Branscomb, California
Encyclopedia
Branscomb is an unincorporated community
in Mendocino County
in the U.S. state
California
. It is located 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of Laytonville
, at an elevation of 1565 feet (477 m), on a river terrace to the east of the South Fork Eel River
.
The ZIP Code is 95454 and the community is inside area code 707
.
train that was headed for California in 1857. He was born in Jackson, Ohio
, in 1832, the son of Joseph Edmond Branscomb. The family moved to DeKalb County, Missouri
, where Joseph became Sheriff
. According to family tradition, Joseph was shot and killed 3 days before President Lincoln
was assassinated, but a contemporary newspaper account says Joseph was murdered, shot to death by a Mr. Stoffel in Maysville
on July 31, 1865, after Lincoln's assassination.
Benjamin settled in Sonoma County and farmed there for about twenty years. He married one of the daughters of the captain of the wagon train, Mary Jane Taylor, and they had 10 children: 6 boys and 4 girls. They moved to Jackson Valley, Mendocino
, in 1880, where he homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land and 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) more under the Timber Act. He was instrumental in starting the first school in that area. He built a large home which, after his family grew up, he turned into a hotel. A small grocery store
, meat market and livery stable were added later. After more people came into the area, he established a post office, which first opened in 1894. Since the place had no official name, it was named after him, the postmaster. After his death in 1921, one of his sons, John, inherited the property and ran it until 1959, when he sold it to the Harwood family, who built the timber mill in Branscomb called Harwood Products.
Branscomb is located in the 2nd Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Noreen Evans
(as of 2008), and in the 1st Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
(as of 2008). Federally, Branscomb is located in California's 1st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +10 (as of 2008). and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of Laytonville
Laytonville, California
Laytonville is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Laytonville, is located north-northwest of Willits, at an elevation of 1670 feet...
, at an elevation of 1565 feet (477 m), on a river terrace to the east of the South Fork Eel River
South Fork Eel River
The South Fork Eel River is the longest and largest tributary of the Eel River, in the north-central part of the U.S. state of California. The river flows north from Laytonville to Dyerville/Founders' Grove where it joins the Eel River on the left bank...
.
The ZIP Code is 95454 and the community is inside area code 707
Area code 707
North American area code 707 is a Californian telephone area code which covers Napa, Sebastopol, Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Fort Bragg, Crescent City, Eureka, Clearlake, Vacaville, Ukiah, and northwestern California. It was split from area code 415 on March 1, 1959...
.
History
Benjamin Franklin Branscomb joined an ox-team wagonWagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
train that was headed for California in 1857. He was born in Jackson, Ohio
Jackson, Ohio
Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,184 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jackson is located at ....
, in 1832, the son of Joseph Edmond Branscomb. The family moved to DeKalb County, Missouri
DeKalb County, Missouri
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population is 12,892. The county was organized in 1845 and is named after the American Revolutionary War general Johann de Kalb. The county along with Buchanan and Andrew counties in Missouri and Doniphan County,...
, where Joseph became Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
. According to family tradition, Joseph was shot and killed 3 days before President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
was assassinated, but a contemporary newspaper account says Joseph was murdered, shot to death by a Mr. Stoffel in Maysville
Maysville, Missouri
Maysville is a city in DeKalb County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,212 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of DeKalb County.Maysville is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
on July 31, 1865, after Lincoln's assassination.
Benjamin settled in Sonoma County and farmed there for about twenty years. He married one of the daughters of the captain of the wagon train, Mary Jane Taylor, and they had 10 children: 6 boys and 4 girls. They moved to Jackson Valley, Mendocino
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, in 1880, where he homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land and 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) more under the Timber Act. He was instrumental in starting the first school in that area. He built a large home which, after his family grew up, he turned into a hotel. A small grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
, meat market and livery stable were added later. After more people came into the area, he established a post office, which first opened in 1894. Since the place had no official name, it was named after him, the postmaster. After his death in 1921, one of his sons, John, inherited the property and ran it until 1959, when he sold it to the Harwood family, who built the timber mill in Branscomb called Harwood Products.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Branscomb is located in the 2nd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans
Noreen Evans is an American politician in the California State Senate. She is a Democrat representing the 2nd district, encompassing Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties, as well as parts of Sonoma and Solano counties....
(as of 2008), and in the 1st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat Wesley Chesbro
Wesley Chesbro
Wesley P. Chesbro is a Democratic politician from California. He is currently the Assembly member for the 1st Assembly district in California. Previously, Chesbro served as a State Senator from California's 2nd district from 1998 until 2006...
(as of 2008). Federally, Branscomb is located in California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district
California's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California and presently consists of the northern coastline and includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties and parts of Sonoma and Yolo counties.The district is currently...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +10 (as of 2008). and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson
Michael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....