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 57

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 57

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half a mile. He will have this season over 150,- 000 trees for sale, besides a large stock in dorm- ant bud for the following year.

He was born in Saffron-Walden, Essex, Eng- land, in January, 1855. His parents were W. T. and Emma (Harrison) Coates, now residents of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, of which town Mr. Coates, Sr., is the Mayor. He at- tended private schools in Bedfordshire, gradu- ating at the collegiate school at Luton in the same county, in. 1870. He first entered mer- cantile life, in which he continued for nearly six years, but failing health and the advice of luis physicians decided him in favor of out-door pur- suits. Having had a little experience as an amateur horticulturist, and a taste for study in that direction, his attention wrs turned toward California, where he arrived early in 1876.

He was married in 1881, to Miss May Crow, a native of this State and daughter of A. M. and Sarah (Stark) Crow, pioneer settlers of Cali- fornia. They have one child, Ronald, born in 1884. Mr. Coates is a charter member of the State Horticultural Society, and for three years past one of its directors. He has lately re- turned from a six months' visit to Europe, dur- ing which trip he gave particular attention to the opportunities of disposing of California fruits and fruit products abroad. He was lately called upon to lecture upon these subjects before the Horticultural Society of Ynba and Sutter connties, and has been invited to address the State Horticultural Society and the National Grange upon "California Fruits Abroad."

ANIEL FISHIER, one of the old and well . known farmers of Yolo County, residing near Woodland, dates his birth November, 1821, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, a son of Henry and Margaret (Stavely) Fisher. Henry Fisher was a miller by trade and also followed farming. He moved to South Bend, Indiana, in 1837, and in 1857 came overland to Cali- fornia, and died three weeks after his arrival

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here, at the age of sixty-two years. Daniel, the subject of this notice, was reared on a farm, and lived in South Bend with his parents. In 1844 he started out in life for himself, going first to Ohio, most of the way on foot, through mud and rain, to Holmes County, where he learned the trade of weaving figured coverlets, and fol- lowed the same for twelve years, until 1857, when he came to California, that journey occupying the time from March to September. The trip was a pleasant one, although the emi- grants generally suffered a great deal, over 500 being killed by Indians that year. On arrival liere Mr. Fisher at once rented land and began farming it. In 1858 he purchased a squatter's title to his present home, consisting then of 160 acres, three miles southeast of Woodland. In 1864 he made a purchase of 160 more adjoining, and since then he has had one of the best farms in the county. It is now well stocked with sub- stantial buildings and other improvements. The land is specially adapted to alfalfa, and he carries on general farming and stock-raising. In religions matters he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in political a Republican.

In 1846 he married Miss Margaret Shnder, a native of Ohio, and they have four sons and three daughters, namely: Henry; Emma, wife of Ira Dopkins; Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Stamp; Frank; Charles; Amelia, now Mrs. Henry Jeans; and Edgar H.

JOSEPH O. McKOWN, druggist at Liver- more, was born in New York city February 11, 1863, the son of Joseph O. and M. E. Mckown, of Louisville, Kentucky, who moved to San Francisco in 1869. At the age of nine years he was sent to Livermore, where he re- ceived liis education, in Livermore College. Returning to San Francisco, he became clerk in a drug store for five years. In 1883 he moved to Livermore, and was employed six months as a clerk in the drug house of M. A. Scott, when

the proprietor died, and then Mr. Mckown be- came owner of the establishment, and has since been managing the business upon his own responsibility, with success. The Postal Tele- graph and the Sunset Telephone have their offices in the same building, for which Mr. Mc- Kown is agent. He has also purchased the stationery business of G. Beck, and he has other interests in Livermore. Since February, 1890, he has been Postmaster. Although a young inan, he has already made a splendid reputation for business. In Freemasonry, he is a member of Oakland Commandery, No. 11, K. T., and of Mosaic Chapter, No. 66, at Livermore; and he is also a Senior Warden of Livermore Lodge, No. 218, F. & A. M.

US. ANDERSON, a farmer of Yolo County, was born January 13, 1831, in Sweden, and sailed for New York in 1852. He lived there until 1859, and then came across the plains and mountains to California, first locat- ing in Butte County. In the spring of 1860 he came into Yolo County, and was employed by the man who owned the place which he, Mr. Anderson, now occupies. He purchased it in 1864,-160 acres of good land.

March 2, 1873, at Mr . Wolfram's place near Black's, Mr. Anderson married Miss Mary Bopp, a native of Switzerland, and they have a family of five children: George, Oscar, Andrew, John and Anna. Mr. Anderson is an industri- ons citizen, as nearly all Swedes are.

H. WENTE, a vineyardist near Liver- more, was born in Hanover, Germany, August 19, 1851. In 1881 he came to America, landing at New York and coming directly to Kansas, where he was engaged in farming for six months near Topeka. Then he came to California, stopping in San Francisco and in Contra Costa County for a short time,

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

and then he was engaged in the vineyard and . winery at St. Helena, Napa Connty, for a year; then he was in the same business in Lake County; and finally, in 1884, he went to Liver- more and purchased a vineyard of fifty acres, twenty-eight acres of which were in vines five years old and yielding 120 tons of grapes annually. At the present time the same acre- age yields more than that. He has a large winery on his farm, and last year ınade 50,000 gallons of wine, and increased the capacity 20,000 gallons this year, a large portion of which is shipped to New York and Phila- delphia: besides, he supplies a large local trade. Now the entire farm is a vineyard. He has his bottling department and office at 33 Post street, San Francisco. Twenty acres are in the highest type of clarets and white varieties.

August 19, 1884, in Oakland, he married Barbara Trautwein, and they have three chil- dren living, namely, Ida M., Caroline F. and Charles F.

BUSTELLI, vineyardist and wine manu- facturer of Livermore, is a native of Ticino, Switzerland, born February 14, 1838. He was educated and taught school there until 1886, when he came to America, landing in New York. He came by steamer, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to California, arriving August 28, and remained in the city of the Golden Gate four months. Spent some time in Sonoma County, returned to San Fran- cisco, engaged in a wine cellar for a year; about 1871 he went to the Napa Valley, where he was employed by Mr. Von Bever, in a wine cellar, and there made the first 5,000 gallons of wine that was stored in what is known as " Un- cle Sam's Cellars." Von Bever's establishment, now owned by C. Carpy, is at present the largest of the kind in Napa Valley. From Napa Mr. Bestelli went to St. Helena, where he was in the some business three years; and in 1884 he came to Livermore and purchased property, in part-

nership with Mr. Aguillon, and now, under the firm name of Aguillon & Bustelli, he is engaged in the business already mentioned. Their out- put of wine in 1884 was 60,000 gallons. Since then they have made 70,000 to 80,000 gallons annually, and this year (1890) their product will exceed 100,000 gallons, the most of which will be disposed of by wholesale, a few thousand gallons being consumed by the local trade. They also have a distillery, in which they mann - facture a fine quality of grape brandies. Mr. Bustelli is a member of the fraternities of F. & A. M., I. O. O. F. and K. of P.

M. TOOL has a ranch of seventy-one acres two and a half miles northwest of Napa, on the line of the railroad, all of which is in orchard and in full bearing. It consists of some 10,000 trees, 4,000 being pears, 3,000 peaches, 1,000 cherries and the balance made up of apples, prunes, pluins and apricots. Part of the orchard was set out thirteen years ago, and the last of it about five years since. Most of the product is shipped East, though some is sold to the local trade and to the can- neries. For some time Mr. Tool has had a canning establishment of the place, which is utilized as a means of disposing of the crop when the conditions are not favorable for ship- ping. This cannery was burned down in All- gust of this year, and has just been rebuilt with all the appliances necessary for putting np 100,- 000 cases of goods during the season. The average ontput of this orchard may be summed np abont as follows: 5,000 to 6,000 boxes of Bartlett pears, 4,000 being shipped East and the remainder sent to the cannery; 4,000 boxes Beurre Clairgean (fall pears), also shipped East; 5,500 boxes of cherries, mostly sold to the local trade of San Francisco and Sacramento, but next year the cherry-growers will probably ship East through an association; 3,500 boxes of plums, mostly shipped to the Eastern markets; 500 boxes of Alexander apples, mostly sent to

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the mountain States and Territories; 3,000 boxes of peaches, which have generally been sold to the canneries; and ten tons of dried French prunes. Mr. Tool purchased this ranch in 1883, and since owning the place he has set out about 3,000 trees.

He was born in Posey County, Indiana, in 1848. His parents were John W. and Jane M. (McKinley) Tool, his father a native of Georgia and his mother of Kentucky. When he was three years old the family removed to Iowa, near Keosauqua, where his father operated as a pilot on the Des Moines River, as he had been accustomed to do on the Mississippi during his earlier life. He was one of the first pilots on the Des Moines. Mr. Tool received his primary education in the public schools of Iowa, which he continued at the printer's case, where he worked for twelve years. During that time he assisted in establishing the first morning daily paper published in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1872. This paper was called the Politician, and was owned by Sheldon, Tool & Sweet. He sold out his interest the same year and came to Califor- nia, where he worked at his trade in the office of the Napa Register, afterward purchasing a half interest in that paper. He left this for the grocery business, in which he continued for ten years, and sold to purchase the orchard which he has managed since. He has probably the largest bearing orchard in Napa Valley, and conducts it in a thorough business-like manner. He was married, July 10, 1877, to Miss Jennie Marks, a native of Iowa.

EORGE GROVES, the leading hotel man of the city of Redding, California, is a na- tive of England, born August 7, 1834, the son of English parents. Ile received his edn- cation in his native land and, at the age of eighteen years, came to New York and began his business career in this country. For a num- ber of years he was variously employed; worked iu a seed garden in New York for eight dollars

per month; went to Ohio and drove a team on the Ohio State Canal during the summer of 1852, at twelve dollars per month; for two years worked on a farm. in Mercer County, Illinois, at thirteen dollars per month; engaged in flat- boating on the Mississippi River, selling wood to steamboats, being in that business three years; purchased a farm in Illinois and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1861 Mr. Groves sold out and returned to England. Two years later he came back to the United States and settled in the iron district of Pennsylvania. where he learned the iron-moulder's trade and worked at it five years. He then removed to Mercer County, Illinois, and took charge of a foundry, which he ran for a year. From there he went to Burlington, Iowa, and worked one winter. In 1865 he went on a farm and en- gaged in fruit culture, continuing that business four years. Then he purchased eighty acres of land, which he fenced and improved and which, three years later, he sold.

In 1873 Mr. Groves came to California and settled in Colfax, Placer County. There he furnished wood to the railroad and leased a hotel for a year and a half. He also engaged in haul- ing freight to Nevada City until the completion of the narrow-gange railroad. In 1878 he sold out and went to Redding and ran the stage and express business from Redding to Shasta. He took the contract for planting eighty acres of land in vineyard and completed the work. He then engaged in the restaurant business on the present site of the Paragon Hotel. After run- ning it a few months he added a lodging house to it. In 1883 the building was consumed by fire, after which Mr. (+roves purchased the ad- joining lot and built the Paragon Hotel. The increasing demands of his business caused him, in 1886, to build an addition to it. In 1887 he built the Hotel Del Monte, a fine ·large structure, for lodging purposes. The attractive grounds, ornamented with flowers, shrubs and vines, which surround this house, give it an in- viting appearance. The Del Monte is a delight- fully quiet retreat for those who wish to avoid

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the noise and bustle of the center of the city where the Paragon is located.

In 1858 Mr. Groves married Miss Rebecca Gregory, a native of Indiana. Their union was blessed with three children, only one of whom is living-William Sherman, born in Illinois. He is with his father in Redding and has charge of the Del Monte House. Both he and his father are obliging business men and are re- garded with high esteem by their fellow citi- zens. Mr. Groves adheres to the Democratic party. He is a member of the A. O. U. W.

H. STEVES, hardware dealer, St. Helena, is truly a representative business man, commanding a large and constantly in- creasing trade and possessing to the full the confidence and esteem of the community. He is a self-made man in the best sense of that term, having had to make his own way from the beginning. Although still young in years, he has already achieved what many far older than he desires eagerly, namely, success and comfortable means.

Mr. Steves was born in Durand, Winnebago County, Illinois, June 12, 1851, and resided in his birth-place until he was twenty years of age, attending the common-schools of that place and afterward the High School at Rockford in the same State. At Durand he served an appren- ticeship of three years at the tinsmith's trade, and in 1871 moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, and there worked at his trade, remaining with one firm during the whole six years of his stay. On the first day of the year, 1877, he paid a visit to his home at Durand, and, finding his father abont to start for California, decided to accompany him. They arrived in San Fran- cisco, January 25, remained in that city a short time, and then, hearing of the opportunities afforded in the Napa Valley, paid it a visit. As a result Mr. Steves settled in St. Helena, finding employment in the shops of W. L. Phil- lips, with whom he continued for a year and a

half. Then (August 13, 1878) bought ont the tineware store of Mr. Phillips and began busi- ness on his own account. This he carried on with increasing success, adding to his plumbing and tinning business a general line of hard- ware, and taking the agency for the Cyclone windmills, agricultural implements, wagons, etc., carrying in all a stock of a valne approaching $20,000. He has also the agency for Gladding, McBean & Co., of San Francisco, for terra cotta, drain tile, etc. His store is a large and fine one in the new Odd Fellows' Building, of dimensions 30 x 80 feet. In the large storage- yard is piled the drain tile, the store presenting a well stocked and handsome appearance, such as is hardly to be expected outside the large cities. In addition he has a shop 30 x 30 feet in size, with storage-rooms adjoining of same size. He employs some eight or ten people, under the direction of his efficient foreman, Mr. W. A. Bingham, who has been with him for ten years, and has full charge during Mr. Steves' absence.

Mr. Steves is a strong Republican in poli- tics, but is far too busy a man to seek for or accept office, although an active worker in con- ventions and during campaigns. He was mar- ried January 8, 1879, to Miss Ida S. Warren, a native of California. They have three chil- dren: IIenry Edgar, born November 12, 1879; Charles Emory, born August 5, 1881; and War- ren Carlton, born May 20, 1884.

EORGE D. FISKE, real-estate and in- surance agent, Woodland, was born in Fiskdale, Worcester County, Massachu- setts, July 31, 1827, a son of Henry Fiske, a native of Sturbridge in that county. Fiskdale is now a part of Sturbridge, According to one historian, the origin of the Fiske family in America was as follows:

Two sons of Nicholas Fiske, a knighted phy- sician who emigrated from Stadhongh parish in the county of Suffolk, England, came to the United States and settled in Massachusetts,

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which at that time comprised far more territory than it does now. There is now in the possession of the subject of this sketch the coat-of-arms which was given to Nicholas Fiske in the year 1635, in the time of the reign of Charles, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. Henry Fiske, father of George, was born in Sturbridge in 1795, married Susan Helen Fales at Wrentham, Massachusetts, twenty-two miles from Boston; she was born in that locality. They resided in Massachusetts until 1837, when they removed to Ingham County, Michigan. After a residence of nine years in Ingham County, he died in the town of Leslie, that county, the day before Christmas, 1845. He was the second incumbent of the office of Judge of Probate in that county. After his death, his widow moved with a part of the family back to Massachusetts. Late in life she removed to New Hampshire, where she died, at the resi- dence of her daughter, Mrs. Susan F. Gerould, in 1881, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. She was the mother of seven children, of whom two died in Michigan, one in Califor- nia from an accident, and Francis L. is residing at Ottawa, Illinois. Her eldest son, Henry M. Fiske, of San Francisco, is a member of the State Board of Health. The daughter is the wife af S. A. Geronld, in Keene, New Hampshire, and the remaining son is George D., the subject of this sketch.

The latter ended his school education at the academy in Jackson, Michigan, returned to Mas- sachusetts and became associated with his uncle, Elisha Fales, commission merchant in Boston, who afterward turned the management of the business over to Mr. Fiske.

In 1848 news of the California gold discovery reached Boston, and after preparation he sailed the next spring on the barque Edward Fletcher for California, in company with twenty-eight others. Three of the organized party, however, came overland through Mexico, arriving a month in advance of the others to make ar- rangements for transportation to the mines. The vessel belonged to William Fletcher, and

was built for the Mediterranean trade and to carry missionaries abroad. Leaving Boston March 4, they came around Cape Horn and arrived at Sau Francisco on Sunday, September 7,-180 days from Boston. They had several exciting experiences on the trip, which would be interesting to relate had we space. Four days after their arrival they went to Sacramento on the schooner Jacob M. Ryerson, paying $14 each as passenger fare and $20 per ton for freight. They hired ox teams and took two loads of provisions to Hangtown; but Mr. Fiske and two others were left behind to take charge of 'the freight and secure other ox teamns as they came in from overland, with which to take the freight and other provisions, etc., to the mines. About a week afterward, with four yoke of oxen, they started on their journey, Mr. Fiske ac- companying; but two of the oxen died on the way, the teamster became sick, and finally, after about four days' travel, they reached Hangtown. The company then voted to dissolve, each one to go his own way, finding that as au organized body they could not accomplish anything.

Mr. Fiske went to the mines on the south fork of the American River, engaged in gold- mining at Salem Bar and also kept a little store. In the fall of that year he sold out his store, returned to Sacramento, and in company with a man named Phillips, bought a team and a lot of goods, with which they made another trip to the mines, sold the goods there, and then went to McDowell Hill and bought out the McDowell & Read store and boarding-house. Business was very brisk at that point, the water having been turned from the bed of the river and the gold yield very large. Mr. Phillips, in making a trip to Sacramento for inore goods, died with the cholera, and Mr. Fiske then had to take the road himself while the fearful epidemic was raging. Mr. Fiske, leaving his business in charge of his cousin, William L. Messinger, went East by way of the Isthmus, taking charge of an invalid young man from Rhode Island named Durfee, and sailed for Panama on board the old British barque Enterprise, and was nearly

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three months reaching Panama. From the Isth- mus to New York he sailed on the steamer North America, then the fastest steamship ply- ing between New York and Chagres.

July 26, 1851, Mr. Fiske was married, and on the same day took the train for New York on his way to California, taking also in charge his cousin's wife, Mrs. Messinger and her child. They sailed on the steamship Cherokee for Havana, when they were transferred to the Fal- con for Chagres. The Chagres River being very high they took the stern-wheel steamer Aspin- wall up that river to Gorgona, and by barge to Cruces, then by innle back to Panama, where they took passage on the steamer Northerner, landing at San Francisco September 9.

Mr. Fiske sold ont his store at McDowell Hill the following spring and went into mining operations on a very large scale; but the early rains of October were so heavy as to carry away their flumes and machinery. After the great fire of November 2, 1852, which destroyed Sacramento, Mr. Fiske moved down to that place; and soon the city was inundated, and Mr. Fiske and his wife's brother, George Loring, were engaged in taking goods around to Brighton in lighters, where they could be conveyed to the mines by teams. In the spring, after the water had subsided, Mr. Fiske and Mr. Loring started in the grocery business and continued it until the fall of 1855, when they sold out and removed to Capay Val- ley in Yolo County, and engaged in stock-rais- ing and farming. Mr. Fiske, then wishing to locate where he could educate his children, sold again in 1859 and moved to where Woodland now stands. In 1862 he purchased land adjoin- ing Woodland and the same year was appointed United States Deputy Collector of Internal Revenne for the Fourth District, being connected with the department for eight years. Part of this time and subsequently he was Depnty Sheriff under Charles H. Gray. Since about 1863 he has been engaged in the real-estate and insurance business.

Mr. Fiske married Elizabeth C. Loring, a native of Yarmouth, Maine, by whom he had

two sons: Harry Waterman, born on McDowell Hill in 1852, graduated at the Cooper Medical Institute at San Francisco, and has since prac- ticed his profession in Plumas, Yolo and San Luis Obispo counties, and died at Cambria, in the latter county, July 31, 1887, leaving a widow. The second son, George Damon, was born in Sacramento in 1855, married a daughter of William Hazelton of Kings River, Fresno County, which is his present home; he has a son and a daughter. April 13, 1890, the subject of this sketch was by the hand of death deprived of his companion of nearly forty years.

- ILLIAM A. CIIRISTIE, a farmer near Lakeport, is a native of Callaway Connty, Missouri, born in 1845. His father was a native of Scotland, and his mother of New Jersey. In the fall of 1852 his father with his family moved to Santa Clara County, California, where he engaged in farming for the following four years. In 1856 he came to Lake County. When William A. was twenty-one years old he engaged in farming, in partnership with his brother. In February, 1889, he bought the farm on which he now lives. It is located about three miles south of Lakeport, in Big Valley, and contains twenty-eight and three- fourths acres of choice land, which he devotes to the production of fruit and vegetables. He has a fine two-story residence and a good barn.

He was married in 1872, to Mrs. Catharine Bourne. They have three children: Isabel, Mag- gie and Carrie. Mrs. Christie has one danghter from her first marriage, Mary Ellen Bourne. Mr. Christie is a member of the order of the Iron Hall and of the A. O. U. W.

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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 57

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