Elias IRELAND

a wagon-maker at Winters, Yolo County, California, was born January 16, 1833, in New Jersey, a son of James and Phoebe (English) Ireland. His mother was of German descent. His father, of Scotch descent and a native of New Jersey, moved to Ohio, and in 1836 to Missouri. He had been a sea captain. In 1850 he came to California, and in 1853 returned to Missouri and died there the same year. Of their four children, Elias is the only one now living. At the age of fifteen years, he and five other boys - neighbors - rigged up a team of five yoke of oxen and came overland to California, arriving at Sutterville September 4, 1850, thereby becoming pioneers. Until the fall of 1851 Mr. Ireland was engaged in digging gold at Mokelumne Hill; then he worked at wagon-making in Stockton for a short time; next he was employed for three years upon S. C. Fugitt's stock ranch; then he worked at the carpenter's trade in Liberty seven or eight years; next was employed in a general merchandise store, in which he was head clerk and book-keeper four and a half years; but, his health becoming impaired by confinement in doors, he resorted to his trade of carpenter again for four or five years. Then for a year he was engaged in the butcher business, then in carpentering again at Galt; was car-builder in the passenger car department of the shops at Sacramento; in 1876 he continued his mechanical pursuits at Winters until 1878, when he started a wagon and blacksmith shop there, which he still conducts with signal success. He erected the third building at Winters. He has eighteen acres of land, all in fruit.

He was married May 13, 1862, to Miss Mattie Still, who was born in Missouri, December 11, 1844, the daughter of Joseph F. and Mary B. (Turner) Still. Her father was a native of Kentucky and her mother of Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Ireland have two sons, namely: Charles D., who was born December 8, 1868, and Herbert, born September 26, 1873.

Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler