California pioneer. Born in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as was his father before him (William Halloway Harper), Thomas and the family moved to Missouri after his father died when he was still just a lad. The news of the California gold strike propelled the family even further west to California in 1849. Thomas was then 18 years of age. He mined in a variety of locations, sometimes with success, and sometimes without. Bear Valley, Auburn, Trinity County, and Amador County near Jackson were some of the locales the young miner worked. In later years in Placer County he was elected Assessor. In addition, during those years he operated a store in Auburn, ran a livery stable, and was an agent for a water company. He truly was a jack of all trades. He opened a store in Lincoln (Placer County), and was successful there, settling down and residing there for many years. He married Rebecca Frances Nickerson in 1864, and they were blessed with two daughters, Laura and Hattie. Sadly, both girls died young, Laura as a toddler and Hattie at the age of twenty. Thomas belonged to several fraternal organizations including the Masons and the Odd Fellows, and the Pioneer Society of Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Harper had a delightful home which stood near his place of business surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers they planted. Thomas was the proprietor of a book and stationery business, and was the news agent of the town. He also owned his own justice courtroom and was Justice of the Peace in Lincoln from 1898 until his death in 1911; the courtroom was located at his home and business location (515 G Street, Lincoln, CA.) Although Thomas Burrell Harper had a plot at Sacramento City in the Pioneer Grove section, he and his wife and daughters were buried at Manzanita Cemetery near Lincoln. (Thanks to Karri Samson, Placer County Library emeritus, for solving this mystery as to the location of the Harper family final resting places.)
Sources: "Gone to Rest" Sacramento Pioneer Association (2001)
San Francisco Call article from 1909
U.S. Census 1910 (Lincoln, Placer Co., CA) listed with wife Rebecca (age 66) born in Missouri
SONS OF PIONEERS AND PARENT BODY UNITE
Societies Merged at Banquet Held in Sacramento [Special Dispatch to The Call] SACRAMENTO. Dec. 5. — The merger of the Sons and Daughters, of the, Sacramento Society of California Pioneers and the parent group of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, was accomplished at a banquet held In Pioneer hall last night. A resolution winding up, the affairs of the junior society was adopted unanimously and the sons and daughters became full fledged pioneers. There are only seven members of the original Sacramento society living. These are Joseph Sims, F. S. Hotchkiss, A. C. Sweetser and Edward Twitchell of Sacramento, Daniel Burns of Woodland, Thomas Harper of Lincoln, and Joseph Madden.
San Francisco Call (December 6, 1909)
Sources: "Gone to Rest" Sacramento Pioneer Association (2001)
San Francisco Call article from 1909
U.S. Census 1910 (Lincoln, Placer Co., CA) listed with wife Rebecca (age 66) born in Missouri
SONS OF PIONEERS AND PARENT BODY UNITE
Societies Merged at Banquet Held in Sacramento [Special Dispatch to The Call] SACRAMENTO. Dec. 5. — The merger of the Sons and Daughters, of the, Sacramento Society of California Pioneers and the parent group of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, was accomplished at a banquet held In Pioneer hall last night. A resolution winding up, the affairs of the junior society was adopted unanimously and the sons and daughters became full fledged pioneers. There are only seven members of the original Sacramento society living. These are Joseph Sims, F. S. Hotchkiss, A. C. Sweetser and Edward Twitchell of Sacramento, Daniel Burns of Woodland, Thomas Harper of Lincoln, and Joseph Madden.
San Francisco Call (December 6, 1909)
California pioneer. Born in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as was his father before him (William Halloway Harper), Thomas and the family moved to Missouri after his father died when he was still just a lad. The news of the California gold strike propelled the family even further west to California in 1849. Thomas was then 18 years of age. He mined in a variety of locations, sometimes with success, and sometimes without. Bear Valley, Auburn, Trinity County, and Amador County near Jackson were some of the locales the young miner worked. In later years in Placer County he was elected Assessor. In addition, during those years he operated a store in Auburn, ran a livery stable, and was an agent for a water company. He truly was a jack of all trades. He opened a store in Lincoln (Placer County), and was successful there, settling down and residing there for many years. He married Rebecca Frances Nickerson in 1864, and they were blessed with two daughters, Laura and Hattie. Sadly, both girls died young, Laura as a toddler and Hattie at the age of twenty. Thomas belonged to several fraternal organizations including the Masons and the Odd Fellows, and the Pioneer Society of Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Harper had a delightful home which stood near his place of business surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers they planted. Thomas was the proprietor of a book and stationery business, and was the news agent of the town. He also owned his own justice courtroom and was Justice of the Peace in Lincoln from 1898 until his death in 1911; the courtroom was located at his home and business location (515 G Street, Lincoln, CA.) Although Thomas Burrell Harper had a plot at Sacramento City in the Pioneer Grove section, he and his wife and daughters were buried at Manzanita Cemetery near Lincoln. (Thanks to Karri Samson, Placer County Library emeritus, for solving this mystery as to the location of the Harper family final resting places.)
Sources: "Gone to Rest" Sacramento Pioneer Association (2001)
San Francisco Call article from 1909
U.S. Census 1910 (Lincoln, Placer Co., CA) listed with wife Rebecca (age 66) born in Missouri
SONS OF PIONEERS AND PARENT BODY UNITE
Societies Merged at Banquet Held in Sacramento [Special Dispatch to The Call] SACRAMENTO. Dec. 5. — The merger of the Sons and Daughters, of the, Sacramento Society of California Pioneers and the parent group of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, was accomplished at a banquet held In Pioneer hall last night. A resolution winding up, the affairs of the junior society was adopted unanimously and the sons and daughters became full fledged pioneers. There are only seven members of the original Sacramento society living. These are Joseph Sims, F. S. Hotchkiss, A. C. Sweetser and Edward Twitchell of Sacramento, Daniel Burns of Woodland, Thomas Harper of Lincoln, and Joseph Madden.
San Francisco Call (December 6, 1909)
Sources: "Gone to Rest" Sacramento Pioneer Association (2001)
San Francisco Call article from 1909
U.S. Census 1910 (Lincoln, Placer Co., CA) listed with wife Rebecca (age 66) born in Missouri
SONS OF PIONEERS AND PARENT BODY UNITE
Societies Merged at Banquet Held in Sacramento [Special Dispatch to The Call] SACRAMENTO. Dec. 5. — The merger of the Sons and Daughters, of the, Sacramento Society of California Pioneers and the parent group of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, was accomplished at a banquet held In Pioneer hall last night. A resolution winding up, the affairs of the junior society was adopted unanimously and the sons and daughters became full fledged pioneers. There are only seven members of the original Sacramento society living. These are Joseph Sims, F. S. Hotchkiss, A. C. Sweetser and Edward Twitchell of Sacramento, Daniel Burns of Woodland, Thomas Harper of Lincoln, and Joseph Madden.
San Francisco Call (December 6, 1909)
Inscription
Thomas B Harper
9 Sept 1831
2 Nov 1911
A precious one from us has gone, a voice we loved is stilled; a place is vacant in our home which never can be filled.
Gravesite Details
He is buried at Manazita Cemetery. Picture of flowers notes his space (not used) at Sac City Cemetery.
Family Members
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