William Preston Becraft
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1853 - CA
Christening:
Death: 27 May 1930 - Plumas Co, CA
Burial: in Quincy Cemetery, Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Cause of Death:
AFN :
Events
• Census, 1860 Federal Census, 1860 in Fillmore, Plumas Co, CA
James Beecroft, age 32, born KY; wife Rebecca, age 25, born IN; son William age 6, born CA; son Charles age 5, born CA; son James age 4, born CA; son Ripley age 2 born CA; daughter Martha age 4/12 born CA.• Event, Plumas National, 29 Aug 1874 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Page 3• Event, Plumas National, 4 May 1878 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Local Items
... Masters J.L. Bransford, W. Becraft, E. Light, W. Harris and two or three others have gone on a hunting and fishing excursion to Lone Rock Valley...
Page 3• Event, Plumas National, 18 May 1878 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Wm. Becraft has purchased the hotel property at Jamison formerly belonging to Mr. Phelan, and lately occupied by Mr. G. W. Meylert...
Page 3• Census, Federal, 1880 in Mohawk Valley, Plumas Co, CA
Real Estate Transactions
May 4th -- John Phelan to Wm. P. Becraft, One-half Jamison City Hotel.
W. Becraft, self, age 26, born CA; wife M.J. age 21, born CA; dau R. age 2, born CA; dau I. age 1, born CA.• Event, Plumas National, 2 Oct 1880 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Page 3• Event, Plumas National, 13 Nov 1880 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Proceedings of the Democratic county Convention
Quincy, Sept. 25th, 1880
...
The Committe on Credentials reported the following named persons entitled to seats in the Convention.
...
Jamison 5 -- ... W.P. Becraft, ...
Page 3• Event, Plumas National, 27 Nov 1880 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Trial Jurors -- The following are the names of fifty trial jurors, drawn on Monday last. They will be summoned to appear at Quincy on Tuesday, Nov 23d; ... W.P. Becraft...
[RJB, noticed this entry under John T's second walking story and placed it here since William was owner of the Jamison City Hotel, another good site with some history is http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt6s2006z9&chunk.id=bioghist-1.7.4&brand=oac]• Event, Plumas National, 5 Feb 1881 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Page 3
A Town Wiped out. -- On Friday morning of last week, our neighboring town of Jamison fell victim to the torch of the incendiary, and in an hour almost the last vestige of a lively and flourishing village was gone. Correspondence in another column gives full particulars. The total loss was about $50,000, and probably the property was not insured for more than $15,000. There is no doubt but that the fire was the work of an incendiary, but as yet no one has been arrested. At first, under the excitement, considerable talk was indulged in, and had the rascal been certainly known, there is no doubt but that he would have paid the penalty of his misdeeds at the end of a rope. But cooler counsel will now prevail, and should evidence be found as to who applied the torch, the law will take its course. We sympathize with our neighbors who are left "out in the cold" at this season, but the present pleasant weather will give them time to make temporary arrangements, and in a year or two a new town will spring up, and possibly in much better condition to succeed than before.
[Over a few columns, same page]
The Jamison Fire.
A letter from our old frind "Alioth," came to hand on Wednesday, but as an account of the fire had already reached us, and was in type, we omit a large portion of his letter, giving the closing pages. He says:
"That this was the result of incemliarism there is not a doubt. A fire was kindled in the hallway of Clark's hotel, about a month ago, fortunately discovered in time, and the manner in which this late fire spread, warrants the belief that coal oil had been used to carry fire from house to house.
During the fire, while Dunn & Tivnan, assisted by friends, were saving goods, one man attempted to steal a case of cigars that Dunn had just set down, but was caught in the act, and made to drop them by Dr. Lee. It is a pity that the Dr. was not "heeled" at the time, so that he might have dropped the thief as well. Another man was caught stealing a pair of pantaloons from the effects saved from Olsen's store, and the next day tried to break open the door of the blacksmith shop at the Big Shaft, where the goods were stored. The citizens ordered him to leave town. He refused, and they got a rope around his neck, and after some rough usage he thought best to "git up and git."
I do not know if all will rebuild, or not. On Sunday afternoon as I came through town on my way home from Mohawk, I saw that Dunn & Tivnan had a couple of loads of lumber on their lot, and expected to have a house enclosed this week, but the storm may hinder, as well as in the delivery of lumber ot others, and will make the fire-proofs very disagreeable, by letting water through the top, as was bitterly experienced when Levy's store went about ten years ago, then owned by the Scheeling Bros."
Ford, Wm. -- Mortgage from Palmer Breglow -- property assessed to Stephen Moore on parcel of land in Plumas county, Cal., described as follows: The undivided six-tenths of that certain quartz claim known as the Maple Leaf quartz claim, situated on the south side of Poplar Valley, Qtz. tp. Plumas county, Cal., and the undivided one-third of that certain placer claim known as the Maple Leaf placer claim, situated on the south side of Poplar valley, township, County and State as aforesaid for $200, 5 14. Mortgage from W. P. Becraft on the undivided half of certain lot on west side of Main st., Jamison City, Plumas county, cal., on which stands the Jamison City Hotel; also the undivided half of the lot situated on the south or upper end of Jamison City on which the stable belonging to the Jamison City Hotel is situated, together with all water rights buildings, improvements and priviliges belonging to said hotel with the undivided half of all the fixtures and furniture and half of all property belonging to the firm of Hills & Becraft, 12 85. Mortgage from Foley & Robbins property, now assessed to Geo. E. Cook on that house and lot on west side of Main st., Jamison City, Plumas county, Cal., formerly known as the ???? fruit store. Tax 6 43, five per ct 1 22, costs 1 50, total $26.14.• Event, Plumas National, 19 Feb 1881 in Quincy, Plumas Co, CA
Same notice as from 5 Feb 1881.• Census, Federal, 1900 in Quartz, Plumas Co, CA
William P Becraft, b July 1854, age 45y, married 23 years, born CA, gold miner; wife Mary J, b May 1859, age 41y, (6 children, 6 living), born CA; dau Mary A, b Oct 1887, age 12, born CA, at school; dau Maude, b Dec 1889, age 10y, born CA, at school; son William J, b Feb 1897, age 3, born CA.• Census, Federal, 1910 in Quartz, Plumas Co, CA
William P Becraft, widowed, age 55y; dau Annie M, age 22y; son William J, age 13y.• Census, Federal, 1920 in New York Township, Brownsville Precinct, Yuba Co, CA
William P Becraft, age 65y; wife Susan B, age 61y; son William J, age 22y; Benjamin H Brown, age 75y.• Obituary, The Oakland Tribune, 28 May 1930
Becraft - In Oakland, May ?? 1930, William P. Becraft beloved husband of Susan Becraft, and father of Mrs. Ida Drury, Mrs. Mabel Quellien, Mrs. Anon ???, Mrs. Maud Addle, William...
Parents
Father: James Thomas Becraft 1
Mother: Rebecca Ann Holmes 2
Spouses and Children
1. *Mary Jane Penman
Marriage: 13 Sep 1877 - Plumas Co, CA 3
Status:
Children:
1. Rose Ann Becraft
2. Ida Becraft
3. Mabel Florence Becraft
4. Mary A Becraft
5. Maude Preston Becraft
6. William James Becraft 3
2. Susan B Brown
Notes
Burial Notes:
595 Becraft Wm. Preston 1930 D 3
Sources
1. Tim Becraft, "Thomas."
2. Tim Becraft.
3. LDS.