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 111

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 111

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Albert was educated in the public schools of his native county and at Napa College, where he graduated in May, 1882. He worked in the mill with his father and learned that business, after which he spent a year in the forwarding business in Arizona. On account of ill health he returned to Millville. In 1886 Mr. Ross received the nomination for County Clerk by the Republican party, and was elected by fifty-eight majority. He served his term so satisfactorily that he was re-nominated, and at the election of November, 1888, received a majority of 455. The duties of recorder, clerk and auditor have devolved upon him. He has proved himself an efficient officer, and is ably assisted by a faithful corps of deputies.

Mr. Ross is a Royal Arch and Conncil Mason, and has twice been Master of the blue lodge. He is a popular Native Son of the Golden West, and is alike proud of his county and his State.

B. JOHNSON, a farmer of Yolo County, is the son of Keener and Grace (Jones) Johnson, natives of North Carolina, who moved from that State to Alabama in an early day, and died when the subject of this sketch, who was born there in 1840, was a small boy. He was brought up by Joseph Bullard, who kept him at hard work. At the age of sixteen years he camne by way of the Isthmus of Pana- ma to California, being thirty-five days on an ocean vessel, and landing in San Francisco in 1859. He at once went to Yolo County and

was employed on different ranches until he por- chased his present place of 300 acres Angust 3, 1878. It is now well improved, and he makes a specialty of wheat. He is a member of Madi- son Lodge, No. 253, F. & A. M. His wife, Martha C., was born in North Carolina in 1845, a danghter of James D. Butler, a farmer of that State. Mr. Johnson's family now have raised five children,-James H., Sallie R., Mabel, Richard F. and Josephine C.

EORGE F. MACK, County Superintend- ent of Schools, of Amador County, and Principal of the Ione G. S. C. School, was born November 15, 1845, at St. Charles, Kane County, Illinois. His parents were natives of New Ilampshire and moved to Illinois about the year 1844. In 1850 they moved to Califor- nia and settled at Placerville, El Dorado County, where Mr. Mack engaged in mining for a few years, with good success, after which he turned his attention to frnit-raising, on land that he secured near Placerville. He being one of the first in the State to enter that field of industry, found, when his orchards began bearing fruit, that he had a snrer and safer income than lie conld realize from the mines. He sold peaches to the ininers as high as fifty cents apiece. He still lives on the same fruit farm in El Dorado County, where he first located, at the advanced age of seventy-five years of age, with his wife, who is seventy. George F. Mack, the subject of this sketch, received his early education in the public schools of El Dorado County, after which he was a student in the Woodland Hes- perian College for three years. He was a mem- ber of the class graduating in 1867, at the Healdsburg Academy of Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California, but on account of the rapid advancement made in his studies, was permitted by the faculty of the institution to graduate in the class of 1866.

In 1868 he commenced teaching in Pleasant Valley, El Dorado County. He tanght in the

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public schools of El Dorado County till 1879. In that year he was employed as principal of the graded schools of Truckee, Nevada County, which position he held for two years. In 1881 he came to Ione, Amador County, where he has been employed as principal of the schools un-

interruptedly to the present time.

He was

elected County Superintendent of Schools for Amador Connty in 1886, on the Republican ticket. He was married to Miss Gilla A. Miller, a native of El Dorado County, California. They have seven children: William H., George F., Jr., Mary A., Gilla A., Agnes M., Robert Lincoln and Daniel M.

Mr. Mack is a Knight Templar Mason, a inember of the Encampment, I. O. O. F., and also of the order of Chosen Friends.

B. FRANKLIN, a rancher between Wood- land and Madison, is a son of Willis and Mary H. (Hamilton) Franklin, both na- tives of Virginia. His father was born Septem- ber 18, 1799, was a farmer. by occupation and died October 16, 1836; and his mother, who was born March 18, 1802, died September 5, 1888, in Woodland. The subject of this sketch was born in Tennessee, in 1828; at the age of thirteen years he went to Barry County, Mis- souri, where he remained until 1850. He then came overland to this State, remained here two years, returned to Missouri, and on coming again to the Golden State he located in Yolo County, where he has ever since remained. He has a ranch of 130 acres, all fenced, and located three and a half miles east of Madison and eight and a half west of Woodland. His principal industry is the raising of grain; besides, lie raises some live-stock and fruit. He is a mem- ber of Woodland Lodge, No. 111, I. O. O. F.

His first marriage was to Elvira E. Ditht, a native of Kentucky. They have two children: John H. and Mary E .; the latter is now the wife of G. Duncan, a farmer of Yolo County. Mr. Franklin was married a second time, to

Adeline H. Hertford, a native of Tennessee, and they have one son, Benjamin B. The fam- ily are all members of the Christian Church at Madison.

AMES MEEHAN, proprietor of the Bank Saloon, Jackson, Amador County, Califor- nia, a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, was born November 1, 1833. He received his education in the common schools of the county where he was born. In 1847 he came to New Orleans, where he secured a situation in the United States Bakery, where he remained for two years. In June, 1849, he took passage on a sail ship for San Francisco, around Cape Horn, where he landed in February, 1850. He re- mained in San Francisco only eight days, then went to Tuolumne County and engaged in min- ing till 1852. Having been successful in min- ing he concluded to return to New Orleans on a visit, via Panama. He remained in New Or- leans six menths, then returned to Tuolumne County, California, and again engaged in min- ing till 1854. He then came to Volcano, Ain- ador County, where he mined till 1868, witlı good success. In 1867 he was elected County Treasurer for Amador County, and in 1869 re- elected for a second term. In 1871 and '72 he commenced buying stock in the Kennedy gold mine, and in a short time became the owner of about one-fourth of the shares in that mine. In the fall of 1875 he was again elected County Treasurer, and on account of a change in the State law, his term was extended to three years. He was re-elected in the fall of 1878, and also in the fall of 1880, having held the office of County Treasurer for eleven years. During his years of office and to the present time he has been engaged in mining. He owns the Volunteer mine, adjoining the Kennedy mine, also a one-third interest in the Martin White mine, both located on the mother lode of Amador County. He also owns the Crown Point (or Bonanza), and a one-tentli interest in

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

the Pocahontas mines at Dry Town, also a five- twelfth interest in the Marachi gold mine in Calaveras County. These mines are all well prospected, and are considered first-class prop- erties. Mr. Meehan was married August 15, 1857, to Miss Mary A. Rawle, a native of Pennsylvania. They have had nine children: George M., Nellie, James Emmett, Raymond and Loretta are living. Allie, Rose, John C., and Gracie are dead.

E. BAIRD, an agriculturist near Wood- land, is the son of Thomas and Mary (Hod- gin) Baird, who were natives of England; the father by vocation was an engineer and mill- wright, and died in Woodland in 1878. The sub- ject of this sketch was born in England in 1852, and was brought to America when only two years of age; after living in Missouri until 1859 he came to California and located in Woodland. He now has a fine farm of 400 acres a mile east of that place; and he is also a partner with three brothers in 320 acres near Knight's Landing. Wheat is their principal product. Mr. Baird is not married.

R. BORRETTE is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, having been born in that city in 1855. His parents were V. J. and Amelia (Bridges) Borrette, who came to Califor- nia in 1859 and settled in Honey Lake, in Las- sen County, where they engaged in general farming, stock-raising, etc. Mr. Borrette grew np on his father's farm, attending the local schools there and in Elko County, Nevada, whither they removed in 1870. Here they were employed in mining for twelve years, and then went to the northeastern part of Washington Territory. He remained there for one year, and then came to Napa, where, in 1885, he rented a portion of his present orchard, and added the balance about a year since. This property is

situated in Brown's Valley, about three miles from Napa. One of these orchards, of thirteen acres, consists largely of cherries, mostly of the black Tartarian variety, the trees being now in full bearing. He shipped from this orchard last season about 6,000 boxes, nearly all of them to San Francisco, for table use. The second orchard, of twenty acres, is principally devoted to apples, prunes, and a family orchard of choice varieties. There are about five acres of French and Silver prunes, five acres of apples, and the remainder is divided among cherries, apricots, peaches, etc. Mr. Borrette was married Jan- uary 1, 1883, to Miss Olive Bragg, a native of Napa County, whose parents were among the early settlers of California and of the Worden Valley. They have three children: Nellie, Harry and Edith. He is a member of the United Endowment Association of Napa City.

ILLIAM G. ANDERSON, Super- intendent of the New York Mine, near Jackson, Amador County, was born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, May 7, 1835. His parents, Josiah and Susan (Turner) Anderson, were natives of the United States, born and reared in the State of Maine. They removed to New Brunswick in 1824, where they remained until the time of their death, which was about four years ago. His father never withdrew his allegiance to the United States. They raised a family of twelve chil. dren of their own, besides two that were adopted. William G., when quite young, served a regular apprenticeship in the ship- yards of St. Johns, New Brunswick, where he learned the trade of ship-carpenter. In 1854 he went to Maire to visit relatives, when he concluded to go to work at his trade at Bath, in that State, where he worked from March 1 to November of the same year. He worked for Berry & Richardson on the ship Commodore, one of the largest vessels built on the Kennebec River at that date. In November, 1854, he

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went to Minnesota and settled at St. Paul, where he engaged in the lumber business. In 1855 he was appointed by the board of alder- men, as Marshal of the city of St. Paul, and a few months later was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Washington County, under Sheriff Johnson. During the same year he went to the Lake Su- perior country, during the copper excitement, and in August returned to Stillwater, Minne- sota, making the trip down the St. Croix River, about 260 miles, in a birch-bark canoe. In 1858 he started for the Fraser River gold mines; but on reaching St. Louis, having heard discouraging reports from that country, he con- cluded to stop at St. Lonis and work at his trade. While here he assisted in building the steamer W. G. Gay. He then went to Pa- ducah, Kentucky, where he was employed by Tom Scott, the originator of the Southern Pa- cific Railroad enterprise, building the steamer Antocrat, a noted vessel that plied between Louisville and New Orleans. After being launched she was towed to Evansville, Indiana, where she was fitted up with the machinery and furnishings formerly used on the Sonthern Belle, one of the finest boats on the lower Mississippi River. When the Antocrat was completed he was employed on her for several trips as ship carpenter. In the fall of 1859 he went to Louisville and assisted in fitting up the steamer T. D. Hine, for Captain John Akerson, of Franklin, Tuckepaw Parish, Louisiana, and after she was completed served for some time in the capacity of carpenter, mate, etc., on her regular trips, after which he was employed at various points along the river in building boats, barges, etc. In 1861, the civil war having been inaugurated, he concluded to go north. On arriving at New Orleans he found it difficult to get away, but through the in- fluence of Theobald Forestall. an influential banker and business man of New Orleans, he finally succeeded in shipping as ship carpenter, on the Moses Davenport, for Boston, where he arrived on May 1. He then went to New Brunswick to visit his parents, where he re-

mained about nine months; then returned to New York city. From New York he went to Fairhaven, Connecticut, where he assisted in building a gunboat for Poke & Bushnell, Govern- ment contractors. From Fairhaven he went to New York city, where he was employed in building a Panama steamer.

In 1864 he went to Boston, where he was married to Miss Isabella Boggs, a native of St. John, New Brunswick.

In abont three months after his marriage he sailed for California. He settled in San Francisco, where he worked at his trade for seven years. In 1872 he went to San Mateo County and engaged in farming and the dairy business, in which he continued for six years. In 1878 he came to Amador County and engaged in mining. In 1884 he went to Mare Island, where he was employed by the Government as ship car- penter. In 1886 he returned to Amador County and resmed work on the New York mine, in connection with his partner, John W. Stewart, of San Francisco.

Mr. Anderson's family consists of his wife and four children, two boys and two girls. His wife and three of the children are in New Brunswick, where they have property. One son is with Mr. Anderson and is engaged on the mine. Mr. Anderson owns a half interest in 560 acres of patented land, on which the New York mine is located, and also a half in- terest in a water ditch six miles long, that sup- plies water sufficient to irrigate the land and also furnish power for all milling purposes.

- -

J. ELY, a farmer at Cacheville, Yolo County, is a son of Warren E. and Emily (Uths- bock) Ely. His father was born in Ken- tucky in 1811 and settled in Ralls County, Missouri, in early day, and continued there in his occupation of farming until his death; he was a Freemason of high standing. The mother, born also in Kentucky, in 1818, died in Ralls County, leaving five children, all sons.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

The subject of this sketch, the eldest of these sons, was born in that county, March 6, 1856, and received his school education there. In 1857 he came overland with ox teams to Cali- fornia, being about six months on the road and suffering much privation. He earned his way by driving cattle the first three months and acting as cook the remainder of the time. At Genoa, Nevada County, he left the train and walked to Placerville, better known in those days as Hangtown; but three days afterward he went to Foisom and mined in Placer County, near by, for three months. Soon afterward he located at Cacheville, Yolo County, where he has since remained. His first work in that county was baling hay, which he followed five years, and he then, in 1864, purchased his pres- ent ranch of 800 acres of well improved land. He has also 330 acres in Sutter County, which is rented; a part is in clover and a part in pasture.

In 1866, in Yolo County, he married Miss Mary Strode, who was born in 1842 in Missouri, and died in May, 1886, leaving the following five children: Emily J., Belle, deceased, Nora, Er- vin, deceased, Cheston, deceased, Frank E., Rodney E. and Leslie S.

ON. CROCKETT M. CRAWFORD, a native of Lake County, California, was born in Lakeport, April 14, 1860. He received his education in the public schools and the Lakeport Academy. He has been teaching in the schools of the county since 1881. He was elected to the State Legislature, November, 1888. He introduced a bill in the last session of the Assembly to provide free text-books for the public schools of the State, which passed both houses, but was vetoed by Governor R. W. Wa- terman. He also introduced what was known as the "Omnibus Educational bill," which be- came a law. The object of this bill was to perfect the school law. He has been principal

of the Upper Lake schools for the past three years.

He was married June 6, 1885, to Miss Nora Graham, who is also a native of California. They have two children: Velma and Amy, aged five and two years respectively. He a member of Lakeport Parlor, No. 147, N. S. of G. W.

A. ALLEN, a farmer northwest of Wood- land, is a son of Ambrose and Valeta (Clark) Allen, natives of New York State who moved about 1836 to Illinois, where the father, a farmer by occupation, died in 1875, an exemplary member of the Christian Church and of the Odd Fellows' order; the mother died in 1876. The subject of this sketch was born in 1855, in Pike County, Illi- nois, where he grew up and received his edu- cation. In 1871 he went to Missouri, where he remained three years, and then he came to California by rail. In 1879 he purchased his present place of eighty acres, six miles and a half northwest of Woodland, where he is en- gaged in the raising of grain, clover and live- stock.

For his wife he married Miss Snsan F. Crel- lin, in Yolo County; she was born in 1857, in that county, and both her parents are now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have three chil- dren: John R., Mand and Bentie.

EORGE W. PARDEE, a native of Eng- land, was born in Liverpool, February 18, 1852. His father was a seafaring man, and was captain of a vessel. In 1854 he emi- grated to America and settled in Maryland. Here George W. received a limited education in the common schools. When quite young he went to Baltimore, where he served an ap- prenticeship, learning the blacksmiths' trade, re- maining in the same shop for seven years. He then went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

worked for a year and a half as a journeyman. In 1869 he went to Denver, Colorado, and re- mained three years, working the first year for Ed. Westcote, and the next two years for George Tritch and William Allender. He then went to Georgetown and worked for Hood & Burnett, who were running the New England mine, a year and a half. He then went to Rosita, Colo- rado, where he worked at his trade two and a half years. In 1874 he came to California, re- maining about eight months in San Francisco. In 1875 he came to Middletown, Lake County, and worked till 1877, then came to Lower Lake. After working two years here, he engaged to work for the Sulphur Bank Quicksilver mine, in Lake County, where he remained for fon years. He then returned to Lower Lake and engaged in business for himself where he has remained till the present time. Being indus- trions and honest, he has been successful and has the confidence and esteem of the com- munity in which he lives. He owns three houses and lots, beautifully located in the best part of the town of Lower Lake, one of which he occu- pies as a home: the others are occupied by tenants.

He was married in 1879, to Miss Mollie Allen. They have two children, William and Lucetta, aged ten and five years respectively. Mr. Pardee is a member of the I. O. O. F.

W. WHITMAN, a well-known farmer of Contra Costa County, was born in Green- briar County, Virginia, September 21, 1809, the son of William and Elizabeth (Erwin) Whitman. The father, a farmer by vocation, was a native of the State of New York, and the other was a native of Virginia. At the age of seventeen years the subject of this notice went to Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, and four years subsequently to Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, where he studied law for three years; he then made his home at Cambridge, that State, until 1849, when, in October, he

sailed from New York State to California, by way of Cape Horn, landing in San Francisco May 6 following. He followed mining at various points throughout this State, mostly in Merced County. In 1863 he went to Sonoma County and, owning a large tract of land there, he devoted all his attention to his fruit-raising and wine-making. In 1883 he settled upon his present place of 228 acres eight miles from Martinez, where he has a fine orchard of thirty acres and a splendid vineyard of fifty acres, de- voted to table grapes.

Mr. Whitman married Miss Nancy Smith, who was born in Tennessee, Jannary 1, 1809, and they have two children,-Henry H., born January 5, 1837; and Addie, August 7, 1831. Mr. Whitman was State Controller of California in 1854; and previously, from 1842 to 1847, he was Judge of the Probate Court of Wayne County, Indiana, resigning his office during the latter year.

P. DIGGS, a rancher of Yolo County, and a worthy old pioneer of '49, has had a life-history of more than usnal variety and interest, and it is with great pleasure that we give the biography a prominent place in the pages of our work, as is due to its historical importance.

Mr. Diggs was born April 8, 1827, in Mont- gomery County, Missouri, and is the son of Captain - and Jane (Pace) Diggs. Captain Diggs, his father, was born in the State of Vermont, while his mother was a native of Madison County, Kentucky. The father served his country thronghiont the war of 1812, being in command of a company of soldiers. He was a farmer by trade, and was one of the earliest as well as most respected settlers in Missouri. The subject of this sketch was brought up in Montgomery County, and received his education in the schools of the section. In 1848 he went to New Mexico, in connection with the Mex- ican war, but returned to Missouri in 1849, and

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set out at once for California, crossing the plains with ox teams. He went directly to Coloma and found work for six months, driving a team at Sutter's celebrated mill, being employed by the owners of the mill at $350 a month and board. Mr. Diggs built the corral that stood beside the old warehouse in those early days. On the Fourth of July, 1849, Mr. Diggs and others, did honor to the day by hoisting a home-made American flag on the gable end of their cabin. It was constructed out of red, white and blue shirts, with oak leaves for stars. In 1850 he went to Yolo County, there being then just three settlers on Cache Creek, when he went there. He is now the owner of 350 acres of exceedingly fine land, all well improved and under fence. It lies five miles northwest of Woodland. In conclusion, we should say that Mr. Diggs is a type of our best American citizen, diligent, progressive and prosperous.

He is married to Miss Janet E. Hines, who was born in Ray County, Missouri, in 1837. They have six children, as follows: Mary A., Elnorah A., Irvine P., Sarah S., Maria H. and Marshall M.

RS. S. E. McCLINTIC, the proprietor of a farın in Yolo County, is the daugh- ter of Hull Finch and Susan Newcomb; her father was a native of Virginia, a farmer, and the last ten years of his life he was pre- siding Judge of the court of Callaway County, Missouri, and he died in that county, in 1888. The mother of the subject of this sketch, a native of Missouri, died in the same county, in 1859. The subject of this notice, born in Callaway County, married Jolin MeClintic, in April, 1863, just after he had arrived from California, which he had visited in 1851 to locate a place. A week after their marriage they started across the plains and landed at their little home, where they both labored patier tly and industriously to supply themselves with the

necessities and comforts of life. Mr. McClintic died November 7, 1877, leaving seven children : Samuel A., Emma L., Anna, Willie, Matie, Jessie H. and Agnes R.

The ranch contains 320 acres and is princi- pally devoted to raising wheat.

ILLIAM S. MONTGOMERY was born in Marion County, Missouri, Decem- ber 25, 1848. His father, Alexander Montgomery, died in California, April 1, 1885, at the age of sixty-three years. His mother, Susan (Martin) Montgomery, is still living and resides in Woodland. They had a family of fifteen children, eleven of whom are living. Four died in infancy. Alexander Montgomery came to California in 1850, and engaged in mining for about one year. In January, 1851, he came to Yolo County, and took mp Govern- ment land and began to improve it. The next winter he returned to Missouri, and in the spring of 1854 he started across the plains with his family, for his new home in California, where he arrived in September. William S. received his education in the public schools of Yolo County and in the Hesperian College at Wood- land. In 1876 he went to Willows, Colnsa County, where he built a business house and engaged in the hardware trade. In 1877 he sold out his business and went to Lassen County and took up land, on which he remained seven years. He then found out that his claim to the land was worthless, owing to the neg- ligence or dishonesty of the land agent. He therefore disposed of his improvements for what he could get, and vacated the land. He then returned to Yolo County and took charge of his mother's farm, which he has superintended ever since. It contains 320 acres, which is princi- pally devoted to the raising of grain. He owns forty acres of land, which he is preparing to plant in fruit.

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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 111

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