John J. Dickinson - This worthy and much respected citizen of Napa County is the son of John M. and Evalina Middleton Dickinson, and was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 10,1829, where he attended the common schools, and afterwards was educated at a private academy taught by Jonathan Collom. At the age of eighteen, September 3,1847, Mr. Dickinson went to Cincinnati and there remained about eighteen months. He then moved to St. Louis, and there embarked in the clothing business, and there resided until he came to California, his departure from that place occurring in February, 1854. In company with his young wife he sailed from New Orleans via the Nicaragua route, and arrived in San Francisco April 19,1854. He spent two months in sight-seeing on this coast, and then in company with, and under the firm-name of William Mentz & Co., he started the first cheap newspaper published on this Coast, under the title of Town TaUc, this small sheet being the beginning of what is now the most valuable paper in the State, the Morning Call. Mr. Dickinson remained in this firm for eighteen months, and then moved to Crescent City, then Klamath County, but now Del Norte, and there engaged in merchandising, in which he continued for the succeeding thirteen years, in the meantime taking an active part in the formation of the latter county. He also served one term as County Judge, and received a re-nomination in 1872, but declined owing to his previous arrangements to leave the county. In September, 1873, Mr. Dickinson located in St. Helena and engaged in merchandising, and remained in that business until December, 1880. He then accepted his present position as traveling salesman for Charles Krug. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage in St. Louis, October 10,1853, to Miss Susan D. Haslip, a native of Albemarle County, Virginia, and by this union they have one son and one daughter, Frank E. and Cora.

Cornelius E. Davis, M.D., D.D.S. - The subject of this sketch is the son of Isaac and Nancy Harrington Davis, and was born in Essex County, New Jersey, October 5, 1832. When he was quite young his parents moved and located in Coshocton, Ohio, and there remained until he was twenty-one years of age, and received his education at the high school of that place. In the spring of 1853 Dr. Davis, in company with five brothers and one sister, started across the plains for California, and arrived on this coast in October of the above year. The subject of this sketch first located at Stockton and practiced his profession, having studied and graduated in medicine in his former home in Ohio. Remaining in Stockton until his health failed, he moved to San Francisco and there turned his attention to dentistry for a time, and then went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to complete his education in that profession. After graduating in dentistry, Dr. Davis returned to San Francisco, where he remained only a short time, and after locating in several different parts of the State, we find him again in San Francisco, and in rather poor health. With the idea of bettering his health he paid a visit to Napa County with the intention of remaining a short time, but liking the climate and location of St. Helena, he concluded to locate in that place, and in 1868 Dr. Davis opened his office in Osborn's building, over Wells, Fargo & Co.'s office, and for the past thirteen years he has practiced his profession without intermission, which, through a pure love of the same, he still continues, although not through necessity, as the Doctor, through wise speculations, has accumulated a good share of this world's goods, owning now, in the aggregate, a block of buildings in the business center of St. Helena. Dr. Davis was twice married; first in Petaluma, February, 1859, to Miss Rosanna Martin, a native of Indiana, and by this union had two children, Ellen M. and Emma R. His second marriage occurred at St. Helena June 1,1871, to Miss Francis E. Hall, a native of Maine, and by this union they have four children, Maud L., George H. (now deceased), May E., and Ira Frank.

James Dowdelle - The subject of this sketch was born in County Louth, Ireland, August 29,1845, where he resided until he was nineteen years of age. He then emigrated to England and found employment in a rolling mill, and remained there for nine months. He then went to New Zealand and engaged in farming, where he resided for over three years. We next find Mr. Dowdelle on board a schooner, bound for California, coming direct to San Francisco, where he arrived July 28,1868. Remaining but a few months in San Francisco, he started East, the point of destination being Philadelphia, arriving November 7,1868. During his stay in Philadelphia Mr. Dowdelle was married, and in February, 1869, started with his wife, via Panama, for the Golden State. He first worked in San Francisco and afterwards in the employ of General Keyes, on his ranch near St. Helena, in whose employ he remained for three years. During this time, having saved his earnings, he purchased ten acres of land where Mr. Story now resides, and after one year sold it and bought twenty-five acres where Dr. Crum now lives, and in 1875 added thirty-six acres more to his estate, making sixty-one acres. He is now chiefly engaged in hop and grape growing. He was united in marriage in Philadelphia, November 4,1868, to Miss Elizabeth Corbely, a native of Ireland. The names of their children are, James W., Arthur B., Edward, Walter, Albert and Joseph.

William Dinning - Whose portrait appears in this work, is the only child of John D. and Francis Kirby Dinning, and was born in Sumner County, Middle Tennessee, October 25,1829. When but two or three years of age, his parents moved to Jackson County, Missouri, and settled near Independence, where he resided until 1844, when his father and he moved to south-west Missouri, and settled in Taney County, close to the town of Forsyth, where he remained for three years. Then, after the death of his father, the subject of our sketch returned to Tennessee and Kentucky, to settle up some of his father's business, and he then returned to the old and last home of his father in Missouri, with the intention of coming to California. In the latter part of March he started, and at Springfield, Missouri, he met a company of one hundred and four wagons, and joined them in a journey across the plains for the new El Dorado, arriving in Sacramento August 16,1849. On the trip across the plains some of the party died with the cholera, among whom was Isaac Collet and a Doctor Tatum; but aside from this the trip was a pleasant one. After stopping in Sacramento one week, being sick and out of funds, he proceeded across the river and started for Fremont. At the junction of the Feather and Sacramento Rivers there was a ferry-boat which he run for a period of six weeks. He then started for the mines on the Yuba River, in company with "Billy" Moore, of Sonoma, and followed mining only a short time. In January, 1850, he started with a drove of cattle, belonging to Mr. Moore, to the Yuba River Mines, and spent a portion of that winter with him there in the mines, when he then came to Calistoga, this county, where he remained with Henry Fowler. In the spring of 1850 he, with William Elliott's son, Frank Kellogg, brother of Irvin Kellogg, John Cyrus, and Frank Bedwell.of Russian River, went to the Yuba River and hunted the most of that season, south of the Yuba and down the American River. In the fall of that year he returned to Napa County and stopped in the valley, and worked a portion of the time for David Hudson, getting out pickets to fence the fruit orchards of this valley. The subject of our sketch next moved to Mission San Jose, and stopped with Henry Smith and Homer & Beard, and drove team for them, staying there only a short time. His next move was to engage to cut saw-logs for Isaac Howell on Howell Mountain, with which to build a saw-mill. At this he continued all that winter. He then began working for Mr. Fowler in Coyote Valley, where he continued that summer. He then returned to Napa County, where, in the fall of 1851 or spring of 1852, he came and settled on his present place, and is now possessed of six hundred acres of land in this county, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was united in marriage May 25,1853, with Phoebe A. Howell, who was born a short distance from New York City October 9, 1832, being the daughter of Isaac Howell and Margaret Tunison. They have seven children: Francis M., born March 6, 1854; John R., born January 2, 1856; Isaac, born March 24,1857; Arzelia, born December 25,1864; Nellie, born April 6, 1867; Minnie, born September 25,1869; Phoebe A., born December 29, 1871.

Albert Henry Dodge M.D. - The subject of this sketch is the son of Everett K., and Clarissa Fowler Abbot Dodge, and was born in St Louis, Missouri, March 5, 1850. In July, 1852, he, with the family, reached California via the Isthmus of Panama. After a few years spent in other portions of the State, they made their home in San Francisco, at which place Albert H. received the most of his school education having been a student at the City College, under its venerable founder, Rev. Dr. Burrows. In 1874 he entered the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating after a three years' course. At the expiration of a term of service as Assistant Physician in the Philadelphia Hospital, he returned to this coast, located in Napa City, and began the practice of his profession. The Doctor was united in marriage, July 8,1880, to Miss Annie M. Franklin, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

William J. G. Dawson M.D. - Was born in New Bandon, Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada, January 12,1846. His mother dying when he was but fourteen months old, he was taken by his grandparents to New Castle, Northumberland County, and there brought up and educated. In the fall of 1865, he went to New York City, and attended the Medical Department of the University, graduating from that institution in March, 1867. He was then appointed Assistant Physician in the New York City Lunatic Asylum, a position he held for over one year. In the spring of 1868 he was admitted, by competitive examination, one of the House Staff of the Charity Hospital, New York, acting as Assistant Physician for six months, and then entering as one of the House Physicians and Surgeons in October, 1868, which position he held for one year. In October, 1869, he returned home to New Castle, New Brunswick, and remained there practicing medicine until the fall of 1876, when he started west, sojourning a few weeks in Colorado, and then continued west to California, locating in St. Helena January 12,1877, where he has since been practicing his profession. His office and residence are next to the Catholic Church on Oak avenue.

Thomas Dwyer - Son of Patrick and Hanora Crotty Dwyer, was born in County Waterford, Ireland, in 1828. In 1848 he, with his parents came to America and located in Boston. In 1853 he came via the Isthmus to California, arriving in San Francisco in November of that year. In 1854 he went to Shasta County and began mining on the east fork of Clear Creek. He then went to Siskiyou County in 1856 and mined at Sawyers Bar on the north fork of Solomon River. In July, 1859, he left Sawyers Bar and went to Boston and New York, at which place he was married. They left that city in October of that year for California and arrived in November. He returned to Sawyers Bar, where he resided till May, 1869, when he came to San Francisco. In October, 1870, he came to Napa County and purchased his present place of one hundred acres, where he is engaged in farming and grape-growing. He was married, September ,14, 1859, in New York, to Miss Mary Cummings, a native of County Waterford, Ireland, born March 13,1836. They have four living children: Margaret, born December 22,1860; Edward P., born April 22,1862; William F., born April 25,1872, and Cecilia, born March 5,1878. They have lost seven children: Annie M., Mary B., Thomas P., Therca, Katie, Philip, Valentine and Agnes who was born in San Francisco and died in that place in September, 1870. Five of these children - died within four weeks in November, 1877, with diptheria at Oakville, Napa County, and one, January 4,1878, of the same disease. The two eldest living were born at Sawyers Bar, Siskiyou County, and the two youngest were born at Oakville, Napa County. Four of the children that died were born at Sawyers Bar, Siskiyou County, and of the other two that died one was born at San Francisco and the other at Oakville, Napa County.

Hon. Morris M. Estee - The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born November 23,1833, in the town of Freehold, Warren County, Pennsylvania. His father, Ansel Estee, was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1806, and his mother, Phoebe Moran, was born in Rochester, New York, in 1810, and died but recently in Erie County, Pennsylvania, where his father still resides. At a very early period of his childhood his father, with the family, moved from Warren County, Pennsylvania, to Concord, Erie County, that State. His father was a farmer, owning one hundred acres of land, which business he followed during the whole period of the childhood and youth of the subject of this sketch. At a very early age Morris, who was the eldest of a family of nine children, was sent to the district school; but as soon as he was old enough to be of assistance on the farm his school terms were restricted to the winter seasons only, and he worked at home during the summer months. When he was fourteen years of age, having advanced beyond the studies taught in the district school, he went to Waterford Academy, in Erie County, which institution he attended, except during the summer terms, for two years. At the age of sixteen he began teaching school during the winter terms, boarding around, as was the custom then, among the patrons of the school, and attending the academy during the fall terms, and working on his father's farm during the summer months. He continued in this manner until the summer of 1853, when he borrowed money of a neighbor, his father not being willing for him to leave home, for the purpose of paying his passage to California. He gave this neighbor no security for the money borrowed, except his personal promissory note, agreeing to repay double the amount borrowed within six months, which promise he duly fulfilled. Upon his arrival in California, September, 1853, he went to Cold Springs, El Dorado County, and engaged in mining, where he remained until 1854. He then went to Volcano, Amador County, and continued in mining at that place until 1855. He then engaged in school teaching in Volcano, and began the study of the law at the same time, under the tuition of the late Judge T. M. Pauling, who was also a Pennsylvanian, and a man of great culture. In the winter of 1857-8 he went to Sacramento, and entered the law office of Messrs. Clark & Gass, where he remained until the spring of 1859, when he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State. He then opened an office in that city and began at the foot of the legal ladder, upon the topmost rungs of which he was afterwards destined to plant his feet. But the pathway of his earlier professional days was not strewn with the roses of success, and the fledgeling found it a hard struggle at first. But his was not an ambition to be daunted by the seeming adversities of an hour, and with patience and perseverance he wrought on, hoping, ever hoping, for the brighter tomorrow. At last the clouds began to lift, and the true worth of the man began to be appreciated by his fellow men, and his election, in 1862, to the Assembly from Sacramento County, let a grand rift of sunshine in upon his professional career. That was a memorable session of the Legislature of California, being composed of some of the ablest men in the State, and it was in this session that the Hon. John Conness was elected to the United States Senate. In the fall of 1863 he was elected to the office of District Attorney, for the City and County of Sacramento, which position he held until 1866. He then went to San Francisco and began the practice of his profession in that city, and he has remained there ever since. In 1867-8 he published the legal work entitled "Estee's Pleadings, Practice and Forms," in three volumes, a work that has now reached its second edition, and is generally received and recognized as a standard work in all the States and Territories that have a code. During Mr. Estee's residence in Sacramento he became a warm friend of Mr. Newton Booth, and when that gentleman was announced as a candidate for Governor, Mr. Estee devoted all the energies of his character to secure his nomination. After Mr. Booth's nomination, Mr. Estee was made Secretary of the Republican State Central Committee, and the following campaign, in which Mr. Booth, as the nominee of the Republican party, and Governor H. H. Haight, as the nominee of the Democratic party - two good and eminent men - aspired to the gubernatorial position, was one of the most memorable political contests hi the history of California The organization of the Republican party was, at that time, brought from chaos into absolute perfection, and Mr. Booth was elected Governor by a majority of some five thousand. In 1875 Mr. Estee was elected to the Assembly from San Francisco. During that session no party had a majority in the Assembly, there being about thirty-four Independents in that body, and the remaining members were about equally divided between the Democrats and "straight-out" Republicans. Mr. Estee was chosen Speaker, for which position he was eminently qualified, which was evinced by the fact that no decision of his was ever overruled, and but little wrangling occurred on the floor of the House. At the close of the session Mr. Estee returned to his practice in San Francisco, which had become very large and lucrative. In the winter of 1878 he was the unanimous choice of the Republican caucus for the United States Senatorship and received the entire vote of the Republicans in the Legislature for that position; but the Democrats being in the majority, Mr. Farley was elected. He was elected delegate from the State at large to the Constitutional Convention from the San Francisco district His well-known anti-corporation sentiments marked him out as Chairman of the Committee on Corporations and he was appointed to that position. The report of that committee, which has now become a part of the organic law of the State, shows how well the labor assigned to it was performed. He was the only member of the eight delegates from the San Francisco district, representing the State at large, who upon returning to his constituents supported the New Constitution, he believing that, while there were some things in it which were crude and ought to be amended, yet in the main it was a good Constitution and that it would benefit the people, and that it should have a fair and just trial before it was condemned. He returned again to his practice in 1880 and was elected one of the twelve men to whom was assigned the duty of framing a new charter for the City and County of San Francisco. The instrument was duly drawn up by them; but when it was submitted to the people for adoption it was defeated. In politics Mr. Estee is a Republican, though he is very independent in his views; and from the earliest step he took in politics until the present time, he has most strenuously opposed, in the Legislature and out of it, the exactions of railroad corporations, and their continued interference, by the use of money, with the politics of the State. He is one of the leading horticulturalists of Napa County, having at this time a vineyard of about three hundred acres, and owning in Napa Valley in one body about six hundred acres of land under a high state of cultivation. He also takes great interest in agriculture. Upon the organization of the Napa Viticultural Society in 1881, he was chosen as its president; and much of the good that society has accomplished is due to the suggestions and energy of its chief officer. Hig family spend about eight months of the year at their beautiful country residence a short distance north-east of Napa City, and the remainder of the year is spent in San Francisco. At the law Mr. Estee has for years been a leading member of the bar, and now stands in the foremost ranks of his profession in San Francisco, and enjoys a most lucrative practice. He is industrious, frank, open-hearted, and loyal to those to whom he turns in friendship. He is firm in his convictions, strong of will, and when his purpose is once formed nothing can swerve him from it. As a public speaker he is always earnest, logical, sincere and fair; few men are his superiors, and he never fails to impress an audience; his manners are dignified, and he often reaches the plane of eloquence. In February, 1863, Mr. Estee was united in marriage with Miss Frances H. Divine, a daughter of Judge Davis Divine of San Jose. They have had three children, two of whom are still living, one aged sixteen years and the other five years.