Like many other adventurous people in 1850, Elixander Robertson was drawn to California in search of gold. Leaving behind his young wife of six months, Janett Forbes, he made a very difficult trip from Canada overland to California. At times his party had no food or water and by the time they reached the Sierra Nevada's, winter had set in and they were stranded in the deep snow for three weeks. Finally arriving in California, he tried mining in several locations but eventually settled in the Crescent City area where he took up the familiar occupation of farming. His wife and five-year-old son Elixander joined him there on Christmas, 1855.
Robertson Place -- Robertson settled south of the Van Duzen river where he eventually acquired nearly 20,000 acres. Between 1874 and 1880 he bought 33 parcels, most of which were 160 acre quarter sections. The ranch was located on the Overland Stage Road seven miles from Bridgeville and about 15 miles north of Blocksburg. It extended from Little Laribee Creek near Bridgeville to Burr Creek and from Laribee Creek to Mill Creek. He stocked the ranch with sheep. Wool from Humboldt County was a very good quality because of the climate and good feed. Robertson's was considered to be a very important ranch.
In April of 1880 Robertson was working with a survey party at Whitmore Bluff on what is now the Bar W Ranch at Swains Flat. Attempting to save some time in crossing a deep ravine, the crew jumped down on some logs. When Robertson jumped, he felt something "give way" internally and became sick. He was taken by horse to the Whitmore ranch house to rest until the crew came in. He went to sleep and never woke up. He was 57 at the time of his death. He was known as a man of integrity, a good neighbor and citizen.
When Robertson died he left behind his wife Janett and four children ranging in age from 12 to 29. Four years earlier his oldest son, Elixander had bought his own ranch on Harris Road in the Garberville area. His only daughter Margaret was married to Joseph Frank McCreery and had two children. William Lincoln and Charles Edward lived with their mother on the ranch.
William eventually bought a hotel and saloon in Blocksburg. Charles Edward lived on the ranch until 1917 when his mother died at the age of 86. Between 1920 and 1926 the ranch was sold off parcel by parcel by the children. A part of it is now the Diamond D Ranch owned by William Dunn Jr. whose father bought it in 1936.
NOTE: Cemetery and census records note that Elixander was born in 1922. Using the lifespan noted on the headstone puts his birth year as 1823.
Robertson Place -- Robertson settled south of the Van Duzen river where he eventually acquired nearly 20,000 acres. Between 1874 and 1880 he bought 33 parcels, most of which were 160 acre quarter sections. The ranch was located on the Overland Stage Road seven miles from Bridgeville and about 15 miles north of Blocksburg. It extended from Little Laribee Creek near Bridgeville to Burr Creek and from Laribee Creek to Mill Creek. He stocked the ranch with sheep. Wool from Humboldt County was a very good quality because of the climate and good feed. Robertson's was considered to be a very important ranch.
In April of 1880 Robertson was working with a survey party at Whitmore Bluff on what is now the Bar W Ranch at Swains Flat. Attempting to save some time in crossing a deep ravine, the crew jumped down on some logs. When Robertson jumped, he felt something "give way" internally and became sick. He was taken by horse to the Whitmore ranch house to rest until the crew came in. He went to sleep and never woke up. He was 57 at the time of his death. He was known as a man of integrity, a good neighbor and citizen.
When Robertson died he left behind his wife Janett and four children ranging in age from 12 to 29. Four years earlier his oldest son, Elixander had bought his own ranch on Harris Road in the Garberville area. His only daughter Margaret was married to Joseph Frank McCreery and had two children. William Lincoln and Charles Edward lived with their mother on the ranch.
William eventually bought a hotel and saloon in Blocksburg. Charles Edward lived on the ranch until 1917 when his mother died at the age of 86. Between 1920 and 1926 the ranch was sold off parcel by parcel by the children. A part of it is now the Diamond D Ranch owned by William Dunn Jr. whose father bought it in 1936.
NOTE: Cemetery and census records note that Elixander was born in 1922. Using the lifespan noted on the headstone puts his birth year as 1823.
Like many other adventurous people in 1850, Elixander Robertson was drawn to California in search of gold. Leaving behind his young wife of six months, Janett Forbes, he made a very difficult trip from Canada overland to California. At times his party had no food or water and by the time they reached the Sierra Nevada's, winter had set in and they were stranded in the deep snow for three weeks. Finally arriving in California, he tried mining in several locations but eventually settled in the Crescent City area where he took up the familiar occupation of farming. His wife and five-year-old son Elixander joined him there on Christmas, 1855.
Robertson Place -- Robertson settled south of the Van Duzen river where he eventually acquired nearly 20,000 acres. Between 1874 and 1880 he bought 33 parcels, most of which were 160 acre quarter sections. The ranch was located on the Overland Stage Road seven miles from Bridgeville and about 15 miles north of Blocksburg. It extended from Little Laribee Creek near Bridgeville to Burr Creek and from Laribee Creek to Mill Creek. He stocked the ranch with sheep. Wool from Humboldt County was a very good quality because of the climate and good feed. Robertson's was considered to be a very important ranch.
In April of 1880 Robertson was working with a survey party at Whitmore Bluff on what is now the Bar W Ranch at Swains Flat. Attempting to save some time in crossing a deep ravine, the crew jumped down on some logs. When Robertson jumped, he felt something "give way" internally and became sick. He was taken by horse to the Whitmore ranch house to rest until the crew came in. He went to sleep and never woke up. He was 57 at the time of his death. He was known as a man of integrity, a good neighbor and citizen.
When Robertson died he left behind his wife Janett and four children ranging in age from 12 to 29. Four years earlier his oldest son, Elixander had bought his own ranch on Harris Road in the Garberville area. His only daughter Margaret was married to Joseph Frank McCreery and had two children. William Lincoln and Charles Edward lived with their mother on the ranch.
William eventually bought a hotel and saloon in Blocksburg. Charles Edward lived on the ranch until 1917 when his mother died at the age of 86. Between 1920 and 1926 the ranch was sold off parcel by parcel by the children. A part of it is now the Diamond D Ranch owned by William Dunn Jr. whose father bought it in 1936.
NOTE: Cemetery and census records note that Elixander was born in 1922. Using the lifespan noted on the headstone puts his birth year as 1823.
Robertson Place -- Robertson settled south of the Van Duzen river where he eventually acquired nearly 20,000 acres. Between 1874 and 1880 he bought 33 parcels, most of which were 160 acre quarter sections. The ranch was located on the Overland Stage Road seven miles from Bridgeville and about 15 miles north of Blocksburg. It extended from Little Laribee Creek near Bridgeville to Burr Creek and from Laribee Creek to Mill Creek. He stocked the ranch with sheep. Wool from Humboldt County was a very good quality because of the climate and good feed. Robertson's was considered to be a very important ranch.
In April of 1880 Robertson was working with a survey party at Whitmore Bluff on what is now the Bar W Ranch at Swains Flat. Attempting to save some time in crossing a deep ravine, the crew jumped down on some logs. When Robertson jumped, he felt something "give way" internally and became sick. He was taken by horse to the Whitmore ranch house to rest until the crew came in. He went to sleep and never woke up. He was 57 at the time of his death. He was known as a man of integrity, a good neighbor and citizen.
When Robertson died he left behind his wife Janett and four children ranging in age from 12 to 29. Four years earlier his oldest son, Elixander had bought his own ranch on Harris Road in the Garberville area. His only daughter Margaret was married to Joseph Frank McCreery and had two children. William Lincoln and Charles Edward lived with their mother on the ranch.
William eventually bought a hotel and saloon in Blocksburg. Charles Edward lived on the ranch until 1917 when his mother died at the age of 86. Between 1920 and 1926 the ranch was sold off parcel by parcel by the children. A part of it is now the Diamond D Ranch owned by William Dunn Jr. whose father bought it in 1936.
NOTE: Cemetery and census records note that Elixander was born in 1922. Using the lifespan noted on the headstone puts his birth year as 1823.
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