Charles Perry McPherson wed his bride Elizabeth Howell*, June 30, 1839 in Roane County, Tennessee. They moved to Madison Township, Johnson County, Missouri within a year or two. There, Charles and Elizabeth had five children. The family genealogy records him traveling in a covered wagon train with brother William Bullington McPherson, whose first son Barton was born in Utah, August 6, 1854. Charles' growing family was in Healdsburg, California by December 6, 1855, when their son, Miller was born. Thus began a saga in the new state, from Bakersfield, California to the Trinity Alps. Washington Township was embroiled in squatter disputes, and in the fall of 1857, Charles was tried for an attempted murder charge, and acquitted. Then, in 1879 his eldest son, Thomas was shot down under strange circumstances. Regardless, with title to a huge portion of Alexander Valley, of the old Mexican Rancho Sotoyome, the McPherson's of Tennessee and Missouri had arrived. Their lands extended from west of the Russian River at the Alexander Valley Road bridge, then on the east banks of the river, north to the area on the east end of the Geyserville Russian River bridge.
Charles was the fifth of thirteen children of Andrew Barton McPherson and Parthenia Hale. The siblings were: Mary "Polly"**; Hezekiah; Elijah; Susannah; Charles; William; Deborah; Parthenia; John; Thomas; Barton; Margaret; and Nancy.
Charles had a large family from two wives. From Elizabeth Howell: Thomas Welcome McPherson; Colburn McPherson; Lycurgus McPherson; Julyann McPherson (1850 - 1851); Malinda McPherson (1853 - 1870); and Miller McPherson. From Minerva St. Clair McDaniel, whom he wed February 13, 1859 in Healdsburg: Dulana McPherson; French McPherson; Stonewall McPherson; Ewell McPherson; Early/Earley McPherson; Mary Etta/Etter McPherson (1872 - ); and Annie McPherson (1873 - ). With Minerva came a stepson, Oliver McDaniel, Jr. born January 1854. Charles passed away in 1875, and in 1880 a McDaniel and wife were found heading the McPherson children in a household near Robinson's Ferry in Calaveras County, California. A McDaniel was also involved helping the eldest son Thomas in Trinity County before his untimely 1879 death mentioned above.

Descendants of Charles have Revolutionary War patriot ancestors through the McPherson, Kincheloe, and probably Hale families.

* Elizabeth was the daughter of Wellcome Howell and Anna Longacre, Benjamin, Sr. & Ruth Longacre had been in Johnson County since 1827.

** Mary also had a son named Barton.

Under research are: Julyann McPherson, born December 06, 1850 in Madison Township, Johnson Co, MO; died February 04, 1851 in Madison Township, Johnson Co, MO.; Malinda McPherson, born April 19, 1853 in Madison Township, Johnson Co MO; died April 14, 1870 in California; French McPherson, born October 06, 1862 in Sonoma Co, CA. (registered to vote, age 21, Mendocino farmer) 1920 single man, oiler on S.S. Western Queen, New Orleans, LA.; Mary Etta/Etter McPherson, born August 1872 in Sonoma Co, CA.; and daughter Annie McPherson, born December 30, 1873 in Sonoma Co, CA.

1898 historical maps showed the "E McPherson 50 acres" on the western edge of Geyserville, California, the approximate location of family ranches known to be there in the 1960's.

Full Title: Washington, T 10 N R 19 W, Page 026
Full Atlas Title: Sonoma County 1898
State: California
Location 1: Unattributed
Location 2: Unattributed
Publish Date: 1898
Publisher: Reynolds & Proctor
Nancy McPherson (b. 17 Oct 1837, Meigs Co., TN)

As Charles is a pivotal character in so many life stories, this memorial serves as a repository of events, inviting your review to enrich them. Please use the "Edit" tab to contribute to this memorial. Thank you, mid 2015.