By Chris Pattillo

Seven members of the Badger family are buried in Plot 270 within the circular drive of the Bennett Valley Cemetery. Two additional Badger relatives—the wife and son of Paul Jean Badger—are interred in nearby Plot 258. All are related to Joseph Johnstone “JJ” Badger and his first wife, Lucinda Ann McCann Badger. JJ was the son of Joseph Badger (1784–1850). He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on November 28, 1823.[i]

JJ and Lucinda were married in 1843 in Shelbyville, Indiana, where Lucinda was born. Their first two children were born in Ohio: Nancy Ann Badger (1845–1856) and William Neal Badger (1849–1884).

The young Badger family migrated to California in 1853 and settled in Santa Rosa, where seven more children were born: James Albert (1851–1856), Louisa Jane (1854–1856), Robert Abraham (1857–1919), Benjamin Douglas (1859–1927), George McClennan (1862–1867), Henry Lee (1865–1962), and Mary Ann “Millie” (1872–1878).

Three of these children died in 1856—2-year-old Louisa and 5-year-old James in October, and 11-year-old Nancy in November. The family lost two additional children in 1867: 4-year-old George and 1½-year-old Joseph J. Badger. Mary Ann died in 1878, one month shy of her sixth birthday. That same year, the Bennett Valley Cemetery was established. All six of these children are buried there, so it appears that five were originally buried elsewhere and later moved when the cemetery opened.

A seventh sibling, William Neal, died of consumption in 1884. He is buried in Santa Rosa Memorial Park alongside his wife. All of these children died before their mother, Lucinda, who passed away in 1888 at the age of 60.

In her obituary, Lucinda was described as: “The purest and noblest of women, devotedly attached to her children. She numbered many warm and devoted friends and was ever ready to assist those in need. She was a firm believer in the teachings of the gospel, and her children rise up and call her blessed. She was an indulgent mother, a faithful wife, and a warm friend.”

The 1860 Agricultural Census reflects the Badger family’s success as farmers. It shows they owned 9 horses, 14 milking cows, 2 working oxen, 8 swine, and 8 other animals. Their livestock was valued at $800—equivalent to about $31,000 today. They also had considerable supplies: 5 bushels of wheat, 3 bushels of Indian corn, 400 bushels of barley, and 25 tons of hay. The value of slaughter animals on hand was listed at $100.

On the 1880 census, we learn that both of JJ’s parents were of Irish descent. He was 56 at the time and listed as a farmer. The family, residing in Santa Rosa at the time, included sons Robert (22), Douglas (20), and Henry (12). Also living in the household was a cook named Fannie.

[i] Some sources say JJ was born in 1820.

An interesting anecdote about JJ appeared in a Press Democrat article published in 1928. The headline read: “Thomas Geary Recalls Wild Ride to Save Woman Given Poison Potion by Mistake.”

According to the story, JJ had ordered medicine for his ailing wife from Frazee’s Drug Store, stating he would pick it up later that afternoon. When he arrived, the clerk—Thomas J. Geary—was busy, so he simply nodded toward the counter where the prescription was waiting.

At the end of the day, Geary realized JJ had mistakenly taken the wrong prescription—one that would have caused certain death if ingested. In a panic, Geary rushed to the livery stable, ordered the fastest team they had, and dashed through heavy rain to JJ’s Rincon Valley ranch. He arrived just before dark and found JJ had only just returned home. They exchanged packages, and Geary returned to town.

After Lucinda’s death, JJ married Emma Hewitt in Santa Rosa on January 1, 1890, and had two more children. He continued expanding his land holdings, eventually owning several ranches. In addition to his primary residence in Bennett Valley, he owned property in the Mark West area, Rincon Valley, and “considerable property” in Lake County.[i] His obituary notes that he lived in Santa Rosa for over forty years.

In 1894, JJ left his Bennett Valley home and moved to San Francisco, where he managed a lodging house at 526 Bush Street.

In his son Douglas’s obituary, the Badger family was described as: “One of the earliest pioneer Santa Rosa families ... who had crossed the plains early in the golden era of California and who came to this section (Santa Rosa) soon after reaching the state. They settled first in Bennett Valley, but when Douglas was 12, they moved to Rincon Valley.”

Joseph “JJ” Badger died in San Francisco on April 19, 1895. The location of his burial is unknown.

In 1951, local newspapers reported on a ten-year reunion of the Badger clan. The article began by noting that four Britishers fled to America early in the 18th century. “Two found life in the colonies too rough and returned to England. A third was scalped. The fourth stayed. That was Joseph Badger, who married a widow and reared a son. The son married and raised 10 sons, all of whom fought in the American Revolution without a scratch… And that was the beginning of the Badger clan.”

The reunion was of the descendants of Joseph J. and Lucinda Badger. According to the article, the couple had originally set out from Ohio as part of the Donner Party, but due to illness, they had to drop out while still in Utah. They did not continue west for another two years.[ii] The reunion took place at the Monroe Neighborhood Clubhouse in Sebastopol and was primarily attended by the children of Robert Badger, who had ten children of his own—all of whom were still living and attended the event.

[i] From JJ’s obituary found on the Find-A-Grave and FamilySearch websites.

[ii] “Pioneer Sonoma County Family Has Its First Reunion in Ten Years”, Press Democrat, Vol. 94 No. 297, October7, 1951.