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 56

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 56


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).


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" Thus suddenly one of the most kingly of men has been summoned from earth. It is as if some grand temple had fallen-some mighty oak had been twisted from its well-rooted foundation-and so sudden we are dazed by the unlooked-for blow. The eulogies that shall be spoken over his casket need no artificial force. They will partake of the sincere sorrow that


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dwells in every true heart that knew and ap- preciated Judge Hartson-the loyal head of a beloved home, the sympathizing friend of suť- fering humanity, the one out of the few who ever said by his acts, ' I dare do all that may become a man.'


"Napa is in mourning, for she is in the shadow of a great affliction: her trnest and best citizen is no more."-Napa Daily Register.


" Judge Hartson was the most prominent fig- ure in the social, political, and business history of Napa County. Without detracting in the least from the reputation of any pioneer or other resident of this community, we can truthfully say that Judge Hartson did more to advance Napa and her best interests than any man that ever lived among us. He was always at the front in any movement that was inaugurated to help this town or county; and although his eloquent tongue has done much for ns, he was more a man of deeds than of words, and his hands were ever ready, and his purse ever open to help Napa's progress. And these acts were always done unostentatiously. In all his polit- ical life his aim was to do something for the whole people-not the classes in our country. Judge Hartson was a friend of the poor man, and spoke more kind words and did more charit- able acts among the struggling poor than any man in the county. He was a public bene- factor, and Napa County has, by his death, suf- fered the greatest loss that ever befell her." __ Napa Daily Reporter.


" In the death of Hon. Chancellor Hartson the State loses one of its most honored citizens. As a citizen, his integrity of purpose was un- impeachable, and as a politician he stood on the highest plane. He was honest in all his deal- ings, whether with men, the interests of the State, or her relations to political matters. Ile was a man of great force of character, and dur- ing many years of public life made a marked impression on the affairs of the State, always for the best interests of the commonwealth. Ilis death causes sincere regret in all parties; and hundreds of intimate friends, familiar with


his sterling traits of character, will regard his sudden death as a personal bereavement." __. Oakland Times.


" The State of California has met with an ir- reparable loss in the death of Chancellor Hartson, which occurred at Napa yesterday. He was one of our ablest and purest men, and as a citi- zen, and a man of business, his equal is seldom found. As a lawyer Mr. Hartson was able, and as a public speaker he had few equals. His political record had no stain. As a business man he was a model. But those admired and loved him most who knew him as a true and unselfish friend."-Oakland Inquirer.


These references to Judge Hartson show him to have been one of the strongest and truest of characters -- a mighty power in whatever he participated. In his home life he was exceed- ingly happy, and a brief reference to his im- mediate family will be fitting in this connec- tion.


Mrs. Hartson was, previous to her marriage, which occurred January 26, 1854, Miss Electa Burnell. She is a native of Sinclairville, Chau- tanqua County. New York, and a daughter of Rev. Joel and Electa (King) Burnell, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. After their marriage in that State, they removed to western New York, where they took np a large farm. While living there, Mr. Burnell studied law, was admitted to the bar, and afterward be- came Judge, in which capacity he served many years, being one of the leading men of western New York, and one of the most active figures in public affairs though in no sense an office seeker. He afterward became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, serving the churches throughout Chautauqua County, where he was loved and honored to a high degree. He and his wife both died in New York. Of their sons five grew to maturity, viz .: Madison, who became distinguished as one of the ablest jury lawyers of the nation; he died in 1865, in New York; Lorenzo, who followed the ship- building industry, and afterward was navigator, died in California, in 1857; Joel, who became a


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minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now resides at Eureka, where he supplies the local congregations; Ransom, a lawyer, came to California in 1850, practiced in the courts of this State served in its Legislature, and died in February, 1879; and Philo, a physician, died in 1857.


Judge and Mrs. Hartson reared four children, viz .: Burnell C., Ernest, Channing and Daisy Asenath. Ernest died August 22, 1884, being thns cut off at an untimely age from what would have undoubtedly been a brilliant career. He was a lad of great promise, of an unusually manly demeanor, and gave evidence of signal musical ability in addition to other qualities, which made him a general favorite. He was the pride and almost constant companion of his father, who was grief-stricken beyond expres- sion by the loss of his boy. He never recov- ered from the shock, and indeed his own death is thought by many to have been hastened by this cause.


I. LOGAN, undertaker and dealer in fur- niture, at St. Helena, was born November 5, 1829, at Beaucoup, Washington County, Illinois, the son of David and Margaret (Phil lips) Logan. He remained at home until he reached his nineteenth year, working upon his stepfather's farm at first and afterward learning the trade of carpenter. His education was gained in the country schools of the section and by diligent toil at night, winning in this way a thorough training. In 1858 he removed to Centralia, Marion Conuty, and engaged success- fully in the furniture and undertaking business ; continuing this until March, 1864, on account of failing bealth, he sold ont and crossed the plains with his family.


At the beginning of the war he enlisted a company at Centralia to go into a certain regi- ment. He failed to agree with the Colonel, however, and so went directly to General Logan, and they were mustered in at Carbondale under


him as Company A. At the time of raising this company, Mr. Logan pledged himself to bring his men all back dead or alive after their term of service was over; and he did so, at great peril and loss to himself, although, nn- fortunately, most of them came home in boxes. The regiment to which the company belonged was with Grant in the series of his terrible en- gagements in Kentucky and Tennessee. Mr. Logan received a commission to visit the battle- fields and prepare and bring back to their friends the dead not alone of his company but also of the whole county. Although at the time no civilian was allowed at the front, by daring and skill he obtained an interview with General Grant, who so much admitted his cour- age that he gave him a special pass. He spent thirty-five days on the battle-field, doing a great deal of good and finally shipping back no less than thirteen car-loads of bodies of dead and wounded, with their baggage, who were sent back by special train under his care. Among those were all his own company save only twenty-two persons, left alive. This deed of heroism nearly proved his end, for as a result of his efforts he became a severe case of blood- poisoning.


Upon recovery, however, he set ont for the trip across the plains, hoping to recuperate on the way. He bought fourteen head of mules and horses and four wagon-loads of drugs, liqnors, etc. San José was his first stopping place, but he soon came up to Oakland and cugaged in the real-estate business there and in San Fran- cisco; yet he suffered serious losses from the dishonesty of parties whom he had trusted. As an undertaker and embalmer Mr. Logan has few equals in the State. By means of a prepa- ration devised by him he was enabled to keep dead bodies almost an indefinite time, being most successful in preparing them for shipment to all parts of the world on a special guarantee of perfect condition. Once, on a test, he pre- pared a body and it was deposited in the vaults at San Francisco, where it lay for six months, at the end of which time it was found in perfect


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preservation,-a fact very surprising to the un- dertaker and physicians of the day. In fact, Mr. Logan's discoveries in this direction are the basis of the whole modern system of em- balming, and aroused attention in all parts of Europe and America. Mr. Logan has been very active in all matters of benefit to St. Helena, as the incorporation of the town, the laying out of a cemetery, etc. Logan's addition to St. Helena was laid out by him on his ranch at the south of town, where his fine residence is situated.


He was married November 15, 1849, to Miss Unity J. Livesay, of Washington County, Illi- mois. They have seven children: J. Melvin, engaged in the cattle export trade to Europe; M. Hill, a successful physician of San Fran- cisco; Minnie Adelle, the wife of D. B. Carver, the banker of St. Helena; C. Mead, a printer formerly, and proprietor of the Daily News at St. Helena; now engaged with his father in furniture and undertaking; Aura Pearl, Daisy Bell and Lee Ross, who are at home.


RANCIS CUNNINGHAM, a fariner near Black's, Yolo County, was born November 12, 1830, in Somerset County, Pennsylva- nia, a son of Jacob and Elizabethi (Gilbert) Cun- ningham, both natives of that State. His father, a tanner by trade for over sixty years, died in that State in 1885, and his mother died in 1876. Of their nine children, two sons are living in California. In 1859 Mr. Cunningham came by water to California. For the first year and a half he followed gold mining at Oregon Bar in Placer County. Then he settled on land about one and a half miles from where he now lives, and at length he sold it, in 1867, and pur- chased where he now resides. The present ranch, of 160 acres of fine land, is owned by himself and his brother Jacob, and they intend to devote it mainly to fruit-raising. They already have twelve acres of figs and three of prunes. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania, in


1845, and came to California in 1868. He married Miss Nellie Murphy, and they have three children :- Maud, Winnie and Jacob. Francis is yet unmarried.


JAL N. MAYBEE, nurseryman and or- ehardist, near Lakeport, was born in Can- ada, August 6, 1835. His parents were natives of Dutchess County, New York, and moved to Canada, then back to Michigan.


Hial received a common-school education while at home with his parents in Michigan. He afterward attended Bacon, Bryant & Strat- ton's Mercantile College in Cincinnati, where he graduated in 1859. Ile then went to Stevens' Point, Wisconsin, where he engaged in the wholesale lumber business, in partnership with his brother. He remained in business in Stevens' Point until 1865. In the spring of that year he sold out and went to New York city, where he took passage on the steamer Golden Rule, which was wrecked on Ronkador, on French Keys, May 29. There were 1,000 passengers on board, all of whom excepting one escaped to the reef, where they subsisted for eleven days. On June 9 they were rescued by the gunboat Georgia, and taken to Aspinwall, from where they came to California and arrived in San Francisco, July 1. Mr. Maybee first settled in Nevada, Marin County, where he bought land and engaged in dairying for seven years. In 1872 he sold out and went to Ala- meda, where he engaged in contracting and building. In 1876 he went to Buckeye Valley, five miles west of Ione in Amador County, where he engaged in farming and nursery business. He also worked some at carpenter- ing, having secured several contracts from the railroad company. In 1881 he returned to Alameda, where he again followed the business of contracting and building for two years. In 1883 he came to Lake County and bonglit land two miles south of Lakeport, where he now re- sides. Ile has forty-one acres of land, which


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he devotes principally to nursery and small fruits. He has a nursery stock of about 50,000 trees. He has one acre planted in strawberries of different varieties, which yield an enormous quantity of luscious fruit. He also has black- berries, currants and other small fruits, the acreage of which is increasing each year. He has two fine, flowing artesian wells on his prem- ises; also an excellent spring from which he condnets water to his residence through pipes for general uses.


Mr. Maybee has been twice married. His first wife was a Mrs. Carpenter, of Lincoln County, Maine, to whom he was married in 1873, and who lived only a short time after their mar- riage. In 1885 he was married to Mrs. Meyers, a native of Germany. She has two daughters from her first marriage, who are living in the old country. Mr. Maybee is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the A. O. U. W.


ON. JAMES KERSON SMITH, grocer at Woodland, California, was born in Rich- mond, Virginia, June 10, 1831, son of William N. and Ann (Brown) Smith, who moved in 1839 from Virginia to Glasgow, Howard County, Missouri. The mother died in Virginia about 1833 or 1834, and the father survived until 1878, dying in Missouri. Mr. Smith was brought up in the latter State from the age of eight years to the age of nineteen. In 1850, with a party from his neighborhood, he started across the plains for California, arriv- ing at Hangtown on the last day of August. He followed gold-mining, mostly in Nevada and Yuba counties, until 1868, when he came to Yolo County. While living in Nevada County he was elected to the Legislature, serv- ing during the years 1857-'58, and while in Yuba County he was a member during the sessions of 1867-'68.


On arriving in Woodland, Yolo County, he first engaged in furniture and undertaking for a number of years, and during that time served


one term on the Board of Supervisors of this county, being elected in 1875. In 1880 he was elected County Clerk and served three years: on his election to this office he disposed of his furniture business. Being a candidate in 1883, he was defeated by M. O. Harling, the present county clerk. He then purchased the interest of C. B. Culver, who was in the grocery trade in partnership with T. S. Spaulding, and the firm became Smith & Spaulding. In 1885, having become a candidate, he was elected County Treasurer and served a term of two years; being renominated for the same posi- tion, he was defeated. He then bought the interest of M. O. Harling in the grocery firm of Harling. Frazer & Company. He is now a member of the Town Board of Trustees, having been elected in May, 1888, and is the only Re- publican member of the board. He has been a member of the Masonic order ever since 1854, and has been for the past three or four years the Masonic Inspector for the nineteenthi dis- trict. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the A. O. U. W., in which latter order he is financier.


Mr. Smith was married in 1859 at Nicolaus, Sntter County, to Miss Abbie O. Gilman, a native of the State of Maine, but brought up in Illinois. She came to this State in 1854 with her brother-in-law, Dr. D. Ray, at one time a resident of Yolo County. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one son and five daughters.


In 1887 Mr. Smith made a visit to his old home in Missouri, which atter a lapse of thirty- seven years presented many remarkable changes, but the most extraordinary change witnessed on the trip was the difference in the mode of travel between the older States and the coast, the time being reduced from four or five months to as many days.


During the Fraser River mining excitement, which began in 1858, Mr. Smith was one of the many who repaired to that point, the journey being exceedingly difficult. He went by steamer from San Francisco to Whatcom on Puget Sound, and thenee by pack animals erossing the


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Cascade Mountains. At some of the points on the way he had to do considerable excavation in order to make his road, being the pioneer over that route. It is well known that nearly every one that went to that region returned without finding anything of value.


IMOTHY MALONEY .- " Rocklands," the large and beautiful vineyard belong- ing to Mr. W. B. Bourn in the upper part of the Napa Valley, is properly considered one of the finest in the county. It consists of 400 acres of land, of which 120 acres are in vines, all of fine varieties, about the borders of which and along the driveways are planted some 500 fruit trees, pears and cherries for the most part. Since November 17, 1880, it has been under the charge of Mr. Maloney, and shows the marks of a careful and well kept place, every- thing being in a thrifty growth and in apple- pie order. Along the southern side of the vine- yard, and along the creek that flows beside it, is a massive and altogether unique wall built of the stones gathered from the surface of the vineyard. Some of it is twenty-five feet wide and six feet high, representing a tremendous amount of work. The whole vineyard is per- fectly drained by tile laid at suitable distances. The balance of the estate makes a fine farin, where Mr. Bourn is raising some fine horses and stock, raising his own hay. grain, etc.


Mr. Maloney, the foreman of this place, is a native of County Kerry, Ireland, where he was born in 1844. He came to America in 1866, and in the fall of 1867 made his way to Cali- fornia, coming via Panama. He began work in the vineyards at once, being employed on Jndge Hastings' place, near Rutherford, during 1868-'69. He then pre-empted 160 acres in Spring Mountain and went into the wood bnsi- uess and the raising of cattle, hay, etc. He then came to St. Helena and engaged in team- ing until 1880, when he took charge of " Rock- lands."


Mr. Maloney was first married in October, 1869, in Napa City, to Miss Faley. She died in 18 -. In May, 1890, he was married sec- ondly to Miss Kilduff, a native of St. Helena. He has four children. Neely, the eldest, is learning the machinists' trade at the Risdon Iron Works, San Francisco; Mary, the second child, is learning the dress-making business in the same city; and the others, Tom, Richard and Nellie, are at home and going to school. It is needless to say that Mr. Maloney is a Democrat He is a self-made inan. well respected wher- ever known.


D. MOONEY is the proprietor of one of the leading business houses of St. Helena, and takes rank among her mnost forward young business men. He carries on a general grocery and provision business, buying produce as well, his country trade being excelled prob- ably by none in the town. The location of the store is on Hunt avenue, and during the five years it has been carried on by Mr. Mooney the business has been made by his energy, enter- prise and popularity a leading one.


Mr. Mooney was born August 26, 1861, in Jefferson County, New York, where his father, Thomas Mooney, was a farmer. The latter now conducts the blacksmith shop a mile below St. Helena. Back East he was engaged in buying and selling produce and was in general business, bnt by signing with another met with serions reverses. As a result he came to California, where his family followed him in 1874. In March, 1880, in company with his son, C. D., he put up the blacksmith shop, and was assisted by the latter until 1883, when on account of a severe kick from a horse C. D. retired and left the business entirely to his father. Mr. Thomas Mooney is a native of Ireland, but when nine years old came with his parents to America, settling near Watertown, New York, where members of the family still reside. He married a Miss Reid, whose parents came originally from


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Glasgow, Scotland, and settled near Kingston, Canada. They had a family of eight children, five boys and three girls.


Mr. C. D. Mooney, the eldest son, was brought up as a blacksmith, serving three years at the trade. When he came to California with the rest of the family, in 1874, he went to work first for Mr. Inman, in his nursery. Then in partnership with his father he put up the black- smith shop below St. Helena, as already men- tioned. While shoeing a horse he met with a serious accident from a kick, and was forced to give np the business. In February, 1883, he went to ranching on a place above town, carry- ing it on until October, 1884, when he sold out and in November following began the business which he is still carrying on. He was mar- ried in June, 1884, to Miss McArron, a native of San Francisco. They have three children, a daughter and two sons. Such in brief is an ac- connt of the life of Mr. C. D. Mooney, an active, successful and thoroughly selt-reliant one. When he landed in St. Helena he had only 50 cents, bnt he has made his way since withont calling upon any one for assistance, and has made it well. He has two brothers and one sister in the county, their names being F. T. and W. D., brothers, and Mrs. Jennie Tyrrell, whose husband is conducting the Napa carriage fac- tory.


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OHN A. LECHILEITER, manufacturer of all kinds of farming implements, wagons.car- riages etc., at Winters, is the son of George (a native of Lorraine, France) and Geneva (Krenzberger) Lechleiter, a native of Germany. His father is now running a wholesale tobacco store in Lincoln, Illinois. He was born in 1854, in Louisiana, within fifty miles of New Orleans, and came to California in 1870, landing in Sae- ramento. After residing there a year he went to San Francisco and remained there until 1877, when he married and went to Honolulu. While in San Francisco he built the omnibus for the


Lick House, and also for the Baldwin Hotel and the Russ House, also many other large transfer wagons and hacks, and he prosecuted the same trade also in Honolulu. Returning from the Sandwich Islands in 1879, he opened a carriage shop at Maxwell's in Colusa county, in April, 1881, where he flourished for eight years; and then, in 1889, he settled in Winters, Yolo County, where he has a fine shop and a prosper- ous business. The works are run by a ten-horse- power engine, the model for which he had made by Mr. Williams, of Colusa County.


Mr. Lechleiter married Susan M. Webster, a native of Tennessee, in Oakland, Novemler 29, 1877, and their two children are Emma El- vira, born February 17, 1880; and Frank T., August 30, 1881.


ILLIAM BUDWORTH, a prominent citizen of Livermore, was born at Potts- SV ville, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1837; moved with his parents to Wisconsin, and then to St. Louis, Missouri, remaining there some two years; then to Wisconsin again, where he was in business until 1850; next to St. Louis again, where he was connected with the transfer business, until some time in 1852, when he started by ox teams for California. Arriving August 17, he located first in Amador County and followed mining there until 1859, when he moved to Centerville, where he remained about nine years, and then he came to Livermore, where he has since remained. In 1869 his son, George T., was born, the first white boy boru in Livermore. Since his location at his present place he has been connected with hay-pressing and steam threshing throughout this and ad- jacent counties. Each of his machines give steady employment from June to November to seventeen men.


Mr. Budworth, at Centerville, in 1864, was joined in marriage to Miss Margaret Walker. Their children are Margaret, George, Benjamin, Emma, John, Wesley, Nellie, Bertha and Al-


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bert. Mr. Budworth is a member of Vesper Lodge, No. 62, A. O. U. W., at Livermore.


EONARD COATES, fruit-grower and nurseryman, proprietor of the Napa Val- ley nurseries, has been a resident of Cali fornia for the past fourteen years, and of Napa nearly that entire time. . In 1878 he began business in a small way in a nursery on the old Magnolia farm, six miles north of Napa, pur- chasing the stock owned by J. M. Thompson, of the Suscol nursery. He pushed this business energetically, until now his nursery is known all over the State, and he ships stock to points all the way from San Diego on the south to Shasta and Humboldt counties on the north. He has now a ranch of ninety acres, four miles from Napa on the Big Ranch road, known as Sansal fruit farm, forty five acres of which are now in orchard five years old, and seven acres one year old. This is divided as follows: twenty-two acres in peaches, fifteen in prunes, French, sil- ver and golden; about seventeen in Japanese plums, Kelsey-Japan and Satsuma, and one acre planted with a variety of oranges, berries and other fruits. This forty-five acres he pur- chased in 1886, but he has lately added another tract of the same size, which he proposes to de- vote partly to orchard and partly to alfalfa, the intention being eventually to make of this place a model fruit farm. His plans are fully matured, and he now has a fine residence and other build- ings erected that are in keeping with this idea. Mr. Coates commenced operations in California by working the first year on the old Magnolia farm, for Professor Heald, and the next year in different parts of the State, in order to familarize himself with the various peculiarities of climate and soil and their adaptability to different kinds of fruit. Meanwhile an offer was left open by Professor Heald to furnish him land to begin work upon. His nursery is now situated just below Napa, occupying the space between the railroad and the Napa River for the distance of




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