Person:John McCallum (10)

About John Guthrie McCallum

From "The Argent Castle", the Newsletter of the Clan MacCallum/Malcolm Society, by Robin Neill Lochnell Malcolm:

Duncan Guthrie had married Ellen Guthrie ("of a Pennsylvania Revolutionary family") and they had five children. The first two sons (born before 1820) left for the gold rush in California, arriving in San Francisco on the Ohio in 1851. They are named "D" and "M" on the passenger list; in 1852 word was received in Indiana that they were ill and Ellen sent younger son John Guthrie, who had graduated from the University of Indiana Law School and begun his practice, to bring his brothers home. By the time his ship arrived in 1854, he found both had died, but seeing the opportunities for legal work around Placerville, John G. decided to stay on.

Jane Stuart McCallum's brother, John Guthrie, of course, had begun taking a leadership role in the development of the new state (California); in 1855 and 1860 was elected to the state Senate; helped frame the first constitution; as one of two electors at the time of Lincoln's second inaugural, took the vote to Washington, D.C.; was Registrar of U.S. Land Office in Sacramento, moved to Oakland, where he brought cases against the railroads for price-gouging and land-grabbing. In search of a healthful climate for his consumptive son John G., he was led by Indians in Southern California to an oasis in the desert (land of "eternal sunshine and warm, healing waters") where he purchased the land that later was developed by his daughter, Pearl, into the famous Palm Springs. He and his wife, Emily Freeman, an accomplished vocalist, had three sons, all of whom died young and unmarried, and two daughters, May and Pearl. May married a Dr. Forline and had two daughters; Pearl, who married Austin McManus, had no children.

From "The McCallum Saga -- The Story of the Founding of Palm Springs", by Katherine Ainsworth (excerpts):

John Guthrie McCallum was born in Vevay, Indiana, on August 10, 1826.

The carefree days of childhood were to be of short duration for John McCallum. His father died when the lad was six years old, leaving what he thought was a sufficient amount for his family's comfort; but, after years of litigation, this competency was all lost, and the family was left to struggle on the modest farm. To help eke out an existence a steam saw mill was erected upon this piece of property. The children had to help operate this, so John went to work on the engine when he was about eight years old. He learned the trade of engineer, but having no aptitude for this line of work, he was never very successful at it.

Young John McCallum continued at his studies at the country school house in Vevay, and when he had completed the elementary grades he attended the County Seminary. When he was older, he obtained employment as an engineer and frugally managed to save enough money to go to Cincinnati to begin studying law. Finally he attended the Law Department of Indiana University and obtained his Bachelor of Law Degree from this institution in 1848. Soon after, he was licensed and began the practice of law in Indiana.

The following year Indiana, along with the entire nation, was astonished to learn of the marvelous discovery of gold in California. The gold fever struck the two older McCallum boys and they, with hundreds of others who dreamed of quick riches to be had for the taking, hurried off to that far place to strike it rich.

On February 25,1851, the steamer Ohio with Captain Haley in command sailed into San Francisco harbor. On its passenger list were two young men, D. McCallum and M. McCallum, who immediately upon debarking seemed to vanish. Days and months passed without a word being received from the two adventurers.

John McCallum, unswayed by the excitement of get-rich-quick schemes, steadfastly continued with his law practice in Indiana until the worried mother received a letter.

The letter, which had been in transit for several weeks before it reached Vevay, was written by a family friend. It told of the epidemic which raged through the Gold Country and had struck down one of her sons. The distraught mother, unable to leave home responsibilities, turned to John. She implored him to make the long journey to California to find his brothers and to urge them to return home. The young attorney closed out his law practice and yielding to his mother's pleadings, started the long journey around the Horn to locate his brothers in California.

John Guthrie McCallum felt an immediate affinity for the welcoming oasis. He knew instantly that this Palm Valley, as he called it in his mind, with the warmth and fragrant air and the healing waters was the place to which he must bring his family. Into this Palm Valley they would come. And so it was that Palm Springs, as it would eventually become known, the gayest and sunniest spa on earth, was born of a double sorrow (both of his parents had died).

Citations

http://www.bdhhfamily.com/john_guthrie_mccalum.htm