John Lewis Allison, born Jan. 28, 1848 in Paradise, Coles, Illinois, son of John Lewis Allison, Sr. and Jerusha P. Hanson. Husband of Sarah Emma Tice. contributed by Mary Crawford
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JOHN L. ALLISON - Descended from a pioneer family of Kentucky, John L. Allison, Chico, was born at Paradise, Coles County, Ill., January 28, 1848. His father, also named John L. Allison, was born Louisville, Ky., and was the son of Dr. William Allison, also a native of the Blue Grass State and a graduate physician and a pioneer practitioner of that state. He moved to Coles County, Ill., in early days and farmed and practiced medicine there until his death. J.L. Allison, Sr., was general land agent for the Illinois Central Railway, with headquarters at Mattoon. He was one of the original locators of one half of that city, James Cunningham having laid out the east half. In 1864, Mr. Allison leased a cotton plantation thirty miles below Vicksburg and went down there to start operations. He carried about $50,000 in currency on his person and had some sixty head of mules and horses on the place. The provisions were shipped to him by boat, but the first boatload was sunk and his partner, Thomas A. Apperson, went to negotiate for another supply. At that time the land was infested with guerrillas, and before the return of Mr. Apperson, they had visited the plantation and killed Mr. Allison and run off his stock. Mr. Allison's wife was Jerusha Hanson, in maidenhood, and she was born in Illinois, a daughter of the late George M. Hanson, a California pioneer. He was likewise an early settler in Illinois and erected and started in operation a number of sawmills on the Sangamon River. He was a personal friend of President Lincoln when he was a lawyer at Springfield. In 1849 Mr. Hanson and several members of his family came across the plains, and after their arrival he and two his sons went to the mines for a time. They later returned to Marysville and he and a son, William P., built the first toll bridge across the Feather River between Marysville and Yuba City. This cost over thirty thousand dollars, and it was washed away by the high water, causing a total loss to the originators. Mr. Hanson erected the first large house in Yuba City, the lumber having been brought around the Horn. That house is still standing and is still occupied as a residence. He was one of the pioneer settlers in Lake County, being piloted in there by Indian guides. Grizzly Gulch was named by him from the fact that on his trip over the mountains he killed a large grizzly at that place. He became one of the most prominent pioneers of Northern California and spent his last days in Lake County. Only one of his children is now living, Hon. D.M. Hanson, of Vallejo. Mrs. Allison, the youngest child of the family, died in Illinois, leaving one daughter and a son.
John L. Allison, of this review, was a babe of but three months of age when his mother died. He was reared on the home farm near Mattoon and attended the pioneer schools of that period. He was but sixteen when his father was killed, and from that time on his education was obtained in the stern school of experience. He left school and entered upon newspaper work as "devil" in the office of the Mattoon Gazette. After he had learned the trade he worked on the Mattoon Journal as a compositor until 1873, when he went to Kansas, and while there worked on the Emporia Republican, and later on the Topeka Capital.
It was about this time, in 1875, and Mr. Allison was married at Wakarusa, to Miss Emma Tice, a native of Pennsylvania, who had come to Kansas with her parents in the early fifties. Her father, Capt. Perry Tice, served as a captain of the state militia, and he also served in the state legislature of Kansas. After his marriage, Mr. Allison returned to Illinois and for one year was with the Mattoon Journal. In 1876 he went to Neoga, Ill., and established the Neoga News and managed its destinies for two years, then sold it to T.R. Hancock, who died there leaving a widow who is still the guiding star of the Neoga News. After selling out, Mr. Allison returned to Mattoon and for eight years was employed by the Mattoon Mining Company as superintendent of machinery. When he resigned from that position it was to go to Osage County, Kans., where for seven years he was engaged in the real estate business in that bustling locality. He was meeting with good success, but unfortunately had gone on several notes with friends, who left him to pay the indebtedness, some thirty thousand dollars. This broke him, as it was about the time of the panic prior to 1888.
In that year Mr. Allison decided he would come to California to get a new start. Accordingly, with his wife and family, he left the East and on his arrival here went to Lake County to visit with relatives and to get the lay of the land in the state. His intention was to start in at San Francisco, but through the advice of his uncle, D.M. Hanson, he bought the Clear Lake Press, at Lower Lake, from W.H. Adamson. Six months later, Mr. Cook, editor and owner of the Lakeport Democrat, died suddenly, and as soon as the news reached Mr. Allison he packed up his printing outfit and loaded it on three freight wagons and the next morning at 10:30 he was in Lakeport. He established his paper by its original name and at once success began to crown his efforts. For two years he was located in the Lakeview Hotel building, then moved to the location where the Clear Lake Press is still housed. He devoted his entire time to building up his paper, always publishing it in the interest of the county development; he also built up a good job-printing business and for five years was sole owner. He then sold a half interest to McIntire and Mayfield, and six months later sold his entire interest and moved to a ranch in Long Valley and began to raise cattle and hogs. While he was thus employed the coyotes killed over eight hundred head of shoats. Becoming discouraged, in February, 1898, he sold his stock and located in Colusa, where he purchased the Colusa Transcript, changed the name to the Colusa Herald, ran it as a weekly for eighteen months and then changed it to a morning daily, with strong Republican tendencies. In 1905 he sold out to C.D. McComish and in January, the following year located in Chico.
Soon after his arrival here Mr. Allison purchased a lot and erected his residence at the corner of Second Avenue and Linden Street, and the following year opened a job-printing office on Broadway, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Soon he merged it into the Commercial Review, a weekly devoted to the best interests of Chico and championing the cause of temperance. His job business grew to such proportions that he suspended the publishing of the paper. He later moved his job office to Third and Wall Streets and there started the Chico Advertiser, issuing the paper every Saturday and distributing over three thousand copies throughout the county and adjacent territory, free. In 1912, he built a building at the corner of Eighth and Oleander Streets, Chico Vecino, and installed one of the most up-to-date job offices in the county. While he was publishing the Advertiser, he published General Bidwell's "Reminiscences" in serial form, and later published fifteen hundred copies in pamphlet form entitled "Echoes of the Past," which sold for twenty-five cents each. In 1913, Mr. Allison sold out his establishment and business. Two years later he started another job and advertising office and has met with good success. However, on December 5, 1916, his residence and contents were destroyed by fire with a loss of thirty-six hundred dollars above the insurance. He lost many valuable keepsakes, for he had gathered a large collection during his many years in California. Nothing daunted, however, he at once rebuilt a residence, bungalow style.
Mr. and Mrs. Allison became the parents of eleven children: Perry, foreman on the Santa Rosa Republican; Mary, Mrs. Charles Schuckman, of Williams; Sadie, a dressmaker in San Francisco; Beulah, Mrs. Ed Evans, of Williams; Susan, employed in a printing office in San Francisco; Latie, a printer in the job department of the Chico Enterprise; Irena, a graduate from the Chico State Normal School, who married Henry Bruce, now a sergeant in the United States Army stationed at Camp Kearny; John L., Jr., a printer by trade, but now in the employ of Minderman Grocery; Agnes, a graduate of the Chico State Normal School and formerly a teacher, who is now Mrs. Herd of Oroville; Fay, Mrs. William Palmer, of Reno, Nev.; and Dorothy, Mrs. H.P. Galarneaux, of Chico. This family has lived for over forty-five years without a death to mar the happiness of its members, and for twenty years all gathered together on Christmas day. Mr. and Mrs. Allison are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican. In 1917, after an absence of thirty-three years, Mr. Allison made a trip to Mattoon, Ill., and found only three or four landmarks that carried him back to the pioneer days when he began newspaper work. There are but few men now living in Northern California who have had a longer record in the newspaper world than Mr. Allison, who is one of the best known men in this section of the state. Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 905-908, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
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JOHN L. ALLISON - Descended from a pioneer family of Kentucky, John L. Allison, Chico, was born at Paradise, Coles County, Ill., January 28, 1848. His father, also named John L. Allison, was born Louisville, Ky., and was the son of Dr. William Allison, also a native of the Blue Grass State and a graduate physician and a pioneer practitioner of that state. He moved to Coles County, Ill., in early days and farmed and practiced medicine there until his death. J.L. Allison, Sr., was general land agent for the Illinois Central Railway, with headquarters at Mattoon. He was one of the original locators of one half of that city, James Cunningham having laid out the east half. In 1864, Mr. Allison leased a cotton plantation thirty miles below Vicksburg and went down there to start operations. He carried about $50,000 in currency on his person and had some sixty head of mules and horses on the place. The provisions were shipped to him by boat, but the first boatload was sunk and his partner, Thomas A. Apperson, went to negotiate for another supply. At that time the land was infested with guerrillas, and before the return of Mr. Apperson, they had visited the plantation and killed Mr. Allison and run off his stock. Mr. Allison's wife was Jerusha Hanson, in maidenhood, and she was born in Illinois, a daughter of the late George M. Hanson, a California pioneer. He was likewise an early settler in Illinois and erected and started in operation a number of sawmills on the Sangamon River. He was a personal friend of President Lincoln when he was a lawyer at Springfield. In 1849 Mr. Hanson and several members of his family came across the plains, and after their arrival he and two his sons went to the mines for a time. They later returned to Marysville and he and a son, William P., built the first toll bridge across the Feather River between Marysville and Yuba City. This cost over thirty thousand dollars, and it was washed away by the high water, causing a total loss to the originators. Mr. Hanson erected the first large house in Yuba City, the lumber having been brought around the Horn. That house is still standing and is still occupied as a residence. He was one of the pioneer settlers in Lake County, being piloted in there by Indian guides. Grizzly Gulch was named by him from the fact that on his trip over the mountains he killed a large grizzly at that place. He became one of the most prominent pioneers of Northern California and spent his last days in Lake County. Only one of his children is now living, Hon. D.M. Hanson, of Vallejo. Mrs. Allison, the youngest child of the family, died in Illinois, leaving one daughter and a son.
John L. Allison, of this review, was a babe of but three months of age when his mother died. He was reared on the home farm near Mattoon and attended the pioneer schools of that period. He was but sixteen when his father was killed, and from that time on his education was obtained in the stern school of experience. He left school and entered upon newspaper work as "devil" in the office of the Mattoon Gazette. After he had learned the trade he worked on the Mattoon Journal as a compositor until 1873, when he went to Kansas, and while there worked on the Emporia Republican, and later on the Topeka Capital.
It was about this time, in 1875, and Mr. Allison was married at Wakarusa, to Miss Emma Tice, a native of Pennsylvania, who had come to Kansas with her parents in the early fifties. Her father, Capt. Perry Tice, served as a captain of the state militia, and he also served in the state legislature of Kansas. After his marriage, Mr. Allison returned to Illinois and for one year was with the Mattoon Journal. In 1876 he went to Neoga, Ill., and established the Neoga News and managed its destinies for two years, then sold it to T.R. Hancock, who died there leaving a widow who is still the guiding star of the Neoga News. After selling out, Mr. Allison returned to Mattoon and for eight years was employed by the Mattoon Mining Company as superintendent of machinery. When he resigned from that position it was to go to Osage County, Kans., where for seven years he was engaged in the real estate business in that bustling locality. He was meeting with good success, but unfortunately had gone on several notes with friends, who left him to pay the indebtedness, some thirty thousand dollars. This broke him, as it was about the time of the panic prior to 1888.
In that year Mr. Allison decided he would come to California to get a new start. Accordingly, with his wife and family, he left the East and on his arrival here went to Lake County to visit with relatives and to get the lay of the land in the state. His intention was to start in at San Francisco, but through the advice of his uncle, D.M. Hanson, he bought the Clear Lake Press, at Lower Lake, from W.H. Adamson. Six months later, Mr. Cook, editor and owner of the Lakeport Democrat, died suddenly, and as soon as the news reached Mr. Allison he packed up his printing outfit and loaded it on three freight wagons and the next morning at 10:30 he was in Lakeport. He established his paper by its original name and at once success began to crown his efforts. For two years he was located in the Lakeview Hotel building, then moved to the location where the Clear Lake Press is still housed. He devoted his entire time to building up his paper, always publishing it in the interest of the county development; he also built up a good job-printing business and for five years was sole owner. He then sold a half interest to McIntire and Mayfield, and six months later sold his entire interest and moved to a ranch in Long Valley and began to raise cattle and hogs. While he was thus employed the coyotes killed over eight hundred head of shoats. Becoming discouraged, in February, 1898, he sold his stock and located in Colusa, where he purchased the Colusa Transcript, changed the name to the Colusa Herald, ran it as a weekly for eighteen months and then changed it to a morning daily, with strong Republican tendencies. In 1905 he sold out to C.D. McComish and in January, the following year located in Chico.
Soon after his arrival here Mr. Allison purchased a lot and erected his residence at the corner of Second Avenue and Linden Street, and the following year opened a job-printing office on Broadway, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Soon he merged it into the Commercial Review, a weekly devoted to the best interests of Chico and championing the cause of temperance. His job business grew to such proportions that he suspended the publishing of the paper. He later moved his job office to Third and Wall Streets and there started the Chico Advertiser, issuing the paper every Saturday and distributing over three thousand copies throughout the county and adjacent territory, free. In 1912, he built a building at the corner of Eighth and Oleander Streets, Chico Vecino, and installed one of the most up-to-date job offices in the county. While he was publishing the Advertiser, he published General Bidwell's "Reminiscences" in serial form, and later published fifteen hundred copies in pamphlet form entitled "Echoes of the Past," which sold for twenty-five cents each. In 1913, Mr. Allison sold out his establishment and business. Two years later he started another job and advertising office and has met with good success. However, on December 5, 1916, his residence and contents were destroyed by fire with a loss of thirty-six hundred dollars above the insurance. He lost many valuable keepsakes, for he had gathered a large collection during his many years in California. Nothing daunted, however, he at once rebuilt a residence, bungalow style.
Mr. and Mrs. Allison became the parents of eleven children: Perry, foreman on the Santa Rosa Republican; Mary, Mrs. Charles Schuckman, of Williams; Sadie, a dressmaker in San Francisco; Beulah, Mrs. Ed Evans, of Williams; Susan, employed in a printing office in San Francisco; Latie, a printer in the job department of the Chico Enterprise; Irena, a graduate from the Chico State Normal School, who married Henry Bruce, now a sergeant in the United States Army stationed at Camp Kearny; John L., Jr., a printer by trade, but now in the employ of Minderman Grocery; Agnes, a graduate of the Chico State Normal School and formerly a teacher, who is now Mrs. Herd of Oroville; Fay, Mrs. William Palmer, of Reno, Nev.; and Dorothy, Mrs. H.P. Galarneaux, of Chico. This family has lived for over forty-five years without a death to mar the happiness of its members, and for twenty years all gathered together on Christmas day. Mr. and Mrs. Allison are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican. In 1917, after an absence of thirty-three years, Mr. Allison made a trip to Mattoon, Ill., and found only three or four landmarks that carried him back to the pioneer days when he began newspaper work. There are but few men now living in Northern California who have had a longer record in the newspaper world than Mr. Allison, who is one of the best known men in this section of the state. Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 905-908, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
John Lewis Allison, born Jan. 28, 1848 in Paradise, Coles, Illinois, son of John Lewis Allison, Sr. and Jerusha P. Hanson. Husband of Sarah Emma Tice. contributed by Mary Crawford
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JOHN L. ALLISON - Descended from a pioneer family of Kentucky, John L. Allison, Chico, was born at Paradise, Coles County, Ill., January 28, 1848. His father, also named John L. Allison, was born Louisville, Ky., and was the son of Dr. William Allison, also a native of the Blue Grass State and a graduate physician and a pioneer practitioner of that state. He moved to Coles County, Ill., in early days and farmed and practiced medicine there until his death. J.L. Allison, Sr., was general land agent for the Illinois Central Railway, with headquarters at Mattoon. He was one of the original locators of one half of that city, James Cunningham having laid out the east half. In 1864, Mr. Allison leased a cotton plantation thirty miles below Vicksburg and went down there to start operations. He carried about $50,000 in currency on his person and had some sixty head of mules and horses on the place. The provisions were shipped to him by boat, but the first boatload was sunk and his partner, Thomas A. Apperson, went to negotiate for another supply. At that time the land was infested with guerrillas, and before the return of Mr. Apperson, they had visited the plantation and killed Mr. Allison and run off his stock. Mr. Allison's wife was Jerusha Hanson, in maidenhood, and she was born in Illinois, a daughter of the late George M. Hanson, a California pioneer. He was likewise an early settler in Illinois and erected and started in operation a number of sawmills on the Sangamon River. He was a personal friend of President Lincoln when he was a lawyer at Springfield. In 1849 Mr. Hanson and several members of his family came across the plains, and after their arrival he and two his sons went to the mines for a time. They later returned to Marysville and he and a son, William P., built the first toll bridge across the Feather River between Marysville and Yuba City. This cost over thirty thousand dollars, and it was washed away by the high water, causing a total loss to the originators. Mr. Hanson erected the first large house in Yuba City, the lumber having been brought around the Horn. That house is still standing and is still occupied as a residence. He was one of the pioneer settlers in Lake County, being piloted in there by Indian guides. Grizzly Gulch was named by him from the fact that on his trip over the mountains he killed a large grizzly at that place. He became one of the most prominent pioneers of Northern California and spent his last days in Lake County. Only one of his children is now living, Hon. D.M. Hanson, of Vallejo. Mrs. Allison, the youngest child of the family, died in Illinois, leaving one daughter and a son.
John L. Allison, of this review, was a babe of but three months of age when his mother died. He was reared on the home farm near Mattoon and attended the pioneer schools of that period. He was but sixteen when his father was killed, and from that time on his education was obtained in the stern school of experience. He left school and entered upon newspaper work as "devil" in the office of the Mattoon Gazette. After he had learned the trade he worked on the Mattoon Journal as a compositor until 1873, when he went to Kansas, and while there worked on the Emporia Republican, and later on the Topeka Capital.
It was about this time, in 1875, and Mr. Allison was married at Wakarusa, to Miss Emma Tice, a native of Pennsylvania, who had come to Kansas with her parents in the early fifties. Her father, Capt. Perry Tice, served as a captain of the state militia, and he also served in the state legislature of Kansas. After his marriage, Mr. Allison returned to Illinois and for one year was with the Mattoon Journal. In 1876 he went to Neoga, Ill., and established the Neoga News and managed its destinies for two years, then sold it to T.R. Hancock, who died there leaving a widow who is still the guiding star of the Neoga News. After selling out, Mr. Allison returned to Mattoon and for eight years was employed by the Mattoon Mining Company as superintendent of machinery. When he resigned from that position it was to go to Osage County, Kans., where for seven years he was engaged in the real estate business in that bustling locality. He was meeting with good success, but unfortunately had gone on several notes with friends, who left him to pay the indebtedness, some thirty thousand dollars. This broke him, as it was about the time of the panic prior to 1888.
In that year Mr. Allison decided he would come to California to get a new start. Accordingly, with his wife and family, he left the East and on his arrival here went to Lake County to visit with relatives and to get the lay of the land in the state. His intention was to start in at San Francisco, but through the advice of his uncle, D.M. Hanson, he bought the Clear Lake Press, at Lower Lake, from W.H. Adamson. Six months later, Mr. Cook, editor and owner of the Lakeport Democrat, died suddenly, and as soon as the news reached Mr. Allison he packed up his printing outfit and loaded it on three freight wagons and the next morning at 10:30 he was in Lakeport. He established his paper by its original name and at once success began to crown his efforts. For two years he was located in the Lakeview Hotel building, then moved to the location where the Clear Lake Press is still housed. He devoted his entire time to building up his paper, always publishing it in the interest of the county development; he also built up a good job-printing business and for five years was sole owner. He then sold a half interest to McIntire and Mayfield, and six months later sold his entire interest and moved to a ranch in Long Valley and began to raise cattle and hogs. While he was thus employed the coyotes killed over eight hundred head of shoats. Becoming discouraged, in February, 1898, he sold his stock and located in Colusa, where he purchased the Colusa Transcript, changed the name to the Colusa Herald, ran it as a weekly for eighteen months and then changed it to a morning daily, with strong Republican tendencies. In 1905 he sold out to C.D. McComish and in January, the following year located in Chico.
Soon after his arrival here Mr. Allison purchased a lot and erected his residence at the corner of Second Avenue and Linden Street, and the following year opened a job-printing office on Broadway, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Soon he merged it into the Commercial Review, a weekly devoted to the best interests of Chico and championing the cause of temperance. His job business grew to such proportions that he suspended the publishing of the paper. He later moved his job office to Third and Wall Streets and there started the Chico Advertiser, issuing the paper every Saturday and distributing over three thousand copies throughout the county and adjacent territory, free. In 1912, he built a building at the corner of Eighth and Oleander Streets, Chico Vecino, and installed one of the most up-to-date job offices in the county. While he was publishing the Advertiser, he published General Bidwell's "Reminiscences" in serial form, and later published fifteen hundred copies in pamphlet form entitled "Echoes of the Past," which sold for twenty-five cents each. In 1913, Mr. Allison sold out his establishment and business. Two years later he started another job and advertising office and has met with good success. However, on December 5, 1916, his residence and contents were destroyed by fire with a loss of thirty-six hundred dollars above the insurance. He lost many valuable keepsakes, for he had gathered a large collection during his many years in California. Nothing daunted, however, he at once rebuilt a residence, bungalow style.
Mr. and Mrs. Allison became the parents of eleven children: Perry, foreman on the Santa Rosa Republican; Mary, Mrs. Charles Schuckman, of Williams; Sadie, a dressmaker in San Francisco; Beulah, Mrs. Ed Evans, of Williams; Susan, employed in a printing office in San Francisco; Latie, a printer in the job department of the Chico Enterprise; Irena, a graduate from the Chico State Normal School, who married Henry Bruce, now a sergeant in the United States Army stationed at Camp Kearny; John L., Jr., a printer by trade, but now in the employ of Minderman Grocery; Agnes, a graduate of the Chico State Normal School and formerly a teacher, who is now Mrs. Herd of Oroville; Fay, Mrs. William Palmer, of Reno, Nev.; and Dorothy, Mrs. H.P. Galarneaux, of Chico. This family has lived for over forty-five years without a death to mar the happiness of its members, and for twenty years all gathered together on Christmas day. Mr. and Mrs. Allison are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican. In 1917, after an absence of thirty-three years, Mr. Allison made a trip to Mattoon, Ill., and found only three or four landmarks that carried him back to the pioneer days when he began newspaper work. There are but few men now living in Northern California who have had a longer record in the newspaper world than Mr. Allison, who is one of the best known men in this section of the state. Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 905-908, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
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JOHN L. ALLISON - Descended from a pioneer family of Kentucky, John L. Allison, Chico, was born at Paradise, Coles County, Ill., January 28, 1848. His father, also named John L. Allison, was born Louisville, Ky., and was the son of Dr. William Allison, also a native of the Blue Grass State and a graduate physician and a pioneer practitioner of that state. He moved to Coles County, Ill., in early days and farmed and practiced medicine there until his death. J.L. Allison, Sr., was general land agent for the Illinois Central Railway, with headquarters at Mattoon. He was one of the original locators of one half of that city, James Cunningham having laid out the east half. In 1864, Mr. Allison leased a cotton plantation thirty miles below Vicksburg and went down there to start operations. He carried about $50,000 in currency on his person and had some sixty head of mules and horses on the place. The provisions were shipped to him by boat, but the first boatload was sunk and his partner, Thomas A. Apperson, went to negotiate for another supply. At that time the land was infested with guerrillas, and before the return of Mr. Apperson, they had visited the plantation and killed Mr. Allison and run off his stock. Mr. Allison's wife was Jerusha Hanson, in maidenhood, and she was born in Illinois, a daughter of the late George M. Hanson, a California pioneer. He was likewise an early settler in Illinois and erected and started in operation a number of sawmills on the Sangamon River. He was a personal friend of President Lincoln when he was a lawyer at Springfield. In 1849 Mr. Hanson and several members of his family came across the plains, and after their arrival he and two his sons went to the mines for a time. They later returned to Marysville and he and a son, William P., built the first toll bridge across the Feather River between Marysville and Yuba City. This cost over thirty thousand dollars, and it was washed away by the high water, causing a total loss to the originators. Mr. Hanson erected the first large house in Yuba City, the lumber having been brought around the Horn. That house is still standing and is still occupied as a residence. He was one of the pioneer settlers in Lake County, being piloted in there by Indian guides. Grizzly Gulch was named by him from the fact that on his trip over the mountains he killed a large grizzly at that place. He became one of the most prominent pioneers of Northern California and spent his last days in Lake County. Only one of his children is now living, Hon. D.M. Hanson, of Vallejo. Mrs. Allison, the youngest child of the family, died in Illinois, leaving one daughter and a son.
John L. Allison, of this review, was a babe of but three months of age when his mother died. He was reared on the home farm near Mattoon and attended the pioneer schools of that period. He was but sixteen when his father was killed, and from that time on his education was obtained in the stern school of experience. He left school and entered upon newspaper work as "devil" in the office of the Mattoon Gazette. After he had learned the trade he worked on the Mattoon Journal as a compositor until 1873, when he went to Kansas, and while there worked on the Emporia Republican, and later on the Topeka Capital.
It was about this time, in 1875, and Mr. Allison was married at Wakarusa, to Miss Emma Tice, a native of Pennsylvania, who had come to Kansas with her parents in the early fifties. Her father, Capt. Perry Tice, served as a captain of the state militia, and he also served in the state legislature of Kansas. After his marriage, Mr. Allison returned to Illinois and for one year was with the Mattoon Journal. In 1876 he went to Neoga, Ill., and established the Neoga News and managed its destinies for two years, then sold it to T.R. Hancock, who died there leaving a widow who is still the guiding star of the Neoga News. After selling out, Mr. Allison returned to Mattoon and for eight years was employed by the Mattoon Mining Company as superintendent of machinery. When he resigned from that position it was to go to Osage County, Kans., where for seven years he was engaged in the real estate business in that bustling locality. He was meeting with good success, but unfortunately had gone on several notes with friends, who left him to pay the indebtedness, some thirty thousand dollars. This broke him, as it was about the time of the panic prior to 1888.
In that year Mr. Allison decided he would come to California to get a new start. Accordingly, with his wife and family, he left the East and on his arrival here went to Lake County to visit with relatives and to get the lay of the land in the state. His intention was to start in at San Francisco, but through the advice of his uncle, D.M. Hanson, he bought the Clear Lake Press, at Lower Lake, from W.H. Adamson. Six months later, Mr. Cook, editor and owner of the Lakeport Democrat, died suddenly, and as soon as the news reached Mr. Allison he packed up his printing outfit and loaded it on three freight wagons and the next morning at 10:30 he was in Lakeport. He established his paper by its original name and at once success began to crown his efforts. For two years he was located in the Lakeview Hotel building, then moved to the location where the Clear Lake Press is still housed. He devoted his entire time to building up his paper, always publishing it in the interest of the county development; he also built up a good job-printing business and for five years was sole owner. He then sold a half interest to McIntire and Mayfield, and six months later sold his entire interest and moved to a ranch in Long Valley and began to raise cattle and hogs. While he was thus employed the coyotes killed over eight hundred head of shoats. Becoming discouraged, in February, 1898, he sold his stock and located in Colusa, where he purchased the Colusa Transcript, changed the name to the Colusa Herald, ran it as a weekly for eighteen months and then changed it to a morning daily, with strong Republican tendencies. In 1905 he sold out to C.D. McComish and in January, the following year located in Chico.
Soon after his arrival here Mr. Allison purchased a lot and erected his residence at the corner of Second Avenue and Linden Street, and the following year opened a job-printing office on Broadway, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Soon he merged it into the Commercial Review, a weekly devoted to the best interests of Chico and championing the cause of temperance. His job business grew to such proportions that he suspended the publishing of the paper. He later moved his job office to Third and Wall Streets and there started the Chico Advertiser, issuing the paper every Saturday and distributing over three thousand copies throughout the county and adjacent territory, free. In 1912, he built a building at the corner of Eighth and Oleander Streets, Chico Vecino, and installed one of the most up-to-date job offices in the county. While he was publishing the Advertiser, he published General Bidwell's "Reminiscences" in serial form, and later published fifteen hundred copies in pamphlet form entitled "Echoes of the Past," which sold for twenty-five cents each. In 1913, Mr. Allison sold out his establishment and business. Two years later he started another job and advertising office and has met with good success. However, on December 5, 1916, his residence and contents were destroyed by fire with a loss of thirty-six hundred dollars above the insurance. He lost many valuable keepsakes, for he had gathered a large collection during his many years in California. Nothing daunted, however, he at once rebuilt a residence, bungalow style.
Mr. and Mrs. Allison became the parents of eleven children: Perry, foreman on the Santa Rosa Republican; Mary, Mrs. Charles Schuckman, of Williams; Sadie, a dressmaker in San Francisco; Beulah, Mrs. Ed Evans, of Williams; Susan, employed in a printing office in San Francisco; Latie, a printer in the job department of the Chico Enterprise; Irena, a graduate from the Chico State Normal School, who married Henry Bruce, now a sergeant in the United States Army stationed at Camp Kearny; John L., Jr., a printer by trade, but now in the employ of Minderman Grocery; Agnes, a graduate of the Chico State Normal School and formerly a teacher, who is now Mrs. Herd of Oroville; Fay, Mrs. William Palmer, of Reno, Nev.; and Dorothy, Mrs. H.P. Galarneaux, of Chico. This family has lived for over forty-five years without a death to mar the happiness of its members, and for twenty years all gathered together on Christmas day. Mr. and Mrs. Allison are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican. In 1917, after an absence of thirty-three years, Mr. Allison made a trip to Mattoon, Ill., and found only three or four landmarks that carried him back to the pioneer days when he began newspaper work. There are but few men now living in Northern California who have had a longer record in the newspaper world than Mr. Allison, who is one of the best known men in this section of the state. Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 905-908, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
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