Visitors to Yreka Park, also known as Miner Park, might notice a boulder sitting near a parking lot with a plaque monumented on top. It reads:
FORMER HOMESITE
OF
WILLIAM DAVID DOGGETT
FIRST CHIEF OF POLICE
OF THE CITY OF YREKA |
I located an online resource titled Roster of State, County and City Officials of the State of California from 1912 here and mentions a William D. Doggett as a Trustee for the City of Yreka. There is also a Charles D. Doggett who was also a Trustee and I've researched and discovered that he was the son of William David Doggett and a City Marshal and Chief of Police for Yreka (after his father). Charles had a brother, Harry William Doggett (William David Doggett's son) who died in 1920 at 35 years of age of heart failure and I located an online obituary from Ancestry.com on him that reads:
Harry Doggett's Death -- Heart Fails
The sad message came over the wires early Tuesday morning that Harry Doggett of McKinney Creek seven miles from Walker had passed away about 2 o"clock of heart failure. He had been seriously ill with the flu for two weeks but for the past several days seemed to be out of danger and great hopes were entertained by his family and friends for his speedy recovery. Dr. I.L. Ward went down to see Harry two weeks ago and he took with him Mr. Pat Gallagher, one of the best nurses in California to care for the sick man and his father, Mr Richard Doggett who was also ill with the flu. Mr Aaron Payne also at the Doggett Ranch is still very ill with the flu. Mr. Richard Doggett walked several miles early Tuesday morning to phone in to Yreka the death of his son Harry. Coroner JE Turner went down early yesterday morning for the remains, returning late last evening. At this writing no funeral arrangements have been made. Mrs. Doggett and the children have been in Yreka for some weeks. The widow and little family are heartbroken, yet bearing up bravely under the heavy burden of sorrow. There is a lovely group of 6 children, the youngest Clara Anne born just 10 days ago and whom the father had never seen, but hoped to come up in a week or such matter.
The late Harry Doggett was 35 years of age this past February, a son of Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Doggett of this city and a brother of City Marshal Charles Doggett and the late Mrs. Pearl Doggett McCarthy. The widow and family have the sincere sympathy of the community in their loss of the loving husband and father.
Later-funeral Friday, 2:30 from Turners Chapel. Published Yreka Journal 3/3/1920
Sadly, I located yet another online obituary from Ancestry.com for Harry William Doggett, Jr. who died at nine years of age from a rattlesnake bite, two years after his father died. He would have been William David Doggett's grandson. His obituary reads:
Harry Doggett (Junior) 1913--1922 Obituary:
HARRY WILLIAM DOGGETT DIES OF RATTLESNAKE POISONING:
The funeral of Harry William Doggett was held in the Methodist Church Friday, July 28 and the remains were interned in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Harry William Doggett was the second son and the namesake of the late Harry W. Doggett and Mrs. Lelia Doggett. He was born in Yreka, February 23, 1913 and lived with the family on their farm on McKinney Creek. It was while doing some work in the field at home on July 26 that he was bitten by a rattlesnake.
Everything that could be done was done but at 5 o'clock the next morning, July 27, he passed away. He was of cheerful disposition and after his father died in March, 1919 he was a source of great comfort to his mother.
He is mourned by his mother; his brothers Russell and Frank; his sisters Blanche, Pearl, and Clara who live on the farm; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Doggett; and Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Russell of Yreka; His great grandmother of Ashland, Mrs. A.H. Russell besides many more relatives. All those names and several others attended the funeral.
Taken from a news article--unknown name or date
I'm trying to obtain more information on William David Doggett and if/when I do, I'll upload it here. All I know so far is that as late as 1922, William David Doggett is listed as an public officer in California's annual records of state officers.