Hugh McElroy LaRue
Hugh McElroy LaRue | |
---|---|
Sheriff of Sacramento County | |
In office 1873–1875 | |
Preceded by | Mike Bryte |
Succeeded by | M.M. Drew |
Personal details | |
Born | Hugh McElroy LaRue August 12, 1830 Elizabethtown, Kentucky, U.S. |
Died | December 6, 1906 (age 76) Davis, California, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Occupation | Sheriff, rancher, farmer, railroad commissioner, politician |
Known for | Pioneer of Sacramento, California |
Hugh McElroy LaRue (1830–1906), a member of the LaRue family of Kentucky, US was a California pioneer.[1]
Biography
Hugh was born on August 12, 1830, in
The expedition was led by one V. A. Sublette and his partner, Dr. Conduitt. After gathering provisions for the journey, Hugh and the others crossed the Missouri River in Boonville and started out from Independence on April 29, 1849. The route they followed took them along the Platte River and through South Pass, thence via Sublette's cut-off and the Oregon Trail. Near the end of the journey, they found themselves on the banks of the Truckee River, which proved to be a tremendous obstacle. Because of the rough country surrounding the river, the expedition had to cross it twenty-seven times within thirty miles. The journey finally came to an end on August 12, 1849, when the expedition arrived at the Bear River Mines, in Steep Hollow, California.[1]
Hugh spent the next several years working in the mines, on various ranches, and delivering groceries to the settlers of Shasta. He managed a small restaurant for a short time, and worked as a blacksmith in Sacramento, before a cholera epidemic persuaded him to move out of the city. Hugh then went into the agriculture business and started raising crops of all kinds. His orchards were the most successful, allowing him to expand into the horse and cattle ranching business. Over time, Hugh acquired hundreds of acres of land in Sacramento and in Yolo County. He built a town house in Sacramento, but preferred to stay out on his ranch. He married Elizaberth M. Lizenby of Kentucky in 1858 and had five children with her, four boys and one girl.[1]
According to the author J. M. Guinn, Hugh was active in politics and "staunchly Democratic". He ran for sheriff of Sacramento County in 1857 and won by just eight votes, but he lost the office because of a problem in the courts. Years later, in 1873, Hugh was again elected sheriff and served for the next couple of years. Hugh was involved in a few murder cases during his tenure as sheriff, and was responsible for hanging some of the murderers. After that he went on to become a member of the
Hugh is buried in the Masonic Lawn Cemetery in Sacramento.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e J.M. Quinn (1906). History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley, California. Chapman.
- ^ William Ladd Willis (1913). History of Sacramento County, California: With Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present. Historic Record Company.
hugh mcelroy larue.
- ^ Vassar, Alex; Myers, Shane. "Hugh M. La Rue". JoinCalifornia.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.