William Haslam

William Haslam, of Pleasant Valley, was born December 17,1828, in Manchester, England. His father, Peter Haslam, was born in England, and his mother, nee Judy Curry, was born in Ireland. They had a family of six boys and two girls. Mr. Haslam was the fourth child. In 1836, when he was eight years of age, his parents came to the United States, and settled in the northern part of New York. He attended the public school there, and at the age of twelve he began to do farm work, spent one summer on a boat and continued on a farm until eighteen years of age. He then went to learn the wagon-maker's trade, which trade he followed for six years and then went back to farming, and for a time engaged in brick-making. In 1852 he removed to Illinois, where he remained three years, when he moved to Iowa and bought one-fourth section of Government land. After a time he sold that and went to Missouri and bought a farm. He remained there until 1884, when he sold out and carne to California for the benefit of his step-daughter's health, and purchased 280 acres of railroad land and took up 160 acres of Government land in Pleasant Valley. Here he built his residence and other buildings, and has improved the property, and has 160 acres fenced. He is carrying on a grain and stock farm, raising horses, mules and cattle.

He was married in 1850 to Miss Lucinda Stewart, a native of Canada. One of her parents was Scotch and the other American. They had twelve children. She died in Missouri, in 1868, leaving him with a large family of small children.

Source: An Illustrated History of Southern California; pub. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1890.

Related Links:

• California Genealogy and History
• Missouri Genealogy
• Haslam Surname Genealogy

 

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