Was born in Springfield,
Illinois, August 11, 1849, and crossed the plains with his parents, Benjamin
Robert and Maria Biddle, in 1852, who settled in Salem, Oregon. In the
spring of 1853 they moved to Corvallis, Benton County, where they lived for
twenty-two years, engaged in business. Edwin was sent to the Pacific
University College, Forest Grove, Washington County, Oregon, where he
remained two years. On returning home, he took the place of clerk in his
father's drug store. In 1869 he came to San Francisco, California, and
entered upon the study of dentistry with Dr. S. H. Roberts. He served two
years, and then returned to Corvallis, opened an office and practiced his
profession until the fall of 1874, when he sold his office fixtures and
business and returned to California. In December, 1874, he opened an office
in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. June 13, 1875, he married Delora
Belle Allen, of San Francisco, the daughter of General James M. Allen. He
remained in Healdsburg until February 1877. Returned to San Francisco and
bought one-half interest in the practice of Dr. S. H. Roberts, his
preceptor. His health failing him, he sold his interest in December of the
same year, and on January 9, 1878, started for Arizona Territory. While
there he secured interest in mines and during the winter of 1878 and the
spring of 1879 erected a five-stamp quartz-mill. After completing the mill
he returned to Healdsburg where he is now following his profession, awaiting
the development of his mining interests.
Source: "History of Sonoma County, Cal.," Alley,
Bowen & Co., San Francisco, 1880, p. 501.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, July, 2007.
Among the representative
men and early settlers of Sonoma County, the subject of this sketch ranks
prominent. Mr. Bishop was born in Carter County, Tennessee, June 12, 1830.
In 1851, he removed to Iowa, and three months later settled in Jackson
County, Missouri, where he resided till the spring of 1852, when he started
for the Golden State. He arrived in California in the fall of 1852, first
settling at Diamond Springs, Placer County; Subsequently he removed to
Sacramento, arriving there just after the great fire of '52, and was also
there during the flood of 1852-3. In February, 1853, he left Sacramento for
the town of Sonoma, in Sonoma County, where he resided until the fall of
that year, working at his trade - carpentering. That fall he went to
Tuolumne County and engaged in mining till the spring following, when he
returned to Sonoma and resumed work at his trade. In the fall of 1854, he
was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Mendocino County and commissioned to take
charge of the Big River Saw-mills, under attachment. In the spring of 1855
he again returned to Sonoma, and was married May 3, 1855, to Miss Eliza
Smith. Mr. Bishop bought a farm that year, raised two crops, sold the place
in 1857, and settled in Petaluma. In May, 1858, he left Petaluma for the
northern part of Sonoma County, going into the mountains and locating what
is now known as the Rock Pile Ranch. He remained there for seven years and
engaged in cattle raising, when he sold his ranch and bought a farm at the
head of Dry Creek Valley. In 1865, he sold his farm and removed again to the
mountains, settling on the ranch where he now resides, and which he obtained
by purchase. His wife died in April, 1870; she was the mother of six
children, viz: John D., Grace Adalia, Henry, Mary, Annie and Jane. In
November, 1872, he was married to Mrs. Mary Burtenshaw, by whom he has one
child, Flora. Mr. Bishop's ranch is one of the best in Sonoma County and
devotes all of his attention to raising sheep. He is one of the most
widely-known and popular citizens of the county, being justly celebrated for
his overflowing hospitality - for of him it may truly be said that "the
latch-string always hang out." In the section where he lives he has been
ever active in promoting the general welfare, and owing to his influence and
exertion the otherwise isolated region of his home is blessed with a public
school and made accessible by a public highway. During Mr. Bishop's long
residence in Sonoma County he has attended, as a delegate, all but three of
his party's conventions, though never having sought nor consented to receive
an office - an instance of his public spirit and zeal in matters that
interest him.
Source: "History of Sonoma County, Cal.," Alley,
Bowen & Co., San Francisco, 1880, pp. 501-502.
Transcribed and submitted by Sally Kaleta, July, 2007.