Is a son of George and Maria Deter, and was born near Hanover, Adams county, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1817.  His parents were limited in means and young David was obliged to look out for himself, and to gain a livelihood worked at whatever his hands could find to do, until 1837, when he emigrated to Wayne county, Ohio, when, in a short time, he was united in marriage on the twenty-fourth day of December, 1838, to Susan Ziegler.  In 1850 he learned of the rich gold fields in California, and on the twenty-fifth of March started across the plains, behind an ox-team, in pursuit of a fortune.  After a good trip, arrived at Hangtown, El Dorado county, on the eighteenth day of August, 1850, and went at once to mining at Coloma.  In this he was not successful and removed to another locality, and after a few months again moved to Shasta county.  Later he began mining on Mad Ox creek, which mines he was the discoverer of.  From here he moved to French gulch, and went on to Yreka.  Here he encountered the "starvation times," the stories of which are too often repeated and sufficiently written of in this volume to require mention here.  Suffice it to say, Mr. Deter suffered his share of the privations of that time.  For some time he was engaged in mining and packing.  In 1854 he located on the place he now lives on.  In 1859 he returned to the States for his family, with whom he returned to California in 1860.  His wife had died in 1848 leaving their children while all were young.  After many years of singleness, and after his children had grown up and married, Mr. Deter chose a second companion for his declining years.  He was married March 23, 1880, to Miss Virginia A. Wilkinson.  In business Mr. Deter has been successful, and now is happy and content in the enjoyment of a good and well-kept home.  He is quite enthusiastic in growing blooded stock, of which he has some of the best in the State.  In 1872 he purchased three head at Sacramento which when delivered in Shasta valley cost $1,060.  They were the first blooded stock brought into the valley.  On his farm are found as good barns as there are in the county.  One is one hundred and ninety-two feet long, seventy eight feet wide, and twenty-five feet high.  There are two others one hundred and ten feet, and one hundred feet long respectively.  A view of the residence can be seen on "this" page.

The above picture and text are from: History of Siskiyou County, Harry L. Wells, D. J. Stewart & Co., 1881; pp. 36B, 36C, 208C

David Deter is buried in Little Shasta Cemetery, Old Section

Copyright February 16, 2002

Siskiyou Cemeteries Online

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