Amador County

Biography of Marcellus A. Nurse of Yolo County

Marcellus A Nurse

Marcellus A. Nurse, a prominent civil engineer and state surveyor of California, contributed to the state’s public works, especially in reclamation and irrigation. Born in Ohio in 1846, he followed in his father’s footsteps, who was also an engineer and pioneering Californian. Nurse’s work included improving the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers’ navigation and irrigation systems. He had extensive farming and mining interests and was married with seven children. Although a Democrat, he remained largely apolitical, focusing on his engineering duties that have garnered legislative support.

Biography of Peter J. Wolfsen of Merced

1925 History of Merced County - title page

A native son of California, born near Oleta, Amador County, on August 8, 1866, Peter J. Wolfsen is the eldest of nine children born to Henry C. and Amelia (Howell) Wolfsen, pioneers of that county. Henry C. Wolfsen was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and came to California during the Gold Rush, via the Panama route. He engaged in work, first in the Southern Mines, later in the silver mines in Nevada, and also in sawmill work, finally devoting his whole energies to agriculture. In the fall of 1875, he moved to Merced County, and located on the old Crawford ranch, … Read more

Biography of John Henry Alexander of El Monte California

Alexander, John H. Grave Marker

Although living but two years after his arrival in El Monte, John H. Alexander was well known in the vicinity and left a family which was to have much to do with the activity and future development of the town.

Born in 1829, a native of South Carolina, Mr. Alexander was educated in the public schools of his home community where he remained until after he was twenty years of age. In 1849, he crossed the plains to California by ox-team, coming first to the gold fields in the northern part of the state. Here he remained for several years engaged at mining. For a time as foreman of a mine in Drytown, Amador County, and later in Calaveras County in the same line of work.