YUBA COUNTY  Biographies

JOHN JOSEPH BARRETT

            Courageous, self-reliant and efficient, John Joseph Barrett gives his best efforts to every task that he undertakes, and his ability and fidelity to duty have placed him in the important position of foreman for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company at Marysville.  One of California’s native sons, he was born at Mooney Flat, in Nevada County, on July 18, 1889, his parents being John and Kate (Driscoll) Barrett. The father came to California in pioneer times, and in Nevada County he was married to Miss Driscoll.  He passed away when the son was eleven years of age, but the mother is yet living.

            John Joseph Barrett received a public school education, and afterward secured employment on a ranch, also working in the mines, canneries and machine shops.  He dates his residence in Marysville from 1907, and since 1914 he has been in the service of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company.  On June 10, 1917, he was promoted to his present position, for which he is well qualified, ably directing the labors of those under his charge.

            In Sacramento, Mr. Barrett was united in marriage with Miss Maude Gordon, also a native of this State, born at Anderson, Shasta County, of a pioneer family.  Mr. and Mrs. Barrett are the parents of a daughter, Dorothy.  In religious faith Mr. Barrett is a Catholic.  In the Knights of Columbus he has taken the third degree, being a member of Marysville Council No. 1859; and he also belongs to the Foresters of America.  He is an ardent devotee of our national game, baseball, and is intelligently interested in public affairs and eager to promote the welfare of his community.  Mr. Barrett has been a member of the Marysville fire department since June, 1911.  He is now hose-man of Hose Company No. 1, under Chief Meek.  Although a young man, he has already advanced far on the road to success, and his ability and ambition guarantee his continued progress.

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p. 1263

JOHN W. ALLNETT

            The successful proprietor of the Brownsville Meat Market, by far the largest concern of the kind in Brownsville, as well as one of the largest in the county, is John W. Allnett, one of California’s native sons.  He was born near Susanville, in Lassen County, December 1, 1879, a son of Jesse G. and Margaret (Early) Allnett, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively.  Jesse G. Allnett came to California across the plains in the early fifties and engaged in hauling freight and passengers through the mountains from Marysville to the Sierra Nevada summit.  He was married to Miss Margaret Early in Marysville in 1868.  Her father, James Early, was a plantation-owner on the Missouri River; he passed away in 1847.  Subsequently, Mrs. Early was married to John Lafferty, and in 1853 they crossed the plains to California with an ox-team.  Margaret Early was thirteen years old when the family crossed the plains, and she rode horseback all the way.  John Lafferty built the stone house about eighteen miles northeast of Marysville, where the girl Margaret grew to young womanhood.  After her marriage to Jesse G. Allnett, they moved to Susanville, Lassen County, where Mr. Allnett acquired large interests in stock and land.  Later they moved to Tehama County, and there he passed away on August 19, 1886.  Two children were born to them:  Josephine, now Mrs. Rumer, who resides in Oakland; and John W., of this sketch.  After her husband’s death, Mrs. Allnett returned to the stone house where she had spent her girlhood days, and in partnership with her son engaged in the stock business.  She passed away at Brownsville, April 17, 1921, aged seventy-four years.

            John W. Allnett received a district-school education.  The Sugar Loaf schoolhouse where he attended school is still standing.  He was raised in the stock business, assisting his mother from his boyhood days.  At Brownsville, Mr. Allnett was married to Mrs. Ethel May (Danforth) Jones, born at Scales, Sierra County, a daughter of Ed and Mary (Lafferty) Danforth, natives respectively of New Hampshire and Canada, and pioneers of California.  Mrs. Allnett owns a fine stock ranch.  By her former marriage she had four children, Ella, Arthur, Reuben and Lucile Jones, all in Sacramento except the youngest, who is at home.  In 1909 Mr. Allnett purchased his business, which had been established fifty years before.  He has built up a fine trade, his two motor auto-delivery trucks covering the entire Yuba foot-hill district.  Mr. Allnett served as constable for one term in Long Bar Township, and for many years has served as school trustee of his district.  Fraternally, he is a member of Brownsville Lodge No. 283, I.O.O.F., in which he is a Past Nobel Grand and a Past District Deputy.  In 1923 he was a delegate to the Grand Lodge in San Francisco.  He and his wife are members of Pine Forest Rebekah Lodge No. 222, of which Mrs. Allnett is a Past Noble Grand.

History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924

p. 1263-1264

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