Editing Collis Potter Huntington (section)

===Education and early career===
Collis Potter Huntington was born in [[Harwinton, Connecticut]], on October 22, 1821.<ref name="Evans1954" /> His family farmed and he grew up helping. In his early teens, he did farm chores and odd jobs for neighbors, saving his earnings. At age 16, he began traveling as a peddler.<ref name="netstate.com">[http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/people/ct_cph.htm Collis Potter Huntington ]. netstate.com</ref> About this time, he visited rural [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]] in [[Warwick County, Virginia]], in his travels as a salesman. He never forgot what he thought was the untapped potential of the area, where the [[James River]] emptied into the large harbor of Hampton Roads. In 1842 he and his brother Solon Huntington, of [[Oneonta, New York]], established a successful business in Oneonta, selling general merchandise there until about 1848.<ref name="Evans1954" />

When Huntington saw opportunity in America's West, he set out for [[California]]. He set up as a merchant in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] at the start of the [[California gold rush]].<ref name="Evans1954" /> Huntington succeeded in his California business. He teamed up with [[Mark Hopkins (railroad)|Mark Hopkins]] selling miners' supplies and other hardware.<ref name="Evans1954" />