WATERMAN, Robert Whitney, governor of California, born in Fairfield, Herkimer County, New York, 15 December, 1826. His father was a merchant, and died while the son was quite young. Two years afterward Robert removed to Sycamore, Illinois, where three elder brothers had preceded him. Until his twentieth year he was a clerk in a country store, and in 1846 he engaged in business for himself in Belvidere, Illinois In 1849 he was postmaster at Genoa, Illinois In 1850 he went to California and engaged in mining on Feather river, but two years later he returned to Wilmington, Illinois, where in 1853 he published the Wilmington "Independent," at the same time carrying on other business enterprises. In 1854 he was a delegate to the convention at Bloomington, Illinois, that gave a name to the Republican party, and he was an associate of Abraham Lincoln, Lyman Trumbull, Richard Yates, David Davis, and Owen Lovejoy. In 1856 he took an active part in the Fremont campaign, and in 1858 he was engaged in the senatorial contest between Lincoln and Douglas. In 1873 he returned to California, and he established his home at San Bernardino in that state the following year. He was successful in discovering and developing silver-mines in what has since come to be known as the Calico mining district in San Bernardino county. In 1886 he was elected lieutenant-governor as a Republican. Upon the death of Governor Washington Bartlett, 12 September, 1887, Mr. Waterman was called to the duties of chief executive. During recent years Governor Waterman has engaged in numerous business enterprises in various parts of California. He is the owner of the famous Stonewall gold-mine in San Diego county, and has extensive ranch properties in southern California. He is president of the San Diego, Cuyamaca and Eastern railway, and is connected with many other public enterprises.