YUBA COUNTY Biographies
ROSCOE S. CREPS
An experienced, enterprising and progressive ranching doing credit to the county in which he lives and thrives, is Roscoe S. Creps, who was born on the old Creps ranch in Yuba County, on May 20, 1879, the son of William A. and Matilda (Lofton) Creps. The father was born in Pennsylvania on November 30, 1825, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Wilde) Creps. The Creps family are of old Pennsylvania stock. William A. Creps went from Pennsylvania to Toledo, Ohio, and there he was reared and educated. Joseph Creps was a blacksmith, who had a business in Toledo. Mrs. William A. Creps was born on December 25, 1843, near Dallas City, Ill., on a farm, and this Lofton farm is the site of the City Park at Dallas City. The parents of Mrs. Creps were Francis and Jemima (Harding) Lofton; the former was a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Kentucky; and they both came from old families who were plantation holders. Francis Lofton migrated to Illinois in frontier days, and there married, after which he settled at Dallas City, Ill.
In 1850, William A. Creps came around the Horn to California, and went into the mines on the North fork of the American River; and then he came to Grass Valley and mined, and still later tried his luck at Nevada City. In 1852, the mother of our subject came across the plains with ox-teams and prairie schooners in a train of about eighty wagons, and they traveled by way of the River Platte and the Salt Lake Route. This emigrant train was so large that there were no Indian attacks. Francis Lofton settled at the head-waters of the String Canyon, and the head waters in turn of McCosby River in Placer County, and for a short time there he had a general merchandise store. He then went to Sacramento, where he continued in the same field until after the big flood, when he moved his family to Red Dog, and for a few years kept a store there. While they were in Sacramento, the mother of our subject attended school there. In the Fall of 1856, Francis Lofton moved on to a ranch on the plains six miles northeast of Wheatland, and there the elder Loftons spent the rest of their days.
In 1856, William A. Creps settled three miles north of the old Kempton crossing and bought a squatter’s quit title to land, and then bought additional land until he had 1200 acres in that section. He and Miss Lofton were married the day before Christmas, in the year 1863, and they lived for a few years on the 1200-acre ranch. This place Mr. Creps sold in September, 1871, to Robert and Jack Major. Mr. and Mrs. Creps then moved to a point on the Spenceville road, eight and one-half miles northeast of Wheatland, where Mr. Creps first bought 800 acres of land, and from time to time added to his holdings. He acquired the old Jasper place, and at the time of his death, the Creps ranch included 5550 acres. Mrs. William A. Creps is one of a family of four children. Albert, the eldest, is deceased; Jennie has become Mrs. Harding; Matilda is the third-born, and became the mother of our subject; and Bradshaw died at the age of seventy-four. William A. Creps died on the home ranch on March 13, 1906, in his eighty-first year.
Roscoe S. Creps, as an equal partner and joint owner with his brother, Chester A. Creps, now runs the home place of 2600 acres, about 1000 acres of which are good for farming, and the balance is best adapted to range purposes. Here he engages in stock-raising, having on the average from 400 to 600 head of live stock on the place. He is one of a family of eight children: Frank died in 1883; Henry is in Wheatland; Mima has become Mrs. Will Erwin of Sacramento; Ella died at the age of twenty-one; Burton lives near Henry; Roscoe is the subject of this sketch; Chester was the seventh in the order of birth; and Letha married and became Mrs. Middleton, of Wheatland. Roscoe attended the Elizabeth district school in pursuit of his education.
On January 7, 1920, Mr. Creps married Ida Bell Perkins, who was born on the old Perkins ranch, fourteen miles southeast of Marysville, in the Elizabeth school district, the daughter of Joseph A. and Jane A. (Magonigal) Perkins, both pioneers in California. Jane A. Magonigal was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of William and Nancy Boyd Magonigal, both natives of Ireland. Mr. Magonigal came out to California in 1852, by way of Panama, and settled in Yuba County; and he spent the rest of his life in Yuba and Nevada Counties. He mined for a while, and then had a store at Sucker Flat. He settled on his ranch in 1861, where he had acquired 500 acres. He died at the age of seventy-one, and his good wife lived to be past seventy. The mother of Mrs. Roscoe Creps was one of six children: Jane A., or Mrs. Perkins, has lived in the Erle district; Samuel is deceased; William is at Nevada City; Elizabeth is the third-born; John was born on April 22, 1862, and resides at Smartsville; and Thomas G. lives not far away. Mr. Creps is a Republican. He is a Mason, and both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star of Wheatland.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1173-1174
DAVID NEVENS JONES, SR.
The life record of an honorable and upright citizen and industrious farmer is illustrated in the career of David Nevens Jones, Sr., who was born in Vermont, on September 18, 1834. His father passed away when the lad was but three years old and he early realized the responsibilities of life. He was first employed in the mills of Manchester, N. H., and later worked with an uncle in Massachusetts. Deciding to try his fortunes among the more abundant opportunities of the Pacific Coast, he came to California in the early fifties and went to work in the mines about Grass Valley, but he did not meet with the desired results so he found more remunerative employment as a driver of an ox-team, hauling freight from Sacramento to Virginia City, Nev.; later he was similarly engaged teaming from Marysville, Yuba County, to the mountains, having purchased a good horse-team and sold his oxen. He found considerable profit in this work, taking contracts for hauling loads to and from the points named above. Deciding to locate permanently in Yuba County, he settled on the claims which he later owned, twenty miles east of Marysville, and here he engaged in the raising of stock and hay. He met with gratifying success and added to his property until he became the owner of 2200 acres in one body. He then purchased the Bucks ranch of 1750 acres, located seventeen miles from Quincy, in Plumas County, part of it being in the valley and part in the hills. On this ranch he raised many head of cattle and sheep and devoted his entire attention to that business. Mr. Jones was also proprietor of the Bucks ranch store, in connection with which there was a postoffice and hotel.
David Nevens Jones, Sr., married Elizabeth Young, a native of Illinois, born in Burlington, on September 16, 1836. When she was quite young the family moved to Canada, but subsequently located in Chicago, Ill., and from there they came to California. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were blessed with six children: Lillie, Eva C., Ida Ellen, Minnie B., David N., Jr., and Willard L. Mr. Jones was a stanch supporter of the Republican party. His death occurred when he was in his seventy-third year of age; his wife passed away May 8, 1902, at the age of sixty-five years. The Jones property has been kept in a highly cultivated condition by Mr. Jones’ two sons, and the property today stands as a fine example of what years of labor and service can accomplish.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1174-1175
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