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 71
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
James S. Jack was educated in the public schools of San Joaquin county and was graduated at the business college at Stockton, in the class of 1890, and after that he engaged in mercantile business at Angel's Camp, which he managed successfully from 1891 until November, 1898, when he was elected to his present office, in which he has given the greatest satisfaction to his
564
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
fellow citizens, understanding its duties thoroughly and treating with the greatest courtesy all who have relations with him. He is held in high re- gard as a business man and has a wide and valuable acquaintance, and he is especially popular as a Knight of Pythias.
CHARLES MORRIS WHITLOCK.
One of the oldest and most successful merchants at San Andreas, Cala- veras county, California, is the gentleman whose name is the title of this sketch, and who came to California in 1854 and has been a citizen of the state for forty-six years.
Mr. Whitlock came of English ancestors, who settled in America in the pre-Revolutionary period. Ephraim James Whitlock, his father, a native of the state of New York, married Miss Mary Gertrude Morris, also a native of of the Empire state, descended from English forefathers, and lived in Brook- lyn, New York, until he died in 1836, leaving a widow and six children. His wite lived to be seventy-four years old, and Charles Morris Whitlock, born in Brooklyn, New York, November 5, 1835. is the only surviving member of his family. Mr. Whitlock was educated in Brooklyn and in 1854, when in his nineteenth year, came to California, by way of the isthmus of Panama, a poor youth in search of fortune, with no capital save energy, integrity and education. His voyage to California was not marked by any event worthy of note save the burial at sea of several passengers who had fallen victims to the Panama fever.
Mr. Whitlock mined at San Andreas, with varying success, until 1859. when he entered the service of the Butterfield Mail Company in Arizona. His duty brought him in contact with Indians, with whom he traded extensively, buying the grain raised on their reservation and paying them largely in mer- chandise of different kinds. The grain he purchased was used chiefly to feed the horses of the mail company employed over one hundred miles of its route. In 1861 he was sent by the company to Ruby Valley, Nevada, and while there attended not only to the business he was sent to look after, but to the feeding. at the company's expense, of Shoshone Indians, whom he found in great want.
He was sent by the company to San Jose in 1862, where he remained until that place had connection by railroad with the outside world, when he returned to San Andreas and for a time had charge of the affairs of Judge Stevens, and was given the management of the telegraph office and of the post-office and made the local agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Company. He opened a store in 1870, on the site of his present large two-story brick store and office structure, the upper portion of which is occupied by prominent lawyers of San Andreas, and he accommodates also the telegraph office and postoffice. He carries a large stock of general merchandise, and by a liberal policy and a system of fair dealing has achieved a marked success. His home and the grounds surrounding it are as attractive as any in the town and attest his taste and refinement as nothing else could do. Ilis flower garden is one of the
1
İ
-- ------ -- 1 1 1 !
1 1
565
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
largest and best kept in the county and attracts the attention of all visitors to San Andreas.
Mr. Whitlock has never married or joined a secret society, but, to use a favorite expression, has "just paddled his own canoe," and prospered by attending strictly to business and very little to politics, though he is a strong Republican and not without influence in his party. Genial and sociable, he makes friends with all with whom he comes in contact ..
JOHN H. WITNEY.
That upright, sturdy, industrious, English character which is success- ful everywhere is exemplified in the career of the man whose name is the title of this sketch. John H. Witney is a son of Edward and Mary ( Harvey) Witney, descendants of old English ancestors, and was born in Oxfordshire, England, June 18, 1832, has lived in Tuolumne county, California, for forty- six years, and is a prominent and highly respected citizen of Quartz, where he has been long identified with the hotel and mercantile business.
Mr. Witney was only a child when his father died and he gained his education mostly in the hard and thorough school of experience and has made his way to financial success by his own unaided efforts. He came to America in 1846, at the age of fourteen years, and landed a stranger in a strange land without either money or friends. His first work was as a waiter in a restaurant in New York city, but he was cheated out of his pay and sought other em- ployment, which he found as baggage master on a vessel just about to put to sea, a position which he held for two years. After that he took pas- sage on the old Georgia for California, but the vessel was wrecked and put back to Norfolk, Virginia. He pursued his journey successively on four other vessels, only the last of which was able to land him at San Francisco, where he arrived in March, 1854. From San Francisco, he went direct to Spring- field. Tuolumne county, where he engaged in mining, but with such poor suc- cess that he made little more than a living. After he had acquired a claim of his own, at an expense of eight hundred dollars, he was able to take out scarcely enough gold to reimburse him for the outlay. After ten years' experi- ence at Springfield, he joined that noted pioneer, Thomas Hardy, at Copper- opolis, and mined with him for a time, until he came to Quartz and engaged in business as a hotel-keeper and general merchant. He was prosperous until 1882, when his buildings and much of their contents were destroyed by fire. He was able to rebuild, however, and he resumed business with every promise of success and has done well to the present time. He has never given up mining entirely and has valuable mining interests at this time. For years his was the only hotel at Quartz. and he was a popular and successful "landlord," supplying a large number of patrons with ample accommodations and gain- ing a wide reputation among men of the state. He is still active in a busi- ness way and has won an enviable reputation as a merchant, miner and man of affairs. He is a stanch Republican, but has never sought nor held office. and has been an Odd Fellow for thirty-three years. He was married, in 1868,
566
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
to Mrs. Charlotte Swank, a widow with three children-Mary, Charlotte and Carrie, the last mentioned of whom married Richard Hodge. Two chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Witney-Minnie and John. The first mentioned is now Mrs. Edgar Barton. John has become well known in con- nection with mining interests.
BASTINO SOLARI.
While Italy has not furnished as many citizens to the new world as some of the other European countries, America owes her discovery to one of the representatives of that sunny land, and throughout the period of American development the Italian peninsula has sent to the shores of the new work many men of worth who have taken their place among the reliable business men of the communities with which they have been identified.
Such a one is Mr. Solari, who was born under the blue Italian skies, his birth occurring in the month of May, 1843. In his native country he acquired his education, and in 1865, when twenty-two years of age, he crossed the Atlantic to America, a young man in search of a fortune in the land of the free. He had no knowledge of the language spoken in this country, but all things are possible to a man who has energy, determination and force of character. Mr. Solari began his business life at Angels Camp, working for wages in the mines, and for fifteen years he was identified with the mining interests of this state. During that time he mastered the language and became familiar with the habits and customs of the people in the new world, gaining a wide acquaintance and demonstrating his right to enjoy the confidence and support of the public in business matters. In 1880 he opened his general mercantile store in Murphy's, having but a small capital; but as time passed he has added continually to his stock in order to meet the increasing demands of his trade, and is now recognized as one of the wealthy business men of Calaveras county.
In 1880 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Solari and Miss Angeline Legomarconi, also a native of Italy. Their union has been blessed with two bright little daughters, Theressa and Clara. They have a good home and are justly accounted leading citizens in Murphy's. As a business man Mr. Solari has a record of which any one might be proud. He usually votes with the Democratic party, but he is liberal in his views and at local elections where no national issues involved he is influenced by the qualifications of the candi- date. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and is an upright, honorable citizen of the county of his adoption.
THOMAS DONOHUE.
One of the well known citizens of Tuohimne county, California, a pub- lic official and a man of influence and intelligence, is Thomas Donohue, dep- uty assessor of the county. He is a native son of the Golden state. born in San Francisco, in 1854. Ilis parents were James and Ann (Gillick ) Donohue,
1
1
567
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
both of whom were born in Ireland and came to New York, where they met in 1850 and were married, coming the next year to California, by way of the isthmus. For several years James Donohue was in the employ of the Pac fic Mail Company, then he located in Tuolumne county, in 1856, when he began placer-mining in this and Eldorado counties, continuing this employment until 1883. He then became a farmer and engaged also in cattle-raising. so suc- cessfully that at the time of his death he was the owner of about one thousand acres of land. He had been a life-long Democrat and had always done all in his power to advance the interests of that party. He was a thoroughly reliable and much respected early settler of the county. He was born in county Cavan, Ireland, April 16, 1819, and his death occurred on the 27th of Angust, 1898, his wife dying on the 3d of December, 1883, aged sixty years. They were both natives of the same town and county in their native country, and being neighbors they spent their childhood days together and here sprung the first spark of love. They had both been devoted members of the Catholic church, both receiving the last rites of the church when burial took place near Don Pedna Bar, in Tuolumne county. They had four chiklren : Thomas : Margaret A., the wife of J. A. Rydberg and residing in Stanislaus county: P. E., who is a stock-raiser in this county; and J. E., who died December 30, 1899. leaving a wife and son, who reside in Carter's.
Our subject was the oldest child, all of whom are living. He was edu- cated in the best schools of the county and early began mining, which occupation he has followed for a great part of his life. He owns large tracts of valuable mining land and is thoroughly acquainted with all of the details of the min- ing operations which have been successfully carried on in this section. Mr. Donohne was appointed deputy assessor, in 1895, which office he most accept- ably fills, and also performs the duties of deputy sheriff. He is a man of generous impulses and a citizen of good reputation. Like his parents he is a devoted member of the Catholic church. Mr. Donohne is considered an expert in mining matters, his opinions having weight, and he is considered one of the substantial men of Tuolumne county.
JOSEPH HEINSDORFF.
Joseph Heinsdorff is a resident and a native son of Murphy's and is one of the active, enterprising mining men of Calaveras county. He was born on the 5th of July, 1861, of German ancestry. His father, John Heinsdorff, was a native of Prussia, and came to the United States in 1848 locating in Muphy's, California, in 1850. He engaged in mining at Mokelumne Hill, near this town, taking out on the flat in the town ten thousand dollars. He after ward established his home in San Francisco, where he conducted a restaurant and boarding house on the present site of the Russ Hotel. Later he returned from there to the Mokelumne river and with a company dammed the stream. expecting to secure large quantities of gold ; but the enterprise proved a fail- ure and Mr. Heinsdorff found that he had sunk much of his money there without gaining any return from it. He then again came to Murphys, where
568.
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
he established a bakery and also purchased a ranch of one hundred and set - enty acres just west of the town, on which he spent the remainder of his days, departing this life on the 29th of May, 1899. at the age of seventy-six years. Of the Masonic fraternity he was an exemplary representative. He was an upright and honorable cititzen and a liberal, progressive man, and did all in his power to promote the prosperity and advancement of his town.
In 1858 occurred his marriage to Miss Eva Maria Hauselt, a native of Germany who came to the United States in 1852, and to California in 1854. Five children were born of their union, three of whom are yet living, as fol- lows: Mrs. William H. Jenkins, who resides at Murphys: Mrs. B. L. Wey- mouth, of Alameda, California: and Joseph. The good pioneer mother still survives and is now in the seventy-second year of her age.
Joseph Heinsdorff acquired his education in the town of his birth and for the past twenty years has devoted his attention exclusively to his mining interests. He is one of the owners of the Hercules mine, near Sheep Ranch, out of which they have taken nineteen thousand dollars. He is the owner of the Rose Rock mine, three miles north of Murphy's, and owns stock in the entire group of Heinsdorff mines in the one-hundred-and-seventy-acre tract of land which was left to the family by the father, and which the subject of this review is now engaged in developing. He thoroughly understands mining in all of its departments and is familiar with the best methods of procuring the metal and of transforming it into a marketable product. His efforts have been discerningly directed along the lines that have brought to him success, and to-day he is a well-known representative of the industrial life of Calaveras county.
On the 12th of June. 1898. Mr. Heinsdorff was united in marriage to Miss Ella Smith, who was born in California. They own and occupy one of the pleasant homes in Murphy's and have a host of warm friends in the commu- nity. Mr. Heinsdorff is an active and vahted member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a past district deputy and has filled all the chairs in the local lodge, acting as the secretary through the past seven years. His political support is given to the Republican party.
ALBERT TRITTENBACH.
California is as cosmopolitan as any state in the Union. The favorable opportunities it presents for getting on in the world have been made available by enterprising men of every land. Some natives of Switzerland and many more descendants of okl Swiss families have done well there. One of the most prominent citizens of Swiss blood of Tuolumne county is the well known mining man whose name appears above.
Albert Trittenbach is a son of Jacob and Ann ( Muller) Trittenbach, who were born, reared and married in Switzerland and who, in 1853. not long after their marriage, came to the United States, hoping to improve their fortunes. Mr. and Mrs. Frittenbach settled at St. Louis, Missouri, and there their son Albert was born November 11. 1858, and the mother died in 1864. aged thirty-
569
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
three years, leaving a husband and three sons. In 1869 Mr. Trittenbach came with his three boys to California, where he prospered as a merchant and event- ually retired from business, and he now lives in San Francisco. Gustave Trit- tenbach, his eldest son, is prominent in business circles in San Francisco, where he is the manager of the city department of the New Zealand Fire Insurance Company and the president of the Dutch Mining and Milling Company ; and Emil, the youngest of the family, is in the coal trade in the same city.
Albert Trittenbach, the second son of Jacob and Ann ( Muller ) Tritten- bach, began his education in the public schools of St. Louis, where he lived until he was eleven years old, and continued it in the public schools of San Francisco. After he left school he learned assaying and metallurgy, intending to make mining his business, and engaged in mining at Glencoe, Calaveras county, in the employ of the Valentine Mining Company as assistant superin- tendent and assayer to mill men. In 1884 he spent some time in Arizona and after that he went to the Calico mining district in San Bernardino county, Cali- fornia, where he had the management of the sampling works and acquired a mine of his own and with several partners bought and sold mines to advan- tage. Then, giving up silver-mining, he became the superintendent of the Platt and Gilson mine at Soulsbyville, a position which he held five years and a half, during which time considerable gold was taken out of the mine. Meantime he acquired an interest in other mining enterprises there and became a stock-holder in the Dutch mine at Quartz, of which he is the superinten- dent under the direction of the Dutch Mining and Milling Company. This mine is considered one of the best properties in this vicinity. It has an electric plant and all necessary apparatus of the most modern kind, and the work has been carried to a depth of eleven hundred and fifty feet.
Mr. Trittenbach lives in a fine residence on this property, and his man- agement of the interests of the company in which he is a stock-holder has won the unqualified approval of all his associates. He is widely known as an experi- enced and expert mining man, whose estimate of any property is accurate and valuable. In politics he is a Republican, but has no time for office-holding or practical political work. A member of the Masonic fraternity, he is exceed- ingly popular with his brethren of the order. He was married, in 1893, to Miss Florence Superiette, and has two sons, named Philip Edward and Albert Benjamin.
FRANK A. MITCHLER.
Frank A. Mitchler, one of central California's esteemed hotel proprietors, has conducted the Mitchler Hotel at Murphy's for eighteen years and during the interval has borne an unassailable reputation as a business man, never making an engagement which he has not kept. nor contracting an obligation that he has not met. His sagacity and enterprise and, moreover, his untiring labor have brought to him a handsome competence, and the most envious could not grudge him his success, so honorably has it been acquired. He is yet a young man and the unwritten chapters of his life history will doubtless con tain an account of added prosperity.
36
570
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Mr. Mitehler was born in Murphy's, on the 8th of November, 1863. . and is a son of George Mitchler, who was a native of Germany. During his child- hood the father accompanied his parents on their emigration to Boston, Mass- achusetts, where he was educated and learned the trade of the cabinet-maker. In 1851 he came to California, crossing the isthmus to take passage on Pacihc waters and thereby reached the Golden Gate. In 1852 he arrived at Murphy's where, like other pioneers, he followed mining, but during much of the time he engaged in house-building and erected many of the leading residences and substantial structures of the city, including the Catholic church at Murphy's. On many sites may be seen evidences of his handiwork. He also conducted a boarding house in the early mining days. In 1866 he removed temporarily to Mariposa county, where he was left in charge of a hotel, and while acting in that capacity he was shot and almost instantly killed by a drunken man with whom he had had trouble. Thus Calaveras county lost one of her most enter- prising and industrious citizens. The murderer was sentenced and sent to the state prison, but afterward was pardoned and finally committed suicide near the place where he had taken a good man's life and bereft the little family of husband, father and protector. Mr. Mitchler had married in 1857, Miss Elizabeth Cline, of Germany, becoming his wife. They had three chik!ren. all of whom are living: C. P .: Lena, now the wife of G. H. Scantleburry : and Frank A. All reside in Murphy's and are numbered among the most respected citizens of the place. The mother departed this life in 1893, at the age of sixty years. She had been a faithful wife, a loving and tender mother and had well cared for her children after the father's death. He was a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity and in politics was a Democrat, but at the time of the Civil war became an earnest advocate of the Union.
Frank Alexander Mitchler was only three years of age at the time of his father's death. Ile was educated in his native town and in early life accepted the position of clerk in the hotel of which he is now the proprietor In 1882 he purchased this hotel in connection with his brother, the partnership between them being maintained for some time, when our subject purchased his brother's interest and has since been the sole proprietor. He has ably con- ducted the house for the past eighteen years, and it is regarded as one of the cleanest and best-kept hotels in the state, having a wide reputation for the efficiency of the help there employed and for the neatness and comfort that characterizes the establishment. Mr. Mitchler's sister acts as the house- keeper, and their joint efforts have made the hotel a favorite resort of the traveling public. The buikling is a fire-proof stone structure, is lighted with electricity and contains twenty five sleeping rooms. It is nicely furnished throughout and at one end of the house is a beautiful and well-kept lawn adorned with flower gardens, indicative of the refined taste of Mr. Mitchler and his sister. The subject of this review also conducts a livery stable in con nection with the hotel. it being under the care of a partner. Ile is also one of the owners of the Ozark gravel mine four miles distant from the town. It has been thoroughly prospected and proves to be a very valuable property.
In His political affiliations Mr. Mitchler is a Republican and keeps well
----- !
i :
571
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
informed on the issues of the day, and, as every true American citizen should do, feels a deep interest in all that pertains to the success of the principles in which he believes. Socially he is a member of Ophir Lodge, No. 33. F. & .A. M. His business has brought to him a wide acquaintance, and the sterling qualities of the man, his upright character, genial disposition and unfailing courtesy have secured for him the warm regard of all with whom he has been associated.
JAMES CRAWFORD.
To the brave pioneers California owes in large measure the prosperity she now enjoys as a state. Among those hardy souls and courageous hearts who thus believed in her future, and by long years of toil and undaunted per- severance assisted nobly in the development of her resources, is the subject of this article, and no one is more worthy of representation in the annals of the state. He came to California in 1855 and is now one of the esteemed and honored pioneer residents of Vallicita.
Mr. Crawford was born near Milford in county Donegal, Ireland, in 1819, and is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His grandfather and his father both bore the name of James Crawford and were born and reared at the same place. They were identified with the Covenanter church, now known as the Presby- terian church, and the subject of this review was reared after the strictest manner of that people. His education was acquired in Ireland and in 1847 he crossed the Atlantic to Philadelphia and remained in Pennsylvania for seven and a half years. He then removed to New Orleans, where he spent some time, after which he came to California, in the year 1855. by way of the isthmus route. Stories of rich gold discoveries were continually circulated in the central and eastern portion of the country and it was his purpose and desire to get gold. Accordingly he made his way direct from San Francisco to Vallicita, where he began placer-mining, working for wages. He received eighty dollars per month and, as he had only been paid a dollar per day for his service in Pennsylvania, he believed that the change was a very desirable one. After a time he engaged in mining on his own account and took out considerable gold. He has practiced careful economy and thus has always had a good bank account for his labor. He thus engaged in mining until 1892. when he purchased eleven acres of land in Vallicita, planted it with fruit trees and grapevines and is now engaged in the cultivation of his orchard and vineyard. He resides upon his land in the enjoyment of a pleasant cot- tage, having practically retired from active life, resting in peace and com fort that his industry and frugality have secured to him. Throughout his business career he has managed his affairs most commendably. his honesty being proverbial. He has never been sued in all his life, has paid his debts promptly, has met his obligations fully and is spoken of in the highest terms by all the old pioneers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.