Walked to Shasta County in 1850 with mining partners Levi Tower and John Hindman from Humboldt Bay. Placer mined on Clear Creek and other nearby creeks for 20 years. Built a log cabin in 1852 in the garden of Levi Tower's nearby Tower House at the junction of the Shasta to Weaverville to French Gulch mule trail. Present-day location is the junction of Hwy. 299W and French Gulch Road. Log cabin still exists as part of the living room in the existing Camden House. Built a sawmill in 1852 on Mill Creek just south of Clear Creek. Married Philena Tower (sister of Levi) in 1852 inside the log cabin in a double wedding with Levi. Theirs was the 3rd recorded Shasta County marriage and the 1st known double wedding ceremony in Shasta County. Purchased Tower's wagon road in 1861, made $20,000 worth of improvements, and renamed it the Camden Toll Road. Converted the existing Clear Creek bridge into a covered bridge in 1864 by adding sides and a roof. Discovered Iron Mountain Mine in early 1860s with mining partner William Magee.

SOURCE: The Dictionary of Early Shasta County History - by Dottie Smith - copyright 1999