A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of northern California, including biographies of many of those who have passed away, Part 65

Author: Standard Genealogical Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Standard Genealogical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 902

USA > California > A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of northern California, including biographies of many of those who have passed away > Part 65

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MYRON HOLLINGSWORTH REED.

Of the "art preservative of arts," Myron Hollingsworth Reed is a rep- resentative, being the well known proprietor of the Mountain Echo, having founded the paper in 1879 . He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, on the 4th of May, 1835, and is of Scotch ancestry. His father, Frederick D. Reed, entered Ontario county, New York, in 1819, but removed to Ohio in 1838, where he married Roxanna Mcclellan and reared nine children. Two of the sons served in the Union army during the Civil war and one of them served in the Confederate service. The father died at the age of fifty-one years, the mother surviving until her eighty-seventh year. They were people of intelli- gence and education and are well remembered in the community where they lived.

Mr. Reed received his education in Kentucky, where he remained until he was seventeen years old, then followed the army that was making its way. by ox teams, across the plains to California. Without serious accident he reached Volcano, Amador county, without much means, his trip having cost him one hundred and eighty dollars; but he set to work immediately in the mines at Springfield, Tuolumne county. His first work was that of casting out the dirt and washing for gold. His largest nugget amounted to forty-one dollars, but his success was not such as to make him desire to continue long in the business. Unfortunate speculation in mining property about dissipated his earnings.

Always loving law and order, Mr. Reed was at one time associated with a party who took the law into their own hands, sometimes in those days an example having to be made for the protection of the helpless.

In 1879 Mr. Reed turned his attention to the newspaper business and started the Mountain Echo, a weekly five-column folio. Since that time various enlargements have been made, until now it is an eight-column folio and is regarded as the most effective medium for the dissemination of knowl- edge concerning this section and very instrumental in the upbuilding of Angel's Camp and Calaveras county. Since 1884 he has been ably assisted by his son-in-law, Lewis J. Hutchison, who had been connected with the Chron- icle at Mokelumne Hill, the oldest paper in the state. Ile had also been con-

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nected with the Alta in San Francisco, and the jobbing department of Ban- croft & Company. He is a newspaper man of experience and his business connection with Mr. Reed strengthens the Echo. In politics it was formerly an independent paper, then for two years was conducted in the interests of the Prohibition party, but now its leanings are toward the Republican party, of which Mr. Reed is a stalwart member.

The marriage of Mr. Reed took place in 1862, to Miss Mahala Watson, a native of Indiana who came to California in 1861. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reed are happily settled near them and are as follows: Ida. the wife of L. J. Hutchison ; Roxana ; Jessie, the wife of J. H. Rulofson ; Charles D., engaged in mining : Sadie I., the wife of B. K. Stone.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Reed are pleasant and congenial and their cottage in .Angel's Camp has often been visited by well known literary men of the day. Mr. Reed mimbering among his friends Mark Twain and Bret Harte. He has labored hard to build up the best interests of his section and has been most successful. Mr. Reed socially is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and of the Foresters, and at one time of the Sons of Temperance.

HORACE H. ROWELL.

A well known and reliable business man of Sonora, Tuolumne county, California, is Horace Hall Rowell, the subject of our sketch. Mr. Rowell is an old settler of California, having located in the state in 1853. His birth took place January 9, 1830, at Hooksett, New Hampshire, and was the son of Peter and Susan ( Eastman ) Rowell, natives of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, respectively, who were of French and Scotch descent. Peter Rowell served as a drummer in the war of 1812. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, four of whom are surviving. Mr. and Mrs. Rowell were worthy people, of Universalist belief, and died at the ages of seventy-five and fifty- six, respectively.

Our subject lived the usual life of the school boy of his time and pre- pared for future usefulness by learning the gunsmith's trade. In 1849 his brother Gilman came to California and successfully engaged in mining in Mari- posa county, dying at Sawmill Flat, Tuolumne county, in 1890, leaving behind him a record of good deeds and many kindnesses to other miners. He was generous and liberal and will long be remembered. Our subject reached California by the isthmus route and for three years engaged in placer-mining at Sawmill Flat, where he met with some success, leaving with considerable money. He then opened a blacksmith shop, hiring a smith for the work. but suffered a loss of three thousand dollars by fire. In 1875 he settled in Sonora, again losing a large sum by fire, but rebuilt and opened up his place of business better prepared than ever. Since that time Mr. Rowell has suc- cessfully carried on his line of trade, dealing in guns, ammunition and sport- ing goods and in connection handles sewing machines, also owning a repair shop.

Since the Civil war Mr. Rowell has been a stanch Republican, showing

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much enthusiasm for the present ( 1900 )administration. Since 1860 he has been a valued member of the I. O. O. F., and is regarded as one of the represen- tative business men of Sonora.

ROBERT C. DOWNS.

The middle portion of the nineteenth century might properly be termed the age of titility, especially on the Pacific slope. The vast region lying west of the Rockies was but then opened up to civilization, and the honored pio- neers who founded homes in this rich but undeveloped region, were men who had to contend with the trials and difficulties of the pioneer life. Theirs were lives of toil. They were endeavoring to make homes, to cultivate farms, to establish business enterprises, and above all to develop the rich mineral resources of this part of the country ; and often from youth to old age their lot was one of labor : but their importance to the community cannot be over- estimated, and the comforts and luxuries which the later generations enjoy are due to the brave band of pioneer men and women who came to California during its primitive condition. It is also encouraging and interesting to note that many who came here empty-handed worked their way upward from a humble position in life to one of affluence ; that as the years passed and the country improved prosperity attended their efforts and wealth rewarded their earnest labors.

To this class of honored men belongs Robert Carleton Downs, who has gained a handsome competence and who has been permitted to witness the wonderful development of the state whose foundation he aided to lay. For many years he has been identified with the development of the rich mining interests of the state and now makes his home at Sutter Creek in Amador county.

He was born in Bristol, Connecticut, on the 19th of April, 1828. His ancestry were early settlers in New England and in Virginia, and through several generations representatives of the name were prominent in connection with the public affais of Connecticut. They also aided in the struggle for independence, David Downs, the grandfather of our subject, having been one of the heroes of the Revolution who fought throughout the great struggle that gave birth to the nation. He died at Waterbury, Connecticut, December 17, 1838, at the age of seventy-eight years, and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Baldwin, died in the sixty-ninth year of her age. Ephraim Downs, the father of our subject, was born in Massachusetts and married Miss Chloe Painter, a native of Connecticut. They were devoted members of the Episcopal church and had eight children, of whom only two are living.

Robert C. Downs, of this review, their fourth child and third son, acquired his early education in his native town and also pursued his studies in the schools of Litchfield and Waterbury, Connecticut. His father was a far- mer and manufacturer of wooden clocks, and his early experiences were those of the farm. After laying aside his text-books he accepted a clerkship in a dry-goods store of New York, where he remained for nearly three years in

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the employ of Hosea F. Clark, at No. 169 Greenwich street. He there acquired a good knowledge of the business and of methods followed in commercial circles, but the news of the discovery of gold in California attracted him to the west.

The announcement of no event has ever caused such a wide spread inter- est in business circles as the finding of the precious metal near the waters of the Pacific. Mr. Downs, with two partners. Edward Hawley and A. J. Tryon. took passage on the sailing vessel Tahmaroo, Captain Richardson, master, on the 25th of January, 1849, and reached San Francisco the Ist of July. fol- lowing. The voyage was made around Cape Horn and there were one hun- dred and fifty passengers on board. During the trip they were caught in a hurricane off Cape Horn and much of the rigging was carried off and the greater part of the bulwarks were stove in. The journey was continued the next day and afterward without further trouble, until they arrived near San Francisco, when, about dark, the lookout shouted "Breakers ahead !" and Cap- tain Richardson gave command "About ship, all hands on deck!" Fortunately they were able to make their way out to sea again ; but it was a very narrow escape; for had they drifted further on the rocks nothing could have saved them. Fifty years have passed since that time, but Mr. Downs cannot refer to events of the trip without deep emotion. His partner. Mr. Hawley, died dur- ing the voyage and was buried at sea.

Immediately after arrival at San Francisco Mr. Downs took passage up the river to Sacramento, and from there to the north fork of the American river, where he engaged in placer-mining with fair success. In a few months he returned to Sacramento and San Francisco, meeting Levi Hanford, with whom he soon engaged in mining and merchandising in Amador county. In March, 1850. they established stores on . Amador and Rancheria creeks. Large profits were made in those days and they sokl extensively to the Indians, con- ducting their enterprise until the spring of 1851, when they established stores at Sutter Creek and Volcano, under the firm name of Hanford & Downs. familiar in early California days. They also carried on quartz-mining until 1859, when Mr. Downs retired from the firm to devote his entire attention to developing the rich mineral resources of the state. He has since followed the business, with gratifying success, and is still a large stockholler in various mining enterprises.

He is a man of strong common sense, of excellent judgment and of the highest probity of character, and therefore merits the degree of prosperity which crownel his efforts during the pioneer epoch and has attended his busi- ness career in late years. His labors have not been confined to one line of effort. but have reached out and eneompassed many industries which have contributed to the growth and upbuilding of the community as well as to his individual prosperity.

Mr. Downs enjoys the pleasure and distinction of being a life member of the Society Of California Pioneers and has always been a stanch Republi- can. lle represented bis district in the state assembly in 1870 and 1880.

Since his arrival in California he has made six trips to his old home in

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the east, going and returning by most of the different routes across the con- tinent. Travel is the source of much true wisdom, and in this way and through the various experiences of active life Mr. Downs has become a well informed man whose many excellencies of character have gained to him the esteem of young and old, rich and poor.

JAMES F. BROWN.

James F. Brown, the leading merchant of Colfax, Placer county, Califor- nia, has been a resident of this state for fifty years. During all this time he has figured as a business man in various California towns, has had misfortunes and reverses, but has met and overcome them, and to-day, as the result of his own push and enterprise, he is at the head of a prosperous business.

Mr. Brown is a native of Maine. His ancestors were among the early settlers of New England and the family was represented in the war for Inde- pendence. Originally they were English and Scotch. Grandfather Benjamin Brown was a native of Vassalboro, Maine, and his wife was before marriage a Miss McClellan. Their son Nathaniel, also a native of Vassalboro, was born in August, 1781. He married Miss Charlotte Getchel, a native of his own town, and they became the parents of eight children, only one of whom, James F., the subject of this sketch, survives.

James F. Brown passed the first sixteen years of his life on his father's farm in Maine and received his early education in the public schools. The greater part of his education, however, has been obtained in the broad school of experience, for at the age of sixteen he started out to make his own way in the world. The first money he made was as a school-teacher, at a salary of thirteen dollars and fifty cents per month. Afterward he worked in his brother's store, and was thus occupied until he came to California, in 1851. His western trip was made via the isthmus route. the Pacific voyage in the ship Northern, commanded by Captain Randall, which landed at San Fran- cisco July 7th.

Upon his arrival in California, he went to Sacramento to join his brother, A. D. Brown, who had come to the Pacific coast in 1849 and was then engaged in jobbing goods. James F. at once took a stock of goods to Beal's Bar, and sold goods there and at Elizabethtown and Johnstown, in Eldorado county, up to 1858, being very successful in his business. In 1856 he met his first loss, by fire, and was left without a dollar. His next business venture was at Wiscon- sin Hill, Placer county, where in 1859 he was again burned out. He at once rebuilt and ran a store there and also one at Monona Flat, conducting both suc cessfully. In 1864 his Monona Flat store was swept away by fire, resulting in total loss to him. He had previously disposed of the store at Wisconsin Hill. and after the fire just referred to he returned to that place and sold goods in his former store until 1868. That year he removed to lowa Hill, where he established himself in business and had a flourishing trade. At this place also he was the victim of fire, being burned out in 1870.

Again, however, he rebuilt, and continued to do a successful business

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there until 1897, when he sold out and came to Colfax. Here for two years he was in partnership with Henry Disque, at the end of that time purchasing his partner's interest, and since then doing business under his own name. His present store, located in a brick building, 28x100 feet, is filled with all kinds of general merchandise, and he also handles farm implements and hay and grain, having two large warehouses filled with the latter class of goods.

Mr. Brown was married, in 1862, to Miss Lizzy Thompson, a native of England, and their happy union has been blessed with five children, as follows : Alice Augusta, now Mrs. W. O. Spencer ; Russel Warren, in the store with his father; J. Frank, an attorney of Sacramento; Nellie G., attending school in San Francisco; and Benjamin, in the store with his father.

For a period of twenty-five years Mr. Brown has been identified with the I. O. O. F., in which he has always taken a deep interest,, and in which he has passed all the chairs. He is also a member of the Chosen Friends, and politically is a stanch Republican.

PRENTISS CARPENTER.

The subject of this review is actively connected with a profession which has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has long been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights. With a high appreciation of his ability and his trustworthiness as a citizen his fellow townsmen have conferred upon him the highest office within their power to bestow, and he is now serving as the mayor of Placerville, to which position he was elected in 1900.

Mr. Carpenter is a native of central California and was reared and edu- cated in the city where he still resides. Ilis birth, however, occurred in Vol- canoville, Eldorado county, on the 8th of February. 1858. His father, Hon. G. J. Carpenter, was one of California's most distinguished pioneers and is represented on another page of this volume. Prentiss Carpenter, the eldest son, pursued his education in the academy at Placerville, and when his literary course was completed he took up the study of law in the office and under the direction of his father, a distinguished jurist of this section of California. When twenty-one years of age he was admitted to practice in the township courts and has since been actively connected with the profession in his native county. lle has served for three terms as district attorney, during which time he acquired an enviable reputation as a criminal lawyer, rendering the public valuable service by securing the conviction of several notable criminals. Ile has the power of keen analysis, which enables him to readily determine the strong points in the case. In argument he is logical and forceful and his ora- torical ability adds to the effectiveness of his speech before court and jury. Ilis standing at the bar is high and a liberal patronage indicates the confidence of the public in his professional ability.

Mr. Carpenter was married on the rith of June. 1889, to Miss Annie T. Thomas, who was born in California. They have one daughter, Lucile

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PRENTISS CARPENTER

A. S. BOSQUIT

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Clare, who is with them in their beautiful home in Placerville, where hospi- tality reigns supreme and where the spirit of genial companionship and good cheer is always found. Mr. Carpenter is a valued member of Palmyra Lodge, No. 157, F. & A. M., also belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West, and in the year 1900 represented his parlor in the grand parlor of the state.

Like his honored father, he has ever been a representative of the Demo- cratic party, but by a unanimous vote of all parties he was elected as the first mayor of his city after its reorganization in 1900, in which capacity he is now acceptably serving. He never lacks the courage of his convictions, and he is a man of intelligence and genuine public spirit and his administration has won the approval of all those who have due regard for the welfare and upbuilding of their city.

WILLIAM M. PENRY.

William M. Penry was born on the 27th of September, 1838, in Missis- sippi, of Welsh lineage. The family was founded in America by the great- grandfather of our subject, who located in South Carolina, where the grand- father, Jonathan Penry, was born May 21, 1785. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812 and removed from his native state to Mississippi, where he died at a ripe old age. His son, Samuel H. Penry, the father of our subject, was born in South Carolina, June 17, 1811, and accompanied his parents on their removal to Mississippi, where he married Narcissa Davis, born October 30, 1817, a native of Georgia, by whom he had six children, four of whom are now living. During the Mexican war he entered his country's service and aided in defending her rights. Subsequently he removed to Texas, where he successfully carried on agricultural pursuits, and died November 9. 1899. When the war between the north and south was inaugurated two of his sons, N. S. and Corydon, joined the Confederate forces, and the latter was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, his death resulting from his injury. Narcissa Penry died November 14, 1892.

Mr. Penry, of this review, was educated in the state of his nativity and learned the printer's trade, at which he worked as a journeyman until 1857. In that year he sailed from New Orleans for San Francisco, reaching his destination on the 26th of April, 1857. There he worked at his trade for a few months, after which he went to visit his uncle in Placer county and while there purchased an interest in the Folsom Dispatch, with which he was con-

nected for two years. On the expiration of that period he soll his share of the paper and established the Folsom Telegraph, in connection with Mr. Kilma. That paper is still published, but in 1863 Mr. Penry dissolved his connection therewith and came to Jackson, where he has since resided. After the big fire which occurred in this city he had, in connection with Mr. Pain, re-estab- lished the Amador Dispatch, and for thirty-four years aided in its publication. being most of the time the editor and proprietor. In 1896 he sold the journal to E. C. Rust, who is now its publisher. Since that time Mr. Penry has lived retired from active business. He made the Dispatch one of the leading news-

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papers in this section of the state and secured for it a very large circulation, and the financial returns therefrom annually augmented his income until, with a comfortable competence, he was enabled to retire to private life.

In politics Mr. Penry has always been a pronounced Democrat, and, reared in the south, his sympathy was naturally with the people of that sec- tion of the country during the Civil war. On that account he was arrested. in 1865, by United States soldiers. About one hundred, under the command of Captain Knight, came to his office and demanded his surrender. For five or six weeks he was imprisoned and was then discharged without trial. He has, however, always been true to the interests of the county, town and state, and his efforts have been effective in promoting the welfare of the community in which he makes his home. Through the columns of his paper he has always been the champion of the measures calculated to prove a public benefit and many needed reforms and improvements were adopted through his instru- mentality. He served for some years as a deputy assessor of the county, but devoted the greater part of his life to journalistic labors, in which he met with gratifying success. In a minor degree Mr. Penry has been an inventor, having originated a "pole climber" and a "folding ladder." the latter being fully covered by patents, and is a revolution to all previous inventions of the kind, his chief motive being to invent a more simple and convenient fire escape. but it may be used in many other ways. He has never devoted time and money to bring it properly before the public, hence has never met with any marked degree of success.

In 1870 Mr. Penry was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Barton, a native of Ohio, and to them was born one son, William M. Our subject is a valued representative of the Masonic fraternity, and since 1860 has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed all the chairs and has frequently represented his lodge in the grand lodge and has taken an active interest in its work. Of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Jackson he is a charter member. and also belongs to the order of Rebekalı and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, his wife being a member of the Eastern Star and also of the Daughters of the Rebekah.

He and his wife have a very pleasant home in Jackson and enjoy the high esteem of the people among whom they have so long resided. His life has been well spent and has been characterized by devotion to all that he believes right. The rest which he now enjoys is well merited, for his prop- erty has come to him as a reward of earnest and indefatigable labor.

TIENRY ATWOOD.

The honor which belongs to the "forty-niner" in California is conceded to the prominent resident of Mokelumne ITill. Calaveras county, whose name is above. Henry Atwood is descended from old English ancestry who settled offrly in New England and was born at Boston, Massachusetts, March 15. 1819. son of Zerubbabel and Nancy ( Craft ) Atwood, who were of the highest respectability and were members of the Universalist church. The father was

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a merchant tailor and lived to be eighty-seven years old. The mother died in her eighty-first year. They were both natives of Boston and their entire lives were spent there. They had three children. Mr. Atwood was edu- cated in the public schools of Boston and began his active life there, meeting with success in business.

Soon after the news of the discovery of gold in California reached Boston he and eleven others bought the ship Colonel Taylor, laid in an ample stock of provisions, and hired its captain and crew to sail it to California. They left Boston February 15. 1849,-twenty-three persons on board all told. The thermometer registered thirty-three degrees below zero and the salt water was frozen nine miles from land. The voyage was without noteworthy incidents until they approached the Strait of Magellan. The weather was rough and they came near being driven upon the rocks and were obliged to anchor and abandon their purpose of passing through the Strait of Magellan and make the passage by way of the Strait of Lamar. They were caught in a storm off the mouth of the river La Plata, and their topmast was carried away and they came near being swamped.

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A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of northern California, including biographies of many of those who have passed away, Part 65

Author: Standard Genealogical Publishing Company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago, Standard Genealogical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 902

Author: Standard Genealogical Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Standard Genealogical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 902