|
Elisha was raised by an Uncle in Indiana until the age of 7 when he moved to live with another Uncle in Iowa. On March 25, 1850, he started from Iowa with an ox-team and provisions for the overland journey. His experiences although the Indian country
were trying, having to fight the redskins on four different occasions,
but he finally reached California on August 1, halting at Hangtown,
now Placerville. Until 1854 he worked in different mines along the
American river, but not with such success as his imagination had pictured ; so he came to Sacramento and engaged in teaming to the mines,
which promised an income sure and steady if not large. He busied
himself thus till 1857, most of the time quite profitably, so that lie
was able to buy twelve hundred acres in one body near Antelope,
Sacramento county, and go into farming and stock-raising which, with
dairying, have commanded liis attention to the present time. Alto-
gether he followed the dairy business aliout fifteen years, milking as
high as one hundred and fifty cows, and manufacturing butter for
eight years, following the latter enterprise by cheese making and dis-
posing of his product in Sacramento. His success as a rancher enabled him to amass a comfortable fortune and he is now living in well-
earned retirernent, though he is still giving watchful supervision to
his property, which is now devoted to raising cattle, mules and hogs.
He is assisted in the management of the ranch by Ricliard Clemons.
his son-in-law.
In Sacramento county, February 12:2, 1860, Mr. Driver married
Miss Mary E. Forsyth, who was born in Missouri and crossed the
plains with her parents in 1853. Mrs. Driver passed away in Sacra-
mento in 1903. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Driver the fol-
kiwing are living: Philip, a lawyer in Sacramento; Grant, who is
mining in Alaska; William S., a real-estate dealer of Sacramento;
Frank, also a lawyer in Sacramento; Charles, a rancher in this county;
Clarence, a rancher at Warner Lake, Ore.; Mrs. Birdenia Clemons,
who, with her husband, is included in her father's household; Abbie,
the wife of William Lewis, of Antelope; and Lester, a rancher near
the old home. Two children are deceased, Mrs. Elizabeth Dunlap, who
died at the age of thirty-two, and John when sixteen years old. Politically Mr. Driver is a Republican and has long been active in the
local work of his party, in which he has heen influential and helpful.
Source: "History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present;"
Elisha Driver served on the Center District school Board of Trustees from 1865 to 1908
His son, Charles Driver also served on the Board for 30 years.
last updated 30 Jan 2011
|
