USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 36
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This office he held four years, after which he resumed merchandising. In May, 1855, his wife died, leaving five children, one girl and four boys. In June, 1856, he married Miss Julia E. Willey, of Genesee, New York. In the same year he made up his mind to remove to California, where he had a brother, Rev. M. C. Briggs, and in the spring of 1859 he started with his family and a number of the neighbors across the plains with an ox team and quite a herd of cattle. After all the usual hardships of the trip, our subject arrived in Santa Clara county October of that year and bought a farm at Berryessa, and as he knew as much about farming as Greeley did he cal- culated to get rich. While threshing his first crop, in July, 1860, he accidentally fell into the cylinder of the thresher and lost his right leg. Farming did not look very encouraging after that.
In the fall he was elected to represent Santa Clara county in the State Legislature, and at- tended the very important session of 1861, was the author of the Sunday law, which a recent Democratic legislature repealed. In
the spring of 1861 he was appointed Register of the Land Office at Visalia, which position he filled for six years, and a portion of that time was the efficient editor of the Visalia Delta, which was published by his son. After enduring from three to seven spells of chills per season for six years he removed to Gilroy in 1868, and again engaged in mercantle life. He held the position of Postmaster there for sixteen years, until he went out with his party.
In June, in 1887, he came to Pacific Grove, and, finding the climate, associations and con- ditions just suited to his notions of comfort- able life, he concluded to stay right here the few years of life remaining to him. Politi- cally he is a Republican, out and out, and be- longs to I. O. O. F. & A. M., I. O. of G. T., and Knights of Honor.
The children of our subject are as follows: H. M. Briggs, a merchant of Modesto; Walter, lumber merchant of Riverside, Calfornia, but by trade a mechanic; Mary B., the only living daughter, widow of Dr. J. E. Benn, of Gilroy. She served for several years as Postmistress of Gilroy, and in that capacity she proved herself a woman of great executive ability. She is also an accomplished musician.
Judge Briggs is without doubt the- busiest and most prompt business man in Pacific Grove. He is a man of genial manners, is well posted on all matters of public or local importance, and thousands flock to his office every season to confide in him their business affairs and ask the advice which is always fortlicoming. This gentleman resides in a beautiful home, which is a bower of floral beauty.
A son of our subject, the late Rev. Eugene Briggs, had the misfortune to lose his eyes at the age of nine years, but he was well edu- cated in a school for the blind, became a fine
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Inusician and music teacher, and finally en- tered the ministry and preached for ten years, withont intermission, as an evangelist, travel- ing throughout the entire State of California. This wonderful man was a thorough Bible scholar, having read that book through from cover to cover fifteen times, using the raised letters and reading by feeling. He officiated as pastor of a church at Downey, California, and erected a church edifice at that place. His death occurred at Crystal Springs, California, in 1890.
Judge Briggs is now seventy-three years of age. For president he cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison, and expects to cast what will probably be his last vote, for the grandson, Benjamin.
NDREW LACQUER is a native of the Golden State, having been born at Diamond Springs, El Dorado county, December 17, 1853. His father, B. Lacquer, was a pioneer of 1850, and a native of Norway, coming to America in 1836. He located first in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, where he pur- sued his trade of a carpenter. Upon coming to California he went to the mines, and there resided until 1859. He finally located in Sonoma county, where he engaged in farm- ing, and there died in 1890, September 12. He married in Norway, and was the father of five children, of whom three sons and one daughter are living.
Andrew is the third born of this family and spent his youth in Sonoma county, locating on his present home in 1887. Here he has seventy-two and one half acres of ex- cellent land, delightfully located at Hollister.
Mr. Lacquer was married February 9, 1885, to Miss Ida B. Chestnut, a native of Cincin-
nati, Ohio, and daughter of James G. Chest- nut, who came to California, following mining and mineral assaying as a business. Mr. and Mrs. Lacquer have three children: Anna, Merle and Laverne.
Mr. Lacquer is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and K. of P. He and his wife are highly respected through- out the county in which they have their home.
OAH D. HALL was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, September 21, 1851. His father and mother, aged eighty-six and eighty-three years, respectively, are still living at the old home in Wisconsin.
In 1872, at the age of nineteen years, he left his native home and caine direct to San José, California. After remaining there a short time, he came to Hollister, San Benito county, and engaged in ranching. He was on a ranch for about five years, and each sea- son went with a threshing machine, acting as engineer. In 1877, he sold his ranch and started for Oregon, making the journey by team. Not liking the country in Oregon, he returned to Hollister in November of the saine year, and engaged in the express and truck business. After conducting that busi- ness five years he sold out and began work at his trade, that of machinist.
In 1874 Mr. Hall returned to the home of his childhood, and was there married to Miss Emma L. Conrad, by whom he has had four children, one son and three daughters, namely: Edna, Irvie, Mary and Kattie. At this writing (1992) they are aged fifteen, thir- teen, ten and seven years, respectively.
Mr. Hall is now Superintendent of the Hollister Water Company, which position he
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has filled most efficiently for the last three years. He is an active member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Ancient Order of Foresters. He is also a member of the National Association of Engineers. As a pioneer of the county he is well known, and wherever known is highly respected.
OSEPH NORTHROP came to Califor- nia, in 1865, from Washington county, Vermont, town of Cabot. He is, a native of Peacham, near Caledonia, Living- ston county, New York, March 26, 1837.
Upon coming to the coast he first mined at Dutch Flats and at Gold Run, where he re- mained about nine years. He then came to Monterey county and located in the Salinas valley, where he has continuously farmed on the Cooper ranch since that time. Here he has 155 acres of land.
Mr. Northrop's father died in Vermont, in 1868, and all of his eleven children are still living, except three. None of them are on the coast, except our subject. The latter lias a niece and nephew in California, however.
Mr. Northrop is one of Castroville's best citizens, and is a prominent member of Con- fidence Lodge, No. 20, A. F. & A. M. of Castroville.
RS. HENRIETTA SKELTON, State Lecturer and Organizer of California for the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union, is a native of Germany. She was born at Giessen, a daughter of Professor Heddrich, who was President of Heidelburg University. At fifteen years of age she was 19
bereft of her parents and came to America, where she joined an uncle, Professor Karl Buff, a professor of Toronto University, (Canada). In 1869, being then seventeen years of age, she married Mr. Murray Skel- ton, a native of Plymouth, England, who was at that time Superintendent of the Northern railway of Canada. Mr. Skelton died in 1871, and in 1883 she lost her only son, Louis G.
Upon the death of her husband Mrs. Skel- ton threw herself into the temperance work, with which she has since been identified. She established the first German temperance paper in the United States, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1880, which she christened the Bahnbrecher (Roadbreaker) and which she edited for two years and then gave it to the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Mrs. Skelton then went into tlie lecture field, in which line of temperance work she has since labored.
She came to the Pacific coast in 1883, and did the first practical temperance work in southern California, establishing many of the live-working unions in that part of the State. Since that time she has traveled in twenty-eight States and Territories of the Union. She spent two years, 1886 and '87, as Lecturer and President of Idaho, and es- tablished the work there. Later she resumed the work in California, where her field of labor now is.
Mrs. Skelton at the National Convention in Denver, 1892, was elected a member of the National Staff of Lecturers and Organizers, and her field of work greatly extended. . Mrs. Skelton is a lady of great force of character and fine intellectual attainments. She has found time to write several instruc- tive books, and is the author of "The Christ- mas Tree," a character story of home life in
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the Fatherland, with the scenes laid at Gies- sen, her native home. Another one of her productions is, "The Man Trap," a temper- ance story; and the third is entitled, "A Fatal Inheritance." She will soon issue from the press her most recent work, "Grace Morton."
Mrs. Skelton is thoroughly imbued with the subject of her life work, temperance. She is entertaining on the platform, and a lady of great executive ability. Her home is at Pacific Grove and her personal friends, numbered by the thousands, are scattered across the continent.
Mrs. Skelton has one grandson, Erdly, to whose future she is much devoted.
LIHU ANTHONY, one of the first settlers of Santa Cruz, California, was born in Saratoga county, New York, November 30, 1818. His parents were Asa and Sarah (O'Dell) Anthony; the former of Welsh descent, the latter of English. Their family consisted of six children, the subject of this sketch being the second. From the age of five years till he was thirteen he attended the district schools during the winter months. His father was a mechanic, and started the first scythe factory in Sara- toga county. With him Elihn learned the blacksmith trade. In 1831 they moved to Allegany county, New York, and ten years later to Indiana. In the meantime our sub- ject went to Michigan, remaining a few months, after which he joined his father at Fort Wayne. There they worked at their trade till 1841, when Elihu was married and set out for himself. The lady of his choice was Frances Clark.
Soon after their marriage they went to Wolf Lake, thirty miles from Fort Wayne,
where he engaged at work at his trade. About this time he became interested in the salvation of his soul, was con- verted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. One month later he received a license to exhort, and three months after this was licensed to preach, and sent to Warsaw Circuit, North Indiana Conference. After serving as pastor on this charge for one year, he was sent to La Grange Circuit. While there his wife contracted a severe cold, which turned into hasty consumption, and caused her death. They had three children, all of whom died in infancy.
He was married the second time iu Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1845, to Miss Saralı A. Van Anda, and their union has been blessed with the following children: Louisa, wife of Wilbur Huntington; Bascom F., Alman, Gilbert and Frank, all citizens of Santa Cruz except Alınan, who lives in Tulare county, and who is one of the leading horticulturists of that county.
In the fall of 1846 Mr. Anthony, wife and one child went to Oskaloosa, Iowa, on his way to Oregon, as a missionary. He left Oskaloosa May 1, 1847, as a member of a company composed of one hundred wagons and some four hundred men, women and children. They were on their way six months. At Fort Hall they met Mr. Apple- gate and two men who had gone to Oregon on a new route. Mr. Anthony left the coun- pany near the sink of the Humboldt, and, on account of his wife's sickness, came to Cali- fornia, arriving at San José Mission, and two weeks later at San José, where he lived three months. In January, 1848, he came to Santa Cruz and took up an alcalde grant of land, and put up a shop on what is now Front street. Subsequently, he laid out the first town lots in what is now the most beautiful
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city on the coast. While in San José he preached the first Sunday to twelve men and women, and this is said to have been the first protestant sermon ever preached in the State of California. For several years he rode horseback from Santa Cruz to San Francisco and San José every four weeks, doing missionary work. He organized the first society in Santa Cruz with seven members. In 1854 he asked to resign, since which time he has not preached, but he has ever been a faithful attendant upon the services of the church, and has, by his large means, aided the good work, helping to build churches, support the gospel, etc.
Mr. Anthony followed mining a little in 1884, and in his shop he made seven dozen picks, which sold for three ounces of gold each. They were made of iron bolts with the points made of old files. After he came back from the mines he opened a stock of goods with A. A. Hecox, with whom he con- tinued one year. In January, 1848, he laid out the first town lots in Santa Cruz. In 1851 he tore down his old shop and built a better one. It was a story and a half high, and was used for a store, offices and the post office. He was the first Postmaster and received the first mail ever delivered to Santa Cruz in December, 1849, which was two letters and one newspaper from San José. The mail carrier brought them in his pocket, sealed. For thirteen years he was Postmaster, and also kept a store. In 1871 he built a fine block on the old site, In the upper story is Anthony's hall, and the lower story is used for store-rooms. Mr. Anthony owns some very valuable property in Santa Cruz and vicinity, from which he realizes a handsome income in the way of rents, etc. He has al- ways taken an active interest in the county, nd was one of its first Supervisors. He
served one year as County Treasurer, and was the choice of the people for the Assembly in 1880. He has led a very active life, and has identified himself with everything that has been for the proper development of , the county's resources.
·This is, in brief, an outline of the life of one of the pioneers and leading citizens of Santa Cruz, and, although only an ontline, it will serve to show something of his long, success- ful and useful life.
T. DUNCAN .- Mr. Duncan is a native of California and was born at San Francisco, July 6, 1850. His father, Thomas Duncan, was a California pioneer of 1849, who came to the State from Buenos Ayres, South America, via Cape Horn. Thomas was born of English parents, at Buenos Ayres and there inarried a lady of Scotch parentage. Upon coming to Califor- nia they settled in San Francisco. One son, James D. Duncan, came with them. Heis now a butcher of Gonzales. The father, Thomas, died in 1862, but his wife still survives him and resides at San Rafael, this State.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Marin county, Califor- nia, where he learned the butcher trade and followed the same about fifteen years, In 1876 he came to Monterey county and worked for Hon. C. S. Abbott, until the fall of 1888, when he was elected to the office of County Auditor, on the Democratic ticket.
He was re-elected, in 1890, and still holds the position.
Our subject married, in 1878, Miss Julia, a daughter of B. B. Eaton, a carpenter and contractor. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have two children, namely: Charles D. and Emily F.
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Mr. Duncan is an efficient officer, as is evinced by his re-election to office and it also indicates his popularity with his fellow- citizens.
OB WOOD, JR .- If, as is universally conceded, the life and perpetuity of our Government are based on the intelli- gence of our people, when we take into con- sideration our public-school system,-that network of " people's colleges" which rami- fies the length and breadth of this republic, -then can we vision ahead numberless cycles of prosperity for this great land of ours. Monterey county is abreast of any county in California in the number of its facilities for popular instruction, and the curriculum of studies is as practical as it is diverse. This prosperous condition of the public schools is the result of the labors of many, but perhaps no one is more entitled to a generous recog- nition of his services in this usually thank- less field than the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Wood was born in Meigs county, Ohio, July 19, 1856. When a lad his time was occupied in working on the farm or in the gristmill owned by his father. He attended the public schools for about five months in the year, until he was nine years of age. He was diligent in seeking knowledge, and culti- vated every opportunity for study that his occupied energies could lay hold on. In 1865 he removed with his father's family to St. Francois county, Missouri, to a farm near Farmington. Here his time was nearly altogether taken up in the labors of the field till he reached his majority, though he let slip no opportunity to train and replenish his mind with such information as an inter- mittent course of reading could provide. In
1876 · he visited his uncle, Job Wood, in Pleyto, Monterey county, California, where he engaged in farming, attending the public schools whenever he could, and reading stndi- ously. He had by this time mastered the elements of a practical English education, and, in order to thoroughly equip himself for his chosen profession, he attended a course at the Normal of San José, passing with credit his examination for a teacher's certificate in December, 1879. He taught his first school at Pleyto, the next year at Spring school, near Salinas, and afterward served as principal of the East End school, Salinas. Being earnestly urged to return to the Spring school, he did so, remaining there nearly five years. It is no small test of the appreciation in which Mr. Wood is held, that his services were being constantly sought wherever he had taught the youth of the country. In the fall of 1886 we find him back again as principal of the East End school, Salinas.
In 1886 he was elected County Superin- tendent of Public Schools, on the Republican ticket, by a majority of ninety-three votes; and four years later he was re-elected to the same position, this time by a majority of nearly 500 votes. These figures speak louder than any encomiums. His zeal in the cause of education is unmistakable, while his encouragement to teachers, and his tact in superintending them, render his work most efficient. Mr. Wood has a system that is not necessarily an inflexible one, but one that renders mutuality of dependence between teacher and superintendent. He has intro- duced a method of reports which enables himn to locate every child in the county, with age, class and attendance, without occupying more than a minute in so doing. It is as simple as it is original and effectual.
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Mr. Wood is a man of family. He was married September 27, 1883, to Miss Eva- line A. Miller, of Salina, a Canadian by birth, and has one son.
APTAIN ROBERT H. MCILROY, pro- prietor of a hotel at Emmett, San Benito county, California, was born in Harri- son county, Ohio, September 22, 1824. His father, a fariner by occupation, and a pioneer of Harrison county, emigrated from there to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, taking with him his family. The subject of our sketch was the third born in a family of nine chil- dren. He received his education in Pike county, and at nineteen years of age started out to seek his fortune. He was married in 1847 to Miss Mary A. Nelson, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Elisha Nelson, and of her children one son is now living,-Will- iam N. McElroy, of Emmett, California.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. Mellroy went to Wisconsin, and located near Platteville, where he engaged in mining until the fall of 1849. He then came across the plains to California, and engaged in mining on the Yuba river, at Foster's bar and Goodyear's bar, with more than average success. He traded a mining claim for a mule, prospected for a time, and then engaged in merchandis- ing on J street, Sacramento. In September, 1850, he transferred his base of operations to Mormon bar on the American river. In 1851 he returned East and brought his family to California, and upon his arrival here, in 1852, settled on a farm near San José. In 1857 he removed to a ranch near near the Twenty- one-Mile house in Santa Clara county, and there lived until 1863. In 1861 he raised and mustered a company of militia, known in
history as the Burnett Light Horse Guards. He was elected Captain of this company, and served as Captain until February, 1863, but resigned his commission and raised a second company of ninety-five mounted men, mus- tered into the United States service as Com- pany E, of the First California Cavalry, and served as Captain of said company until March, 1866, in Arizona and New Mexico, under General Carleton.
Returning home in 1866, Captain MeIlroy was appointed United States Revenue Col- lector, and also Deputy United States Mar- shal, and also Under Sheriff of Santa Clara county, by Sheriff Adams, and served until March 4, 1870. He held the position of Marshal for two years, and that of Revenne Collector for four years. He then came to San Benito county, and located 368 acres of land on Tres Pinos creek, since known as Elk Horn station, on a public thoroughfare. Here he keeps a comfortable hotel, and has served as Postmaster of Emmett for four successive terms. He has also held the office of Justice of the Peace eight terms, and is a notary public. As a soldier his record is a brilliant one, and as a citizen he is held in high esteem by all who know him.
ILLIAM D. TUTTLE, of Watson- ville, California, was born in Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1821, and is the oldest son of Hiram and Annie (Dille) Tuttle, natives of Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively. When Will- iam was two months old his parents moved to Ohio, where he was educated in the district schools, such as they were, and brought up to work on a frontier farm, grubbing, making rails, chopping, etc. At the age of eighteen
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he went to Iowa with his father. When he was twenty-one years old, he left home and settled on a claim near Ottumwa. On this he remained until 1857, when he went to Johnson county, Kansas, and bought 160 acres of land. There he farmed till 1875. That year he came to California and located in Watsonville, where he has since remained. He has a neat home in the town, and a fine little fruit ranch adjoining, and here he is spending the evening of his life, surrounded with the comforts and luxuries that this sunny clime affords. He has been a farmer all his life, and for fifty-eight years has never missed plowing and sowing some ground. Though now well advanced in years, he still does not feel right if he cannot plow a small patch of ground and plant out something which he can watch grow.
Mr. Tuttle was married November 9, 1848, to Sarah A. Rouse, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of David and Eliza (Mansan) Rouse. Following are their children: Mil- ton, a butcher of Watsonville; Elizabeth A .; Mary F., wife of C. A. Cook; and Flora B., deceased. The mother died November 28, 1888, aged fifty-nine years. Mr. Tuttle is a highly respected citizen, and an intelligent supporter of the Prohibition party. He has never paid a dollar for any intoxicant as a beverage.
ILLIAM BARDIN, deceased, the old- est son of the late James Bardin, was born in Tippah county, Mississippi, January 31, 1843. In 1856 he came to California with his father, when only thirteen years of age.
William grew up on his father's farm, and was known as a young man of nnusnal at- tainments in business matters. He was at
his father's side in all his enterprises, and early took an interest in local politics. By nature social and genial he made a large number of friends, who greatly monrn his loss; epecially was he mourned by the early settlers, who took such a pride in his bright- ness and business instincts. Mr. Bardin was strictly a moral man in his habits and disposition and became a successful farmer.
March 29, 1871, he married Mrs. Mary A. Collins Stone, widow of Thomas H. C. Stone, and daughter of General Benjamin Collins, a pioneer of Arkansas, and a native of Geore gia. Mrs. Bardin was born in Tippah county, June 16, 1848.
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