JOHN MILLIKIN
Millikin's Corner
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: HERON, TURNER, HENNING, HOLLET
deceased. The subject of this sketch was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1807. The first five years of his life were spent there, and his father in 1812 removed his family to Licking County, Ohio, becoming one of the earliest settlers of that State. The son, John was there taught all the duties of an agricultural life, and spent his early manhood in that work in his native county. In 1832 he married Miss Nancy Heron, a native of the same county. Three years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Milliken went to La Salle County, Illinois, where they established their home on a rich prairie farm. But Mr. Millikin's love of a frontier life soon prompted another move, and in 1837 his residence was changed to Iowa, where he settled in what was then known as the Black Hawk Tract, and continued his work of tilling the soil and raising stock. He was there during the exciting times of the Black Hawk War, and was a volunteer in the same.
In 1852 he became one of the large army of emigrants who were straggling across the plains to California. Soon after his arrival in this State, he settled his family in Santa Clara County, on eighty acres of land, located on the San Francisco road about three miles west of Santa Clara, on what is now known as Millikin's Corner. Then commenced a useful life (spent in the cultivation of his farm), which lasted for twenty-five years, his death occurring in 1877. Early inured to hard labor, and possessed of a large amount of energy and a strong will, none of the obstacles always to be encountered in a frontier life seemed to daunt him. He was always in the vanguard of the army of pioneers, who cleared the way for the hosts who followed and built up the great centers of American civilization. Mr. Millikin, by virtue of his long residence in the county, was well known and highly respected. Naturally he was deeply interested in the marvelous development which he had witnessed, and was ever ready to assist in every way in his power in bringing about that development.
By the death of her husband, Mrs. Millikin was left with seven children, viz.: Samuel, whose sketch appears in this connection[below]; James, a resident of Santa Cruz County; David C., a resident of Los Angeles County, who married Miss Mary Nash, of Santa Clara County; Thomas B., a resident of Lompoc, Santa Barbara County; Elizabeth, the wife of James Turner, of Gilroy, Santa Clara County, but now residing in Fresno County; Mary, the wife of John S. Henning, of Santa Clara, now living at Lompoc; and Margaret, the wife of Augustus Hollet, of San Jose, also living at present at Lompoc.
Mrs. Millikin
was left to her children for five years after the loss of the father, her death
occurring in Santa Clara County July 3, 1882.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 560-561
SAMUEL MILLIKIN
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES:HERON, NASH, MARTIN,
resides on the San Francisco road, about three and a half miles west of Santa Clara, in the Millikin District, where he owns l00 acres of rich and well-cultivated land. His tract originally contained 160 acres, but 60 acres were disposed of by sale a few years ago. Of the 100 acres, 47 acres are in vines, yielding a large product of wine grapes of the Zinfandel and Matero varieties. The remainder of the farm Mr. Millikin devoted to the production of hay and cereals, and to stock-raising.
He dates his birth in Licking County, Ohio, March 12, 1833. He is the son of John Millikin (a sketch of whose life is to be found in this history(Above) and Nancy (Heron) Millikin. His father was a pioneer farmer in Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, and California, and the son was schooled in early life in his father's business. Coming to California with his father, in 1852, he has since made his home in this county and in the district in which he now lives.
On the fourth of April, 1869, Mr. Millikin was united in marriage with Mrs. Christina Nash, the widow of Patrick Nash, of Santa Clara County. Three sons have been born from this marriage, viz.: Samuel E., born August 2, 1870; George F., born September 4, 1872; and John D. S., born November 26, 1876. Of Mrs. Millikin's children by her former marriage, there are living (in 1888) Robert P. Nash, born December 30, 1855, who married Miss Kate Martin, of Santa Cruz; Mary Nash, born June 13, 1858, the wife of David P. Millikin, of Santa Clara County; Anna J. Nash, born January 10, 1860; Thomas Nash, born July 21, 1862; and Charles C. Nash, born March 28, 1865.
Mr. Millikin's long residence in the county has made him one of its best-known citizens, while it has inspired him with the interest in and regard for his home surroundings only to be found in those who have grown up with a country. As a good citizen and a successful agriculturist, he is a useful member of the community. His success is due to natural intelligence, energy, acquired business habits, and a thorough understanding of his business, rather than to any advantages in youth, for they were made impossible of attainment by residence in frontier States.
Mr. Millikin is
interested in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of Santa
Clara Lodge, No. 52.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 561
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT