Page 33 - TalesoftheParadiseRidge-Fall2020_Neat

was re-elected to the U.S. Senate three more times. He
retired from the Senate in 1915, and he and Ruth returned Perkins Rock
to live in Oakland. Ruth died on February 4, 1921, fol- A poem by Bill Hartley
lowed by her husband on February 26, 1923. Both of them
are buried in the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland,
California. Perched on a mountain ridge above Butte Creek
is a special rock that stands unique.
It is known as the Perkins Rock
because Perkins’ name is carved near the top.

Perkins was a gold miner way back when
and carved his name to show where he’d been.
It was about 1850 to 1860 then
an adventurous man who stood out amongst men.

After mining he owned a store
and some of his earlier escapades became lore.
In Oroville he settled long before
politics his interest he bore.

He became a state senator representing Butte County land
and there he represented the people first hand.
His popularity rose and the position of Governor he won,
Pam and Bill Hartley at Perkins Rock, October 2019
a fair man, his work was never done.

When his term came to an end,
he continued to work to serve the land.
He became a U.S. Senator where he would stand,
from 1893 to 1915 to help government plan.

He was the 14th Governor of our state
and as a representative of our nation he was great.
After retirement he moved to Oakland, and died in 1923
and is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery.

References:
Oakland Wiki, George C. Perkins
California Governors - Ruth Perkins
Paradise - Robert Colby
Wikipedia - George Clement Perkins
Freepages roots web - Butte County Biographies

31