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Note: SSN: 547-07-0608 On August 2,1895, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Craddock,
in a small town on the edge of Stockton in the Big Valley (Lockford). In
these days the Big Valley (San Joaquin) was used mostly for farms and
growing feed for animals. Mr Craddock was employed on the Montgomery
farm. During the harvest time he had charge of a horse harvester, which
he operated from dawn to dark. The name of the child in the story is
Chester Clyde Craddock. My parents left Stockton when I was around 7
years of age and went to Lancha Plana in the copper country where my
father got a job with a copper company. My family was living there when
the earthquake of 1906 hit the country. Being only a little over 10
years old, kids around my age didn't get very excited about the stories
from San Francisco and decided to play hooky from school. Some wise guy
said the quake meant the world was coming to an end. The teacher gave
each of us a good whipping and when I got home that evening my mother
gave me another spanking. This kid couldn't see why we should go to
school when the earth was going to pieces.
We left Lancha Plana in 1907 for Campo Seco. After a year we left Campo
Seco for Copperopolis for Humbolt County, landing in Rio Dell in
October.
I got a job in a printing shop, the Fortuna Advance, early in 1922,
after I graduated from grammer school I finished my apprenticeship
learning to be a printer in Placerville. and joined the typographical
union in 1918, From then on it has been a wonderful life.
Tthough not born in the county, traveled to Humbolt in a
covered wagon over the old mountain roads in 1909. His father F.C.
Craddock worked in the copper mines of Calveras County until he
contracted copper poisoning and was urged to leave that area. A friend
told him Humbolt County, far to the north, was the best place to raise a
family and enjoy good health.
The senior Craddock and his wife. with a family of two boys and two
girls, decided to make the move in July 1909. They were prepared to camp
along the way over the roads which had few facilities.
They attached a springboard behind the main wagon to carry supplies needed during the trip.
After crossing the Sacramento River they went through Napa. Petaluma,
Hopland and north to Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville, Cummings and Bell
Springs Mountain. From there they went up to Harris, Fruitland, South
Fork, Dyerville, Pepperwood and across the Eel to Scotia on a ferry. The
camped in Scotia at the site where the railroad depot was later built.
He applied for a job in Scotia. As none was available he took his family
to Rio Dell on another ferry and drove up the river-bank into town. This
was a corduroy road from the Redwood Avenue area west of today's
bridges. The town of Rio Dell at the time was located around Firemen's
Park. This was October.
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