Person:Irving Brownell (1)

Irving Woodbridge Brownell was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, October 10, 1826. In November, 1848, he went to Peoria, Illinois, where he wintered, making preparations to leave for California. In the following April he began his trip over the plains, driving an ox-team. On crossing the Missour River from St. Jo, he fell in with a company whose outfit numbered twenty-two wagons, and with them he made the long journey. He arrived at Weaverville, California, on August 27, 1849. He spent a year endeavoring to woo fortune to his pan and shovel along Weaver Creek and the Yuba and American Rivers, but the uncertainties of this pursuit were not to Mr. Brownell's taste. He next went to Yolo County and located on some land between Kinghts Landing and Cacheville. Here he farmed and raised stock till August, 1859, when he purchased a bunch of sheep and eighty acres of land from M. Sparks on Stony Creek, and made a location on an adjoining tract.
Mr. Brownell returned to Massachusetts by the overland stage in 1861, and in September of that year he was united in marriage to Miss Lois R. Smith. Shortly after this event he returned, accompanied by his wife, to the coast and settled at Kinghts Landing till the autumn of 1862, when he moved to his ranch on Stony Creek, which he has ever since made his permanent abode. Three sons, with his amiable wife, compose Mr. Brownell's household. He has been prosperous and successful in his affairs. He is one of the solid men of the county and highly esteemed for his probity.

The funeral of the late Irving W. Brownell took place Thursday afternoon. Services were held at the residence of Mrs. David Hamilton, a sister of the deceased. Rev. W. E. M. Stewart, pastor of the Congregational Church preached a brief sermon, in the course of which he paid a strong tribute to the character of the deceased. The attendance was so large that not half the people could gain admission to the Hamilton home. Nearly all the old settlers in Woodland and vicinity were there to pay a last tribute of respect. Mr. Miller, of Stony Creek, Mr. and Mrs. E. Patterson, of San Francisco, cousins of deceased, Abner Brownell of Oakland and his son, Germain Brownell of San Francisco; brother and nephew of the deceased, Mr. Cushman of San Francisco and Mrs. Thursby, of Merced were present. The services at the cemetery were simple consisting of prayer and hymns, after the services were over the grave was literally buried beneath elegant flowers. The pallbearers were T.P. Magee, Mr. Miller, A. D. Porter, O. A. Lowe, T. R. Lowe and Noah Myers.

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