| Notes |
- Things to do:
1. Check Napa and Brentwood newspapapers
2 Deeds in both counties as well as Berkeley.
3. Death notices and wills
Timeline for Erasmus Dorwin Grigsby:
1841 E D born Wright County, Missouri
1850 Census lived in Laclede County which was previously Wright County, Missouri
1852 age 11 moved with his parents by wagon train to Napa County, CA
1860 Census listed in Yount township, Napa county, CA with his parents.
1864 age 23 Married Elmira Miller in Napa County, CA
1866 Jul 2, daughter Laura Susan born Napa County
1867 Mar 20, son, Warren Miller born Napa County
1868 leased land in Contra Costa County, CA
1870 Mar 14, daughter Lillie Jane born Brentwood, Contra Costa, CA
1870 Census, listed with wife and three children in Yount, Napa County, California
1872 Mar 2, son Byron Lindsay born Brentwood, Contra Costa, CA
1875 took a trip to Texas
1880 Census listed in Contra Costa County, CA with wife and four children plus wife's mother and her
grand daughter, 2 servants, and three laborers. 1900 Census, listed in Contra Costa, County with wife, 2 sons and 1 boarder.
1910 Census listed in Berkeley, Alameda, CA with wife and 1 servant
1912 Sep 18 died in Berkeley, Alameda, CA, age 70
1923 23 Jan Elmira died in Oakland, California, 2 days before her 74th birthday
Erasmus Dorwin Grigsby and Elmira Miller were married 28 Oct 1864 in Napa County, California. Elmira was only 15 at the time. Elmira's father had brought his family to Napa from Oregon, presumably by wagon, only a few years previous. Elmira and Dorwin were the parents of 4 children; Laura, Warren, Lillie, and Byron. After Laura was born, the family moved to Contra Costa County in California.
Elmira was born 20 Jan 1849 in DuPage County, Illinois; the only child of Daniel and Laura (Crumb) Miller. It is believed Laura died during or shortly after giving birth. When just a few years old, Elmira moved to Washington County, Oregon with her father and soon after removed to California with her father, step mother and half sister, Matilda. Elmira was often sick. Her grandson, Russell Collis, remembers being at his Grandma and Grandpa Grigsby's house in Berkeley and practicing the piano according to Grandma's (Elmira's) wishes. Uncle Bryon would sneak Russell out the back door to a baseball game when Grandma wasn't looking. Russell remembers riding in a surrey with a fringe on top. It is said Elmira practiced the Christian Scientist faith. She died from heart disease in Oakland in 1923 just 4 days short of age 74.
Erasmus or Dorwin as he was called was born 2 Oct 1841 in Wright County, Missouri. He was the 2nd of 8 children born to Terrell and Cynthia Grigsby. He came with his parents, Terrell and Cynthis Grigsby, to California by wagon train in the spring of 1852, at age 11. In 1868 he leased land in Contra Costa County and in Stanislaus County. He later sold all his stock and farming implements, and made a trip to Texas and returned in June, 1875. The next spring he purchased a quarter section, situated some 2 1/2 miles from Brentwood station, on the Central Pacific Railroad, four mile north of Point of Timber, and engaged in general farming. He was one of the most successful farmers of the county. He plowed with 8 mules and a jerkline. He was well liked. Dorwin became sick and he and Elmira moved to Grand Street in Berkeley. Byron took over the homestead. Dorwin died in Berkeley from heart disease in 1912 at just short of 80 years of age. Upon his death each of his children received 45 acres of land in Brentwood.
(See copy of "the History of Contra Costa County" SF, 1882, W. A. Slocum and Co. pg 570. and "Illustrations of Contra Costa County", 1878, pg 29.
Methodist Church at Point of Timber (50 members)
Have a picture of him and his wife.
Have copy of their marriage License. (father had to give consent as Elmira was underage at the time of her marriage- is listed as age 16)
!DEATH: State file #30376 vol. 3 pg 4257 (I have another state file #25627) Have a copy of his death certificate.
1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Arasmus D Grigsby
Age: 8
Birth Year: abt 1842
Birthplace: Missouri
Home in 1850: District 45, Laclede, Missouri
Gender: Male
Family Number: 290
Household Members: Name Age
Leonell L Grigsby 31
Cynthia Grigsby 31
Robert T Grigsby 11
Arasmus D Grigsby 8
Elfonza D Grigsby 6
Mary Susan Grigsby 2
*1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Erasmus B Grigsby
Age in 1860: 18
Birth Year: abt 1842
BirthPlace: Missouri
Home in 1860: Yount, Napa, California
Gender: Male
Post Office: Sebastopol
Household Members: Name Age
Terril l Grigsby 42
Sinthea Grigsby 42
Erasmus B Grigsby 18
Elfonga d Grigsby 16
Mary S Grigsby 13
Laura J Grigsby 9
Orina E Grigsby 6
Thos A Grigsby 2
James H Grigsby 1
James Edington 21
Wm Alred 30
Alfred Boyd 25
1870 United States Federal Census
Name: E D Grigsby
Age in 1870: 29
Birth Year: abt 1841
Birthplace: Missouri
Home in 1870: Yount, Napa, California
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Napa City
Value of real estate:
Household Members: Name Age
E D Grigsby 29
Almira Grigsby 21
Laura S Grigsby 4
Warren M Grigsby 3
Infant Grigsby 3/12
*1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Erasmus D. Grigsby
Home in 1880: Township 5, Contra Costa, California
Age: 39
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
BirthPlace: Missouri
Relation to head-of-household: Self
Spouses's Name: Elmira
Father's birthplace: TN
Mother's birthplace: NC
Occupation: Farmer
Marital status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
Erasmus D. Grigsby 39
Elmira Grigsby 30 wife born Illinois
Laura S. Grigsby 13 daugh
Warren M. Grigsby 13 son
Lillie J. Grigsby 10 daugh
Byron L. Grigsby 8 son
Mary J. Miller 53 wife's mother nurse
Tillie M. Huey 5M boarder
Jack Ellsworth 50 servant farm labor
Jim Ah 17 servant cook on farm
Thomas Murphy 27 labor
Edward Ferguson 33 labor
William O Brien 30 labor
*1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Erasmus H Grigsby
Home in 1900: Supervisors District 5, Contra Costa, California
Age: 58
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1842
BirthPlace: Missouri
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Spouses's Name: Elmira
Race: White
Household Members: Name Age
Erasmus H Grigsby 58
Elmira Grigsby 51
Warren M Grigsby 32
Byron L Grigsby 28
Edward Elway 16 boarder
*1910 United States Federal Census
Name: Erasmus D Grigsby
Age in 1910: 68
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1842
BirthPlace: Missouri
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Tennessee
Mother's Birth Place: North Carolina
Spouses's Name: Elmira
Home in 1910: Berkely, Alameda, California
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
Erasmus D Grigsby 68
Elmira Grigsby 66
Fannie Bennink 35 servant
|
1841 - 1912 (70 years)
