George's father; John, and uncle, Henry, had gone to California in 1850 to seek their luck in finding gold. In 1852, George and his nephew, Billy Bonebrake, went West to join his father and uncle. They finally reached Trinidad, Humboldt Co., Calif. They heard about gold being found in Southern Oregon. They joined a supply train, going over the Siskiyous into the Illinois Valley. They struck gold in the Bolan Lake area near today's Cave Junction.

John and uncle Henry had worked as longshoremen on the California coast and helped build the trail from Crescent City, Calif. to the Illinois Valley, Josephine Co., Oregon. Eventually, the Baileys headed back to the coast and took passage home via around the Horn, to New York City and back to Ohio where their families were then living.

George married Talitha Jane Norman 1855 in Monroe Co., Iowa.

In 1864, George and his family head West for Oregon. They traveled alone for most of the journey but towards the end they joined the Pierce wagon train. Reaching Southern Oregon, George was disappointed to discover that his claims had been "jumped" and the area mined out. He spent two years in Jacksonville, then homesteaded on Foots Creek, ranching and mining there. Bailey Gulch commemorates his residence in that valley.

1900 U.S. Census for Murphy, Josephine Co., OR finds George and Talitha. At this time, there are 10 children living. He is listed as a gold miner. They are living near their son George who is also a gold miner. They are also near son William S. Bailey and his family; he's a farmer.

*After Rosa's death, Les lived in the Illinois Valley. Their son Yvone was a commercial fisherman along the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to Calif. until he retired. Their daughter Theda, m. Jess Davis, living in Calif.

Note: George's sister Sarah Berner and two of her children died in a prairie fire in Nebraska in 1893. They are buried in the Parks Cemetery, Dundy Co., Nebraska. (Sally Jane Bailey Berner)