Civil War: Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry
Charles Alexander Wyckoff (Orton: Wykoff) was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N.Y., and Sarah Doty, a native of New York. Charles was raised in New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Charles headed west and arrived in California in December 1859 and worked as a miner. He enlisted as a private at Oroville February 25, 1865, and was mustered into Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry, at the Presidio of San Francisco March 1. At enlistment he was described as a miner, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion (Orton, p. 97). He was assigned Special Duty from August to December 1865 as an escort to General Mason. At Fort Yuma, California, Private Wyckoff was attached to Company C, Native California Cavalry, for the return to California abroad the Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer Oregon. Private Wyckoff was mustered out with his company at the Presidio of San Francisco, May 14, 1866. After the war Charles returned to Oroville. Charles married Alice Evelyn Willet at Chico December 3, 1885. He filed for a Civil War veteran's pension March 10, 1905, and received application No. 1,332,813 and certificate No. 1,132,676. In his May 9, 1905, reply to a questionnaire from the Bureau of Pensions Charles stated that he was no longer married, but that he had been married, and that he had one son then living, Albert J. Wyckoff, born November 29, 1891. Charles was living with his brother, James Wyckoff, in 1910 (1910 US Census).
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Children:
- Albert Joseph
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CHARLES ALEXANDER WYCKOFF.--If there is one man in all California with whom the inimitable Mark Twain would have rejoiced to sit down and compare notes, it is probably Charles Alexander Wyckoff, the veteran stage-driver, who can tell more good yarns, and yarns that are true, about early life in the gold-mining days than any other pioneer hereabouts. Born in New York City on February 9, far back in 1839, he was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N. Y. Then he removed to New Jersey, where he had charge of one of the turnpikes, and afterward migrated as far west as Wisconsin. In Westport township, Dane County, he had a farm, and there he died. Mrs. Wyckoff had been Miss Sarah Doty, a native of New York, and she died in New Jersey. One child, the subject of our sketch, resulted from this union.
Brought up in New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, to which latter state he came in 1852, Charles Wyckoff attended the public schools, and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he started for Pike's Peak. He left Westport, Wis., a member of a party of seven, with two wagons and two and three yoke of oxen, and crossed the Mississippi at Dubuque and the Missouri at Council Bluffs, afterward proceeding up the Platte towards Pike's Peak. On the way they met miners by the score, "busted" and worse off; so they themselves concluded to come on to California by way of Landers Cut-Off, and they continued up the Snake River into Honey Lake Valley. There he remained a month, and then came to Butte County, arriving on December 19, 1859, at Mountain House, on the Quincy road, twenty-five miles east of Oroville.
Almost immediately he went to work on a ranch, then he teamed for a while, freighted, and finally engaged in mining, at which he continued until 1865. On February 25th he enlisted in Company A, First California Cavalry, into which he was mustered for three years and was sent to Texas by way of Los Angeles; but near the latter city word was received of Lee's surrender and the murder of Lincoln. They were ordered, therefore, to Arizona instead, where he then campaigned in different parts of the territory. Finally, his company was sent back to San Francisco, and on May 14, 1866, Mr. Wyckoff received an honorable discharge.
When the war was over he returned to Oroville and for some time was employed in mining and ranching. The winters were passed, however, in Oroville, in the service of livery stables, and in 1868 he became a sawyer, sawmilling at Nick Turner's mill, at Mountain House, for ten years; one year at Chico Meadows; at Lumkin three years, and with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Igerna Mill, in Siskiyou County, thus completing practically thirty years in sawmilling. Having had enough of that line of work, Mr. Wyckoff took up the transfer business in Oroville, and followed it until 1914, when he quit active work altogether and retired to private life.
On December 3, 1885, in Chico, Charles Alexander Wyckoff and Alice Evelyn Willett were married, the bride being a native of Cherokee, in this county. One son, Albert Joseph, resulted from this union; he served in Troop H of the First Utah Cavalry, and was at the front in Nogales, Ariz., during the trouble in Mexico, and now lives in Oakland.
A Republican in matters of national politics, Mr. Wyckoff is a member of the W. T. Sherman Post, No. 96, G. A. R., of Oroville, in which he has served as post commander, and is now adjutant and quartermaster. He was made an Odd Fellow in Bidwell Lodge, No. 47, I. O. O. F., later became a member of Oroville Lodge, No. 59, of which he is past Noble Grand. He is past Chief Patriarch in Oroville Encampment, No. 22, and is now Scribe; he is also a member of the Canton and of the Rebekahs.
Among the thrilling adventures one may hear modestly told by Mr. Wyckoff is one that leads back to the days when he was driving the stage out of Oroville, in 1864, running to Smith on the Quincy road. It was on June 25th when Charles Wyckoff held the reins and guided the faithful steeds drawing the heavy coach with two passengers, O. W. Cherry and A. F. Linden, together with the treasure-box of Whiting and Company, containing $1,882 in gold dust and $220 in coin. Two men suddenly appeared at the side of the road, one taking the horses by the head, and the other with cocked pistol aimed at Wyckoff, demanding the treasure-box. The driver responded that there was no treasure on the coach; whereupon the robber replied, "I know a damned sight better! Hand it out and put on no airs!" This brought out the desired chest, which the robber carried to the side of the road and broke open with an axe. While doing so he dropped his pistol; Wyckoff picked up his own pistol from the seat and was about to shoot the highwayman, when the passengers discovered a third man in the bush with leveled pistol and begged the driver to desist.
About this time Constable Brown, of Bidwell's Bar, arrived in a buggy. He was at once made to stop at the rear of the stage while the robbers went through his pockets, but as he had only $6.50 he was allowed to keep it. The robbers did not wish to molest the passengers, but they held their pistols pointed toward the stage and buggy, and told the occupants to "go on and tell no lies." The stage proceeded to Oroville, leaving the robbers to disappear in the high grass.
Pursuit was at once started from Oroville by a posse under the leadership of J.V. Parks, and a party of emigrants was caught and brought before Judge Coughey for examination. They included two white women and an Oregon squaw and five men, some of whom gave their names as Sheridan, Stairs, and Sims, but afterward changed them to W. S., U. T., and Charles Gasoway, J. F. Schuller, and John Shores. They were arraigned before Judge Safford, tried, convicted and sentenced to terms varying from three to ten years. It turned out that the old man of the emigrants, W. S. Gasoway, had seen the package of gold dust and money put in the chest-box at Bidwells Bar, and had returned to camp where the plan was made to rob the stage. Mr. Wyckoff says that it was fortunate that the holdup was not a week earlier, for then he had $75,000 in gold dust in the box, all of which would probably have been lost.
(Source: Mansfield, George C. "History of Butte County, California"; Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1918; pp. 700-704)
Above citation transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal and provided by A. Farley.
Biography by Steve
Charles Alexander Wyckoff (Orton: Wykoff) was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N.Y., and Sarah Doty, a native of New York. Charles was raised in New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Charles headed west and arrived in California in December 1859 and worked as a miner. He enlisted as a private at Oroville February 25, 1865, and was mustered into Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry, at the Presidio of San Francisco March 1. At enlistment he was described as a miner, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion (Orton, p. 97). He was assigned Special Duty from August to December 1865 as an escort to General Mason. At Fort Yuma, California, Private Wyckoff was attached to Company C, Native California Cavalry, for the return to California abroad the Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer Oregon. Private Wyckoff was mustered out with his company at the Presidio of San Francisco, May 14, 1866. After the war Charles returned to Oroville. Charles married Alice Evelyn Willet at Chico December 3, 1885. He filed for a Civil War veteran's pension March 10, 1905, and received application No. 1,332,813 and certificate No. 1,132,676. In his May 9, 1905, reply to a questionnaire from the Bureau of Pensions Charles stated that he was no longer married, but that he had been married, and that he had one son then living, Albert J. Wyckoff, born November 29, 1891. Charles was living with his brother, James Wyckoff, in 1910 (1910 US Census).
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Children:
- Albert Joseph
---
CHARLES ALEXANDER WYCKOFF.--If there is one man in all California with whom the inimitable Mark Twain would have rejoiced to sit down and compare notes, it is probably Charles Alexander Wyckoff, the veteran stage-driver, who can tell more good yarns, and yarns that are true, about early life in the gold-mining days than any other pioneer hereabouts. Born in New York City on February 9, far back in 1839, he was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N. Y. Then he removed to New Jersey, where he had charge of one of the turnpikes, and afterward migrated as far west as Wisconsin. In Westport township, Dane County, he had a farm, and there he died. Mrs. Wyckoff had been Miss Sarah Doty, a native of New York, and she died in New Jersey. One child, the subject of our sketch, resulted from this union.
Brought up in New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, to which latter state he came in 1852, Charles Wyckoff attended the public schools, and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he started for Pike's Peak. He left Westport, Wis., a member of a party of seven, with two wagons and two and three yoke of oxen, and crossed the Mississippi at Dubuque and the Missouri at Council Bluffs, afterward proceeding up the Platte towards Pike's Peak. On the way they met miners by the score, "busted" and worse off; so they themselves concluded to come on to California by way of Landers Cut-Off, and they continued up the Snake River into Honey Lake Valley. There he remained a month, and then came to Butte County, arriving on December 19, 1859, at Mountain House, on the Quincy road, twenty-five miles east of Oroville.
Almost immediately he went to work on a ranch, then he teamed for a while, freighted, and finally engaged in mining, at which he continued until 1865. On February 25th he enlisted in Company A, First California Cavalry, into which he was mustered for three years and was sent to Texas by way of Los Angeles; but near the latter city word was received of Lee's surrender and the murder of Lincoln. They were ordered, therefore, to Arizona instead, where he then campaigned in different parts of the territory. Finally, his company was sent back to San Francisco, and on May 14, 1866, Mr. Wyckoff received an honorable discharge.
When the war was over he returned to Oroville and for some time was employed in mining and ranching. The winters were passed, however, in Oroville, in the service of livery stables, and in 1868 he became a sawyer, sawmilling at Nick Turner's mill, at Mountain House, for ten years; one year at Chico Meadows; at Lumkin three years, and with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Igerna Mill, in Siskiyou County, thus completing practically thirty years in sawmilling. Having had enough of that line of work, Mr. Wyckoff took up the transfer business in Oroville, and followed it until 1914, when he quit active work altogether and retired to private life.
On December 3, 1885, in Chico, Charles Alexander Wyckoff and Alice Evelyn Willett were married, the bride being a native of Cherokee, in this county. One son, Albert Joseph, resulted from this union; he served in Troop H of the First Utah Cavalry, and was at the front in Nogales, Ariz., during the trouble in Mexico, and now lives in Oakland.
A Republican in matters of national politics, Mr. Wyckoff is a member of the W. T. Sherman Post, No. 96, G. A. R., of Oroville, in which he has served as post commander, and is now adjutant and quartermaster. He was made an Odd Fellow in Bidwell Lodge, No. 47, I. O. O. F., later became a member of Oroville Lodge, No. 59, of which he is past Noble Grand. He is past Chief Patriarch in Oroville Encampment, No. 22, and is now Scribe; he is also a member of the Canton and of the Rebekahs.
Among the thrilling adventures one may hear modestly told by Mr. Wyckoff is one that leads back to the days when he was driving the stage out of Oroville, in 1864, running to Smith on the Quincy road. It was on June 25th when Charles Wyckoff held the reins and guided the faithful steeds drawing the heavy coach with two passengers, O. W. Cherry and A. F. Linden, together with the treasure-box of Whiting and Company, containing $1,882 in gold dust and $220 in coin. Two men suddenly appeared at the side of the road, one taking the horses by the head, and the other with cocked pistol aimed at Wyckoff, demanding the treasure-box. The driver responded that there was no treasure on the coach; whereupon the robber replied, "I know a damned sight better! Hand it out and put on no airs!" This brought out the desired chest, which the robber carried to the side of the road and broke open with an axe. While doing so he dropped his pistol; Wyckoff picked up his own pistol from the seat and was about to shoot the highwayman, when the passengers discovered a third man in the bush with leveled pistol and begged the driver to desist.
About this time Constable Brown, of Bidwell's Bar, arrived in a buggy. He was at once made to stop at the rear of the stage while the robbers went through his pockets, but as he had only $6.50 he was allowed to keep it. The robbers did not wish to molest the passengers, but they held their pistols pointed toward the stage and buggy, and told the occupants to "go on and tell no lies." The stage proceeded to Oroville, leaving the robbers to disappear in the high grass.
Pursuit was at once started from Oroville by a posse under the leadership of J.V. Parks, and a party of emigrants was caught and brought before Judge Coughey for examination. They included two white women and an Oregon squaw and five men, some of whom gave their names as Sheridan, Stairs, and Sims, but afterward changed them to W. S., U. T., and Charles Gasoway, J. F. Schuller, and John Shores. They were arraigned before Judge Safford, tried, convicted and sentenced to terms varying from three to ten years. It turned out that the old man of the emigrants, W. S. Gasoway, had seen the package of gold dust and money put in the chest-box at Bidwells Bar, and had returned to camp where the plan was made to rob the stage. Mr. Wyckoff says that it was fortunate that the holdup was not a week earlier, for then he had $75,000 in gold dust in the box, all of which would probably have been lost.
(Source: Mansfield, George C. "History of Butte County, California"; Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1918; pp. 700-704)
Above citation transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal and provided by A. Farley.
Biography by Steve
Civil War: Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry
Charles Alexander Wyckoff (Orton: Wykoff) was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N.Y., and Sarah Doty, a native of New York. Charles was raised in New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Charles headed west and arrived in California in December 1859 and worked as a miner. He enlisted as a private at Oroville February 25, 1865, and was mustered into Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry, at the Presidio of San Francisco March 1. At enlistment he was described as a miner, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion (Orton, p. 97). He was assigned Special Duty from August to December 1865 as an escort to General Mason. At Fort Yuma, California, Private Wyckoff was attached to Company C, Native California Cavalry, for the return to California abroad the Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer Oregon. Private Wyckoff was mustered out with his company at the Presidio of San Francisco, May 14, 1866. After the war Charles returned to Oroville. Charles married Alice Evelyn Willet at Chico December 3, 1885. He filed for a Civil War veteran's pension March 10, 1905, and received application No. 1,332,813 and certificate No. 1,132,676. In his May 9, 1905, reply to a questionnaire from the Bureau of Pensions Charles stated that he was no longer married, but that he had been married, and that he had one son then living, Albert J. Wyckoff, born November 29, 1891. Charles was living with his brother, James Wyckoff, in 1910 (1910 US Census).
---
Children:
- Albert Joseph
---
CHARLES ALEXANDER WYCKOFF.--If there is one man in all California with whom the inimitable Mark Twain would have rejoiced to sit down and compare notes, it is probably Charles Alexander Wyckoff, the veteran stage-driver, who can tell more good yarns, and yarns that are true, about early life in the gold-mining days than any other pioneer hereabouts. Born in New York City on February 9, far back in 1839, he was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N. Y. Then he removed to New Jersey, where he had charge of one of the turnpikes, and afterward migrated as far west as Wisconsin. In Westport township, Dane County, he had a farm, and there he died. Mrs. Wyckoff had been Miss Sarah Doty, a native of New York, and she died in New Jersey. One child, the subject of our sketch, resulted from this union.
Brought up in New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, to which latter state he came in 1852, Charles Wyckoff attended the public schools, and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he started for Pike's Peak. He left Westport, Wis., a member of a party of seven, with two wagons and two and three yoke of oxen, and crossed the Mississippi at Dubuque and the Missouri at Council Bluffs, afterward proceeding up the Platte towards Pike's Peak. On the way they met miners by the score, "busted" and worse off; so they themselves concluded to come on to California by way of Landers Cut-Off, and they continued up the Snake River into Honey Lake Valley. There he remained a month, and then came to Butte County, arriving on December 19, 1859, at Mountain House, on the Quincy road, twenty-five miles east of Oroville.
Almost immediately he went to work on a ranch, then he teamed for a while, freighted, and finally engaged in mining, at which he continued until 1865. On February 25th he enlisted in Company A, First California Cavalry, into which he was mustered for three years and was sent to Texas by way of Los Angeles; but near the latter city word was received of Lee's surrender and the murder of Lincoln. They were ordered, therefore, to Arizona instead, where he then campaigned in different parts of the territory. Finally, his company was sent back to San Francisco, and on May 14, 1866, Mr. Wyckoff received an honorable discharge.
When the war was over he returned to Oroville and for some time was employed in mining and ranching. The winters were passed, however, in Oroville, in the service of livery stables, and in 1868 he became a sawyer, sawmilling at Nick Turner's mill, at Mountain House, for ten years; one year at Chico Meadows; at Lumkin three years, and with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Igerna Mill, in Siskiyou County, thus completing practically thirty years in sawmilling. Having had enough of that line of work, Mr. Wyckoff took up the transfer business in Oroville, and followed it until 1914, when he quit active work altogether and retired to private life.
On December 3, 1885, in Chico, Charles Alexander Wyckoff and Alice Evelyn Willett were married, the bride being a native of Cherokee, in this county. One son, Albert Joseph, resulted from this union; he served in Troop H of the First Utah Cavalry, and was at the front in Nogales, Ariz., during the trouble in Mexico, and now lives in Oakland.
A Republican in matters of national politics, Mr. Wyckoff is a member of the W. T. Sherman Post, No. 96, G. A. R., of Oroville, in which he has served as post commander, and is now adjutant and quartermaster. He was made an Odd Fellow in Bidwell Lodge, No. 47, I. O. O. F., later became a member of Oroville Lodge, No. 59, of which he is past Noble Grand. He is past Chief Patriarch in Oroville Encampment, No. 22, and is now Scribe; he is also a member of the Canton and of the Rebekahs.
Among the thrilling adventures one may hear modestly told by Mr. Wyckoff is one that leads back to the days when he was driving the stage out of Oroville, in 1864, running to Smith on the Quincy road. It was on June 25th when Charles Wyckoff held the reins and guided the faithful steeds drawing the heavy coach with two passengers, O. W. Cherry and A. F. Linden, together with the treasure-box of Whiting and Company, containing $1,882 in gold dust and $220 in coin. Two men suddenly appeared at the side of the road, one taking the horses by the head, and the other with cocked pistol aimed at Wyckoff, demanding the treasure-box. The driver responded that there was no treasure on the coach; whereupon the robber replied, "I know a damned sight better! Hand it out and put on no airs!" This brought out the desired chest, which the robber carried to the side of the road and broke open with an axe. While doing so he dropped his pistol; Wyckoff picked up his own pistol from the seat and was about to shoot the highwayman, when the passengers discovered a third man in the bush with leveled pistol and begged the driver to desist.
About this time Constable Brown, of Bidwell's Bar, arrived in a buggy. He was at once made to stop at the rear of the stage while the robbers went through his pockets, but as he had only $6.50 he was allowed to keep it. The robbers did not wish to molest the passengers, but they held their pistols pointed toward the stage and buggy, and told the occupants to "go on and tell no lies." The stage proceeded to Oroville, leaving the robbers to disappear in the high grass.
Pursuit was at once started from Oroville by a posse under the leadership of J.V. Parks, and a party of emigrants was caught and brought before Judge Coughey for examination. They included two white women and an Oregon squaw and five men, some of whom gave their names as Sheridan, Stairs, and Sims, but afterward changed them to W. S., U. T., and Charles Gasoway, J. F. Schuller, and John Shores. They were arraigned before Judge Safford, tried, convicted and sentenced to terms varying from three to ten years. It turned out that the old man of the emigrants, W. S. Gasoway, had seen the package of gold dust and money put in the chest-box at Bidwells Bar, and had returned to camp where the plan was made to rob the stage. Mr. Wyckoff says that it was fortunate that the holdup was not a week earlier, for then he had $75,000 in gold dust in the box, all of which would probably have been lost.
(Source: Mansfield, George C. "History of Butte County, California"; Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1918; pp. 700-704)
Above citation transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal and provided by A. Farley.
Biography by Steve
Charles Alexander Wyckoff (Orton: Wykoff) was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N.Y., and Sarah Doty, a native of New York. Charles was raised in New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Charles headed west and arrived in California in December 1859 and worked as a miner. He enlisted as a private at Oroville February 25, 1865, and was mustered into Company A (New), 1st California Cavalry, at the Presidio of San Francisco March 1. At enlistment he was described as a miner, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion (Orton, p. 97). He was assigned Special Duty from August to December 1865 as an escort to General Mason. At Fort Yuma, California, Private Wyckoff was attached to Company C, Native California Cavalry, for the return to California abroad the Pacific Mail Steamship Company steamer Oregon. Private Wyckoff was mustered out with his company at the Presidio of San Francisco, May 14, 1866. After the war Charles returned to Oroville. Charles married Alice Evelyn Willet at Chico December 3, 1885. He filed for a Civil War veteran's pension March 10, 1905, and received application No. 1,332,813 and certificate No. 1,132,676. In his May 9, 1905, reply to a questionnaire from the Bureau of Pensions Charles stated that he was no longer married, but that he had been married, and that he had one son then living, Albert J. Wyckoff, born November 29, 1891. Charles was living with his brother, James Wyckoff, in 1910 (1910 US Census).
---
Children:
- Albert Joseph
---
CHARLES ALEXANDER WYCKOFF.--If there is one man in all California with whom the inimitable Mark Twain would have rejoiced to sit down and compare notes, it is probably Charles Alexander Wyckoff, the veteran stage-driver, who can tell more good yarns, and yarns that are true, about early life in the gold-mining days than any other pioneer hereabouts. Born in New York City on February 9, far back in 1839, he was the son of Daniel Dunham Wyckoff, a native of Pennsylvania, who was a ship-sawyer in Williamsburg, N. Y. Then he removed to New Jersey, where he had charge of one of the turnpikes, and afterward migrated as far west as Wisconsin. In Westport township, Dane County, he had a farm, and there he died. Mrs. Wyckoff had been Miss Sarah Doty, a native of New York, and she died in New Jersey. One child, the subject of our sketch, resulted from this union.
Brought up in New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, to which latter state he came in 1852, Charles Wyckoff attended the public schools, and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he started for Pike's Peak. He left Westport, Wis., a member of a party of seven, with two wagons and two and three yoke of oxen, and crossed the Mississippi at Dubuque and the Missouri at Council Bluffs, afterward proceeding up the Platte towards Pike's Peak. On the way they met miners by the score, "busted" and worse off; so they themselves concluded to come on to California by way of Landers Cut-Off, and they continued up the Snake River into Honey Lake Valley. There he remained a month, and then came to Butte County, arriving on December 19, 1859, at Mountain House, on the Quincy road, twenty-five miles east of Oroville.
Almost immediately he went to work on a ranch, then he teamed for a while, freighted, and finally engaged in mining, at which he continued until 1865. On February 25th he enlisted in Company A, First California Cavalry, into which he was mustered for three years and was sent to Texas by way of Los Angeles; but near the latter city word was received of Lee's surrender and the murder of Lincoln. They were ordered, therefore, to Arizona instead, where he then campaigned in different parts of the territory. Finally, his company was sent back to San Francisco, and on May 14, 1866, Mr. Wyckoff received an honorable discharge.
When the war was over he returned to Oroville and for some time was employed in mining and ranching. The winters were passed, however, in Oroville, in the service of livery stables, and in 1868 he became a sawyer, sawmilling at Nick Turner's mill, at Mountain House, for ten years; one year at Chico Meadows; at Lumkin three years, and with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Merrimac Company seven years. Then he put in about nine years with the Igerna Mill, in Siskiyou County, thus completing practically thirty years in sawmilling. Having had enough of that line of work, Mr. Wyckoff took up the transfer business in Oroville, and followed it until 1914, when he quit active work altogether and retired to private life.
On December 3, 1885, in Chico, Charles Alexander Wyckoff and Alice Evelyn Willett were married, the bride being a native of Cherokee, in this county. One son, Albert Joseph, resulted from this union; he served in Troop H of the First Utah Cavalry, and was at the front in Nogales, Ariz., during the trouble in Mexico, and now lives in Oakland.
A Republican in matters of national politics, Mr. Wyckoff is a member of the W. T. Sherman Post, No. 96, G. A. R., of Oroville, in which he has served as post commander, and is now adjutant and quartermaster. He was made an Odd Fellow in Bidwell Lodge, No. 47, I. O. O. F., later became a member of Oroville Lodge, No. 59, of which he is past Noble Grand. He is past Chief Patriarch in Oroville Encampment, No. 22, and is now Scribe; he is also a member of the Canton and of the Rebekahs.
Among the thrilling adventures one may hear modestly told by Mr. Wyckoff is one that leads back to the days when he was driving the stage out of Oroville, in 1864, running to Smith on the Quincy road. It was on June 25th when Charles Wyckoff held the reins and guided the faithful steeds drawing the heavy coach with two passengers, O. W. Cherry and A. F. Linden, together with the treasure-box of Whiting and Company, containing $1,882 in gold dust and $220 in coin. Two men suddenly appeared at the side of the road, one taking the horses by the head, and the other with cocked pistol aimed at Wyckoff, demanding the treasure-box. The driver responded that there was no treasure on the coach; whereupon the robber replied, "I know a damned sight better! Hand it out and put on no airs!" This brought out the desired chest, which the robber carried to the side of the road and broke open with an axe. While doing so he dropped his pistol; Wyckoff picked up his own pistol from the seat and was about to shoot the highwayman, when the passengers discovered a third man in the bush with leveled pistol and begged the driver to desist.
About this time Constable Brown, of Bidwell's Bar, arrived in a buggy. He was at once made to stop at the rear of the stage while the robbers went through his pockets, but as he had only $6.50 he was allowed to keep it. The robbers did not wish to molest the passengers, but they held their pistols pointed toward the stage and buggy, and told the occupants to "go on and tell no lies." The stage proceeded to Oroville, leaving the robbers to disappear in the high grass.
Pursuit was at once started from Oroville by a posse under the leadership of J.V. Parks, and a party of emigrants was caught and brought before Judge Coughey for examination. They included two white women and an Oregon squaw and five men, some of whom gave their names as Sheridan, Stairs, and Sims, but afterward changed them to W. S., U. T., and Charles Gasoway, J. F. Schuller, and John Shores. They were arraigned before Judge Safford, tried, convicted and sentenced to terms varying from three to ten years. It turned out that the old man of the emigrants, W. S. Gasoway, had seen the package of gold dust and money put in the chest-box at Bidwells Bar, and had returned to camp where the plan was made to rob the stage. Mr. Wyckoff says that it was fortunate that the holdup was not a week earlier, for then he had $75,000 in gold dust in the box, all of which would probably have been lost.
(Source: Mansfield, George C. "History of Butte County, California"; Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1918; pp. 700-704)
Above citation transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal and provided by A. Farley.
Biography by Steve
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