on a farm a few years, and removed to Iowa and purchased a farm of ninety-six acres, which he cleared and where he built a residence; at times he worked also at his trade. He sold his Iowa property and came to California in 1850, and mined on Scott River and at French Gulch. He had good claims, but was not an experienced miner and did not know how to make the best of it; yet did fairly well. Ten men of them in one afternoon on Scott’s Run took out $2,000. In 1852 he went back to Iowa and remained there eight years, and in 1860 returned to California and settled eighteen miles below Sacramento on a farm. Sickness drove him from that place and he went to Yolo County, purchased property, built a house and worked at his business there ten years, when he sold and went to Millville and took up 160 acres of Government land. After improving the claim he soon exchanged it for another place, and after making some improvements there, he sold it and moved into the town of Millville, purchased lots, built a house and shop and has resided there since, following the carperters’ wagon-making and undertakers’ trades.
In 1842 he was married to Miss Rebecca Bates, a native of the State of New Jersey and they have had seven children, six of whom are living, namely: Joseph, John, Jackson, Sarah Ann, Jefferson and Eliza.
Mr. Connelly is a Democrat and a strong temperance man, belonging to the Good Templars. He is an honest and reliable citizen and makes his money by his industry.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California,
The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
DALLAS POSTON
is the dispenser of justice in his section of Shasta County, as well as a farmer on a large scale on what is known as the Lilly ranch, one of the best ranches in that part of the county. He is of good old Virginia and Kentucky stock, which came originally from Scotland. His grandfather, Henry Poston, was born in Kentucky, and was a soldier in the war of 1812; his father, William Harrison Poston, was born in Virginia, and was a soldier in the Mexican war; his son, the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia January 9, 1844, and he also served his country in the great civil war. He enlisted in Company K, of the Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, when a youth of only seventeen, and was consequently too young to receive promotion; but he was promoted before the close of the war to the position of Second Sergeant. His mother, Louisa (Johnson) Poston, was a native of Virginia, and he was the second child of a family of nine children.
After his service in the army he turned his attention to farming in Missouri for a time, and then emigrated to Kansas and purchased 160 acres of land, upon which he built and which he otherwise improved. In April, 1873, he came to Lake County, California, and worked in the quicksilver mines successfully four years. He then started and ran a meat-market six years, when he sold and removed to Middletown, in that county, and ran the Lake County Hotel for a year. Then, in 1887, he went to the Lilly ranch in Shasta County, where he now resides, and is sowing about 320 acres of land to wheat, barley and oats.
Mr. Poston was married in 1864, to Miss Mary Jane Funk, a native of Missouri, and they have had nine children, seven of whom are living, namely: William H., Cory B., Winnie E., born in Missouri; Sarah and Chas. A., born in Kansas, and Ira, Emery, Evan and Omar, born in California. Mr. Poston’s political views are Democratic. He has held the office of Supervisor in Lake County for several years and now holds the office of Justice of the Peace in Shasta County. He is a member of the A.O.U.W. and of the I.O.O.F., and has been District Deputy in both orders.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California,
The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler