Over the years, I have sifted through all kinds of records conducting research. It is a slow, tedious process, but then one comes across those hidden gems, it makes it worth while. Alas, it is also becoming a lost art. I have found that too many people rely upon the internet for their research. Okay, enough of my opinion.
Prior to 1997’s California’s Trial Court Act, there was a justice and a superior court—and in more populated counties multiple courts—including municipal. Early day justice courts provides an interesting glimpse into ordinary affairs of the community—whether civil or criminal.
This brings to the 1865 case People of the State vs. William Weatherlow that was filed in the Honey Lake Justice Court. This was just your typical delinquent property tax case. A unique situation occurred in this case when Constable E.R. Nicholls attempted to serve Weatherlow with a summons for $46.30 in back taxes Nichols noted on the summons of his attempted service of February 7, 1865 that he was unable serve Weatherlow as he “. . . cannot be found in the County.” If only Nichols, who doubled as County Surveyor, had toured the Susanville Cemetery, he would have located Weatherlow’s grave, as he died on July 22, 1864. and thereby a permanent resident of Lassen County. It wasn’t as though Nichols was unaware of who Weatherlow was—he being prominent in the affairs of the Honey Lake Valley—but Nichols had sued him in 1861 over a mining claim in the Black Rock Desert.