Thursday February 19, 2004
Back Story Solved
In Pemelia Baley Case
By Howard E, Hobbs PhD, Editor & Publisher

ACADEMY, CALIF. -- Among the men from all sections of the country who thronged to California during the excitement following the discovery of gold was a young American of Scotch ancestry, Gillum Baley, who was born in Pettis County, Mo., Jun 19, 1813. Gillum Baley from Gallatin County, Illinois.
His youth and young man hood was spent in Sangamon County, Ill., where at the age of nineteen he was an ordained minister of the Methodist Church, although he never held an itinerant pastorate. At the age of about twenty-one, he chose Missouri as his place of residence, settling there in 1834.
He was admitted to the bar in Missouri but never practiced, although he served for sixteen years as Associate Justice in the counties of Andrew, Jackson and Nodaway, in that state. In 1849 he crossed the plains to California with his two brothers, Caleb and W. Rite Baley. Leaving their home in April they arrived at the destination in September, and worked in the mines with more or less success for several years.
In 1852 young Baley returned to Missouri via Panama, but the memory of California's charms lingered with him in his eastern home and he was not content until he was again en route for the Golden State.
In 1858 he gathered 200 thoroughbred Durham cattle and with his wife and nine children and his brother W. Rite in the party, again started for the Pacific Coast. Near Fort Hardy the party was attacked by Indians, and losing their cattle and supplies were obliged to return to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a new outfit, starting again for the coast in August, 1859, with six mules and wagons. This time they were more fortunate and reached their destination, arriving at Visalia in November 1859.
January 17, 1860, Mr. Baley moved to Millerton, Fresno County, leaving his brother, W. R., in Visalia. He made a number of trips from Stockton to Millerton, driving a six-mule team with supplies, and also mined on the San Joaquin River three miles above Fort Miller, and on Fresno River, until 1866, when he removed to Fort Miller on accout of the school advantages for his children.
In 1867 he was elected County Judge of Fresno County and served twelve years on the bench. When the county seat was moved to Fresno in 1874 he was elected and served two years as treasurer of Fresno County. For a time he was engaged in the grocery business in Fresno with his son Charles C. Baley.
He owned 160 acres of land at Tollhouse, Fresno County, also 1,000 acres in small tracts in different parts of the county. Mrs. Permelia E. Baley died in Fresno in 1906.
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Thank you Gary for the added information.
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Here is a complete list of his children:
Rebecca Margaret Baley Shannon 1837-1906
Amelia Catherine Baley Krug 1838-1915
America Frances Baley Yancey 1840-1922
Mary Ann Elizabeth Baley Ashman 1842-1873
George Washington Baley 1844-?
Eleanor Grafton Baley McCardle 1847-?
Patience Gillum Baley 1849-1852
Charles Caleb Baley 1853-1940
Nancy Jane Baley Greenup 1856-?
Sonora Berthena Baley McKeon 1858-?
Lewis Leach Baley 1861-1878

Thank you, [email protected]

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Information provided by #47211190

Gillum, Caleb & Mathias Baley (spelled Baily and Bayly on the military records) all served as Privates in the Black Hawk War mustering in at Atlas, Pike County, Illinois Regiment 3 under Capt. Wm. Ross in Colonel Whitesides Brigade. Gillum was also married to Catherine B. Decker on April 3, 1834 in Pike county, Illinois. She died approx. 1836 in Jackson County, Missouri. They had a son, William Moses Baley, who was born May 22, 1835 in Pike county, Illinois and died May 1, 1884 in Fresno County, California.