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make history in Siskiyou County. Past Master F. E. Wads- worth, of St. John's Lodge, No. 37, read the Masonic service. The following officiated as pall-bearers : W. T. Laird, I. S. Mathews, H. B. Gillis, A. E. Raynes, Austin Hawkins and B. F. Smith.
John A. Fairchild was born at Raymond, Hines County, Mississippi, January 23rd, 1828. When but a small boy his father, who w r as a commission merchant, died, leaving a large family, of which he \vas the last survivor. His early education was limited, he having only attended the public schools, which were very poor and at the last moment, after getting ready to go to a boarding school at Vicksburg, his mother broke down and would not part with him. When a mere boy he was placed in charge of his uncle's large plantation, overseeing negroes and managing large interests which well fitted him for the position he afterwards occupied in life. When the gold excite- ment broke out in California, he \vas among the first to leave and joined a company of Mississippi and Texas rangers, com- ing by way of Old Mexico. While en route the company had many encounters with Indians and several of the company were thus killed. Mr. Fairchild arrived in San Francisco in August, 1849. He first went to mining in Calaveras County, where he became acquainted with I. S. Mathews, with whom he afterwards- formed a partnership in Humboldt County, along in the 5o's which continued for twenty years. He first came to this county in 1852, and after mining on the Salmon River went into the butchering business. In those days very few 7 cattle were raised in this county and he and Mathews made a great deal of money by buying cattle and hogs in the Rogue River country and driving them over to the mining settlements and retailing the meat at good prices. In 1865 Mr. Fairchild moved his stock over into Butte Creek Valley, and with the Doten brothers, Cy and John, established the 6 Camp, where they had unlimited range, the only drawback being the Modoc Indians. Fairchild soon found it was cheaper to pay the Indians than to fight them and sent for Captain Jack and his followers to make a treaty. Coming into camp one evening he saw a young buck Indian sitting on hi
