| Notes |
- 11 Mar 1871, 53 yr/old; Naturalized in Butte County
-
4 Mar 1867 Bought 48 acres from Joseph C. Dressler for $450.
-
Land purchase records for Butte Co., California:
MD 0220N 0030E 022 788 1879/12/30 BUSCHMANN HENRICH
MD 0220N 0030E 023 837 1873/08/25 BUSCHMANN HENRICH
-
1966 Barn burned down by vandals
-
Note:
Henrich joined the Prussian Merchant Marines in about 1845 at age 14 as a cabin boy. He sailed square riggers for nine years with an American captain where he learned to speak English. In 1854 he de-shipped and ended up in Chicago where he met Susan Beede. She went by wagon train to Oroville, Butte Co.,California, while he signed on as an Able Bodied Seaman and sailed around South American landing in San Francisco. He then went to Oroville and there married Susan. They later moved to Paradise, Butte Co., California, where he worked as a miner in Magalia until he had enough money to purchase land in Paradise. He farmed the rest of his life, purchasing land in and around Paradise. He died in Chico and is buried in Paradise, Ca.
Donated land for the cemetary.
Ida C. Buschmann received the property that belonged to Heinrich and Susan.
Because water rights taxes were $5 per acre, about 1930 family "lost all remaining property due to "back taxes".
Phoebe Viola Buschmann (Aunt Ole) took care of Henrich at 12th and Mill streets in Chico, CA. He went there 3 months before his death.
-
From the Chico (California) Enterprise-Record, Wednesday, September 23, 1953
Buschmann Cabin, One Of Early Landmarks
PARADISE-This year's historical pagent for the Paradise Festival and Apple Show, "The Panorama of Paradise," will depict in colorful, fast moving episodes the progress of the community from the time of the first settlers in 1853.
Highlights of the early days and scenes of many firsts will be presented.
One of the firsts was the homestead and cabin built by pioneer Heinrich Buschmann and his wife, Susan Anne, who came to Paradise in 1854 and took a homestead on the road named after them in 1855.
They were of the hardy, pioneer stock which built the West. They erected their homes from logs and handcut shakes, cleared many acres and toiled long and hard raising vegetables and produce.
A farmer, Buschmann's gardens were the source of supply for the hostelries at Magalia and nearby mining communities, for stores, and for other families of the time, all of whom journeyed to the Buschmanns for their stocks of produce.
In the tradition of the early nineteenth century, the pioneer mother did her share of the work and reared a large family.
Their son, Frank, who was born in Paradise in 1881 and spent his life on the home place, died last month.
Frank was a miner most of his life, maintained his home on a portion of his parents' original early homestead and never married.
Until 1890, Buschmann Road and Elliott Road were the only crossroads in Paradise connecting the Neal grade from Durham through to Lake Almanor, and the Pentz and Clark roads for Oroville. In 1890 Pearson Road also was cut through as an east-west connection.
The original Buschmann home was destroyed by fire several years ago.
Children of the Buschmanns include Chris, Charles, Carl, Frank, Fred, Ida, Phoebe, Viola, Katherine, and Grace.
-
FACT & FOLKLORE
Buschmann helped build his namesake road.
For a boy born in a poor family in Germany in 1831, there was no chance of a university education. Oldenburg was a small province bordering the North Sea. Its proximity to the port cities decided Heinrich Buschmann on a sailor life. At 15 he signed on with a merchant line sailing between Germany and New York. It was an American ship, and he began to learn English.
Nine years passed in which Heinrich saw a great amount of sea. In 1855, at age 24, he decided that he wanted to go to the fabulous California. While in the port of New York he signed on as sailor for a vessel sailing around the Cape of Good Horn to San Francisco. Heavy weather slowed its progress, 144 days elapsed before the docking in San Francisco. Heinrich Buschmann left the sea with no regrets.
He probably had a contact in Butte County, for he headed for Oroville immediately, and from there he took up mining on Berry Creek northeast of town.
Not much is known of this period, but in the early 1860s, Buschmann married Susan Ann Beedy, 16, and a native of Michigan. They soon had a family on the way; by some chance they decided to move to the ridge we know as Paradise, but at that time still known variously as Hog Ranch, Leonard's Mill or Pleasant Hill.
Buschmann purchased a parcel from Joseph Dresser, and though he and his sons later owned up to 320 acres, it was this 79 acres that reÂmained the homestead. This original farm was on the south side of the road named for Heinrich Buschamnn, between Scottwood Road and Floral Lane.
At first Buschmann was a hog rancher, as were a number of other pioneers: George Phillips, Silas Brooks and "Hog" Jones. Gradually he cleared his land and planted hay, grain and fruit trees. The hogs ran free, growing fat on acorns.
Delaying his application for citizenship longer than most foreignÂborn settlers, Buschmann got his papers in 1871 and registered to vote. After that time, he was generally called Henry by his neighbors. A sign of their respect for him came with his appointment as Road Master, or overseer, of the county roads in District 10 which included Paradise and Magalia. That was 1882.
For years there had been agitation from teamsters and businessÂmen to have a road connecting Chico and Dogtown, or Magalia. The Board of Supervisors acted in 1882, appointing the county surveyor, James McGann, to work with Henry Buschmann to lay out a route following Butte, Little Butte and Honeyrun creeks to the ridge. Buschmann and McGann thought it important to keep the road up Cart Hill at no more than 8 percent grade.
By 1883 the Paradise area was involved in one of its famous brouhahas between the advocates for McGann's route and thus; who declared it was too long and therefore too costly. The county lacked money to go ahead anyway, so private subscription began and $1,000 was raised. At the same time, citizens hired Alexander O' Donnell, a Paradise surveyor, to chart a shorter route. Buschmann was replaced by another Road Master.
The new route was very steep and required much moving of lava and undergrowth. It was completed in 1885, but, as reported in the Oroville paper, when the winter rains of 1886 hit it, "the road emigrated to the valley."
In 1866, Buschmann was reappointed Road Master, and the building of McGann's original route began. This generally is the Honey Run Road of today, though in 1866 it joined Neal (Skyway) about a mile farther north.
Henry and Susan Buschmann had 10 children; there were always several of them enrolled in the Delaplain (later Paradise) School until 1900. The girls married young, usually after working out as hired girls for a year or two. At least three of the sons stayed on to farm and plant orchards in Paradise, Fred, Frank, and Charles.
Susan Buschmann was one of Paradise's "granny women." As such she was on call to deliver babies, treat sick family members and give emergency care until a doctor could be brought from the valley. Ernest Whisman wrote in the 1960s of his childhood years in Paradise, 1907Â1915. He told of his fascination with Mrs. Buschmann, especially her habit of smoking a pipe. By the 20th Century, few refined women smoked pipes, but Susan retained a habit which she, and many frontier women, acquired and enjoyed all their lives. Henry Buschmann lived to be 91, Susan 76. They are buried in the Paradise Cemetery as are several of their children. Other Buschmann descendants still live in Butte County. We agree that Henry earned his slot on the Gold Nugget Museum monument to our pioneers. Too bad Susan didn't make it.
Fact & Folklore, a series of articles about the history of Paradise Ridge, is courtesy of the memÂbers of the Paradise Historical Society Fact & Folklore research group. This installment is presented by Lois McDonald.
-
Henry Buschmann appears on the 1870 census in Kimshew, Butte Co., California
Bushman Henry, 38, M, W, Farmer, $800 RE / $400 Personal, b. Prussia
Susan, 24, F, W, Keeps House, b. Ohio
Hattie, 8, F, W, b. California
Annette, 5, F, W, b. California
John C., 2, M, W, b. California
NOTE: there was a Walter and Susan Wooldridge next door. Susan Wooldridge 59, was b. NY (might be related to our Susan???).
-
1880 Census:
H. BUSHMAN Self M Male W 48 OLDENBERG Farmer OLDENBERG OLDENBERG
Susan BUSHMAN Wife M Female W 35 MI Keeping House --- ---
Annet BUSHMAN Dau S Female W 15 CA Hired In Family OLDENBERG MI
John C. BUSHMAN Son S Male W 12 CA At School OLDENBERG MI
Katherine BUSHMAN Dau S Female W 9 CA At School OLDENBERG MI
Charles H. BUSHMAN Son S Male W 6 CA OLDENBERG MI
Carl R. BUSHMAN Son S Male W 3 CA OLDENBERG MI
Fred H. BUSHMAN Son S Male W 1 CA OLDENBERG MI
-
The 1885 Directory for Yuba, Sutter, Colusa Butte and Tehama Co., California shows Henry as a farmer living in Magalia, Butte Co., CA.
-
The 1900 census indicates the following:
Henry Buschmann, Head, W, M, b. Sept. 1833, age 67, married 37 years, fa. b. Ger, mo. b. Ger, Farmer, arrived US 1855.
Susan Buschmann, Wife, W, F, b. Jan. 1844, age 56, married 37 years, b.Michigan, fa. b. Maine, mo. b. New York
Frederick H Buschmann, 21...
Franklin M. Buschmann, 17...
Viola P. Buschmann, 14...
Ida C. Buschmann, 13...
|
Davis Uriah I | Born 1707
1831 - 1924 (93 years)