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Belgians in the Civil War

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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

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.