It was some what prevalent in the late 1800s, that titles were bestowed to individuals–after all San Francisco had Emperor Norton.

Take case that Susanville’s namesake, Susan Roop Arnold (1841-1921). She came there in 1862, and in 1864 she married Alex Arnold. While she kept a low profile,  it was her benevolence to others of the community that she was affectionally known as “Aunt Susie.” At Janesville, there was “Uncle Johnny” Baxter (1812-1880), whom Baxter Creek is named for and shared same traits of Susan Arnold.

The title Colonel is a perplexing one. In 1864, Benjamin Leavitt (1835-1915) who settled in the Honey Lake Valley. Through years someone applied Colonel to  his name and it stuck. Captain William Weatherlow, (1814-1864 ) a self-proclaimed Indian fighter, was not affiliated any military institution. The same with Captain C.A. Merrill (1838-1901) who spent his life attempting to tap Eagle Lake  as a supply of irrigation a reclamation project he had dreamed. Oddly enough yours truly has been called Captain and even Doctor, though the latter appellation is an amusing tale.

Tim