USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today > Part 100
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 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131
L. LINCOLN was born January 21, 1830, in Chenango County, New York, a scion of an old New England farmer, long and prominently identified with the history of Taun- ton, Massachusetts. His grandfather gave the publie square or green that now adorns Taun- tou. llis father, M. Lincoln, was a Boston man, originally engaged in the eotton business. In
early day he emigrated to New York State, and thence, while his son, H. L., was very young, moved further West to the then pioneer State of Illinois. The time consumed on the trip was some six months, the journey being made by flat-boat and ox teams. The family lived in Madison and Macoupin counties, and here H. L. was raised as a farmer. In 1859 he came to California, via Panama, and settled first in Solano County, then Capay Valley in Yolo County, remaining there six years. Mr. Lincoln was the first to make permanent improvements in that valley, the Central View School being built by his efforts and on his grounds. Later on he teamed extensively in Nevada, going afterward to San José, and twelve years ago eame to a point a couple of miles below Calis- toga, where lie bought a fine farm of 300 acres, and commenced its improvement. In 1890 he sold it and has since removed to Vallejo. near which city he owns property, as also in Oak- land. Wherever he has been he has always been a publie-spirited eitizen, prominent in his own line in each locality.
He was married in Illinois, to Miss Fennell, an old schoolinate and companion of his. They have seven children, of whom only one, a dangh- ter, Phoebe, is at home, although his mother- in-law, Mrs. Youles, now an aged woman, also resides with him. Of three sons, George F., the oldest, is engaged on the same farm; Edward F. is in charge of a large farm in Berryessa Valley, having seven men under him; and the youngest, Lewis, is in Siskiyou County, on his farm. Of the daughters, the eldest, Aune, married R. C. Swan, and lives near Calistoga; the second, Ella M., married Mr. Garwood, and lives at Elk Grove, Sacramento County; the third, Carrie, married C. C. Jewell, now the ticket agent at Winters on the Southern Pacific Railroad; while the fourth, Phoebe, is at home.
Mr. Lincoln's brother, Dr. A. B. Lincoln, a dentist, was a well educated man, formerly very prominent in the South. He became a elerk in Perry & Co.'s (of New Orleans) extensive saw- mills in Texas. In 1849 he carried passengers
625
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
to California, one of them being General Har- vey, ferrying them across the Gila River. In 1850 he was murdered for his money on the Gila River. His uncle, Elijalı Lincolu, was in the Black Hawk war, helping to drive the In- dians off the country. IIe represented his county in the Assembly.
ENRY F. JUDY, of the firm of Jndy Bros., liverymen, at Winters, was born in Clark County, Kentucky, March 21, 1858. (See sketch of David O. Jndy). In March, 1860, he was taken by his parents to Missouri, where he lived until 1880, when he came to California. The first three and a half years in this State he was a resident of Lincoln, Placer County. In 1883 he came to Winters and worked for Edward Wolfskill a year, when he entered into partnership with his brother, as stated in his sketch.
He was married in Oakland, September 15, 1885, to Lucy Sparks, who was born October 26, 1864, in Sutter County, this State, a dangh- ter of E. J. and Mary (Duncan) Sparks; her father is a native of North Carolina and lier mother of Missouri.
HOMAS ROSS, M. D. - Dr. Ross lias de- scended from the sturdy, independent Highland Scotch stock, whose infinenee has always been powerfully felt wherever they liave resided. He himself is by birtli a Cana- dian, and in that land of solid ideas received the practical training of every-day life so character- istie of that country, and the medical education and experience that have borne such substantial results in Dr. Ross's after life. He is the son of Murdoch Ross, a native of Rosshire, Scot- land, who emigrated to Canada about 1815, and established a carriage and agricultural imple- ment manufactory at Lancaster, Glengarry County, Ontario. This he carried on success- 40
fully, building it up into a large concern. He married, in Lancaster, Miss Catherine Ross, not a relative although of the same name, but of good Scottish lineage like himself. Her father was George Ross, originally a farmer in New York, and one of that worthy band of United Empire Loyalists who left lione and possessions in the United States to follow the flag of their birth, the English-after the Revolutionary war. Of the children of Murdoch and Catherine Ross, four are now living, viz .: Mrs. Bathia Fortune, now in British Columbia; Thomas, the subject of this sketch; Jolin, residing on the old home- stead in Canada; and Janet, who is married to Andrew Harkness, a successful physician, of Lancaster, Ontario. In his latter days Murdoch Ross closed out his manufacturing business, and turned his attention to farming, an occupation that he followed until the time of his death. His farm was one of the largest in the county, consisting of 300 acres.
Thomas was born in Lancaster, Ontario, No- vember 25, 1840. His primary education was received in the common and gramninar schools of his home, and later he took a course at St. Andrews Academy. His medical studies were begun in 1858, lectures being attended at the Med- ical Department of that stanchi old institution, McGill University, Montreal, at which he was graduated in 1863, having also become a licen- tiate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Dr. Ross located at Lancaster, On- tario, and in the seven years of his residence there he built up a large and profitable practice. But at the best the opportunities at that point were limited, and besides, Dr. Ross was desirous of finding a milder climate. He camne in 1870 to California, and after an examination of the State located in Woodland, with whose progress he has since been actively identified. He was led to choose this location by seeing the vast fields of wheat and grain waving over the rich and fertile lands of Yolo County, and noting the prosperous condition of the section. His experience since that time has shown him that he chose wisely and well.
626
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
In August of the same year he was married at San José, to Miss Martha, daughter of Captain Alexander Lindsay, of Malone, Franklin County, New York. She died in December, 1881, leav- ing one daughter, Olita. The Doctor was mnar- ried to his present wife in August, 1886. She was before marriage Miss Ibby, daughter of J. W. Chiles, an old and respected pioneer of the coast, arriving in California in 1849, and has long been a resident in Yolo County. They have one daughter, Janet.
Dr. Ross lias rapidly risen to the front rank professionally, and to-day stands among the fore- most practitioners of this portion of the State. He is a prominent member of the California State Medieal Society, as well as of the Yolo County Medical Society. From December, 1878, to June, 1882, he was official physician for this county. In political matters Dr. Ross ranks as one of the Republican leaders, though in no sense of the word as office-seeker, but takes such an active interest in all public af- fairs as to necessitate active work by him and in the councils of his party, and is a working member of the Yolo County Republican Central Committee. He is a Mason in good standing, and a charter member of Yolo Lodge, No. 22, A. O. U. W.
Of late years Dr. Ross lias devoted consider- able attention to business matters, and is inter- ested in several important local enterprises. He is the present Vice President of the Woodland Street Railway Company, and is financially in- terested in the Yolo Winery and the Woodland Gas and Electric Light Company. Of all these he was among the organizers. On his ranch he has thorough-bred and graded Holstein cattle, and a number of good horses, some of them being from high-class stock. His place is but a mile and a half northwest from Woodland, and was purchased by him in 1881. It contains 100 acres of land, and is among the best improved places in the county. Ilis attention was first given to the matter of planting grapes, of which he set out ten acres the first year, and working from this beginning he now has a large acreage
in vines and fruits. One field of twenty-five acres is all planted to grapes, and of [another field, of forty acres, the three outside rows are devoted to White Adriatic figs, pears and French prunes; the remaining space is all de- voted to grapes. There are the Tokay and Em- peror table varieties, the Muscatel and Seedless Sultana raisin grapes, while the wine varieties are represented by the standard Zinfandel and Matero. The vineyard must certainly be ranked among the finest in the State at its age. The ground seems to be peculiarly adapted to the healthy growth of the grape, the vines are all in fine condition, and the yield is surprisingly and uniformly heavy. An irrigating ditch, supplied from the waters of Cache Creek, divides the two fields mentioned, but irrigation has not yet been required on the grapes, generally, and has only been used in dry seasons alone on the raisin varieties, as it is elaimed they do better with irrigation. He has five acres devoted princi- pally to apricots, with some Bartlett pears, which also show fine growth and excellent pros- pects. A field of twenty acres, which is left to clover, shows handsome net results each year.
Dr. Ross has made all the improvements on this place, which was a mere grain-field when he purchased it. Among the more recent ad- ditions to its equipmeat is a large and well- appointed dryer, covered throughont with cor- rugated iron, and construeted on the plans most approved in that branch of industry. A feature of his own was the construction of the building two stories in height, so as to utilize the surplus heat from the artificial dryer in an additional dry-room, a measure resulting in much larger drying eapacity without increase in amount of fuel used. Having identified himself so thor- oughly with the fruit, raisin and wine interests by his investments in these directions, Dr. Ross has given much attention to the subject of their development, as well as to the problem of prop- erly marketing products. At the convention of fruit-growers held at Woodland in May, 1890, he delivered an address, which showed such intelligent thought upon the subject of the new
·
627
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
and old industries of this county as to command the profound attention of all hearers. As a result a lively interest in the subject was en- gendered, and some opposition in sentiment was encountered among those whose attention has been given entirely to grain-raising. The able and convincing argument employed by the Doctor in support of the theory that grain is surely giving way in California to the vine and fruit trees, shows how thorougly he has digested the subject. The entire address is here re- corded, partly as a matter of instructive reading now and partly as a prophecy on the correctness of which history should pass.
" MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN, Fruit Growers of Yolo County: When I say that I am in hearty sympathy with the objects and aims of this Convention, I express myself very feebly. The object is stated in the call to be, ' To consider the advisability of establishing a raisin-packing union, and maintaining in the interests of the fruit industry of Yolo County a mutual protective and educational society.'
" The experience of each one of us, especially with commission men, proves that the estab- lishment of an organization of this character is a great desideratum. We grow as fine table and raisin grapes, prunes, pears and apricots in Yolo County as can be produced in the world. In fact, a Yolo County man, the pioneer raisin- grower of the State of California, Mr. R. B. Bloners, demonstrated that Yolo County can produce the best raisins, by carrying off the first premium in the Centennial at Philadelphia in open and fair competition. Then why, ask you, are our raisins not first sought for? and why do they command the highest price in the market? I think you will agree with me in the opinion that it is principally because each grower has his own mnode of packing,-that we have no uniform grade so that the dealers can confi- dentially rely on the brand stated on the box. The London layers of one grower is very different from the London layers of another. The same with the Three Crown loose and so on. This uncertainty of quality, of care in
packing, etc., acts to our detriment, reduces our profits, and gives our product a bad name.
" The aim of this convention is to form an organization to correct this great error. Many benefits would be secured to the producers by the organization of a union as is to-day contem- plated. Among which may be stated:
" 1st .- Unity of action in effecting sales, thereby disposing of our products to the best advantage.
" 2d .- The dissemination of practical infor- mation from one grower to another in regard to the cultivation, irrigation, pruning, etc., of vines and fruit trees.
" 3d .- The impetus and stimulus which the raisin industry would receive, and that neces- sarily follows the interchange of ideas among practical men. Many other benefits could be named as instructive in planting, etc.
"I would suggest that the association take into consideration also the disposing of green fruits, as we grow here in Yolo County,-table grapes of fine quality possessed of remarkable shipping virtues. Tokays here yield enor- monsly and are of tine quality, color beautifully and can be shipped further without injury than those grown in any other section of this State.
"The fruit-growing industry in Yolo County is yet in its infancy, but is destined to be the industry, and a great source of wealth.
" We may roughly divide the industrial his- tory of California into four decades. The first may be called the Mining Period, when Cali- fornia was considered to be of no value except for the precious metals its mountains and river- heds contained. The second, the Live-Stock Period, when our fertile valleys and plains were considered fit for nothing but grazing stock. Wheat-raising as a profitable industry was not dreamed of. The third is the Wheat-Raising Period, which continues to the present time. The fourth, the Fruit-Growing Period, which is even now in its infancy, a healthy and vigor- ons youngster, threatening to crowd out the wheat industry, which now shows marked ten- dencies of decline and decay.
628
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
" The wheat-grower has fallen into hard lines for the past few years. He generally owns large tracts of land, which trebles and quadruples in valne, so that his taxes are yearly increased on each acre. The rate is yearly getting higher while its wheat producing capacity is gradually decreasing. The value of wheat in the market is steadily growing less, while the cost of labor remains about the same. He is, however, fight- ing nobly, and by the aid of steam plows and steam harvesters he hopes to so curtail the cost of raising wheat that he will reap a respectable profit, even at the low prices now prevailing. If he will not succeed in this, his last effort, then wheat-raising will indeed be a thing of the past, a pleasant memory.
" I cannot but feel, when I sec those enor- mous machines passing through our streets, that they are mighty evidences of the nearing end; that they indicate the last expiring struggle of a great and honorable industry among us, which has added millions to the wealth of the State In fact, the history of wheat-raising in the United States plainly points to the migratory habits of the wheat industry.
" I will read an extract from Erastus Wiman, an eminent writer in the North American Re- view of Jannary, 1889, which I think will be a surprise to you. He says: 'The steady move- ment toward the north of the wheat producing regions of this continent is remarkable. Wheat might be supposed to be cultured safely only in the most temperate zones. But the movement of the wheat-producing areas toward the North Pole has been as steady as the movement of the nee- dle in the compass in that direction. Within the memory of many the Genesee Valley, in the State of New York, was the great wheat- producing region, and Rochester was named the Flour City. No longer is Rochester the center of the wheat-producing areas. Westward these took their way, first to the valleys of the Ohio, then to the prairies of Illinois and Iowa, and the valleys of California, until now the most northern tier of States and Territories is found the great source of natural wealth in the pro-
duction of the great cereal. The milling ac- tivities of Minnesota, the marvelous railroad development of the Northwest, both toward the West and North, and more recently toward the East, for the special accommodation of this flour and wheat trade, tell the story, so far as climate is concerned. Wheat has found its greatest success in the States of the extreme north.'
" Its steady trend to the north for so many hundreds of miles, makes it highly probable that beyond the 49th parallel wheat should be produced largely and profitably. Indeed, this is certainly so, for it so happens that north of the Minnesota line and within the Canadian territories are wheat areas possessing all the advantages of the regions to the sonth, but in richness, fertility and extent much greater. It will be a startling statement to make, that even in its extreme northern latitudes, the Dominion of Canada possesses a greater wheat-producing area than does the entire United States,-that the soil of this area is richer, will last longer, and will produce a higher average of better wheat than can be produced anywhere else on the continent, if not in the world. Wheat is known to have been grown in the vicinity of numerons Hudson Bay Company's stations for twenty consecutive years, without rotation and without fertilization, and annually producing crops aver aging thirty bushels to the acre.
" In corroboration, I quote a portion of a letter received from a brother-in-law, A. L. Fortune, a stoek-raiser and wheat-grower located over a hundred miles north of the forty-ninth parallel of latitude north of the northern bound- ary of the United States; and in order to show his veracity, I will state that he was a Scotch Presbyterian minister of the Gospel, whose health failed in the ministry and was regained in the occupation of farming and stock-raising. I quote from his letter: ' Now, last year, on forty-five acres of land we estimated that there was ninety tons of fall wheat, and the balance that was under crop by unfavorable tillage only yielded one ton to the acre. The year previous
629
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
twenty-five acres of the same produced twenty- eight .tons, while thirty acres produced forty- five tons. All the land in this valley is wonder- fully productive.'
" It is plain to every intelligent observer, who has given this matter any thought, that in the near future wheat-raising in the best parts of Yolo County, especially in the remarkable rich country around Woodland, will cease to be profitable. This, combined with the high price the land will command, will induce the land- owners to sell in small tracts to fruit-growers, who will build homes, improve the lands thus secured and contribute to the prosperity of our merchants, mechanics and all of our people, by adding a most desirable class of industrions, prosperons and intelligent citizens.
" The natural advantages of Yolo County for the successful growth of grapes of all kinds, and fruits especially, the pear, prune, apricot, fig and olives, cannot be excelled in any portion of the State. Nature seems to have designed it for the fruit-growers. We have the soil, the climate, and an immense natural reservoir of pure, fresh water, just waiting to be coaxed into this valley to make it smile like a veritable Eden-to shower treasures of wealth right and left among us. This reservoir is twenty-five miles long and ten miles broad in some places, and has an area of 200 square miles; it is situ- ated at an altitude of 1,500 feet above the level of the sea, and has an average depth of twenty feet. I allnde to Clear Lake, Lake County, the main source of Cache Creek. If this beautiful body of fresh water, so vast in extent and so favorably situated for irrigation purposes, and so easy to turn to profitable account, was located in almost any other portion of the State, espe- cially in the southern part, it would have long ago been utilized and would have contributed inillions to the wealth of the State. It, how- ever, remains unused, in seclusion, patiently awaiting the time when the dormant energies of our people shall arouse and invite it into our valleys and scatter blessings and riches along its path.
" California is the home of the raisin grape, is the only country in the United States which is especially adapted to the grape, possessing climate, soil and conditions necessary for its luxuriant growth. Wheat is considered and has been shown to do best in northern latitudes.
" By a provision of nature the extent of country where wheat can be profitably grown is immense, while that in which the raisin grape finds the peculiar combination of soil and climate necessary for its profitable culture is very limited. Raisin grapes cannot be grown in northern climates; the severe winters will destroy them; if attempted in any country it is desirable to plant or sow that which has been fonnd to be best adapted to its soil and climate.
" This paper has exceeded in length anything I intended. I thank you for your patient and attentive hearing."
H. BEHRENS is a Native Son of the Golden West, and an enterprising busi- ness man of Shasta. He was born within five miles of the town of Shasta, Shasta County, the son of Ludwig Behrens. His parents, both natives of Germany, came to California in 1849. He is the fourth of a family of seven children, six of whom are living. Mr. Behrens was educated in Shasta, clerked in the Empire Hotel eleven years, was in the mercantile business three years, and sold out and engaged in the wholesale grain and hay business. Three years later he leased the Empire Hotel, and is now (1890) successfully conducting both enterprises. He is a lively and obliging business man and host. Guests receive prompt attention and are comfortably entertained at the Empire Hotel, the only hotel in the town. Mr. Behrens deals extensively in grain and hay. He furnishes supplies to parties forty and even sixty miles away.
In 1881 he married Miss Mary Kountz, a native of Shasta. Two children have been bora to them, Edna and Ella.
.
630
HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Mr. Behrens is a member of the A. O. U. W., and is Past Master Workman and Receiver of Shasta Lodge. He is a member of the Amer- ican Legion of Honor, and for seven years was Secretary of the order. He is now Treasurer of Mount Shasta Parlor, No. 35, Native Sons of the Golden West. He held the office of Con- stable of Shasta Township three terms, and has again received the nomination for the office.
MIL M. DEAN. one of the young busi- ness men of Redding, Shasta County, California, was born in Goodhue County, Minnesota, July 5, 1865. His father, John Dean, a native of Germany, came to the United States in 1860 and settled in Minnesota, where his son Emil was born. Young Dean received his education in his native place and there learned the trade of sash and door manufacturer. When he was sixteen years of age he was induced to go with a theatre company, who rendered what is called low comedy, and remained with them three seasons. At the end of that time he be came foreman for Taylor, Madison & Co., of Minneapolis, manufacturers of doors, sash and blinds, acting in that capacity for five years. In 1887 he came to California, and ran a sash and door mannfactory in Placer County one year. Then he camne to Redding and entered into partnership in the door, sash and blind business with Mr. Clover and Mr. Taylor. A year later Messrs. Dean & Taylor bought out Mr. Clover's interest, and the firm is now Tay- lor & Dean. They built their present planing mill and barley crusher in 1890. They are doing a good business and their trade extends over many of the counties of Northern Califor- nia.
June 18, 1889, Mr. Dean patented a machine of his own invention to be used in the mann- facture of screens and screen doors. It is a sinall staple driver. The machine is filled with staples, is self-feeding, and drives a staple every blow. It shows the inventive genius of Mr.
Dean's mind, and is a great time-saving machine.
Mr. Dean is a K. of P., and an active mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.
OHN B. HEWITT was born in County Down, Ireland, May 3, 1852. His parents, Samuel W. P. and Elizabeth Ann (Russell) Hewitt, were both natives of the Emerald Isle. They were farmers and also kept a hotel and store. Mr. Hewitt's father came to America in 1863. He had a plantation in Florida. From that place he returned to New York, and since that time no trace of him has ever been found. It is supposed that he met with his death in New York city.
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.