History Of The "Old High School" 1828-1840
by Charles Wells Chapin






When the "gold fever" broke out in in 849 he embarked on a vessel bound for California via Cape Horn and was six months in making the voyage. He was chief engineer on one of the steamers running between San Francisco and Panama. He died in San Francisco, Cal., July 6, 1879, aged 57.

        HORACE R. FERRE, San Francisco, Cal. — In 1836 he entered the dry goods store of Draper & Bailey, Springfield, Mass., where he remained three years. He went to New York in 1839, engaged in a dry goods jobbing house until 1849, when he left for California in the bark "Strafford" around Cape Horn, arriving at San Francisco after a voyage of nearly seven months. After towing the bark up the Sacramento river to Sutterville he went to the mines at a place in Calaveras county now called "Drytown." In July, 1850, he went to Sacramento and was the first regular express messenger between that place and San Francisco. In October, 1851, he started an express line from Sacramento to Nevada City for Freeman & Co. (afterwards Adams & Co.), and was superintendent of the line until February, 1855. From that time until July, 1869, was engaged in quartz mining. He then removed to Oakland, Cal., and, with the exception of about three years in Virginia City, Nev., has resided in San Francisco and Oakland.

        JAMES GOODMAN. — Went to Hartford, Conn., and engaged in the dry goods trade. After two years, went to New York and was in a dry goods jobbing house. In a few years returned to Hartford, Conn., and engaged in book publishing, binding, etc. Was special agent of the Merchants' Insurance Company of Hartford, seven years, member of the common council of Hartford, three years, and secretary of the Charter Oak Insurance Company, three years. In 1866 he removed to Boston, and established an insurance agency. Has served three years as a member of the common council of Boston.


page 60




© Laurel O'Donnell 1998 - 2005, all rights reserved
This document may be downloaded for personal non-commerical use only
and should not be reproduced or distributed without permission.