The subject of this sketch was born in New York State in the year 1818. In 1842 he was married, at Warsaw, New York, to Miss Harriet Perkins, and two years later moved to Wisconsin. He had learned the carpenter’s trade, and worked at the occupation for six years, when his attention was attracted by the stories told of the New El Dorado of the far West, and he decided to make a trip to California. Leaving his wife at home, he started from Beloit, Wisconsin, on the eighth day of April, 1850, with one companion. The two travelers rode horseback, and carried their effects on three pack horses. They parted company in Utah, and continued their journey separately. Mr. Fargo arrived at Sacramento on July 16, having been eight days more than three months on the road. His trip had not been an eventful one. He saw a great many Indians-some of them in war paint-but was not once molested. At once time, in the Carson Valley, his supply of provisions gave out, and he was two days without food, but with this exception he endured no serious hardship.
On arriving at Sacramento, Mr. Fargo’s first undertaking was the establishment of a small general merchandise store; and his first act as a citizen of the new commonwealth was to cast his ballot, on the memorable 9th of September, 1850, in favor of the annexation of California to the union of American States.
His first experience4 in California being a satisfactory one, Mr. Fargo resolved to make his home here, and accordingly prepared to go East and bring his wife hither. He was one of a company of fifty who chartered a ship for Realeo, Central America, intending to take passage for New York, but the vessel had ill luck, and, after a tempestuous experience of forty-two days, put in to Acapulco in distress. Here the company left the ship, and made their way, with great difficulty, to Vera Cruz via the City of Mexico, three of the party dying on the way. From Vera Cruz to New York was an easy voyage, and in January Mr. Fargo was at home again. Being joined by his wife, he set out again for California, this time by way of Panama. On the 26th of April 1851, they took the steamship Prometheus at New York, and after reaching and crossing the Isthmus, took the steamship Isthmus for San Francisco. After landing they proceeded to Sacramento, and Mr. Fargo went into business as proprietor of the National Hotel. He afterwards invested in real estate in Sacramento. In 1852 he moved to Gold Hill, Placer County and started a store. His wife’s health failing, he moved from Gold Hill to San Jose and thence to San Francisco, and in 1853 sold out and returned to New York
He lived in New York until the winter of 1856, and then decided to come again to California. This was during the Walker War of Central America, and travel by way of the Isthmus was quite a precarious venture. Nevertheless, he traveled by the Nicaragua route; but he was the only one of the whole ship’s company who got through safely. After arriving in California the third time, Mr. Fargo went into the hotel business at Alvarado, and afterwards left for the Fraser5 River country, in British Columbia. He started the first line of express in that region. In 1859 the Nevada mines attracted him, and he located for a short time at Virginia City, and afterwards at Carson City. He kept a lodging house at Carson City until 1865.
In 1866 he returned again to Sacramento, and in 1867 came to Santa Cruz, where he has since resided.
Mr. Fargo is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Society of California Pioneers.
He is now a widower, his wife having died in 1888. He has one son, L.L. Fargo, who was born in California, at Sacramento, and is now doing business in Santa Cruz.
History of Santa Cruz County, California
by E.S. Harrison
Published by Pacific Press Publishing Company
San Francisco, Cal., 1892
Transcribed by Yvonne Valentine 1/18/09, Page 240
Santa Cruz County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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