In 1864, during the creation of Lassen County there were six original school districts, Milford would become seventh the following year. On February 28, 1865, Milford residents petitioned the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for a school district of their own. After all, the Lake School, was some twelve miles to the north and the Long Valley School nearly twenty miles to the south. The board obliged.

One of the unique traits of Milford, is that its original and replacement school houses still stand—though since converted in private residences, and they are side by side. The first schoolhouse was built in the summer of 1865 by Ezra P. Soule and Henry C. Stockton for $500. As Milford continued to grow, so did its student population. In 1883, the voters there dealt with a contentious issue to pass a special tax for $160 to construct an addition—it narrowly passed. The school population just kept growing and the original school, even with an addition was not enough. Back to the polls. On May 12, 1888, the school district voters approved  $1,400 bond measure for a new school house, that served the community for nearly eight decades.

While the Milford School experienced many ups and downs, like any institution, times were changing. Long gone were the horse and buggy days, replaced  with paved highways and automobiles that resulted in the population decline of rural communities and Milford was of no exception. In 1965, the upper grade students at Milford were transferred to Herlong Elementary. The following year, the school struggled and only taught grades one through three. The following year it closed and was annexed to Janesville Elementary School District.

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Some people know I have a special affinity for New Zealand. Of course there are a variety of Lassen connections with the land of the kiwis. One of the best photographers of the Lassen region of the 1870s, Herman Brince died in Auckland in 1881. Then there is case of Dr. J.G. Leonard, hardly a household name here or there. It should be noted that in 1884 Leonard had constructed one of Susanville’s most iconic buildings, known today as the Elk’s Lodge. Leonard’s descendants reside in New Zealand. The Asher family were among the prominent Jewish families of Susanville, though they later left that town to help establish Hollywood and Asher descendants, too, reside in New Zealand. In addition, even a Shinn descendant is a New Zealand resident.

So what does this bizarre topic with Cows with Guns have to do with New Zealand. Not only do I read the New Zealand Herald, but I listen to a New Zealand radio station. Recently, that station played a medley by Dana Lyons  entitled Cows with Guns. It is on youtube and click here to listen.  The lyrics with the puns are great, and I am sure Lassen County’s ranching community will enjoy. With that in mind, enjoy your Labor Day..

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On the night of June 6, 1864, Lassen County’s first homicide, and its oldest unsolved murder, that resulted in the deaths of Jacob Boody and Philip Wales near Milford occurred.  A strange case indeed.*

The two men were neighbors, who resided halfway between Janesville and Milford. In April 1864, Boody took a wagon to be repaired by Wales. A dispute arose, as Wales would not allow Boody to pick up the wagon until he was paid. The matter eventually resolved and the two were amicable.

At around 9 p.m. on June 6, Wales and his wife, Elizabeth, had gone to bed. Shortly thereafter, Wales heard noises coming from the barn and went to investigate. As soon as he got to the front gate of his house, he was shot in chest and collapsed. His wife, alerted their twelve year old son, George, and they brought Philip’s body into the house, and he died. George went to the neighbors, going through the grain field, but found no one on the first attempt.

When the neighbors did arrive around 11 p.m. they found Jacob Boody’s body in the road, not far from the Wales’ home. He had been shot several times in the back, and once in the leg. A Colt revolver was found several feet from Boody’s body.

The next morning seven men were impaneled to serve as a jury in the Coroner’s Inquest. Eight people testified. The jury came back with a verdict that the two men died from wounds inflicted by pistol and gun shots in the hands of unknown parties.

*There had been other murders prior to this, but this was the first one that fell over jurisdiction of the newly created Lassen County.

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