Page 32 - TalesoftheParadiseRidge-Fall2020_Neat

Governor George Perkins Leaves His

Mark in Paradise

Bill Hartley

Recently I was reviewing local history on Perkins and wanted to know more
Paradise and came across a fascinating about our former governor.
story with a photograph of two young I learned that George Clement Per-
children sitting on a rock known as kins was a remarkable, adventurous
Perkins Rock. I wanted to know more man. He was born in Kennebunkport,
about the children and the rock. My Maine, on August 23, 1839. He was
investigation revealed the children are raised on a farm, but at the age of 13
Anne Smith and her brother Arnie. Anne knew that he wanted to go to sea and
Smith is the grandmother of current become a captain on a sailing vessel.
Paradise resident Jerre (Bille) Bates, and He applied for a position as a cabin
Arnie is her uncle. Both are deceased. boy on a new ship, Golden Eagle. Due to his tender age, he was denied
The Bille family is a pioneer family who the job. Not to be detoured, he hid on the ship, and after it left port, he
purchased the property where the rock is was discovered. He was made a cabin boy. After numerous voyages
located in 1909. in various ports around the U.S. and Europe, he met a shipmate who
convinced him to seek his fortune gold mining in California.
The Perkins Rock is so named because a After a voyage around Cape Horn on a clipper ship, he arrived in San
young miner, George Perkins, carved his
name into the rock sometime around 1850 Francisco. From there he went to Sacramento. He was out of money
while mining in Little Butte Canyon. Years and could no longer afford transportation. He decided to press on,
later, Perkins served as governor of California and he walked to Butte County carrying his blankets and provisions
on his back. He mined in Butte County and during this time carved
(1880-1883).
his name on the unique rock in Paradise. The rock overlooks the Butte
Creek Canyon.
The rock is located on private property in
Paradise, northwest of Bille Road. I know the
owners of the property and obtained per- Perkins, tired of mining, went to Ophir, now Oroville, and worked
as a porter in a store. With money earned at the store, he purchased
mission from them to photograph the rock. a ferry at Long’s Bar, and later he purchased a mercantile store and a
Perkins’s name carved into the rock had worn
off over time, but it was clearly the same rock. flour mill. At the age of 20, he had grossed $500,000.
I was intrigued by the adventures of George
In 1864, Perkins married Ruth Amelia Parker in Marysville, Califor-
nia. She and George had seven children. Ruth was the First Lady from
1880 to 1883. Her personal interest involved poetry. Her poems were
published in various magazines and newspapers.

In 1869, Perkins turned to politics and was elected to the state senate
for the senatorial district of Butte County. He continued his busi-
ness pursuits while serving as a senator and in 1871 was re-elected.
In 1872, Perkins joined with Captain Manor Goodall to form the
Goodall, Nelson and Perkins Steamship Company, which was later
renamed the Pacific Coast Steam Navigation Company. He was also
re-elected to another term for the state senate.

In 1875, the Perkinses moved to San Francisco and later to Oakland.
In 1879, Perkins was elected to serve as the 14th Governor of Califor-
nia. After his term as governor, Perkins returned to his business inter-
est. In 1893, when U.S. Senator Leland Stanford passed away, Perkins
Anne and Arnie Smith approximate date 1920 was appointed to fill out the unexpired term of the Senator. Perkins
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