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 73

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 73

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In 1857 Mr. Munis was married to Mrs. Elmira Gale, a native of Ohio, and by this marriage there was one son, George, who is now in the United States Land Office at Sacramento. 29

By the present marriage there is one daughter, Mollie, who is the wife of F. E. Lambert, of Sacramento, and the mother of two children.

IRAM P. MERRITT, of Merritt Station, Yolo County, the most extensive breeder of live-stock in Northern California, is a representative of the best type of the American business man. Like most men who have achieved distinction in their respective callings, he started in life without capital save a fine physical organization and an active and well- poised brain. A pioneer of 1850, he came here a young man, and after passing through more than the nsnal vicissitudes and reverses of those early days, he has by industry, economy and shrewd judgment long stood in the front ranks of Yolo County's wealthy, influential citizens.

Dr. Merritt was born Jannary 24, 1830, in Fairhaven, Rutland County, Vermont. His

father, Noble Merritt, was a lumberman. His mother's name before marriage was Elizabetlı Bates. He was three years of age when his parents moved to Allegany County, New York, by way of Lake Champlain and Erie Canal. In their new home his father engaged in the lum- ber business, as that portion of the State of New York was then a dense forest; and here young Hiram assisted his father to the extent of his ability, thus forming the habits of in- dustry which he still retains, although of late years his heavy work has been more of the in- tellectual kind. As the prospects in Western New York for business with the commercial world were not satisfactory to his ambition, he started for the West. in company with his uncle, Sydney Merritt, as far as Detroit, and alone to Indiana. On starting, his cash capital was only $15, and arriving at South Bend, In- diana, he found his capital reduced to $2.50. Here he first secured employment in a drug store, which place he retained for six years, re- ceiving as compensation only his necessary

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expenses, with the privilege of studying medi- cine. By diligence and economy, and occasional practice at dentistry, he became able to attend medical leetures and graduate at the State Med- ical College of Indiana, in the spring of 1849. Returning to South Bend, he followed his chosen profession, in partnership with his old preceptor. His father sent him $100 at the beginning of his practice for the purchase of a horse to use in attending calls. He gave $25 of this to an aunt to keep for him, with the in- tention of coming to California, which he did the next year-1850. He joined an Indiana party, comprising the Wall Brothers (now of Denver), Dan W. Earl, of San Francisco, and others. At Council Bluffs he utilized his med- ical knowledge in a small-pox epidemic, vaccin- ating the multitudes as he sat upon the wagon- seat. He also had many oceasions to exercise his medieal skill while crossing the plains.

The party arrived in Sacramento in August. The first business in which Dr. Merritt engaged after arriving here was that of running a meat- market, at Bridgeport, on the South Yuba, and financially he was successful. In three months he sold out, went to the North Fork of the Cosumnes River, in Placer County, intending to follow the practice of medicine; and while residing there he became famous as a hunter. On one occasion, while out hunting deer, he was shot at by an Indian, the ball striking the rock on which he was sitting and throwing the splinters into his face. At another time he was engaged with a party of miners in a skirmish against Indians who had stolen their horses and mules, and in this engagement about thirty Indians were killed.

But, as the settlers were few and there was but little sickness among them, and as the Doc- tor had no taste for mining, he would have re- turned East could he have collected money enough, and continued his medieal studies in Philadelphia. As it has turned ont, however, it is probably the best for him that he remained in this State. On the first day of January, 1851, he passed through Yolo County the first

time, being at the time engaged in transporting merchandise by mule pack-train between Sac- ramento, Scott's River, Yreka and other points north, a distance of 400 miles; and although his eapital was small, he made money. Going next to Carson Valley, with some $2,000, he did a prosperous business buying cattle, horses and mules of emigrants on their way to Cali- fornia and selling them to settlers in the Sacra- mento Valley. After thus accumulating con- siderable money he entered farming pursuits on an extensive scale in Yolo County; but the first effort was a failure. Yet he took courage and began to retrieve his fortune by returning to Carson City and resuming his old trade with the emigrants. He did not undertake to wait in idleness for his grain to grow, as most others did, but improved his time in trading. He ad- hered to his agricultural pursuits until about three years ago, when he rented all his agri- cultural lands in Yolo County, since which time he has been occupied looking after his ex- tensive stock-breeding farms and other interests. Thns he has been busily employed every season since he first came to the State, except that of 1856, when he made a visit to the East; but even this time he utilized the opportunity by bringing with him a herd of horses, which he disposed of profitably after his arrival here. Although he early abandoned his medical pro- fession, his knowledge of hygiene and medicine has doubtless been of great benefit to him through this long period. He has made some inoney, of course, by the natural rise in the value of his lande, and has become by far the most extensive stock-raiser and innle-breeder in Central California, having grazing grounds in several other parts of the State besides Yolo County. and also in Nevada. In Yolo County alone he has over 4,500 acres of good land; the exact number of acres cannot be told without a study of the public records, and is the largest land-owner in the county. He has 2,500 acres of the finest land where he resides, at Merritt Station, which point is named after him. It is on the line of the railroad between Woodlan

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and Davisville, whence as much grain is shipped as from any other point on the road. The Doctor has 14,000 acres in Trinity and Mendo- cino counties, devoted to grazing and breeding mules and cattle. On an extensive tract in Nevada he has 30,000 sheep or more. He is one of the original owners in the great Seventy- six Canal in Fresno and Tulare counties, which serves to irrigate immense tracts of land. It is one of the most gigantic enterprises of the kind in California. The Doctor's example has ever shown that he is a firm believer, not in luck, but in untiring industry. He has been President of the Bank of Yolo ever since its organization. He has made two trips to the Eastern States, and in 1878 he made a trip across the Atlantic, visiting Great Britain and various points on the continent of Europe; was in Paris during the great exposition of that year. He is so firm a believer in the capacities of the soil and climate of Central and Northern California that he really maintains that an in- dustrious man can not only make a living off of ten acres of ground here, but actually lay up money. In view of this fact he holds that the price of land here is absurdly low.

The Doctor was married May 26, 1868, to Miss Jeannette E. Hebron, and has two sons and two daughters. The sons, Alanson A. and George N., are both with their father, and by both inheritance and training they are exemplary young men, having been brought up to appre- ate the utility of industry.

EAN ARBIOS, a farmer and vineyardist nr Pleasanton, was born July 4, 1832, in Eysns, Basses-Pyrenees, France, where he was reared and educated, and brought up on a farın. His parents were Joseph and Jeanne Maria (Laroudé) Arbios, natives also of France. The father died in 1865 and the mother in 1885. Mr. Arbios came to America in 1864, landing in New York, and soon afterward came by way of Panama to this State, and was employed at farm

labor for a time near San Francisco; next he was at the Almaden quicksilver mines for a year as a butcher; then he was engaged in mining until 1867 at Boise Mines, Idaho; then he was em- ployed in conducting a dairy for five years in Marin County, this State; in 1872 he went to Suñol, and finally he located upon his present place, a mile and a half south of Pleasanton, on a farm of thirty-three acres, eight acres of which is in vineyard. He also owns 160 acres of pasture land eight miles southeast of Sunol. He was married in France, February 18, 1857. to Miss Genevieve Lalanne, a native of Lurbe, Basses-Pyrenees, France. Three of their chil- dren: Joseph, Mary J. and John P. were born in France; and the other three, Edward, Theresa and Harry, were born here in California. Mr. Arbios became a naturalized citizen in 1881, at San Francisco.

ENRY M. CASSILIS, an extensive and prominent farmer near Black's, in Yolo County, was born October, 1827, in Edin- burg, Scotland, and was but six weeks old when his parents emigrated with him to New Bruns- wick, North America. Their names were John O. and Mary (McPherson) Cassilis, and they were both natives of Edinburg. They died in St. John, New Brunswick, the father in 1852 and the mother in 1855. Of their fourteen children, only two are now living. In 1847 Mr. Cassilis, the subject of this sketch, settled in Rushville, Illinois, engaging in the cooper trade. In 1850 he came with ox teams to Cali- fornia, stopping first in Nevada, where he pros- pected for about three months; in 1852-'54 he was in Sacramento, employed at his trade, and in the meantime he took up a piece of land in Yolo County, near where he is now a resident and occupied it until 1887. At that time his wife's father died, leaving her 120 acres, and they moved upon it. It is a very beautiful home. Altogether they own 422 acres of very fine land, near Black's.

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Mr. Cassilis was married October 4, 1855, in the house where he now lives, to Miss Sarah E. Barnes, the daughter of one of the old farm- ers of this State, Silas P. Barnes, so well known among the old settlers. Her mother, whose maiden name was Olive A. Chapman, was born in Maine. Mr. Barnes, a native of New Hampshire, had the faculty of making money. At the age of eighteen years he went to Massa- chusetts and was engaged on the wharf selling coal, wood and hay; in 1851 he came across the plains to California, stopping in Salt Lake City two years and settling upon this place, now oc- cupied by Mr. Cassilis, just mentioned. He died April 11, 1888. Mrs. Barnes died in Sacra- mento, in April, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Cassilis have had eight children: Mary O., born July 9, 1856, now the wife of George W. Bailey; Maria P., born September 28, 1857, married Walter S. Taylor and has since deceased; Silas O., born April 28, 1859, and married Miss Emma Dill; Laura J., born Angust 3, 1863, the wife of Elmer Robinson; Annie, born August 18, 1866; Agnes, born August 18, 1866, now the wife of William Honx; Henry M., born February 22, 1869; and William W., February 11, 1871.

L. ELLIOTT, manager of a lumber yard at Winters as agent of F. B. Chandler, is one 0 of the well-known men of Winters, born May 22, 1864, in Linn County, Oregon. At the age of three years he was bronghit by his parents to California. His father, J. M., was born in Kentucky July 1, 1820, and came to this State in 1849; finding the cholera raging here lie proceeded immediately to Oregon, where he re- mained until 1867; then he came to Solano County, where he was engaged in stock-raising and farming to the time of his death, October 30, 1883. Mr. Elliott's mother, whose maiden name was Celia Paul, was born in Missouri, November 9, 1826, and died in Vacaville, Sep- tember 17, 1880, leaving four sons and four daughters. The subject of this notice, next to

the youngest of the family, made his home at Vacaville until he completed his school days, and served four years as Wells & Fargo's ex- press messenger, and then he located upon his present place, April 1, 1889. His wife, whose maiden name was Hattie E. Dafoe, was born December 6, 1867, in Canada, and they were married in Winters, October 2, 1889. They have one son, Charles Arno, born July 27, 1890. Mr. Elliott is a member of Vacaville Lodge, No. 83, I. O. O. F., and of Damocles Lodge. No. 33, K. of P.

D. MORIN, dealer in tin and hardware at Woodland, is the son of John and Julia (Brandmore) Morin, natives of Canada. His father was a cooper by trade, for a time held the office of inspector of potash, and died when C. D. was a small boy, in Montreal, Canada; and the mother died in Brockville, Upper Canada. Mr. Morin was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1832, and at the age of seventeen years he began to learn the trade of tinner in Brockville, Canada, with John Lafayette. In 1852 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was employed nine months, and then he came overland to California, stopping, however, at North Platte and Fort Laramie, where he was engaged for a time in trading with the Indians. He came that far with a band of sheep owned by Z. Rochon: He arrived in Sacramento in 1853 and followed mining one summer season at Salmon Falls on the American River; next he followed his trade a year at Sacramento; then mined again one year at Indian Diggings; re- turning to Sacramento again, he remained there until 1858, when he went to Fraser River, dur- ing the first flush of excitement from that quar- ter, and for a short time was employed there by a man named Bragg. He spent a month in the mines, and returned to Sacramento, stopped there four months, and then for eight months he worked for M. Winchell at Cacheville, Yolo County, in the tin business, and he then bought

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him ont. After conducting the business there for seven years he moved to Woodland, where he has succeeded well in business, and being one of the prominent citizens of the place. He has a nice residence on Court street. He is a mem- ber of Woodland Lodge, No. 22, A. O. U. W.

Mr. Morin married Miss Minnie B. Schindler, a daughter of David Schindler, born in Wiscon- sin, and they have three children: Mattie M., aged twenty two years, and Minnie M., aged twenty years. Mattie is a music teacher, and Minnie is a dressmaker.

ILLIAM H. WELCH, Superintendent of the County Hospital of Yolo County, is a son of Robert and Jane (Craw- ford) Welch, natives of Kentucky. His father, a farmer by occupation, raised the first barley on the plains of Yolo County and died in 1854, at the age of fifty-four years, within three miles of Woodland. His mother died about 1871, at the age of sixty-eight years, in Yolo County. The subject of this sketch was born in Tennessee, December 11, 1833; in 1854 he came to Cali- fornia across the plains, stopping first in this county, within three miles of Woodland, where for some time he followed farming and ran a trading store at Buckeye for four years, and also a store in Woodland two years. For an exception, it can be said of him that he never struck a pick in the mines. He was elected to position in February, 1888, and is well known as an industrious man who deserves all he re- ceives and even more. He is well liked at the hospital and by the people generally. The average number of iumates at this institution is abont twenty-five; and among them there is at present a lady, named Ellen Smith, who is aged 103 years, being born in Dublin, Ireland; and she is remarkably active. The hospital stands on forty acres of well improved land, where Mr. Welch raises somne fine hogs, as well as fruit and other farm produce.

He was married in Tennessee, to Susan Pink-

ley, a native of Macon County, that State, who died in 1861, in Yolo County, leaving three children: Mattie, now the wife of A. G. Reed, and living in Woodland; W. F., a resident of Woodland, and R. L., a resident of Colusa, this State.

RED CRAIG, a prosperous farmer resid- ing on his fine farm five miles southeast of Davisville, was born in the State of New York; his parents having died when he was quite young he went to Ohio, where he made his home with an uncle, Mr. Craig, a farmer of that State Here he received a limited educa- tion in the common schools. In 1852 he started for California, taking passage on a steam boat at Wheeling, Virginia, and traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. From there he took a vessel for Havana . to inspect a steamer from New York to Chagres. The voy - age was tedious and uneventful. Having crossed the Isthmus of Panama, he was obliged to wait fifteen days for a vessel to San Fran- cisco. He finally secured a passage on a sail vessel, which proved to be unseaworthy and scantily provisioned. After a few weeks of stormy weather, which drove the ship out of her course, they landed at San Blas for provisions. From here they again started for San Francisco and again encountered severe stornis, which drove them to the Sandwich Islands, where they landed for a fresh supply of provisions. They finally landed in San Francisco, in September, 142 days from the date of leaving . Panama. Mr. Craig worked for a short time near San Francisco, then went to Nevada City, California, and engaged in mining for two years and a half. From Nevada City he went to Coloma and worked in the mines of that camp about the same length of time. In April, 1857, he came to Yolo County, and worked as a farm laborer for three years. In 1860 he commenced farming on his own account, on rented land; and in 1862 bought the farm where he now lives. His

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home farm contains 160 acres and he also owns 160 acres in Solano County, adjoining the home place. He devotes his attention entirely to grain and stock-raising.

He was married April 2, 1868 to Miss Juliett A. Royce, a daughter of Alphens Waldo and Jane (Olmstead) Royce. Mr. Royce was a native of Connecticut, and his wife a native of Vermont. Mrs. Craig has one brother who re- sides in San Diego, California.

G. FINCHI, farmer of Solano County, is the son of John and Mehetabel (Brown)

o Finch. His father, born in the State of New York in 1766, was a blacksmith by trade and in the war of 1812 did the shoeing of horses for many regiments; he died in Hamilton County, Indiana, at the age of eighty- one years; his mother was born also in New York State, in 1777, died in Hamilton County, Indiana, some years previously. Mr. Finch, our subject, was born in Wayne County, In- diana, in 1819, and resided in Hamilton County, Indiana, until the Mexican war, when he took the position of clerk of a quartermaster's office, and was employed by the Government until 1849, when he came here through the Straits of Magellan, in the steamer Panama, commanded by Admiral D. D. Porter, U. S. N., to Cali- fornia, being 107 days on the trip. He first employed himself in this State in mining on the north fork of the American River; and then en- gaged in mining aboat three months at Big Bar; and then he went to Benicia, where he was again emplayed as a clerk in the quarter- master's office, and then in a similar position in San Francisco. During the civil war, he spent a year and a half in St. Louis, Missouri, and after this he traveled over the United States a great deal in the employ of the Government. He settled in Solano County in 1871, within five miles of Winters, Yolo County; and here he now has 182 acres of well improved land,

devoted mostly to fruit. He rents the land and lives at Winters.

For his wife he married Miss Mary A. Cose- bolt, who was afterward killed by a railroad car while crossing the track at Suisun City, Febru- ary 10, 1888. Mr. Finch has one son, named Fabius T., aged fourteen years, attending school at San Francisco.

ACKSON BROWN, a farmer of Yolo County, was born in Otsego County, New York, August 8, 1828. His parents, Amos and Eliza (Tubbs) Brown, were natives of the same county. His father died in New York, after which his mother moved to Minne- sota, where she died at an advanced age. Jackson Brown came to California in 1854 via the Nicaragua ronte and landed in San Fran- cisco May 4. From there he came directly to Yolo County, where he engaged in farming; he owns 480 acres of land, all under cultivation. He devotes his attention exclusively to grain and stock raising.

He was married, April 12, 1852, to Miss Anna Eliza Hubbard, a native of Otsego County, New York. She came to California in 1856, having remained in New York the first two years that her husband was in Cali- fornia. She died in 1858, leaving two children, a son and a daughter. Robert S., the eldest, is married and lives on his father's farin, with whom his father makes his home. Anna Eliza, the daughter, was married to Edward Broad. They reside in Sacramento.

LI SNIDER, proprietor of Putah Nursery and a fruit-raiser, Yolo County, is a native of Ohio, born in Springfield, Clark County, March 1, 1853. He received his edu- cation in the public schools of his native place. At the age of seventeen years he engaged as an apprentice in one of the excellent machine shops

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of Ohio, where he served three years, thoroughly learning the machinist's trade. In the fall of 1875 he came to Yolo County, California, where he worked for five years, most of the time either as engineer for steam thresher or steam pump. In 1880 he engaged in farming, on rented land, giving a portion of the crop in payment for rent; he continued farming on rented land for four years. In 1885 he bought the farm ou which he now resides. He has ten acres of nursery stock, which consists of all kinds of fruit and ornamental trees and vines. On his fruit farm he has seventy acres planted to apricots, prunes, peaches and pears, twenty acres of which are bearing.

He was married, November 17, 1880, to Miss Minnie Montgomery, a daughter of Alexander and Susan (Martin) Montgomery. Her father was a native of Kentucky and her mother of Virginia; they crossed the plains to California in 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Snider have one child, a son, Alexander, aged eight years. Mr. Snider is a member of Yolo Lodge, No. 169, I. O. O. F., and Athens Lodge, No. 228, F. & A. M., both located in Davisville. He is also a mem- ber of Pythias Lodge, No. 43, Knights of Pythias, located in Woodland. He has a fine two-story house on his farm, is energetic and thorough in all he undertakes, and therefore is deservedly prosperous.

HEODORE PLEISCH. - Among the prominent business inen of Anderson are none more worthy of mention than the gentleman whose name heads this biograph- ical sketch. His parents, Theodore and Jo- sephine (Angler) Pleisch, were natives of Switzerland and emigrated to America in 1850, loeating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He also is a native of Switzerland, dating his birth Octo- ber 7, 1849, and during his parents' residence in Milwaukee he had the benefit of the public schools. The family moved in 1859 to the State of Indiana, where the mother died. In 1860

the father recruited a company for the war, and received a commission as Captain in the army, commanding Company A, Sixtieth Indiana In- fantry, in which capacity he served actively until 1863. While in action before Vicksburg he received a wound which incapacitated him for service, and he was discharged in 1864, but never fully recovered from his injury, and died in 1867.

Our subject has also an army record. He was enlisted in 1861 as a drummer boy in the Sixtieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and war engaged in many battles, serving until 1865, when he was discharged. During his term of office the family had moved to Phiadelphia. When dismissed from the service he also went to that city and engaged as clerk to E. Stipina & Co., wholesale liquor dealers, leaving their employ in 1868, when he camne, via Panama, to San Francisco. Here he remained until the spring of 1869, then went to Sacramento and became engaged in handling stock in the in- terest of George Leet for two years, and fol- lowed the same business two years for Clarke & Cox. In 1872 he commenced stock-raising on his own account, in Lassen County, and was successful in that enterprise until the winter of 1876, when he lost most of his stock by se- vere weather and want of food. In the spring he sold what remained of his stock, and took charge of fourteen miles of road owned by A. M. Jackson, and known as the Montgomery Creek & Burney toll road, running over the mountain districts of Shasta County. Mr. Pleisch managed this enterprise until 1881, when he purchased ranch property, but sold out the same year and came to Anderson, where he engaged in the real estate business, buying and selling town property the first year. His next enterprise was the building of a large livery and sale stable, and he has since conducted the livery business, having also connected with his stables a large corral for loose stock, and ac- commodation for teams hauling to and from the mining districts. He is the owner of resi- denee property in Anderson and farm lands

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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 73

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