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 107

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000

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 107

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Mr. Tutt, the subject of this notice, was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1836, and when he was nine years of age he was taken by his parents to Cooper County, Missouri. In 1849 he came overland to California, reaching Hangtown August 15. He followed mining there during the ensning autumn, and then went to Nevada City, where he continued mining until the next spring. Going then to Sacra- mento, he had the position of turnkey of the county jail for a time, and then he returned to Nevada City and remained there until 1853; he then moved into Yolo County, where he lias improved 260 acres of fine land, on which he raises live-stock and grain, and all the fruit necessary for home consumption. He is a mem- ber of Landmark Lodge, No. 153, F. & A. M., and also of Madison Lodge, No. 150, O. C. F.

In 1857, in Yolo County, he married Miss Mary E. Gordon, and they have six children : Elizabeth, William L., Susan, Thomas, Hattie and Kate.

B. EVERETT, a farmer of Capay Valley, Yolo County, is the son of P. G. and Sarah (Disbrow) Everett. His father, a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother, of New

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York State, came to California in 1864, settling at Lincoln, Placer County, and one year after- ward located on Cache Creek, Yolo County, and finally moved into the Capay Valley, in 1866, where they both died,-the latter in 1882, and the former in 1887, at the home of their son, the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Everett was born in 1857, in Hancock County, Illinois, and came with his parents to California. He now has 1,200 acres of grain and fruit land, on which he raises principally grain and live-stock. He is a member of Capay Lodge, No. 230, I. O. O. F.

He was married in 1879 to Eliza Hughes, a native of Alabama, and their children are: Ivy E., Mary E., Mabel F. and Florence. A fifth child, Irene, is deceased.

AMES RIDLEY, a farmer north of Black's, Yolo County, was born May 27, 1818, in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, a son of Will- iam and Margaret (Maxwell) Ridley, natives also of that State. At the age of sixteen years he went to Alabama, and resided there until 1835, when he moved to the northern part of Missouri. In 1861 he came with ox teams to California, locating immediately in Yolo County and renting land of Charles Barnes, the first year, and the next year (1863) he purchased the place where he now resides, three miles north of Black's. It embraces 163 acres of ex- cellent land.

Ile was married in 1835 to Miss Louisa Shmate, a native of Tennessee. Their ten children are: James T., Thomas, William, Margaret, Louisa, Francis, Mary, Larate, Ella and Susie.

EORGE W. EATON is one of the prom- inent citizens of Tehamna County. IIe was born in Weston, Platte County, Mis- souri, in sight of the city of Leavenworth,

August 27, 1840. His parents, John and Susan Eaton, were both natives of Kentucky, the former of English, and the latter of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Eaton's grandfather and great- grandfather were both soldiers in the Revolu- tionary war, and were pioneers of Kentucky.

The subject of this sketch was educated in western Missouri. In 1854, when in his fifteenth year, he came to the Pacific coast. Previous to that time, in 1849, his father had started to the far West and had died of cholera while on the way. When Mr. Eaton arrived in California he went direct to the mines at Hang- town, engaged in mining on his own account and met with good success. He then went to San Francisco with the intention of returning East. He changed his mind, however, and attended school there for ten months. Next he went to Marysville and worked at ranching for Mr. George Briggs, a noted fruit-raiser, work- ing for him in summer and attending school in winter for two years.

In 1859 Mr. Eaton went to Butte County and engaged in stock-raising. At that time the range there was large and free. He began business in a small way, but soon his flocks and herds increased. In 1864 he purchased 320 acres of land, and soon added 320 acres more, making a section of land. This property he improved and on it continued his stock business until 1881, when he sold out and came to Tehama County. He had previously, in 1876, purchased 800 acres of land on Elder Creek, this county, and from time to time, up to 1886, he inereased this traet by purchase until he now has 2,400 acres in one body. From 600 to 800 of this he farms to hay and grain and the rest he pastures. He also has some tracts of land in the mountains where he pastures his stock in the summer. From a small beginning, Mr. Eaton's stock business has increased to large proportions. He now (1890) has 2,400 head of sheep, 260 head of cattle, forty-seven mules and sixty-five horses.

Mr. Eaton has an interest in a valuable chrome mine located just back of his ranch

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from which 3,000 tons of chrome are taken per annum. They ship to Baltimore and Phila- delphia, to the only chrome works in the United States.

In 1865 Mr. Eaton was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Holland, a native of Illinois. To them have been born six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Fred R., Leath, Adelbert and Grace, born in Bntte County, and Charles and Alice, born in Tehama County. Mrs. Eaton is a member of the Chris- tian Church. Politically, Mr. Eaton is a Dem- ocrat. In 1884 he was elected a Supervisor of the county. When his term of office expired he was re-elected and is now serving as Chair- inan of the Board of Connty Supervisors. Mr. Eaton is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is a modest and unassuming but enterpris- ing citizen. Every movement that has for its object the advancement and development of the community in which he resides finds in him an earnest supporter.

D ANIEL F. HOUX, a farmer near Black's, Yolo County, was born December 7, 1845, in Johnson County, Missouri, a son of Leonard and Sarah (Tebbs) Houx, natives of Kentucky, and old-time settlers of California, coming in 1852. Daniel's uncle was captain of the train coming overland, and he being well acquainted with the features of the route, they were only about three months on their way. After remaining in Washington about a month, they moved up upon the place of Mr. E. G. Berger, camped there about two weeks and then went to the place of the above-mentioned uncle and followed farming there the ensuing winter. During the next autumn they returned and settled on a place where the subject of this sketch is now residing, and has occupied it ever since 1853.

The subject of this sketch attended business college in San Francisco and school at Vaca- ville; 1873-'86 was engaged in farining in

Colusa County, and then bought ont the heirs of the old homestead. The place now contains 160 acres of excellent land, being situated - three-fourths of a mile east of Black's. In the spring of 1877 he built upon this place a fine residence.

He was married in Arbuckle, Colusa County, August 29, 1878, to Miss Lucinda F. Maupin, a native of Humboldt County, California, and they have two children living and one deceased, namely: Minnie M., born April 5, 1881, and Royal R., July 6, 1886. The deceased is Lulu M.

APA COLLEGE, of which Rev. J. N. Beard, D. D., is President, was first estab- lished as a Collegiate Institute in 1870, and received its charter as a college in 1885. The main building was erected about the begin- ning of the civil war, and a private school was conducted in it until it was purchased by a board of trustees who represent the California Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For the past twenty years an institution of learning has been continuously and successfully maintained under their management. The school is, and has been from the first, self- sustaining; but within the last year contribu- tions toward an endowment fund have been received which now amount to about $25,000. The campus comprises about five acres of ground, and is beautifully situated and laid out. The college enrolls about 200 students.

Dr. Beard was born near Frankfort, Clinton County, Indiana, in 1850. He attended the public schools and the academy of his native county, and afterward the State Normal Schools of Indiana and of New York, and De Pauw University. After teaching for several years, he entered the pastorate, having charge success- ively of churches in Frankfort, La Fayette, Terre Haute and Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1884 he removed to California, and took charge of Central Methodist Church in San Francisco. After a successful pastorate of three years, he

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was elected to the position which he now ocen- pies. Though in the early prime of life, he has had a wide experience, and as a preacher and lecturer has addressed large audiences of the most intelligent people in widely separated centers of population and influence. His pres- ent position at the head of one of the most rapidly growing and aggressive educational in- stitutions of the State gives him a relation of peculiar interest and influence to the young men and young women of Northern California.

APTAIN R. W. CRUMP, an attorney at Lakeport, was born in Greensville County, Virginia, September 25, 1828, and when about fifteen years of age he moved with his mother and the family (his father having died several years previously) to Shelby County, Tennessee, near Memphis; and during his resi- dence there he was married to Miss Caroline Pierce, of Halifax, North Carolina. In the fall of 1851 he moved with his wife to Poinsett County, Arkansas, and there he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1855. In the early part of 1860 he moved to Panola County, Mississippi, and was a resident there until June, 1875, when he came to Santa Rosa, California, and moved thence to Lakeport, in the fall of 1877. He was admitted to the practice of law in the courts of Mississippi in 1860, and in the District Courts of California in Santa Rosa in 1875. Having seriously impaired his voice be- fore coming to California, he did not make the law a specialty until he was elected District Attorney of Lake County, in 1879. Before that date he was for about two years engaged on the staff of the Santa Rosa Democrat as city editor; then took charge of the Lake County Bee, and was its principal editor until the spring of 1880. He remained in the Dis- trict Attorney's office until December, 1883, having been re-elected in 1881; in the fall election of 1886 he was again chosen for another term of two years.

Though actively engaged in the practice of law since 1858, he has also engaged in cotton-plant- ing from the time of his majority until the close of the war, when his negroes were emanci- pated.

Captain Crump has been twice married. His present wife was Mrs. Leonora B. Clanton, in Sardis, Mississippi, and they were married in the fall of 1871. He has seven living children.

TURNER W. CRUMP, son of Captain R. W. Crump, was born in Sardis, Mississippi, in 1865, and came with his parents on their re- moval to California. In 1887 he engaged in the real-estate and insurance business, in com- pany with his father. He is now (April, 1890,) serving as City Clerk of Lakeport, having been elected to that office by the Board of Trustees, in February, 1890.

AMES J. BLACK, a farmer at the town of Black's, Yolo County, is a son of Thomas G. and Margaret (Morrison) Black, the father a native of Georgia, and the mother of Illinois. His father, born in 1809, became one of the early gold hunters of California in 1849, re- turned East in 1851 and came to the Golden State in 1852, bringing with him his family and locating in Sacramento County, where he lived until 1856; he then came to Yolo County and settled where the town of Black is now situated. In 1866 he moved to Colusa County, and died there August 1, 1868.

Mr. James J. Black was born December 22, 1857, in Scott County, Illinois, and was with his parents until they settled in the place where Black's now stands. Then, May 1. 1869, he mar- ried Miss Margaret Tennis, a native of Illinois, and shortly afterward purchased 160 acres of land, in the center of which Black's is now lo- cated; from him the town is named. IIe was engaged in mercantile business from 1885 to 1887, when he sold ont. He is now keeping a warehouse. He has been a dealer in grain ever since the town was started in 1875. He

Seo. Champlin

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is a member of the orders of Chosen Friends and Odd Fellows at Galesburg, Illinois. His chil- dren are: William B., born September 21, 1865; Clarence O., October 17, 1870; James L., No- vember 13, 1885; and Ida J., February 3, 1887.

EORGE CHAMPLIN .- Among the repre- sentative citizens of Northern California, and especially of Tehama County, this gentleman holds an honorable place. He is a native of Rhode Island, born at Providence June 14, 1827, his parents being Jabez and Saralı Ann (Cole) Champlin.

His father, a descendant of an old New Eng- land family and a farmer, was born in Mystic, Connecticut. He learned the shoemaker's trade when young, but later became an engineer and held that position on the renowned Robert Fulton. He also ran on the steamer lines from New York to Norwich, Providence and New- ark. He was so engaged about fifteen years, during which time his residence was by turns in New York, Providence and Newark. While in the latter city he contracted malarial fever, and in consequence removed to the country, locating on a farm in Bradford County, Penn- sylvania, in 1832. There he resided with his family until about 1854. when he traded his farm for another situated abont two miles from Owego, New York, and removed thither. There he lived until 1868, when he went back to Provi- dence, invested in some houses and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1888, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a Democrat politically until the breaking ont of the civil war, when he allied himself to the Republican party. His widow, who was also born in Provi- dence, is yet living, and resides again at her birthplace with her youngest son, aged eighty- six years in 1891. Her father was Horace Cole, who also sprang from one of the old fam- ilies of New England. He was a seafaring man, as were most of the Coles. Mr. and Mrs. Jabez Champlin were the parents of eleven, 48

children, as follows: George, whose name heads this sketch; John, who resides in Oakland, where he is a merchant in the boot and shoe trade, doing business on Broadway; Ira, who left Pennsylvania at the age of twenty-two years, going to New York for the purpose of shipping on a steamer for Lake Erie, since which time he has never been heard of; Abbie, who mar- ried William Woodward, and died in 1870; Eliza (Mrs. Barnes by marriage), who, with her husband, bought the old homestead near Owego, of which place they are now residents; Hester, who came to California in 1858, lived with our subject on a ranch in Sutter County, near the Buttes, for about a year, then taught school two years in Yuba City and two years in San Francisco, then was married to Charles Waldeyer, of Chero- kee, Butte County, and now lives with her hus- band and family in Oroville; Horace, who, after serving as a Union soldier in the war of the Re- bellion, made a trip to California, then went East again, and now resides in Massachusetts not far from Providence; Hanson, who lost his life in defense of his country's flag, being killed at the battle of Fredericksburg; Martha, formerly a school-teacher and instructor of musie, but now a graduated physician, and engaged in the prae- tice of medicine in Boston; Lester, another soldier of the Union, who returned from the war broken in health, and came to California about 1869, where he now resides with our sub- ject on a sheep ranch, and who has made three trips across the plains and monntains from this State to Montana and Colorado with large bands of sheep; and Irvin, the youngest son, a resi- dent of Providence, Rhode Island, who took up the study of law, was admitted to the courts of his State, and now enjoys a large and Incrative practice which his high reputation has brought him.

George Champlin, the subject of our sketeh and eldest of the above eleven children of Jabez Champlin, lived from the age of five to eight- een years on a farm in Bradford County, Penn- sylvania, attending the common schools of that county until he was sixteen, and the two sub-

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sequent years at the high school of Owego, New York. He taught school one year in Bradford County, and subsequently went to Norwich, Connecticut, for the purpose of recuperating and recovering his wonted strength. lost in an attack of sickness two years before. He re- mained at Norwich one summer, during the fall went to Providence and New Bedford visiting, and in the winter attended school at the latter place, making his home with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Ryder; Mrs. Ryder is the sister of his mother. The follow- ing summer he worked upon a farm east of Providence, and in the fall engaged as baggage boy on the steamer Bay State, plying between New York and Fall River, and was engaged on her for six months, after which he was on an- other steamer under Captain Van Pelt, running between Norwich and New York, until the com- mencement of the winter, 1848. Early in 1849 he, in company with twenty others, bought the schooner Odd Fellow, a fishing smack of ninety- two tons' burden, provisioned her for a three- years' cruise, and sailed from New London, Connecticut, February 2, 1849, for California. They made only one stop at Port Famine, in the Straits of Magellan, for wood and water, and then set sail again direct for San Francisco. where they arrived July 2, 1849. There they loaded their vessel with passengers and freight and sailed for Sacramento, and on their arrival there they put up a skeleton honse, covered it with canvas which the company had made on shipboard on the way to California, and put in it their provisions and cooking stove, thus mak- ing a home for the company, which was a joint- stock concern. Then a portion of the company went to the inines, while the rest remained on the vessel, and ran her on the river transport- ing freight and passengers. Mr. Champlin was among the former number. They went up on the North Yuba River, and, after mining there for about a month with poor success, they returned to Sacramento, from which point each one struck out for himself.

Mr. Champlin again went up the Yuba River,

this time alone; but becoming sick there he again went back to Sacramento, having on his way back, at Marysville, his first experience with chills and fever. Arriving at Sacramento he went directly to the company house, and after a few days' rest there he started out again for the American River, and brought up at a place called Rock Springs, about two miles from Con- demned Bar. There he found a Mormon living with his family in a brush house, which he con- ducted as a boarding-house, with one eating table, and in which he also kept a store. He also had a yoke of oxen, a wagon and two cows. As he was anxious to sell out Mr. Champlin and a man named Bronson bought his effects. Mr. Champlin carried on business there from October, 1849, nntil the following summer, when he sold out to B. N. Bugbee, afterward sheriff, and the man who started the Natoma vineyard and failed.

Mr. Champlin then went to Sacramento and entered a cominission house with James Bar- nett from Virginia. He was thus engaged until the following summer, when the firm dissolved partnership and went out of business, our sub- jeet going up the Sacramento River to Grand Island, where, in company with Isaac Rand, he engaged in entting hay, which was sold to par- ties all the way from there up the Sacramento River to Shasta. After that he engaged in ranching at the head of Grand Island, in part- nership with John Fitch. He remained there about two years, but as he suffered severely from fever and agne, he left there and went up South Yuba River to the mountains and en- gaged in mining, which he followed with very poor snecess for the next year. Ile then went to Snow Point and went to work. in the drift diggings, at underground work for Frank Hayes. After a year there he and John Miller took up a quartz ledge at Eureka, where they took ont a six-horse load of quartz, had it hanled to a water-mill about three miles from Enreka, where it was crushed, and then they found that they had hardly enough gold to pay the cost of crushing. From there Mr. Champ-

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lin went to Moore's Flat, Nevada County, where he went to work in the Paradise Lost drifting mine, and after two weeks was promoted to the position of night foreman, which he held for about two years. Ile then left there and went to Sutter County, where he engaged in the cat- tle business in company with John Miller, his sister keeping house for him, she having come ont meantime. This partnership was dissolved in 1860, and Mr. Champlin came in November of that year to Tchama County. On the day on which Abraham Lincoln was firstelected presi- dent, he bought 500 sheep in partnership with his brother-in-law. William Woodward, from Rawson & Grayson. He bought lands and managed them in connection with his sheep un- til 1865, when he sold sheep and ranch to J. S. Cone. In 1866 he went to Oregon and bought a band of wethers, which he drove down here and sold them to J. S. Todhunter, late in the fall of the same year.

In November, 1866, he was married, in San Francisco, and went directly thence to Red Bluff. In February, 1867, he bought the ranch of Rawson & Grayson, consisting of 3,300 acres of land, together with 2,000 sheep and abont 1,600 lambs. He conducted that ranch alone for abont a year, then Phillips & Chandler acquired an interest with him. They carried on the business together about three years, and in the fall of 1869 Mr. Champlin sold the ranch and sheep to Brown & Curtis.

In the summer of 1871 he went East with his wife, and while on this trip their son was born in August, 1870, at Lima, LaGrange County, Indiana. They returned to Calfiornia in the fall of 187fi, and soon after our subject, in com- pany with Phillips & Chandler, bought back the old ranch from Brown & Curtis. They ran it together until February, 1884, when they sold the ranch and farming utensils with a portion of the sheep to Albert Gallatin. In November, 1883, Hon. John Boggs, of Colusa, acquired Phillips & Chandler's interest, eight years before selling to Gallatin, and Boggs & Champlin sold to Gallatin.

Governor Stanford, by Ariel Lathrop, his attorney, went into partnership with Mr. Champlin in the sheep business on the outside lands of the Vina ranch, where they owned from 18,000 to 20,000 head. He also has a one-half interest with Drs. West and Westlake in 509 acres of orchard land at Vina, of which 400 acres are in fruit rented out with an an- nual increasing rental, which is now $5,000 per year. He owns, with W. H. Kruger, Bell & Waldeyer and E. T. Farnham, a one-quarter in- terest in 14,000 acres of timber land in Butte and Plumas counties, the concern being organ- ized into a joint-stock company. He also owns 1,500 acres of timber land in Mendocino County. Mr. Champlin has had a busy life, and for years has had large interests to look after, but has always preserved a calm exterior and a pleasant demeanor. He is a good example of the typical California pioneer-a " success " among that grand body of men-the pick and flower of all States and all countries, who con- gregated in California in 1849, and here met in the great struggle of supremacy. Only the best specimens came to the top in that struggle between such competitors.

While taking an active interest in public affairs as a citizen, he has never been in any sense an office-seeker, and indeed has never held office outside of the local government. He has, however, attended many conventions as a dele- gate. He has been a Republican since the or- ganization of the party, and is yet a stanch sup- porter of its firm principles. He is a zealous Mason and belongs to the subordinate lodge, chapter and commandery at Red Binff.

Mr. and Mrs. Champlin have two children: George Beecher, who was born at Lima, Indiana, August 25, 1871, and Mamie, who was born in Red Bluff May 6, 1878. Mrs. Champlin's maiden name was Nellie Beecher. She is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster County, and daughter of Isaac and Mary (Shaw) Beecher, the father born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, of German and English ancestry, and the mother in Philadelphia, of Scotch ori-

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gin. When Mrs. Champlin was in her third year, her parents removed to eastern Ohio and thence to northern Indiana, when she was a young girl. Her father died at Lima, Indiana, about 1873, and her mother now resides there, at the age of eighty-one years. Mrs. Champlin came to California in 1859, arriving in October, and was married to Mr. Champlin at San Francisco, November 24, 1867. She is a lady of rare accomplishments, and with her husband takes a great interest and pride in the future of their promising children.

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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 107

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1000

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000