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 87

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 87

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John G. was born in Pennsylvania in 1823, and was a small boy when his parents settled in Ohio. In 1849 he came overland to California, with an ox team, and spent the most of two

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years in the mines. In the fall of 1849 he built a cabin on the banks of the Sacramento River, about four miles east of Shasta, and win- tered therein. In the spring he went to Trinity and Scott River valleys, and remained there until fall. Returning to Illinois he remained there until the spring of 1852, when he came again to California, with ox teams, and stopped at Hangtown, then at Sacramento, and then at Putah Creek, and finally on Cache Creek, where he now lives, in the garden spot of California, devoting his attention principally to agricultural pursuits. He has 160 acres of as fine land as can be found in the county; wheat and barley are his specialties.

For his wife he married Susan Crowder, who was born in 1821, in Tennessee, and they have two sons: James W., who is now farming in Tehama County; and John G., Jr., who resides at the old homestead. He was born in Pike County, Illinois, in 1849, and was brought to this State by his parents in 1852.

OHN ALLMAN, the pioneer stage owner of the Pacific coast, has been a resident of California since 1850. He was born on shipboard in the harbor of Queenstown, and his parents, who were abont sailing for America, were Thomas and Elizabeth (Doughty) Allman, natives of Bandon, Ireland. Arriving in Bos- ton, his father immediately took ont his papers as a citizen of the United States, and was soon after appointed, through American friends he had made while a young man attending the Corn Exchange in London, to a position in the appraiser's department of the custom house in Boston. The son was educated in the public schools of their adopted city, and at the age of fourteen years he accompanied his father on a trip to New Orleans, where he was engaged in buying sugar and molasses for the Boston mar- ket. He there decided to strike out for himself, and shipped on a boat running up the Arkan -

sas River, and later for a trip to Cincinnati and return.

On the discovery of gold in California in 1849, he determined to come to this State, and shipped as a boy on the Caroline C. Dow for home. After visiting his family, he and an older brother were to come to California, but the brother weakened at the last moment, and John got the benefit of his ticket, arriving in San Francisco, via Panama, on the first trip made by the steamship Tennessee, in 1850. He went immediately to the mines, and panned dirt in almost every digging in the Sierras, seeking for the place where gold could be shoveled up clear. During some three years of varied ex- perience at Horse-Shoe Bar, Grass Valley, Mur- derer's Bar, Rough and Ready, and Nevada City, he accumulated about $4,500 and the rheumatism, and succeeded in getting rid of both at abont the same time! His money being exhausted he made another attempt in the mines, building a wing dam on the American River. This brought on a relapse, which sat- isfied him with mining, and he decided to re- main in San Francisco. In those early days that city was filled with men for whom employ- ment was scarce, and having given up the search for gold as arduous and uncertain in its results, they were returning to their homes in the East.

For several years Mr. Allman engaged in any employment that required well developed muscle, a clear understanding and a cheerful, buoyant spirit, and these qualities especially fitted him for the position, which he afterward took as passenger agent for one of the steamship lines then competing for the travel back to the States. His unassuming but strict attention to business soon attracted, the attention of Commodore Gar- rison, who gave him a position of trust as well as profit in connection with his lines. This connection continued until 1857, when the commodore returned to New York, where he established what became the largest steamship business in the world up to that time. Mr. Allman returned home in 1855 and was married by the Rev. Bishop Eastburn, to Miss Mary

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Jean Dodson, a daughter of John W. and Henrietta Dodson, natives of the north of Ire- land, but who had long resided in Boston. She was a Sunday-school companion and a friend of his early youth, whose memory and the hope of making her his wife had been the guiding star of his existence and the inspiration of his labors and efforts in California.

He brought his wife to California and opened a hotel, which he conducted for some time. In 1859 he went to Healdsburg and engaged in the livery business. Horace F. Page, likewise engaged, began to run in opposition by letting rigs at starvation prices; but the very next year Mr. Allinan sold him out by sheriff's sale, and Page then left the place; and was after_ ward Congressman from El Dorado County. Mr. Allman established stage routes on the Russian River, and also from Healdsburg to Napa City. Two years later he ex- tended his lines to Sacramento, covering about 160 miles, being then only twenty-seven years of age. At the same time he was carrying on livery stables at the White Sulphur Springs, at Healdsburg and at Napa, and in order to main- tain a supervision over all he drove one side of the road himself, three times a week, thus keep- ing an eye on each stable every day. In addi- tion he was agent for the Sacramento stages, and did all the business for the others himself. During this time he had opposition on nearly all his lines, but finally by superior manage- ment he succeeded overcoming the opposition and forcing the Sacramento lines to be sold ont by the sheriff. During this fight the fare was at one time as low as one dollar from Napa to Sacramento, out of which he paid two tolls on the road. The very first year (1859) he sold out his opponent, Jonas MeKensey, by sheriff's sale; and on the very day of the battle of Bull Run, at one o'clock in the afternoon, the latter stole up behind Mr. Allman and shot him twice, and both bullets Mr. Allman carries in his body to-day! Up to that time of his life he had never carried a weapon. Two years after the above event the men met again on a steam boat

at Benicia bound for San Francisco, and on ar- rival at the wharf in that city McKensey com- menced firing at Mr. Allman, one shot passing through the hand of officer Spooner, who was standing near. McKensey was struck twice. Mr. Allman was tried in Judge Campbell's po- lice court and at once acquitted.

In 1860 he went to Virginia City, and lo- cated ground on C street, where the Metropoli- tan livery stable was afterward built, and adjoining Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express office of a later date, on which he built an ordinary stage barn, and paid $900 for three tons of common grass hay. He formed a partnership with Major Ormsby, who had been previously en- gaged in the stage business, to stock the road from Virginia City to Placerville. He had at that time one eleven-passenger stage coach, which he had taken apart and packed on mules a distance of seventy-five miles over the Sierra Nevada Mountains through the snow. He re- turned to California to purchase 150 head of horses and more coaches, and had bought a small part of his outfit when the news came by pony express that Major Ormsby had been killed in the Piute Indian war of Nevada.

Not having sufficient money to carry on this enterprise alone, Mr. Allman was obliged to dispose of this property to the best advantage. On the breaking up of the California Stage Company's business in 1866, he purchased six- teen eleven-passenger coaches, which, with swing-poles and harnesses for as many six-horse teams, he shipped to Sacramento, where he had the coaches painted, and advertised that he would buy 200 head of horses, which he did in two days. He had learned from parties coming from Montana that on account of the Missouri River being frozen, staple goods could be intro- duced into the territory only from California. But Montana was filled with robbers and high- waymen, making it dangerons to transport either goods or treasure, the Portneuf Cañon robbery having occurred about this time, in which six men had been killed and $200,000 captured. These parties were ontfitting with

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cattle from Los Angeles, to carry their goods to Helena, Montana, and Mr. Allinan bought the same class of goods and took the chance of beat- ing them into Montana by means of his fine horses, notwithstanding that they had ten days the start. His stock consisted of about 175 cases of Hayward long-legged gum boots, two tons heavy California clothing, 2,500 pounds long-handled shovels, one ton prospect pans, 1,000 pounds pick handles, and three tons of black gunpowder tea. He paid six dollars, six and one-fourth cents per pair for the boots, and sold them at an average of $24.50 per pair, and everything else in about the same proportion, having beaten the ox teams by over two weeks, and finding the territory empty of goods.

Before leaving for Montana he advertised to take passengers with 50 pounds of luggage for $150 each, including board, and shrewdly secured enough, with the drivers, to guard the train. Judge Burson, afterward nominated for Chief Justice of Montana, was one of his pas- sengers, with 500 pounds of law books, and paid $600 for his passage, with the privilege of riding with Mr. Allman in his division buggy. He made Salt Lake from Sacramento in twenty-nine traveling days, scouring Utah in advance of the train from one end to the other, buying hay and grain, and making arrangements for the camp at night; and he never found one person in the Territory who could figure up in the morning what was due him for hay. They recruited but two days at Salt Lake, after traveling 700 miles, all the men and horses being in good health and condition.

Starting on the next stage of the journey, 720 miles, to Helena, all went well until they crossed the Bear River, and reached the east Mormon set- tlement. Ile there bought a stack of about eight tons of hay for $40. This Mormon de- manded his pony at night, contrary to the usual custom. During the night the horses became perfectly wild, and in the morning when hitched up they would not pull a pound; and there was not a Mormon to be found in the settle- ment. The hay was "crazy grass." Ten of

the horses could not be moved, and were traded off for hay. The others recovered slowly, and the whole train was delayed for four days. Meanwhile they reached the crossing of the last range of the Rocky Mountains, with abont nine miles of soft snow ahead before entering the Territory of Montana. They cooked Chili beans and pork enough for all hands, packing them in gunny-sacks, and allowing five days for the trip across the snow. It took them nine days, on some of which they did not make a quarter of a mile, the snow being so deep and the men and horses nearly exhausted. Two of the men and several horses succumbed to the hardships of the passage. Every passenger, even Chief Justice Burson, was pressed into the service of driving these six-horse teams, and Mr. Allinan paid a man living in the neighborhood, who had a sled and a yoke of steers, $150 to help him through the last quarter of a mile. Had he not been a man of herculean strength and iron nerve he could never have accomplished it. When every other man lay down at night ex- hausted he would carry goods in his arms ahead of the wagon and pile them up for the coaches when they reached them the next day. They had to feed the horses ou flour and snow water, while the men lived on beans, which were frozen solid in the sacks, and had to be cut off in chunks with axes.

At one time he found there was a conspiracy among some of the passengers to take the horses and push through, leaving the coaches and goods in the snow. This was nipped in the bud by knocking the ringleader on the head with his revolver and disarming him; this prompt action bringing enough of the other passengers to his support to overawe the conspirators and crush out the attempt.

Ile sold out his whole outfit at Helena, with a clear profit of about $48,000 on the venture, but with no means of getting hither himself or such a quantity of gold dust out of the Ter- ritory. After the Missonri River opened be was able to reach St. Joseph, Missouri, by boat, and carried his dust and securities with

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him. The Vigilance Committee at Helena had vouched to him for two others who had a large amount of gold, and to the others for him. Each of these gentlemen took his regular watch over the dust. At St. Joe they took the train, and on the afternoon of July 4, 1866, they arrived at the Continental Hotel in Phila- delphia, where a large and intensely excited crowd blocked up the street to watch these gentlemen carry their sacks of gold-dust into the hotel. Mr. Allinan then went to Washington, and secured from Postmaster General Randall a contract for carrying the mails from Hellgate, otherwise known as Missoula Mills, Montana, to Wallula, Washington Territory, the head of navigation on the Columbia River. This route covered a distance of 600 miles, passing through Flathead Agency on Kansas Prairie, Vermilion Creek, to Pendoreille Lake, where they ferried the mails across the lake from Pendoreille City to Cabinet Landing, crossing Snake River three times, and so through Walla Walla to Wallula.

For a number of years after this Mr. Allman was a very prominent mail contractor, opening up new routes to many parts of the great northwest, and furnishing mail facilities to miners, stockmen and settlers in sections of the country which had never before had the benefit of postal or any other reliable means of com- munication with the outside world. He has invariably secured his mail contracts by personal efforts at headquarters in Washington, return- ing to the coast to see that they were properly executed. For the past thirty years he has owned and operated stage routes more or less continuously, and meeting the most celebrated men of the period from all parts of the world, who have at one time or other traveled on the Pacific coast. Besides this he has al- ways been a large operator in mines and real estate.

In 1880 he obtained the Government mail contracts from Dayton, Nevada, by way of Nea- son Valley to Belleville, ninety miles, and from Virginia City, same State, to Bodie, California, 125 miles, and also from Aurora to Independence,

California, 150 miles, and stocked all of them. The National Stage Company were running from Carson City, Nevada, to Bodie, and also to Belleville, and the two lines were therefore in competition. They commenced cutting fare. Mr. Allman, however, made but one cut, and that was from $17 to $7. when hay was worth $60 a ton and barley four cents a pound. The opposition company soon came to Mr. Allman and purchased 400 miles of his service, coaches, horses and harness.

In 1884 J. L. Sanderson & Co. extended their service over Mr. Allman's roads on the north coast by misrepresentation at Washington. Mr. Allman warned them, but in vain. Never- theless, he stocked every road they had where there was good travel, and in less than two years he had them sold out. They were attached by their creditors and left the State, $30,000 in debt, to their drivers, hostlers, etc.

There are three children in his family: Jobn Henry, a graduate of the Golden Gate Academy, Oakland, and now superintendent of a large milling plant in Washington; Emma Jean, a graduate of Mills Seminary, and now the wife of Major Tompkins, of Oakland; and George Dodson, also a graduate of the Golden Gate Academy, and a merchant of Washington.

ILLIAM JACKSON, Treasurer of Shasta County, California, is a native Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, born September 22, 1835. Ile is of Scotch ancestry. His great-grandfather, George Jack- son, with his son Joseph (Mr. Jackson's grand- father), came to America before the Revolution and both fought under General Washington at Valley Forge. They owned lands in Huntingdon County, on which they resided and reared their families and on which they spent the remainder of their lives. The property is still retained by the Jackson family. It was there, in 1798, that David Jackson (William's father) was born, and he, too, lived on that place all his

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life. He wedded Miss Jane Bell, a native of his own county, and to them were born four children. The subject of this sketch was the second child. He was reared at the ancestral home, attended the public schools of Hunting- don, and assisted his father on the farm. IIe subsequently learned the carpenter's trade and worked at it at intervals until 1876.

Mr. Jackson dates his arrival at San Fran- cisco June 6, 1856. He followed river-mining on the Feather and American rivers, and met with fair success. In the fall of 1858 he came to Shasta County. He has mined and been in- terested in mining ever since that time. Some of his mining interests are now in operation. Mr. Jackson purchased a farm near Anderson, which he cultivated two years and which he sold in December, 1873. At that time he re- moved to Monterey County and engaged in farming, continuing that occupation four years. While thus engaged he was accidentally shot and lost his left arm. A hunter mistook him for a deer. In 1877 the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County,-then a Democratic board, -- appointed him Tax Collector of the county. In 1879 he returned to Shasta County. From 1880 until 1883 he was employed in the Clerk's office. In the latter year he was elected County Treasurer and has since held that office, having been re-elected four times. Iu 1890 he was again the nominee of the Republican party for the same office.

ILLIAM J. CANNEDY, a prominent and prosperous farmer near Winters, Yolo County, was born in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, February 6, 1828, a son of James and Charlotta (Ogilvie) Cannedy, natives also of that State. At the age of twelve years he went to sea from Boston, and continned thereon until 1850, when he settled in New Orleans. In 1855 he came by water to Cali- fornia, and the first six or eight months in this State he was employed upon a ranch near Stock-

ton. He made his home then in Sacramento until the fall of 1859, when he purchased 160 acres of land in Yolo County, and engaged in husbandry there until 1873, when he bought 800 acres of land from B. Smith. In 1875 he was burned out, and since then has increased his possessions to 1,440 acres; he owns 150 acres near Winters, and 2,500 acres in Putah Cañon, and is very extensively engaged in stock- raising. He also owns eleven houses and fifty-one lots besides the "Chinatown" of Winters.

He was married in New Orleans in 1853, to Miss Ellen Claughescy, a native of Ireland, and they have three adopted children: Mary, Char- lotta and William A.

TEPHEN CHARD was born in Santa Clara County, California, April 2, 1854. His father, William G. Chard, was a native of New York, and came to this State in 1844. He stopped for some time in Santa Clara County, where he married Miss Maria Robles (Mary Oaks), a native of California. Their union was blessed with two dangliters and two sons. Mr. Chard came to Tehama County, with three or four other persons, and each selected five leagues of land (28,800 acres), which the Mexican government conferred on them by grant. Mr. Chard's tract - a magnifi- cent and fertile one-was called the Flores Rancho, on account of the abundance of beauti- ful flowers which covered it in rich profusion. On an eminence, overlooking his broad acres, Mr. Chard built a comfortable adobe home, one story and a half high, the walls being three feet thick at the base. Here he lived and reared his family, and here he was extensively engaged in the stock business. Large herds of sheep, cattle and horses roamed at will over the rich pastures in the vicinity of their residence. On this ranch he planted the first orchard in the county. The site of their home was, in part, selected at this place for the purpose of being

Il & Logan Phite M.

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near Mr. H. Thomes, a pioneer who had built on the south bank of Elder Creek. Just oppo- site the creek was the boundary line of their vast estate. The early pioneers were very friendly in their relations with each other, and by many a good neighbor was prized more than money or land. Mr. Chard thought so little of land at that time, and so much of neighbors, that he gave the fine farm now known as the Rawson ranch to Mr. Beldon on the condition that he make it his home. From this we get a glimpse of his generous and social nature. He was a strong Democrat, a prominent factor in the early history of Tehama County; and one of its most worthy and reliable citizens. His death occurred in 1880.

His son Stephen, the subject of this sketch; inherited 2,800 acres of the home ranch, inelud- ing the house and buildings, and here he is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has some fine specimens of stock,-Berkshire and Poland-China hogs, Shorthorn and Holstein cattle, and bothi dratt and road horses. Mr. Chard has had large experience in this business, having been connected with it ever since he was large enough to sit in the saddle. It has been said that he became one of the most fear- less horsemen: no mustang was so wild that he could not ride it. In this way his life has been spent, and this sort of life-a mnost fascinating one to the young-interfered with his educa- tional opportunities, although lis education was not entirely neglected, for he was sent to the public schools at Benicia.

Mr. Chard, the prominent young rancher, stockman and horseman, was not unsusceptible to the charmns of the fair ladies of Red Bluff, and he wooed and married Miss Emma Town- send, a daughter of the Golden West, born in Shasta County. Her father, Abraham Town- send, was a native of Ohio and a pioneer of Shasta County. Mr. and Mrs. Chard have four children, born in Red Bluff, namely: Maria E., Louise, Stephen T. and Gaire. Mr. Chard has built a beautiful residence in Red Bluff, where he resides with his family. His home is sur- 35

rounded with a velvety lawn, dotted over with choice shrubbery, anl forms a striking contrast to the old adobe house on the ranch.

Mr. Chard's political views are Democratic. He is a prominent and influential min, and is esteemed as one of Tehim County's best citizens.

ILBURN HILL LOGAN, Ph. G., M. D .- Although still but a young man, Dr. Logan has by his energy and abil- ity already risen to a very high rank in that most laborious and taxing profession, the mid- ical. He has had a busy life and a successful one, and the only wonder to the writer is, how he has managed to accomplish all he has during his years.

Dr. Logan was born in the little village of Richview, Washington County, Illinois, Angust 5, 1855, and is the son of J. I. and Unity J. (Livesay) Logan. His father is now living at St. Helena, Napa County, in this State, where he is carrying on an extensive furniture busi- ness. On another page will be found a full de- scription of his most interesting life. The family removed first to Centralia, Illinois, where his father first entered the business in which he is at present engaged. Here yonng Logan at- tended common schools until he was nine years of age, when he came with his parents across the plains to California, spending six months on the journey and visiting Salt Lake City and all points of interest, finally reaching this State in August, 1864. After remaining a short time at Santa Clara, the family removed to Oakland and there Milburn attended school for two terms. Here his father met with severe financial reverses, being robbed of nearly all he possessed, and after remaining a year they went to Napa County, locating at St. Helena, and taking a small farm on the outskirts of the town, known later as Logan's Addition to St. Helena. Here Milburn attended grammar and private schools until 1871, spending his vaca-

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tions and times of leisure in working for his father at carpentry, building, etc., together with his brother. In 1873 and 1874 he took private instructions from Dr. C. W. Hughes, row de- ceased, in physics, hygiene and physiology; and from J. 1'. Dinsmore, M. D., now also deceased, in the principles and practice of homeopathy. In 1875 he entered the University of California, College of Chemistry, class of 1879. After two years' attendance there, during a vacation, he temporarily lost his eye-sight by the prema- ture explosion of a large can of blasting pow- der. This necessitated his ceasing study for nearly two years, and largely determined his future course. After so long an absence from his class, and also wishing to begin life in earnest and be independent, he abandoned the idea of completing at that time his course at the University, and entered the California Medical College at Oakland, his university career giving him an advantage of six months' time. In 1881 he graduated with the highest honors at the head of a large class, there meeting the estimable lady who afterward be- came his wife. After a few weeks' rest at home, he began practice in San Francisco, re-entered the University and took the gold medal at grad- uation in the department of pharmacy, thus completing his University course. Shortly afterward he was elected Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Toxicology in the Medical Col- lege. Two years later, in 1883, on the resigna- tion of Professor S. P. Mead, A. B., he was promoted to the Chair of Chemistry and Toxi- cology, which he still holds.

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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 87

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