Amador ledger., 1906-03-23
ANOTHER PIONEER TAKEN.
A. J. AmiCk Passes to His Long
Home

On Saturday last one of the pioneers
OF lone valley crossed the dividing
line that separates life and death. A..
j. Amlck, one of the oldest citizens
OF that section, died on that day,
after long siege of sickness, the
result OF extreme age. He was II
years one month and days old. His
life history is replete with interest,
and a sketch giving the prominent
points of his caree%, Is worthy of re-
production in these columns.
Mr. Amick was born in North Car
olina, February II, 1929, of German
ancestry, who were early settlers of
the south. His parents we're both
natives of North Carolina. In 1885
the family moved to Missouri, and
became pioneers of Morgan and
Cooper counties in that state. In the
family were eleven children, the sub
ject of this sketch being the second
child. In April, 1850, he started with
i've others, to cross the plains to
California, whose wonderful riches
in gold we're then ringing throughout
the world. Their travelling outfit
consisted of two wagons and six yoke
of oxen. In the party were David
Amick, an uncle, and William Amick.
brother of deceased. Reaching Fort
Kearney, in Nebraska, the other three
members of the company decided to
return, dismayed by the hardsh1ps
of the long tramp to the Pacific slope.
The other three persisted in pursuing
the journey, although reports of
ravages of cholera among the emf
grants were brought from the front.
The uncle succumbed to this disease
before they reached the Platte river
the tenth death in the train of emf
grants of which this outfit formed a
part. At Fort Laramie the wagon
train again separated, small com
pany, including Amick and his
brother, taking tho route via the
valley of the Humboldt, arriving in
Sacramento late in the fall of 1850.
That winter they went to Hangtown.
now Placerville, and engaged in min
ing, and won $1,000 each of the pre-
cious metal in three months. They
afterwards engaged in mining in the
vicinity of Georgetown, with success.
A. j. Amick, afterwards came to
Amador county, and settled on
farm in lone valley. In 1856 he
returned across the plains to Miss
ouri, where he purchased 100 head of
cattle, which he drove to California,
realizing by this venture profit of
500 per cent, and thereby got the
financial start from which he built
up fortune. He was dispossessed
of his farm in the valley by the legal
contest with the Aroya Seco Grant.
In 1859 he was married to Miss Nancy
Philips of Missouri, who came over
the plains to California in 1856. Six
children we're born of this union,
Wesley M, present supervisor from
township 3, W. D., engaged in farm
ing +. &. in the drug business IN
lone. and Addie A., wife of Robert
Bagley, of the firm of Newman e.
Bagley; and James M. Amick, also
resident of the valley town. Alfred
J. accidentally shot himself several
years ago, and died from his injuries.
Deceased's wife died over three years
ago.
The funeral took place in lone last
Tuesday, at which there was a very
large attendance, as deceased was
widely known and highly respected
wherever known. The pail bearers
were the four sons above named, also
Robert Bagley, Lorln Bagley, George
Woolsey, j. p. Surface, W. II. Prouty,
U. S. Gregory, j. Newman and W. A.
Bennetts. The Rev. W. Hicks of the
Presbyterian church conducted the
funeral ceremony.
When you wish the finest favored
coffees and teas, remember that W. j.
Nettle keeps only the best.