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 113

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 113

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and Rebecca (Cresswell) Hanna, the former a native of Indiana, and the latter of Ohio. The father removed to Illinois in an early day, and opened up one among the first farms near Cen- ter Grove, in that State. In 1860 the family came to California by water, landing at San Francisco from the steamer Golden Gate. The steamer was destroyed by fire on her next trip. After one year without permanent settlement in the State, the family located at Gilroy, Santa Clara County, where Mr. Hanna, Sr., embarked in the lumber trade, and was so engaged until his retirement from business a few years ago.

Our subject grew up in Gilroy, and there received his education, with the exception of a commercial course taken at the Pacific Business College, San Francisco, in 1875. He then re- turned to Gilroy and was connected with the Inmber business there until the suminer of 1879, when he went to Texas. He engaged in the cattle business, not far from Austin, which employed his attention until the summer of 1886, when he returned to California. In tl.e spring of 1887 he came to Livermore, for the purpose of buying an interest in the roller mills, and has resided here ever since, being known as one of the most enterprising citizens.

Mr. Hanna was married at Gilroy, April 30, 1879, to Miss Clara R. Rea, daughter of Hon. Thomas Rea, one of the leading citizens of Santa Clara Connty, and sister of State Railroad Commissioner Rea. They have three children, all boys, viz .: Thomas R., Walter J. and Sam- uel C.

The Livermore Roller Mills, which Mr. Hanna has condneted successfully, were built about the fall of 1884, by W. F. and Antone Lanmeister. They carried on the business un- til the summer of 1887, when Jacob Hanna purchased the interest of Antone Lauineister. In the spring of 1889 he also bought ont W. F. Lanmeister, and carried on the milling busi- ness alone until May, 1890, when he took into partnership Mr. George Orbell, a practical miller. The mill building has a frontage of sixty feet by a depth of seventy, and is two

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stories in height. The plant is equipped with three stand of rolls, and has a capacity for turning out fifty barrels per day. The mill runs mainly on custom work for the local market, the principal output being wheat flour, though considerable barley is also ground. Recent im- provements have been made in the way of re- fitting and remodeling, and the mill is now considered to be excellently equipped for the work before it.

The mill is equipped with a forty-horse- power engine, which Mr. Hanna nses in operat- ing his electric light system for Livermore. The Waterhonse arc system is in nse here, and the plant was put in by Messrs. Hanna and Lanmeister in 1888, the latter's interest being subsequently purchased by Mr. Hanna. He nses a twelve-light machine, thongh but eleven lights are used in illuminating Livermore, which is done under a contract with the city.

Mr. Hanna is certainly deserving of credit for his enterprise, which has redonnded to the benefit of Livermore. Though but a young man, there is no one who has been more active in the matter of improvements and advance- ment.

F. MAJERS, one of the well-known farmers of Contra Costa County, dates his birth February 22, 1831, in Madison County, Kentucky. His mother, whose maiden name was Ellen Harris, was a native of Ohio, and is now aged seventy-four years; his father, 'sham Harris, a native of Madison Connty, Kentucky, is a brick-mason by trade, and is still iving, at the age of eighty-five years, in Cass County, Missouri. When the aubject of this sketch was but ten years of age, he was taken by his parents to Ashtabula County, Ohio, where he grew up, attending school, etc. At the age of twenty-five years he started for the land of gold, then apparently situated in the region of the golden sunset. Leaving Kansas City, Missouri, May 1, 1854, with a train of

several wagons and twenty- six persons, he worked his way by driving stock, and landed in Martinez November 1, 1854; and ever since then he has been a farmer of Contra Costa County. He has prospered in his business, and now has a fine residence and is enjoying a beauti- ful home, three miles from Pacheco in Ygnacio Valley. This place of 263 acres he purchased in 1880, known then as the old H. K. W. Clark's place. Clark was a great land lawyer in Oakland, who was accidentally shot on this place by his son. Mr. Majers has put upon this place all the improvements now visible there.

In 1867 he returned to Ohio and brought back with him to California his newly wedded wife, Sarah Darmon, a native of the Buckeye State, born October 1, 1841; and they now have one son, by name Edward, who was born April 19, 1869. Mr. Majers is a member of Pacheco Lodge, No. 117, I. O. O. F.

M. BEE, a farmer of Yolo County, is the son of Frederick and Katherine (Max- well) Bee, natives of the State of New York. The mother died at the home where her only son, the subject of this sketch, resided, August 18, 1889; and the father is now at San Francisco, acting as Chinese Consul. The farm, belonging to both father and son, is now inan- aged by the latter. Born in New York State. he was brought to California when an infant by his parents, who came by way of the Isthmus. On arrival in this State, the family was first located in Hangtown, where the elder Mr. Bee engaged in mining and in the management of a provision store, employing a large number of men in the former industry. Arriving at the age of sixteen years, Mr. F. M. Bee attended a boarding-school at Oakland and quit at the age of eighteen, intending to follow book-keeping: but his health failed and he began work upon his father's ranch in Sonoma County, near Petaluma. Two years afterward, November 1, 1888, he came to his present ranch, intending

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to remain faithful in the service and care of his father, as he had already done for his mother up to the time of her death. She was fifty-eight years old when she died. Mr. Bee is yet un- married, and is the only child. Upon the ranch of 140 acres of well-improved land, he is en- gaged principally in the raising of wine and table grapes.

R EDWIN Z. HENNESSEY has resided in this State and in Napa since 1884. He was born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1863, his parents being Williamn and Susan (White) Hen- nessey. His father was one of the brothers whose name has become famous the world over as the distillers of the celebrated Hennessey brandies in various parts of Europe, and he estab- lished a distillery at Paw Paw, Michigan, which he conducted for a number of years. The Doctor received his early education in the public schools of Decatur, and began his preparation for a medical career by becoming proficient as a druggist. He then entered the office of Dr. E. S. Elder, of Indianapolis, Indiana, who was at that time secretary of the State Board of Health, and Professor of the Theory and Prac- tice of Medicine in the State Medical College of Indiana. While with Dr. Elder he attended lectures and gradnated as an M. D. in the class of 1883. He acted for some time as in- terne at an orphan asylum, after his graduation, and coming to California he commenced the practice of medicine in Napa in 1884. Here he has been fortunate in building up a large and successful practice, especially in surgical operations, holding the position of Surgeon of the County Infirmary, and meeting with exceptional success in the conduct of that in- stitution. Dr. Hennessey has an elegant home in Napa as the result of his extensive practice. He was married in 1884 to Miss Lottie Fisher, a native of Indiana, and danghter of Andrew and Nellie . (Farrie) Fisher, of Indianapolis. He is a member of Napa Lodge of the Improved

Order of Red Men, of the Napa County and State Medical societies, and of the Sydenham Medical Society of Indiana.

HEODORE GORNER, a prominent busi- ness man of Livermore, was born in Ham- burg, Germany, October 31. 1850, and emigrated to America in 1866. Arriving in San Francisco October 3 of the latter year, he began the trade of harness-maker and followed it there two years; and then he was in the same business in Oakland nntil 1873. In 1874 he located in Livermore, purchasing the harness establishment of George Beebe, which he still carries on. He is also in the general auctioneer- ing business in company with other gentlemen, and deals in real estate and other property, under the firm name of Dutcher, Gorner & Mc- Donald. Mr. Gorner also carries a large stock of wagons, carriages and other vehicles, in which he has about $3,000 invested. His business is growing upon his hands. He also has a fur- niture and upholstering establishment, estab- lished in 1884, and now, with a partner, under the firm name of Gorner & Wilkinson, has a stock of $8,000. Mr. Gorner has been City Treasurer three years, and in 1878-'79 he was Town Clerk one year. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., is a charter member of the society of Sons of Hermann, of Livermore, which was established in 1887, with a membership of eighty. He is also an active Republican.

Mr. Gorner was married in Oakland, March 28, 1874, to Miss Katie Pink, of that place, and they have five children: Dora, Katie, Walter, Alma and Elsie.

SLADE, a farmer near Winters, Yolo County, was born December 8, 1822, in o Baltimore County, Maryland, a son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Pierce) Slade, natives of Maryland. The father, a farmer by occupa-

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tion, remained a resident of that county nntil his death, which occurred in 1856; the mother died at the same place a few years later. Mr. Slade was brought up on a farm, working on the home place until he was thirty years of age. HIe then spent two years in Illinois as a farm laborer, and in 1859 he came overland by ox teams to California, the journey occupying the time from April to September. The first two years in this State he was in Solano Connty, and then for some time alternately in Solano and Yolo counties; and then he purchased land in Sonoma County, which he occupied for two years; then he sold out there, in 1875, and pur- chased his present property, three and a half miles east of Winters. This is a very fine place; the residence is so sitnated that an observer there obtains a very fine view of all the country around. The farm comprises about 260 acres of choice bottom land, well set to vines and other fruits. He also raises a great many vegetables. He has packing sheds and all necessary equipments for carrying on the fruit business.

He was married, in 1843, to Elizabeth Mathews, a native of Maryland, and of their seven children two sons and three daughters are living.

ATRICK CALLAHAN, engaged exten- sively in the rearing of live-stock, espe- cially sheep, near Livermore. was born in County Donegal, north Ireland, February 21, 1840, and was brought up in agricultural pursuits. In 1862 he went to Melbourne, Australia, and was engaged in mining in that vicinity five years. In 1867 he left that coun- try and landed in San Francisco August 28, 1868, where he was occupied for a year in water delivery. In 1869 he went to Livermore and purchased a ranch, where he carries on general farming and raises live-stock, especially sheep, of which he always has on hand 3,000 to 8,000 head. The fleece is an annual average of fif-

teen pounds to the head. Mr. Callahan has been identified with several prominent enter- prises in the county, among them the Farmers' Union. He is a stanch Democrat, and has been for nine years one of the Town Trustees.

He was united in matriu ony May 21, 1873, in San Francisco, to Miss Mary McBride. The names of their four children are: John R., Mary E., Margaret A. and William H.

EORGE C. STANLEY, a prominent citi- zen of Livermore, was born November 15, 1839, in Randolph, Vermont, where he was educated and learned the trade of wood- turning. In 1860 he came to California by way of Panama, landing in San Francisco. For the first year he was engaged in varions ocen- pations, and then he went to the Cariboo coun- try and followed mining about a year. Then he came to Centerville, this State, and engaged in teaming over the Sierra Nevada mountains for a period of three years; next he followed ranching for a short time near San José; then he located at Pleasanton for three years, in the same business; and finally, selling ont that place, he went to Livermore and purchased an- other farm, which he still ocenpies. He also deals in real estate, and has been engaged in general mercantile business. He is a member of Vesper Lodge, No. 62, A. O. U. W., at Liv- ermore.

In November, 1870, in Livermore, he mar- raried Nellie Patterson, who died leaving one child. Mr. Stanley, October 20, 1879, married Miss Emma Reed, and they have two children: George R. and Leland.

ILLIAM A. PRYOR is a native son of the Golden West and an enterprising business man of Shasta. He was born Vallicita, Calaveras County, California, June 16, 1853. llis father, Joseph Pryor, was one

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of the well known and highly respected pioneers of California. He was born in Cornwall, Eng- land, June 16, 1826, of English parents. In 1846 he emigrated to Australia and engaged in mining. He married Miss Priscilla Thomas in 1849. She and her ancestors were English people. Soon after their marriage they came to California, where Mr. Pryor was successfully engaged in mining for some time in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties. In 1854 they came to Shasta County and purchased a ranch, located twelve miles west of Shasta, known as the Dr. Hulen ranch. This they farmed for nine or ten years. In 1863 they came to Shasta and lived here for several years, until 1878, when they removed to Red Bluff. They were resid- ing there in 1879 when Mr. Pryor's death oc- curred. His bereaved family, and the Masonic fraternity, of which he had been a worthy mem- ber, gathered around his last resting place and repeated their beautiful and impressive burial service. He was a kind and affectionate hus- band, an indulgent father and a most worthy citizen, and he died in the full strength of ma- tured manhood, in his fifty-fourth year, lamented by all who knew him.

William A. Pryor, the subject of this sketch, was the second son of a family of four children. His education was obtained in the public schools of Shasta. When fifteen years of age he went to learn the drug business and remained in one store eight years. Then for a time he was pre- scription clerk in a drug store in Sacramento. After this he was clerk and book-keeper for J. E. Church, of Red Bluff. In 1884 he pur- chased his present drug business in Shasta, where he has a nice, well kept stock and enjoys the trade of the town. . In 1885 he was ap- pointed Postmaster at Shasta and served until 1889, when he resigned.

In 1885 he was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Litsch, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Litsch, also well known early settlers of this county. Mr. Litsch was a native of Ger- many, born at Renchen, Grand Dutchy of Baden, in 1823; came to the United States in

1849, and across the plains to California in 1851. Upon his arrival in this State he en- gaged in mining in Placerville, El Dorado County. In 1852 he worked at his trade, that of baker, in Sacramento, and in the same year went to Colusa, where he was employed as a baker until the middle of 1853. After the fire at that place he purchased a team and was en- gaged in teaming for a time, when he located in Shasta, where he purchased a bakery of Messrs. Potts & Muff. In 1854 he built the two-story brick store in which Mr. Pryor's drug store is now located. In 1870 he engaged in the brewing business and carried it on success- fully until the 28th day of May, 1884, when his death occurred.

Mr. and Mrs. Pryor have one daughter, Alice Maud, born in Shasta. Mr. Pryor is manager of the Shasta telegraph office. Ile is a charter member of Shasta Parlor, No. 35, Native Sons of the Golden West. He is also a member of Castle Lodge, No. 62, K. of P, Red Bluff.

Mr. Pryor's mother, an amiable lady, resides with her son in Shasta.

F. THOMAS, a resident of Livermore, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, November 7, 1835. After receiving his school education he worked there in railroad shops for a year. In 1855 he came by sail around Cape Horn to the Golden Coast, ar- riving in San Francisco the next year, after a voyage of six months and a quarantine of four months at Rio Janeiro, where eigliteen of the twenty-four of the ship's crew died of yellow fever. The first two years in this State Mr. Thomas was a grocer in San Francisco; next he had charge of William Hayward's boat in freighting between Haywards and San Francisco by river, and driving stage between Haywards and San Antonio, now Oakland, while he made his home in Oakland, until 1858, when he began work as a carpenter. After being employed as a journeyman for three years, he began con-

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tracting and building, and acted in that capacity for ten years, and then he purchased and began to operate a steam thresher throughont Alamead County, and he is still connected with that bus- iness, giving steady employment to twenty-two men and the same number of horses to each machine. He has been a resident of Livermore six years; is a member of Livermore Lodge, No. 218, F. & A. M .; of Sycamore Lodge, No. 129, I. O. O. F., of Haywards, and of the En- campment also of that place.

ATRICK FLANAGAN, wagon and car- riage manufacturer at Livermore, was born in County Galway, Ireland, February 28, 1850, and when he was a small child his parents left him with relatives while they emigrated to America. Some years later he came also and joined them at Litchfield, Connecticut, where they were residing. He learned. the black- smith's trade at Salisbury, Connecticut. In 1868 he went to Bridgeport, same State, and was engaged in the manufactory of Hoskis & Sons, in the building of wagons and carriages, blacksmithing, etc. In 1875 he came by rail to California and worked as a journeyman blacksmith in the shop of Jolm Aylward at Livermore for about four years, and in 1880 he established himself in business in that town. For his wife he took in wedlock Miss Annie Nevin, October 2, 1884. The names of their three children are Annie M., Thomas E. and Mary.

USSELL DAY, a Yolo viticulturist, was born April 27, 1817, in Auburn, New York, a son of Lot Day. The father. a native of New Jersey and a tanner by trade, moved to Hamilton County, Ohio, where Cin- cinnati now stands, in 1817; in 1820 to Wayne County, Indiana; in 1830 to St. Joseph County, same State, where in 1842 he was elected

sheriff of the county and served two terms, or a total of four years. During his second term he was appointed State Marshal for the northern part of the State. In 1847 he was elected State Senator by his distriet, and he served two years; and in 1850 he came across the plains to Cali- fornia. He was a resident of Stockton until 1860, when he moved to Woodland and re- mained there among his children until the fall of 1872; then, at the age of eigliteen years, he went to Nevada and located a claim twenty- five miles south of Halleck's Station; but his health failed and he died there in March, 1874, at the age of eighty-three years. His remains were brought back to Woodland and laid at rest in the cemetery there. He had always been a prominent man in political circles, and ener- getic in all of his business relations.

Mr. Russell Day was brought np to the tan- ner's trade and followed the same until 1840, when he entered the brick trade and began eon traeting for buildings, and continued in the same until 1851. He then was engaged by the Chicago & Springfield Railroad Company, to superintend the construction of a branch road running from Chicago to Springfield, and was en- gaged therein nntil 1852. April 20, 1853, he left South Bend, .Indiana, for California, and crossed the plains with his father, who had re- turned from California. He located his present property September 10, 1853, taking the land from the Government, and he has been a resi- dent thereon until the present. He converted the wild and desert-like place to the neat, at- tractive and fertile farm that it now is. Ile also has run a fine dairy, but is now turning his attention inore especially to the raising of wine grapes, and is a stockholder in the Yolo Winery. His farm is now all a vineyard. It is situated thirty miles southeast of Woodland, a good gravel road existing between his vine- yard and the town. He is a member of Wood- land Lodge, No. 111, I. O. O. F., and is next to the oldest member of this order; he is also a member of the Encampment. Ile once visited the spot where Woodland is now located with

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the view of taking a portion of it for a home, but he gave it up and located where he now resides.

For his wife Mr. Day married Miss Abia Russell, a native of the State of New York. Their children have been: Lot, who was born December 18, 1875 and is now deceased; Rus- sell T., born June 26, 1881.

OEL WOOD, a pioneer of 1849 now par- tially retired rancher, residing near Caden- asso, Yolo County, was born near Nash- ville, Tennessee, in Jannary, 1823, a son of William and Mary (Goze) Wood, natives of Kentucky. His father, a farmer by occupation, remained a resident of Tennessee until his death; his wife also died in that State. Joel was but six years of age when he went to live with an uncle, and was brought up by him until twenty-two years old. Then, in 1849, in com- pany with his nnele, William Goze, he came across the plains to California by way of the Carson and Lassen rontes, arriving at Bidwell's Bar November 16. There Mr. Wood kept a trading post and ran a ferry across the Feather River until May, 1850; then he opened a store and butcher shop at Rich Bar on the middle fork of the Yuba River and conducted them and followed mining until late in the ensuing antumn; next, in partnership with L. Hibbard, he purchased land ten miles above Marysville and stocked it with cattle and horses; but a year afterward he sold out and he went by the Beck- wourth route to the Big Meadows, on the Hum- boldt River and conducted a trading post and butcher shop there until the fall of 1852. Sell- ing out he again went into Yolo County and settled in the Lamb Valley, where now is located the Orleans Vineyard. In 1854 he again sold out and went up into the Capay Val- ley, where he was one of the first settlers, being one of the five, and he had the honor of nam- ing the valley. He had the postoffice in 1857, which was called Capay, and at that point he

also had a store and blacksmith shop. For a time also he was Constable, and among the arrests that he effected were those of the des- perate characters James Marble and T. Glass- cock. Ever since his first location there Mr. Wood has been a resident of that valley. He now resides five miles west of Capay and one mile from Cadenasso, a station on the railroad. He is now living a life somewhat retired on seventy-five acres of choice valley land, well im- proved in vines and fruit trees. His children also have about four sections of choice land in the immediate vicinity.

Mr. Wood was married in May, 1853, in Lamb Valley, to Miss Emerine Clark, a native of Missouri, and their children are named and born as follows: William T., deceased; Mary B., born October 17, 1856; Albert B., Novem- ber 5, 1858; Josephine B., December 12, 1860; George W., August 1, 1863; Leonard, Septemn- ber 20, 1865; Donald S, May 5, 1868: Will- iam S., March 27, 1870; Laura Etta, August 27, 1873: Myrtle, Jannary 4, 1876; Joel E., August 21, 1879, and Maria M, July 24, 1884.

OBERT McDONALD, a farmer of Mur- ray Township, Alameda County, was born January 1, 1837, in New Orleans, Lonisi- ana, and at the age of five years he was taken by his parents to Bonaparte, Iowa, in the Des Moines Valley. In 1850 he came with his parents overland to California, the father, how- ever, dying on the way, and the family stop. ping at Salt Lake City while he came on to Hangtown, where he engaged in mining at different camps, following the excitement of rich discoveries; was also one of the victims of the Fraser River excitement. After a few years he settled down at San José and engaged at farining upon land which he had purchased, and continued for fifteen years. In 1867 he sold his farm and re-invested in another, which lie held for two years only, when he again sold out and went to Murray Township, near Livermore,

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where he purchased 160 acres and is now en- gaged in general farming, but making a specialty of rearing draft horses. His parents, James and Sarah, were natives of Scotland.

He was married in Alvarado, Alameda County, April 19, 1858, to Miss Edna Stuart, and the names of their six children are: Frank, Hettie, William, Lydia, John and Arthur.

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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 113

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