USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 39
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their part, but was a signally successful stroke of enterprise, and helped to gain thein the fame they achieved in connection with the sheep interest. They have sent sheep from their flocks on orders from Panama, from the Sandwich Islands, from Nevada, and other remote points. All of their sheep are either full blood or high grades.
Dr. Flint, besides his main business inter- ests, is connected in various ways with a mul- tiplicity of financial and other institutions. His interests in the old Los Angeles County Bank (now the Bank of America) are repre- sented in the directorate through Bixby, Llewellyn & Jotham; he is a director in the Grangers' Business Association, of San Fran- cisco; a director since organization in the Bank of Hollister; and in its allied savings bank department; president and director of the Grangers' Union, at Hollister, director of the Somerset railroad, in Maine. He has also served as director in several mining companies with which he has been identified. Frater- nally, he is one of the most prominent Masons in the State of California. He is Past Master of Texas Lodge, No. 46, F. & A. M., San Juan; is High Priest and Past High Priest of Hollister Chapter, No. 68, R. A. M .; Past Commander of Watsonville Commandery, No. 22, Knights Templar; member of Islam Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, San Francisco; member of San Francisco Council, No. 2, R. & S. M .; member of the High Priesthood; and is Grand Captain of the Host of the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; in the order of the Eastern Star, he is Past Grand Patron. He also belongs to Hollister Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. In political life, Dr. Flint has been prominently identified with the Republican party since its organization in the State, and has taken an active part in the councils of the party. He
served old Monterey county as a member of the Board of Supervisors, and San Benito county in the same capacity after the division. In 1876. he was elected to the State Senate, and in that body represented for four years the counties of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz. He is now a member of the State Central Committee of the Republican party, and has previously served a number of years thereon, and has been chairman of the Central Committee of this Congressional Dis- trict. As a delegate from the State of Cali- fornia to the National Republican Convention he helped to nominate Blaine at Chicago, in 1884.
Dr. Flint was married at Woodstock, Ver- mont, on May 20, 1857, to Miss Mary A. Mitchell, a native of Woodstock, and daugh- ter of Joshua and Mehitable (Gilmore) Mitch- ell, both parents being of old families of New England. The Mitchells were largely a sea- faring family, and her grandfather, a ship's captain, was lost at sea. The Gilmores are an old New Hampshire family, which furn- ished a number of members who took an ac- tive part in important periods of the Nation's history. A brief extract from the family genealogy is appropriate in this connection: Joshua Mitchell and Mehitable Gilmore were married April 30, 1818; she was the daughter of Thomas Gilmore and Tabitha Wilkins, granddaughter of Captain Daniel Wilkins, and great-granddaughter of Rev. Daniel Wil- kins, the first minister of Amherst, New Hampshire, who was baptized May 18, 1710, and died February 11, 1784. Thomas Gil- more died in the service of his country at Burlington, Vermont, in 1814. Mehitabla Gilmore was a cousin of Gen. John A. Dix. Captain Daniel Wilkins married Tabitha Weston; he died in December, 1819; he was First Lieutenant in Captain Crosby's com-
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pany on Bunker Hill, and Captain of a com- pany composed largely of Amherst (New Hampshire) men, in Col. Bedel's regiment, which was surrendered to the British and In- dians at the "Cedars," in May, 1776; he died of disease shortly after his exchange. Tabitha Weston was of the third generation from Jolin Weston (mentioned in the Weston genealogy); she was born in 1631, and married April 18, 1653. The records of Salem witchcraft con- tain the following: " Daniel Wilkins be- witched to death May 16, 1692, at the age of seventeen." He was probably the uncle of Rev. Daniel Wilkins.
Mrs. Flint is a woman of superior intellec -. tual qualities. She is recognized as one of the highest authorities in this country of the Order of the Eastern Star, in which she has attained the greatest prominence. She is Past Grand Matron of the order for the State, and served two years in that executive office, an unusual occurence, and is the only one on whom that honor has been conferred. She is now Past Most Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star for the United States, having reached the highest attainable position in her great work for its welfare:
Mr. and Mrs. Flint have three children living, viz: Thomas, Jr., a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Sarah, wife of George Otis Mitchell; and Richard H., who, at this writing, is attending the School of Technology; Boston.
In concluding this sketch of Dr. Flint, a brief mention of his personality is necessary. Though his life has been from boyhood an active one, and though his interests have been so vast and so far reaching for so many years, requiring an almost inestimable amount of thought and attention, he is in manner one of the most quiet and unassuming of men, a quality, however, generally to be found in
connection with real strength and stability of character. In all respects, Dr. Flint stands to-day, as he has for many years, one of the foremost citizens of California.
MOCONNELL SHEARER is a man of versatile talents, having devoted the greater portion of his time to school teaching, dabbled in literature, and is now following the more prosaic, and probably more profitable, pursuit of real-estate and grain brokerage. He is a native of Leesville, Carroll county, Ohio, where he was born De- cember 26, 1836.
In 1847, after having atttended the public schools, he was sent to New Hagerstown Academy until about 1855, when he taught his first school in Goshen, Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and subsequently taught at Lockport, Tabor, Ohio and Pleasant Lake, Indiana. In September, 1860, he came to California and engaged in teaching in the Springfield district, also at San Juan, Monterey, Gilroy, Mayfield and Salinas. He was elected School Su- perintendent of Monterey county, in ' 1871 and again in 1879. Mr. Shearer has also filled the positions of School Trustee and Superin- tendent of Schools of Salinas. He was Deputy Tax Collector of Monterey county, in 1874. In 1875 he was editor for the Salinas city Index and for several years correspond- ent to the San José Mercury, and also served in the same capacity for many years for the San Francisco Bulletin and other journals of note. Almost continuously since 1873 he has followed the business of grain broker and is very successful.
July 1, 1862, Mr. Shearer married Miss Climena Cammilla French, of Milpitas, Cali- fornia. She was a lady of rare intellectual
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attainments and a native of St. Joseph county, Michigan. Her death occurred December 18, 1874, at the age of forty years. Of her three children, two are now living, namely: Edward French and Grace V. Mr. Shearer again married, December 31, 1876, Miss Mar- tha Young, a danghter of William Young, of Hancock county, West Virginia, of which State Mrs. Shearer is also a native. She is a lady who combines domestic qualities with mental attainments. Before marriage she was one of Monterey county's most success- ful teachers. She possesses great executive ability. Three children were born to this union, two of whom are still living, namely; Laura L. and W. S. McConnell.
Mr. Shearer is a man of great energy and quick perceptions. He is social in his na- ture, temperate in his habits and is esteemed throughont the Salinas valley and Monterey county for his many excellent qualities of head and heart. The family resides in the city of Salinas, in an attractive home, beauti- fully located in the central part of the resi- dence portion of the city. In addition to this home, Mr. Shearer is the owner of some valuable property in Pacific Grove.
ON ESTEVAN DE LA TORRE, one of the respected citizens of San Miguel Cañon, Monterey county, was born June 29, 1818, in the city of Monterey. His father, Joaquin de la Torre, was a native of Castile, Spain. Through his marriage to Doña Ascencion Espinosa, the only daughter of Don Salvador and Doña Lugarda (Castro) Espinosa, he came into possession of 1,300 acres of the famous Espinosa rancho. This 1,300-acre tract has been subdivided and dis- posed of, with the exception of 869 acres,
which he still occupies as a home. It is de- lightfully located about four miles and a half east of Salinas, on the Watsonville pike.
Don de la Torre has five surviving children, whose names are as follows: Juliana, now Mrs. Pablo Hartnell; Manuela, now Mrs. F. R. Rico, of Monterey; Ysabel, now Mrs. R. J. Castro, of Gonzales; Julio T. de la Torre; and Lncia, now Mrs. C. M. Fisher, of San Mateo county.
Julio de la Torre was born in Monterey, December 21, 1860. He married, February 3, 1883, Miss Annie Hartnell, daughter of John E. Hartnell, and they have three chil- dren.
AMES MADISON JONES was born in Anderson county, Tennessee, May 27, 1840. He remained at home with his parents until he reached his majority, and at that time, the war of the Rebellion breaking ont, he tendered his services to the Con- federate Government. He served under Generals Bragg, Hood and J. E. Johnston, and in the cavalry divisions of Generals Ashley, Wheeler and Morgan, being in the Department of the Cumberland for four years. He was engaged in every battle and skirmish which took place in his department, but was never wounded; and, although lie fonght for a canse that was lost, it was one that he be- lieved to be right, and one in which, by his bravery, he won distinction.
Mr. Jones left his native home in the fall of 1867 and caine direct to california. Landing in San Francisco, he remained in that city a short time, and then went to San José, soon after going to Santa Barbara. A few months later he came to Hollister and engaged in farming, which he continned for a number of
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years, also dealing in hay. At present date he has for sale 8,000 tons. He subsequently gave up farming, and has since devoted his energies exclusively to the hay business. He has two of the largest warehouses in the county, and his business is one of the most extensive of its kind on the coast. He is one of the pioneers of San Benito county and has been one of the important factors in develop- ing its interests. In politics he is Democratic, and is always found identified with the best elements of his party.
Mr. Jones was married in Hardin Valley, East Tennessee, in 1873, to Miss Martha Steele, by whom he had three children, one son and twin daughters, one of the daughters dying in infancy. Mrs. Jones died in 1877. In 1880, Mr. Jones married for his second wife Miss M. E. White, by whom he has a son and two daughters.
USTAV BROWN was born in Bavaria, Germany, February 17, 1836. He left his native home in 1843 and came to the United States, landing on American soil at Baltimore. He went to school until he was thirteen years old, when he hired out to learn the trade of a shoemaker. At that trade he worked three years and six months. In June, 1852, he enlisted in the light artillery at Fort McHenry, but was discharged on account of his age. Then he went back to work at his trade and continued at it until January, 1853, at which time he set out for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he enlisted in the First Dragoons, Company K. They were sent out on the frontiers, and he continued in the ser- vice eight years, all this time being spent in California, New Mexico and Arizona. He was discharged on account of disability, hav-
ing been shot and wounded by an Indian on the Mojave desert in 1862.
After being discharged, Mr. Brown went to San Francisco, thence to Sacramento, and from there to Los Angeles. At the latter place he was employed by Governor Downey to superintend his large ranch, remaining there one year. Next we find him at Santa Clara county, where he acted as Deputy Sheriff of the county one year, and private officer for the Almaden Mining Company under Super- intendent Arnot. After that he took up his abode in the Santa Cruz hills and engaged in the fruit business. That was in 1865, and he remained there until 1883, when he sold out and came to Hollister, San Benito county. Since locating here he has given his atten- tion to ranching, and in this occupation has met with the usual success which has crowned the efforts of his thrifty countrymen. He has, indeed, one of the finest homes in the neighborhood, and is surrounded with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries af- forded in this sunny clime.
Mr. Brown was married August 23, 1864, to Miss Lydia Morse, by whom he has eight children, three sons ånd tive daughters, namely: James F., Charles E., Robert A., Annie M., Matilda J., Mary Alice, Cora and Minnie. One of the danghters is the wife of Mr. John Griffith, and has one son. A fact remarkable and worthy of note is, that in raising this large family Mr. Brown has never expended $25 for a doctor's bill, all having enjoyed the best of health.
BEL SOBERANES was born in Mon- terey city, California, June 2, 1859, and remained in his native city until he was ten years of age. At that time he
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moved to the old Soledad ranch, formerly be- longing to the mission, and which became the property of his father, Francisco Soberanes. His education was obtained in the schools of Monterey county.
Mr. Soberanes is one of the prominent ranchers of Monterey county. He has 4,612 acres of choice land, forty of which are de- voted to fruit, his other products being grain and stock. His place can boast of some of the oldest fruit trees in this section of the country, they having been brought from the gardens of the Soledad mission some thirty- five years ago.
LLEN FORSTER was born in Detroit, Michigan, December 25, 1835. When he was an infant he had the misfortune to lose his father. His mother lived to an advanced age, dying when she was seventy- six. For eight years she had the entire care of her young family, and a most heroic woman did she prove herself, for to rear a family in a new country was no small under- taking.
Mr. Forster was married, November 22, 1860, to Miss Matilda J. Nance, near Chico, Butte county, California. Mrs. Forster was born in New Albany, Indiana, May 17, 1842, and departed this life December 17, 1889. Her ancestors were a long-lived and sturdy race, distinguished for their high moral worth. Her father lived to be eighty-five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Forster became the parents of four daughters and two sons, all of whom are living: Anna Belle, born August 25, 1861, in Butte county, California, is now the wife of Francis A. Abbott, son of Hon. C. S. Abbott, and has two children -- Charles Eldon and Chester Forster, the former a
native of Arizona and the latter of Saliuas, California; Charles, the eldest son, was born in Butte county, California, May 13, 1863; Hattie Mary, at the same place, June 8, 1867; Grace Geneva, April 9, 1870; Benjamin Franklin, March 21, 1874; and Jessie Allene, April 25, 1872; the last three being natives of Salinas.
Mr. Forster came to California in 1858. He lived for ten years in Butte county, and from there moved to Monterey county, where he has since resided. He has been and is now engaged in farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of the latter, raising fine horses and cattle. In these operations he has met with eminent success. He also owns a large body of land in San Luis Obispo county. In public affairs, especially educa- tional matters, he has been interested, having held the office of School Trustee for more than twenty years. He and his wife were both noted for their genial hospitality.
Such is a brief sketch of one of the worthy and highly respected citizens of Monterey county.
L. MEEK is a pioneer of California. Fle came to the State in 1850, and mined from that date until 1859. He then joined the United States Army, and during the war of the Rebellion did pro- vost duty in Calfornia until 1865. At the expiration of that time he engaged in mer- chandising at Antioch, Contra Costa county, and later farmed in Colnsa county. He came to Monterey county in 1874, and en- gaged in agricultural pursuits on the Salinas river bottoms and in San Miguel cañon. In 1887 he turned his attention to the hotel business at Santa Rita, where he still remains. He is widely known as a man of strict integ-
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rity and of genial manner, and during his long residence on this coast has made many friends.
He was married, March 6, 1866, to Miss Lottie Leech, of Ione, Amador county, Cali- fornia. She is a native of Canada and came to this State with her parents when she was quite young. They have a son and daughter, Thomas and Etta. The latter is now Mrs. Dr. Long, of King City.
S TEPHEN F. WATSON was born in Scott county, Virginia, March 22, 1834. His father, Jacob Watson, was one of two sons (the second being Henry) who came to California, across the plains with ox teams, in 1849, their route being via Chimney Rock and Independence Rock and the Carson river through Nevada. Jacob Weston and his wife, nee Phœbe Baldwin, were of Virginia birth. . Of their fifteen children four were born in California. Arrived in this State, he first located near Sacramento, but soon moved to Mormon island. He pursued mining operations until about 1851, and came to Monterey county-now San Benito-in 1854, locating near Hollister and engaging in stock- raising. He died in 1871. His wife is still living.
The subject of this sketcli was therefore reared as a miner and stock-raiser. In 1866 he located at Tres Pinos in San Benito county, where he has since lived, engaged in farming. He is a successful business man and one of the leading men of this locality. At one time he owned abont 1,000 acres of fine farul- ing lands, a portion of which he has sold. He still owns 500 acres, located one mile from Tres Pinos station.
Mr. Watson was married in Watsonville,
Santa Cruz county, in 1865, to Miss Bridget Conner.
In connection with his family history, it should be further stated that Jacob, Charles and James Watson, his brothers, reside in the southeastern part of San Benito county. Other members of the family live in various parts of the northern portion of California.
B ENITO A. SOBERANES was born on the Laurelas ranch in Monterey county, California, March 21, 1853, son of Fran- cisco and Isabel (Baronda) Soberanes. In this county he was reared, receiving his education in the public schools of Monterey and Watsonville, and all his life has been devoted to farming and stock-raising. His present home, where he has resided for the past ten years, is a part of the old Paraje del Sanchez rancho.
May 25, 1881, he was united in marriage with Miss Ada Smith of Salinas, daughter of Don Miguel Smith, who has been a resident of Monterey county since 1849. He was married here in 1851, and is the father of a large family, most of his children being mar- ried and living in different parts of the State. Don Miguel Smith is well and favorably known from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Since leaving college he has spent the most of his life in literary and scientific pursuits. He has been a student simply because he loved knowledge. Of late years he has given much of his time and energy to the study of law; and, though not an active practitioner, in legal knowledge he is considered a peer of the legal lights of California. Study seems to be a part of his nature, and we dare say he will die with a book in his hand! His wife is a daughter of the well-known W. E.
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P. Hartnell, deceased, and a granddaughter of the late Don José de la Guerra of Santa Barbara.
Mr. Soberanes has two children.
HOMAS BRALEE, EsQ., a venerable pioneer of Monterey, is a unique figure in its history, as will be seen from the following narration of facts:
He was born in the city of Worcester, England, February 17, 1821, and in early life learned the trade of a bricklayer, but later on became a carpenter and builder. At one time he worked for a rope spinner and became proficient in that business.
At the age of abont twenty-one he adopted the hazardous life of a sailor and as such came to America,landing at Quebec from what sailors term a lumber droger, that is, a ship, in the lumber trade; she was a brig of 350 tons, called the Harvey of North Shields, on the Newcastle river; his master's name was Captain Cunningham. There he left the brig and traveled through New York State and city and on to Baltimore in Maryland, getting only one job of work, which was to build a two-story brick house on a farm in the north part of the State of New York. He found it very hard to get employment at his business, as work was scarce, and he a stranger, and there were plenty of mechanics out of employ- ment. But he will always say this for the American people, that they treated him royally and God bless them for it! for he needed their help, having run away from his ship between two days, and of course just as he stood. His funds running out there was nothing left for him to do but ship in the Navy, which he did at Baltimore, August 7,1843,and was sent with others on board the United States brig Pio-
neer, then lying at Baltimore as a receiving ship for recruits; some time afterward he and about thirty others were sent on to New York and put on board the United States battle ship, North Carolina, a 120-gun ship lying in New York harbor as a gnard ship. Some short time afterward, our sub- ject with others was drafted as the crew of the United States frigate Savannah, a sixty- four-gun ship just built and fitting out at the Brooklyn navy yard. (By the way, the hull now lies at Mare island navy yard.) She was condemned sonie three or four years ago as unseaworthy, and, as he says, "I guess that's about my fix!" He continnes,"Well, God speed all travelers! for I expect to be on the road pretty soon, as I find it's getting toward the end of the cruise. Like King Solomon of old, 'my glory has departed!" He left Brooklyn navy yard in November, 1843, in the frigate Savannah, under command of Post Captain Fitzue, who was a thorough seaman and the heart yarn of a mainstay.
We were bound for the Pacific station as flag ship of the Pacific squadron, there to be com- manded by Commodore Dallas, who went to the Pacific coast overland to take the place of Commodore Clackson, who had died on that station; and after a while Commodore Dallas also died, and we buried him in Callao in Peru, who two years later was taken up and taken home, to be interred with his friends.
Post Captain Armstrong, who was on this coast with the United States frigate, United States, then took command, of the squadron until the arrival of Commodore Sloat, who came on board the Savannahand relieved Post Captain Armstrong of his command, and raised his flag on board the frigate Savannah, which he commanded until the close of the Mexican war, or until the arrival - on this
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coast of Commodore Shubrick, in the Col- umbus line-of-battleship, of the East India station. Commodore Shubrick, being the sen- ior officer of Commodore Sloat, he relieved him and took command of the Pacific Squad- ron: Commodore Sloat then went home.
Captain Mervin was captain of the Sa- vannah under Commodore Sloat and had command of the party that came on shore and hoisted the American flag, and took pos- session of this country, in the name of the United States of America, and our subject is one of the party that first hoisted the stars and stripes to the breeze on the Pacific coast, which act has added a golden empire to our beloved country. Long may it wave!
Our subject is now in his seventy-second year, and the only survivor of that band around here, though there are a few scattered around the State; but most of the boys have "passed in their checks" and gone to that country from whose bourne no traveler has returned. Well, as to the landing of the forces and hoisting of the flag, it is customary, when taking possession of a country, for the invading party to hanl down the flag of the country they are taking; but the Mexicans euchered them on that point by secreting their flag. So they were delayed for a while until a boat could go to the ship and get a Mexican flag to run up and hanl down, and then ran up the stars and stripes. After taking possession of the country they brought three forty-two-pounder cannon from the ship and mounted them on the spot, where was afterward built a fort. They first made a block house one and a half stories high, which is yet standing and all that is left of the fort. The upper or half story was the quarters for the officers and men, divided by partitions; the lower story was pierced on three sides for the cannonades, on the other side was built
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