Rev. John Milton Spriggs

JOHN M Spriggs is a native of South Carolina born November May 1826 His parents John and Theadocha (sic) Spriggs Lived on a farm in Greenville county of That State John resided there Until I was sixteen years of age When the family emigrated to the gold Lumpkin Georgia county region of That State in 1845 When Mr. Spriggs was nineteen years of age he was married to Miss S.A. Carroll a native of Georgia Soon after this event he embarked in the mercantile business in the town of Dahlonega, until the spring of 1850. Не then left Lumpkin county and wife and child to seek a fortune in the new Eldorado California by wagon train consisting of twelve mules. The cholera became prevalent and six out of the company of twelve died. At Sweet Water Mr. Spriggs and another gentleman left the train and on foot with only a pack pony. They became short of provisions and were compelled to subsist upon the flesh of prairie dogs and the seed pods more commonly called berries of the wild rose.

After laborious travels and severe hardships they succeeded in reaching Georgetown Eldorado county September 1, 1850. He soon commenced mining on the American river but was not very successful making on the average only eight dollars per day.

Mr Spriggs crossed the plains with his family in 1852 and during the winter remained at Gold Hill, Placer County then they removed to Knights Landing, Yolo County thence to Saint Helena, Napa County where he was in charge of a hotel. In the meantime he lost his wife and in 1867 he married Miss N E Reed the widow of Martin Reed and the daughter of Charles Hopper a pioneer of 1847 of Napa County. Оп the 11th of September 1868 Мг. Spriggs and family located in Stanislaus County commenced farming and sheep raising. The farm of twenty five hundred acres is located twenty five miles from Modesto the county seat, twenty miles from railroad, two miles from church and school and three miles from the irrigation canal. The ranch is situated near the foot hills eleven hundred acres of which is rich valley land producing from sixteen to thirty bushels of wheat per acne The remaining fourteen hundred acres is of rolling hills which are enclosed with eight miles of new board fence Mr Spriggs uses it for pasture for one hundred head of tine cattle. He has also eight mules and twelve horses with which he cultivates his grain farm. He has also some hogs.

Taken from History of Stanislaus County, California: With Illustrations Descriptive of ...