JUDGE O. R. LEONARD ----Was the youngest of six children, whose parents resided on a farm in Gaysville, Windsor County, Vermont. After arriving at the requisite age his time was divided between the school house and work upon the farm until he was sixteen years old, when he commenced fitting himself for college by teaching school in the winter and attending the Randolph Academy during the summer. Eventually he entered Dartmouth College, helping to pay his way by the continuance of those winter terms of school teaching, where he remained until his senior year.

After leaving Dartmouth he removed to California and entered the office of Belcher & Belcher, at Marysville, for the purpose of studying law, and was admitted to the Bar in April, 1863. On the twenty-third of the following May he arrived at Star City, in Humboldt County, Nevada, and has since remained a resident of this State.  Frequent mention is made of Judge Leonard in this history, and should one seek for information of the events of the early settlement of the State, particularly of Humboldt County, he could find no better posted or willing informant than the distinguished Chief Justice. As a pioneer of Humboldt, he has witnessed the Hush times of Unionville, Star, and other cities of the West Humboldt Range; speculated in Sheba, when it was thought rich enough to pay the national debt; rejoiced in the wealth of the Arizona which was expected to re-establish the prominence of Buena Vista; exulted over the massive quarries of glittering ore in Montezuma and Trinity; gloried in the coming of the railroad which was hoped to advance every interest, and as he has seen these many bright anticipations wither in the blight of experience, he still retains his faith in the exhaustless resources of his county and his confidence in her future prosperity. The best expression of this confidence is his long residence within its limits. Taking part in its first growth and "boom," he has seen it settle into the industries and toil of self-support, and thus growing with it, is entitled to the position he has achieved and the honors he has won.

No laggard could have succeeded in the active region and brilliant surroundings in which he found himself when, as a young lawyer he entered upon the scene of his future trials and triumphs. At the period when he entered upon the practice of the law, the Bar of Humboldt Count}- was one that embraced among its members such men as Hon-Frank Ganahl, Hon. Wm. Claggett, Gen. P. H. Harris, W. M. Dixon, W. H. Jones, A P. Overton, and the late Chief Justice of Arizona, Judge E. F. Dunn. It was a high order of legal talent, and for a young man and practitioner to gain recognition among such Titans of the Bar, required ability, knowledge of the law, nerve and perseverance far in excess of the average. Within a few months after his arrival he was elected District Attorney, and held that position by re-election for five years, when he removed from Star City to Unionville, and became the law partner of Judge E. F. Dunn.  In 1808 he was a Republican Delegate to the Chicago Convention that nominated Gen. Grant for President; and always having been a Union man was married while East to Miss Eliza Sylvester, of West Newbury, Massachusetts.  The practice of law was continued by him until I872, when he became Judge of the Fourth Judicial District. In 1874, at Winnemucca, he resumed the law practice again, and continued it at that place until elected, in 1876, to the Supreme Bench of Nevada, of which he is now Chief Justice.

Judge Leonard is a gentleman of fine literary and legal attainments. He is genial in his associations, affable in his address, generous in his judgment of his fellows, and courteous to all. As an attorney his cases were prosecuted with a persistence and tenacity of purpose that left no just avenue for defeat. It was of him that Harry Mighels wrote, in 1870, that he was "one of the fairest-minded and purest lawyers of Nevada." As a Judge he possesses a well-earned reputation of unimpeachable honor and integrity of purpose, as well as that of an able and erudite jurist.  The people's interests are safe when trusted to the integrity of such men as Judge Leonard.

CHARLES A. NICHOLS ------Son of Asa and Harriett (Hildreth) Nichols, was born in the town of Crown Point, Essex County, New York, September 30, 1823. His education was confined mostly to the public schools, with a short attendance at a select school. After reaching the age of eight years he only attended the winter terms, working on a farm during the summer, and when sixteen years old left school and devoted his time entirely to farming and hauling lumber. With his meagre facilities, Mr. Nichols had acquired a good knowledge of the common branches, and in 1844 went to Michigan, with an uncle, locating in Branch County, and engaged in teaching school in the winter and working on a farm during the summer.

This he continued until the fall of 1851, when he was obliged to change his residence on account of poor health, and desiring to try his fortune in the mines, came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco in November 1851, lie at once went to the mines at Sonora, on foot, being almost penniless. In company with Dr. Hallinger, of Branch County, Michigan, he prospected for a claim, and not being supplied with blankets sufficient for the life he was leading, he contracted a severe cold and was compelled to lay idle at Sonora all winter. In the spring, he bought a claim on Woods Creek, from which he took out enough to pay his doctor's bills. In company with Amos Gustin, he left the mines at that place and started for Fresno.  When he reached Merced River, he concluded to go to work in a quartz-mill, and was to receive $100 per month, but the man failed and Mr. Nichols got nothing. 

Soon after he engaged in mining and merchandizing on the river, and very soon was well situated from a financial point of view. In May, 1855, he sold his business and returned to Michigan, thence to Iowa, and in the fall of the same year returned to Michigan, and was married to Miss Susan A. Cragin, daughter of Milo and Susan Cragin, of Quincy, Michigan, and with his bride removed to Iowa, settling in Ozark, Jackson County, where he, in connection with an uncle, was engaged in milling and merchandising, for a few months, when Mr. Nichols removed to Hopkinton, Delaware County, and purchased a mill site and sawmill, partly constructed, for $5,500, and through the ill-luck of his uncle, lost every dollar.  The creditors allowed Mr. Nichol to finish the mill, and he also erected a flouring mill, and by good management and industry cleared the indebtedness on the property.

In 1864, Mr. Nichols rented the mills, and again sought the Pacific Coast and located in Honey Lake Valley, California, where he farmed one season, and then removed to Paradise Valley, Humboldt County, Nevada, where he was joined by his wife and daughter, and has since resided. He has held the office of County Commissioner of Humboldt County for four years, and was also Justice of the Peace two years. Their daughter, Hattie Josephine, is married and living in the valley.

WILLIAM A. SPERRY ------Is a native of the State of Connecticut, born in the town of Derby, December 18, 1840. At the age of eleven years he went to Illinois and engaged in farming. As youth ripened into manhood he desired a wider field for his labors, and at the age of twenty-two years sailed on the ship Northern Light to the Isthmus of Panama, and from there came to San Francisco, California, in the steamer Golden Gate unlike nearly all new arrivals, he did not seek the mines as his first occupation, but going into the Sacramento Valley he pursued the same business he had followed in his Illinois home.

After two years as a farmer he went to Dutch Flat, Placer County, and commenced mining, where he stayed about one year. From there he went to Summit Valley, thence to Bear Valley, thence to Meadow Lake, and finally arrived at Dutch Flat again. Having traveled rather extensively through California, he came to Nevada, and for a period of three months was located at Gravelly Ford.

He then came to Paradise Valley, Humboldt County, and was there about the same length of time, when he went to White Pine, and for two years was engaged in quartz mining. He then came back to Paradise Valley, and taking up some Government land settled down as a tiller of the soil, where he has since resided. In 1873 he built a fine house, and has a well-appointed farm. In January, 1879, he was married to Lena E. Wilder, of Athens, Michigan.

WILLIAM STOCK----Is a native of Germany, the country to which the United States is so largely indebted for the steady, industrious emigration which has done so much to make the wilderness blossom like the rose. He came to the United States in 1854, making his first halt at Cincinnati, in Ohio, where he engaged in coopering for five years.

The reports of fortunes easily made in California swept him off his moorings, and the summer of 1859 found him on his way to the farthest West. He worked for two years in the mines in Trinity and Shasta counties, and then three more at farming. Having accumulated a considerable sum by his industry, and desiring to try the world for himself, he purchased an ox-team and went to freighting between California and Nevada, and made his way into Paradise Valley among the first. His experience there will be found more fully related in connection with the history of the Indian difficulties in 1863-64-65-66. He also mined at Silver City, Idaho, during the years 1864-65, visiting California during the time.

In the fall of 1866 he came to Paradise again, and located the farm upon which he has since lived, in company with G. H. Carroll. His adventures and hair-breadth escapes during these years will be a source of interest as long as people shall be interested in frontier tales.

HON. M. S. THOMPSON ----Was born in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1827, where he received his early education, and in 1852 he came to California. In 1853 he settled in Sonoma County, and built a flouring mill, being the first to enter that branch of industry in that county. With a party of ten men, he left that portion of the country in 1858 and crossed into the then Territory of Nevada, for the purpose of finding a rich mine said to have been discovered by some emigrants as early as 1849. It was said to be located in the Black Rock country, now Humboldt County, and of immense richness. He was not favored by dame fortune in this enterprise, but liking the climate he concluded to settle there, and has since been an active, energetic resident of Humboldt County.  He has identified himself with the politics of the State in a creditable manner, and has had considerable to do with the law-making, from the time of its merging from a Territory into a State. Was three times a member of the Territorial Council.

In 1859 he was appointed by Gov. J. W. Nye as one of the Commissioners to form and organize the county government of Humboldt. He was nominated and elected Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, under the first constitution, but as the constitution was defeated in 1864.  he did not enter upon the duties of that office. Mr.  Thompson was a member of the Senate, during the first and second sessions of the State Legislature.  From this time on, he was engaged in mining, until in 1878 when he was again elected to the Senate, and in all of the many positions to which he has been elected and appointed, he has given the utmost satisfaction to his constituents. In politics he has been a thorough Republican, and in all the years of his political life has not once swerved from his fixed principles. The healthy town of Mill City is his home and post office address.