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A native daughter of California, Mrs. Sophia
Harrington was born at Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County. She was in maidenhood Sophia Buyck, her father being John Francis Buyck,
a native of Belgium, who, having been left an orphan when a small boy, made his
way to New York City and there made his own livelihood. When he heard of the
discovery of gold in California he resolved to come hither, and became one of
the argonauts of '49. Coming via Panama to San Francisco, he immediately made
his way to the mines in Calaveras County, where he followed mining until 1851.
He returned east via Panama and was married that same year to Miss Mary Bruton,
a native of the great metropolis, of Scotch-Irish parentage. In 1852 Mr Buyck
brought his bride via the Isthmus to San Francisco. On the way they were wrecked
on the "Georgia" and they spent three days in an open boat, when they were
picked up, their boat was the only one ever accounted for.
On his arrival in California, Mr. Buyck again followed mining, being located at
Mokelumne Hill, residing there until he died. His widow spent her last days in
Stockton. Of their family of eight children four are living. Sophia, who is the
fourth in order of birth, was brought up at Mokelumne Hill, receiving a good
education in the public schools. About this time her mother removed to Railroad
Flat, in the same county, and soon after this, in 1875, Sophia was married to
Frederick J. Harrington, who was a native of Brighton, Mass., born Nov. 24,
1847, a son of Joshua and Rosina (Wright) Harrington. ...
Source : Tinkham, George H. ; History of San Joaquin
County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the
county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early
days to the present; Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1923, 1627 pgs.