Biography - ANGUS McLEOD

Hon. Angus McLeod is a native of Arkansas, and was born in 1837, October 23d. His parents died when he was young, and he was left to seek his own fortune or misfortune as circumstances, ability, and nerve should dictate. At twenty years of age he started for California, over the plains, with a few cattle, in company with W. C. McCune. They had altogether about 1,000 head of stock, and lost half of it before the Sierra Nevada Mountains were reached. It was the year 1857, when the Government was having trouble with Brigham Young, and the Indians were very troublesome along the route. About 100 head of animals were run off by them, and one man was killed at City Rock, where the Fort Hall and Salt Lake roads come together. At the place where the road passes over the high country, on the north side of the Humboldt River, between Elko and Gravelly Ford, they reburied a man named Nichols who had been killed by Indians in a train that was moving in advance of them. Two days march farther down, on the north side of the river, they came upon seven fresh graves; men killed also by Indians. This was rather a startling and sudden transition from the peaceful pursuits of the Arkansas farmer to that of traveling among hostile tribes in the mountains. That winter he crossed the mountains to California, wintered there, and returned to Carson Valley the next spring, to assist in driving the stock across the Sierra. In September, 1859, he again visited Nevada, and became a clerk for Moses Job, at the place now known as Sheridan, in Douglas County. In the spring of 1860, he purchased a couple of teams, and became a freighter from California to the mines in Nevada, continuing that business for the next three seasons, each year increasing his transportation facilities. The succeeding two years his trains freighted lumber, etc., to Aurora, in Esmeralda County.

In the fall of 1862, McLeod took up the ranch in Mason Valley that he now owns, a sketch of which can be seen in this book. In the fall of 1864 he moved on to this land, where he lived until March, 1878, when he returned to Aurora, the county seat. Since removing to the latter place his time has been principally occupied in caring for his houses there, and attending to matters concerning the Carson and Aurora, as well as the Aurora and Sunshine Toll-roads. He is a half-owner in each, and Henry Williams is his partner.

In August, 1880, he commenced taking charge of the Exchange Hotel at Aurora. The property belongs to him, and a view of the same also accompanies this work. He still continues in the business, in addition to his numerous other affairs. In 1871, Mr. McLeod represented Esmeralda County in the State Legislature; in 1873 and 1874 was a County Commissioner of the same; and at present is its Treasurer. In 1877, July 3d, he was married to Miss Mary K. Ellis, of Gold Hill, Nevada. They have two children, named, Charles A., born on the twenty-ninth of April, 1878; and Henry S., born on the fourteenth of October, 1879.

Contributed 2025 Jan 10 by Norma Hass, extracted from 1881 The History of Nevada, by Myron Angel, pages 410-411.

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