USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 46
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Mr. Selleck married in Santa Cruz county, California, in 1867, Miss Christina Rudolf, a native of Denmark. Five children, now liv- ing, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Selleck, namely, Ennice, David, Katie, Oliver F. and Emma L. Mr. Selleck is a substantial citizen, and is universally esteemed by all.
APTAIN W. P. NICHOLS .- Few men have more extended acquaintance, or are more widely and generally known than Captain W. P. Nichols, the subject of this brief sketch.
Prior to his final location in California he followed a seafaring life, and as an officer of a merchant ship visited the seaports of the State twice: the first voyage to the coast he made in 1852, when he was second officer of the ship Franconia, from Boston. In 1867 or 1868 he again visited the coast, as master of the ship Nevada, also engaged in the merchant service; and his third and last voy- age was in 1869, when he landed in Monterey.
Soon after his arrival he was tendered a
position as Deputy County Clerk, by the County Clerk, W. M. R. Parker, which of- fice he held for two years. He then served under Sheriff Andrew Wasson, as Deputy Sheriff and under Sheriff Smith, also. He then entered the County Clerk's office, again, as Deputy County Clerk, under Clerk Dexter, and still holds the same position under T. J. Riordan, Esq. He also served as Treasurer of Salinas city for eight years.
The Captain has been married twice, the first time in 1863, in Boston, to Miss Eliz- abeth, a sister of Judge W. M. Parker, of Salinas. She died in 1871, leaving two chil- dren, Harry P. and John Lewis. In 1875 Captain Nichols married Mrs. J. M. Furman, and by this union he has four children, namely: Mary A., Julian P., Lena E. and Gertrude T.
IRAM COREY, one of the successful farmers and stock-growers of Monterey county, was born in the town of Stan- bridge, Canada, March 7, 1831, and has been a resident of California since 1852.
Mr. Corey was the fourth of a family of nine children, born to Reuben and Malinda (Reynolds) Corey, both natives of New York. Mr. Corey, our subject, was reared on a farm in Canada, and was twenty years of age when he left his native home and came west. He spent one year in the mines of Nevada, when, with an older brother, Noah, he engaged in the lumbering business in Marion county, California. Later he took up dairy farming in the same county, continuing that occupa- tion until 1861. Their next venture was in the mines of the Owens river country, where they erected a quartz mill for a New York mining corporation. Upon the completion
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of this job they returned to their dairy in Cal- ifornia and remained until 1872.
In 1872 Mr. Corey came to Monterey county and leased the Bueno Vista rancho of 7,725 acres of land and operated it until 1883, as a stock ranch, and in that year he purchased it. This ranch, under the able management of Mr. Corey, was known as one of the best dairy ranches in California. He operated it upon a large scale, keeping from 450 to 500 cows. In 1889 he sold the prop- erty, but soon repurchased 1,630 acres, lying on the Salinas river, a lovely tract of moor lands, for a home, and here he has made one of the finest and most comfortable rural homes in the entire State. Its snr- roundings are picturesque and the residence grand in its architectural proportions, sub- stantial in construction and elegant in ar- rangement, both within and withont.
Mr. Corey has always been a financier and now owns some of the best-blooded horses in the State. These horses are of important stock. The breeding stables are built on a broad scale, elegantly finished throughout, with the latest improvements.
Mr. Corey married, in 1856, Miss Rosanna Frost, a native of Essex, Vermont: she and her husband have one danghter, who is now Mrs. Bradley V. Sargent, Jr., of Salinas. Mr. Corey is a self-made man in every sense of the word, a typical farmer and has carved his way to a position among California's most successful business men, by his inherent in- dustry, thrift aud perseverance.
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EORGE J. JARVIS, of San Felipe, is one of the energetic and prosperous farmers of San Benito county. He is a native of England, and was born in London
July 16, 1847. Two brothers had preceded him to this country, and upon the death of his parents when he was quite small, he fol- lowed them to the new country, joining them in Herkimer county, New York, in 1855. During his residence in that county he ac- quired a thorough knowledge of the dairy business.
In 1869 Mr. Jarvis came to California and located in Solano connty, and there remained until he located upon his present place, in 1872. Here he owns eighty acres of rich, dark loam soil, in the extreme north of San Benito county, at San Felipe, between Hol- lister and Gilroy, where he operates a dairy - of about thirty-five cows.
Mr. Jarvis married, in San Felipe, Mrs. McLeod, an estimable widow, a native of Prince Edward Island, and she has borne her husband six children, namely: Grace, Bea- trice, George, Alice, Austin and Russell. By a former marriage Mrs. Jarvis had three children, namely: Emma, a teacher in the public schools; Janie and William.
Mr. Jarvis and his good wife occupy an enviable position in the society of San Felipe, and Mr. Jarvis is well known for his energy, thrift and integrity.
ATRICK CULLEN, a prosperous farmer and respected citizen of the Paicines valley, San Benito county, California, is a native of the Emerald Isle. He was born in 1824, and at the age of seventeen he came to America. He worked in Albany, New York, and afterward in Orleans, county, that State. From there he went to Springfield, Illinois, later to Missouri, and in 1854 came as a Government teamster to California. He brought with him 400 head of cavalry horses
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from Missouri, and delivered them at Benicia and Fort Tejon.
Arriving in California, Mr. Cullom turned his attention to mining, and was engaged in that business until 1860. That year he be- gan stock-raising in San Benito county. In 1882 he located on his present place, 480 acres of tilled land, lying in the Paicines valley.
Mr. Cullen is a man of family. He mar- ried Miss B. McAndrew, and has two chil- dren, Hattie and John.
F. FINCH, one of the leading citi- zens of Erie, California, came to the State in 1864, from Michigan, Ber- rien county, six miles from St. Joe, where his father, Isaac, had been a pioneer. The mother of our subject, Miss Miranda Shippy, was a native of New York State, as was her husband. After 1840 Mr. and Mrs. Finch located in Michigan, where Mr. Finch en- gaged in farming until his demise. His widow married again, and her second husband was D. D. Wilder, of Santa Cruz, where he had the largest estates in that county. The death of the father of our subject occurred in Michigan, in 1858, and he left four children, all sons, of which our subject is the second.
Upon coming to California, our subject, who was then but ten years of age, having been born February 10, 1854, in Berrien county, located in Marion county and followed dairying until he came to Santa Cruz, in 1871. Here he remained until 1884, when he located near Hernandez valley, on San Benito creek, where he bought 800 acres of cleared land, on which he placed cattle and horses. Of the latter he now has draught, saddle and carriage horses. Mr. Finch is now serving
as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of San Benito county, and has proved himself an efficient official. He is a good business man, thorougly understanding all forms of commercial transactions, as he is a graduate of Heald's Business College of San Francisco.
Mr. Finch was married in 1877 to Miss Adah Merrill, daughter of Robert Merrill, of Santa Cruz. She is a native of New Hamp- shire. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Finch. Both Mr. and Mrs. Finch are estiinable people, and are highly esteemed by all who know themn.
ON. WILLIAM VANDERHURST, an honored pioneer of California, who has been identified with every enterprise having for its object the development of Monterey county, and the good of Salinas valley, and a senior member of the large mercantile firm of Vanderhurst, Sanborn & Co., was born in Marion county, Mississippi, January 12, 1833. His father was a mer- chant by occupation, who died when the sub- ject of this sketch was but six years of age.
Mr. Vanderhurst passed his youth in his native county and attended the schools in his vicinity. When sixteen years of age, he be- gan elerking, which occupation, with the ex- ception of one year at school, he followed un- interruptedly until he started for California, December 31, 1852. He came via the Isth- mus, and on the vessel in which he embarked measles. small-pox and yellow fever broke out, as many as four or five passengers a day dying between Panama and Acapulco. Mr. Vanderhurst fortunately escaped with an at- tack of varioloid.
He arrived in San Francisco February 5, 1853. He had letters of introduction to the
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Mayor of San Francisco, but never presented them, as he started immediately after arriv- ing for the mines at Jamestown, Tuolumne county. In May he went to Gold Hill, whence he proceeded to the middle fork of the American river, finally returning in No- vember to San Francisco thoroughly disgusted with mining.
His next venture was in an agricultural part of the State. He went to Santa Cruz county and seeured employment with Cum- mins & Kitchen, contractors, to dig potatoes. But as he did not understand the business, he could not dig as many potatoes as the other dagoes, and was discharged, although the firm, liking his industry, retained him a few days on other work. He then worked for J. B. Tyus, who now lives in Indian val- ley, Monterey connty. He was in the red- woods two months getting out pickets, shakes, ete. He then made arrangements with Tyus & Poole to farm on shares, they furnishing everything and receiving one-half the crop. The first year he made enough to buy a team and farming utensils, and in 1855 leased land from Joseph Hatch. In 1856 he bonght a sqnatter's claim, part of the Vallejo grant in Monterey county, where he farmed until 1858, when he sold out, and the following year removed to Watsonville.
In July, 1859, he entered the mercantile business in Watsonville, in partnership with Robert M. Griffin, under the firm name of Griffin & Company, which business they con- tinued nntil 1862. They invested their money, abont $12,000, in inining stoeks, and lost it, although Mr. Vanderhurst went to Nevada in 1863, and remained there until the following year, trying to make something ont of their interest. In 1864 he returned to Watsonville and secured employment as bookkeeper for E. L. Goldstein & Company,
and in January of the following year was admitted to partnership, remaining there un- til January 1, 1868. On May 1 of that year he formed a partnership with Charles Ford and Lucius Sanborn (L. R. Porter being sub- sequently admitted to the firm), and went to Salinas. The town had been laid out the preceding February, and their store was among the first buildings to be erected. They opened their store for business August 25, 1868, which has been from the first the leading mercantile institution of the county. The firm has large interests outside of their regular lines, being one of the principal owners in the Gas and Water Company, which has recently put in the Thomson-Houston system of electric lights in Salinas. They have three stores in Salinas and a branch store at King City.
His well-known ability and correct princi- ples from the first, singled him out as a de- sirable person for public office. He was one of the first trustees of Salinas, and one of the first Councilmen after the town was in- corporated. He was a member of the coun- eil at the time the streets were macadamized and the sidewalks laid out. He was also ex officio Mayor of Salinas for six months.
He is a prominent Mason, and assisted in organizing a Masonic lodge in Salinas in 1869, of which he was the first Senior War- den, and afterward Master for three years. He was the first High Priest of the chapter of the R. A. M., of Galinas, and the first Generalissimo of the Watsonville Com- mandery Knights Templars, subsequently filling the office of Commander for two years. He is Past Grand Priest of the Grand Chap ter R. A. M, of California, and is also Depnty Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of California. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. He is
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president of the Vanderlinrst-Sanborn Com- pany, president of the Monterey County Bank, and vice-president of the Board of Trade. He owns considerable real estate in the county, and is largely interested in farm- ing and stock-raising.
He was married December 3, 1856, to Miss Jane Hatch, and they have had ten children, seven of whom, four boys and three girls, are living, the oldest daughter being mar- ried and residing in San Francisco.
In domestic, private and public life he has ever been the same intelligent, conscientious and genial person, eliciting the respect and retaining the friendship of all who know him.
HILIP KING .- The gentleman whose name appears at the opening of this sketch has been a resident of California since 1870, when he came to this State from Bates county, Missouri. He is a native of York county, Pennsylvania, where he was born, November 21, 1812. He is a miller and during his earlier manhood pursued that calling.
July 24, 1833, he married Miss Hannah Lovelers, a native of Monmouth county, New Jersey, born March 21, 1813, at Medina, Ohio. Her father, Thomas Lovelers, was a farmer by occupation and was born in Marion county, New Jersey, where he married Sarah Sproles, who bore him eight sons and two daughters, and of these ten children, Mrs. King is the oldest, the other members of her family being: Aaron, William, Joseph, Thom- as, George, John, Firmnan, Erskine and Eliz- abeth.
The father of Mr. Philip King, George King, was born in Pennsylvania, of German parents. Of his ten children, Philip was the
third. Upon coming to California, Mr. Philip King located in the Salinas valley, where he resided a short time, then lived in Santa Cruz county for five years, whereupon he returned to Salinas, where he still resides. In 1877 Mr. and Mrs. King went to live with a son, where they now are, in Salinas. Mr. and Mrs. King have two sons and two daughters, namely: William, a thrifty farmer and es- teemed citizen of Salinas; Sarah, now Mrs. John Sexton, of Salinas; Mary E., now Mrs. A. J. Chaney, of Hollister; and Luther, of Hanford, Tulare county, California; seven children are deceased. Mr. King and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Church of Salinas and are highly respected by all who know them for their sterling traits of character and personal worth.
William King, above mentioned as the old- est son of Mr. and Mrs. King, was born March 11, 1855, in Licking county, Ohio. In 1879 he married Miss Mary E., daughter of R. W. Carr, but after a few brief months of happy married life she passed away, October 2, 1879. He owns fifty acres of the best land in the Salinas valley, upon which he has erected a fine residence and commodious out-buildings.
Both Philip and William King are repre- sentative citizens of the Salinas valley and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.
VA ICHAEL WALLACE, a well-known citizen throughout the Salinas valley, is a resident of Monterey county, since 1868. This gentleman is a native of Ireland, having been born in that land, in Galway county, November 4, 1839. Mr. Wal- lace left his native country, after arriving at years of maturity, and sailed for Australia, where he spent some time in Sydney, that
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country. Later he lived on the island of New Zealand and from that place came to the Pa- cific coast. After arrival in the "Golden State" he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company for a while, giving entire satisfaction to his employers.
In 1873 he located at Salinas and now con- ducts one of the best regulated hotels in the city. It has nine rooms.
Mr. Wallace married Miss Ellen O'Connor, of San Francisco. To Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have been born five children, namely: Mary, Ellen, Walter, Katie and Hannah. Mr. Wal- lace enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him, and does a flourishing business in the city of Salinas.
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ASH CORWITH BRIGGS was a na- tive of Missouri, where, in the town of Hannibal, in the year 1838, he was born. His father was a practicing attorney and a man of ability, who saw the boy re- ceived every advantage of education that the neighborhood afforded, both in Missouri and in Grant county, Wisconsin, where the fam- ily moved when our subject was about ten years old. In 1852, the father decided to " cast his lines" in California; upon arrival in California, the family, consisting of father, mother and two children, took up their residence in Olita, Amador connty, subse- quently removing to Jackson, the county-seat, where Mr. Briggs, the elder, began the prac- tice of his profession, and soon built up a Incrative business.
For some years after the removal of the family to this State, our subject attended the public school, and devoted leisure hours to studying, in his fathers's law office, the pri- mary principles of law, for which profession
he had always exhibited a decided penchant. At the age of twenty-one he was admitted to practice before the District Court of Ama- dor county, and subsequently before the Su- preme Court of the State of California. He thereupon entered into active practice, with his father, where he remained until 1864, when he branched ont for himself and re- moved to Silver Mountain, which was to be the county seat of Alpine county, then about to be organized. The prestige which the yonng man had secured, and the skill he had displayed while with his father, were very soon recognized; for upon the founding of the new county, Mr. Briggs, then a young man of only twenty-six, was inade District Attorney, by the vote of the people, and upon the expiration of his office he was elected a second time.
Mr. Briggs continued to make his residence on Silver Mountain, until 1869, when the mining, on which Alpine county depended, began to wane, and he began to cast about him for a county with a more promising future. San Benito county was then a part of Monterey. Although but sparsely settled the soil was rich, fertile and produc- tive. The main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company was surveyed, and every indication pointed to the organization of a new county, with Hollister, which was then in embryo, as its seat of government. Mr. Briggs decided that these inducements were sufficient to bring him to the county, and he has never had cause to regret his "change of base." As soon as he was settled he began the practice of his profession and from the beginning took an interest in public and county affairs. He was chosen the attor- ney for the San Justo Homestead Associa- tlon, a company which was formed for the purpose of purchasing from W. W. Hollister,
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after whom the town was subsequently named, 21,000 acres of land, and dividing it into nu- merous small homesteads, one or more of which was allotted to each member of the association. This association was practically instrumental in calling the town of Hollister, into existence, and figured very prominently in its affairs at that time. The enterprise was a success, and brought inuch immigration of a desirable kind, and Mr. Briggs' connec- tion with it brought him plenty of busi- ness. It likewise gave him prestige and standing. He assisted in the incorpora- tion of both the county and town, drew up the charter for each, and upon the organiza- tion of San Benito county he was elected its first District Attorney, which he filled for two terms of two years each. He had much to do with shaping land matters and getting titles perfected for settlers and others; hence from his vast experience he is a recognized authority and is able to pass readily on the most complicated land questions. He is personally acquainted with nearly every acre of land and every land-holder throughout the entire county.
Mr. Briggs has never speculated to any great extent, nor grown rich on land-value enhancements, but has accumulated what he now possesses by hard work and untiring energy, intelligently directed. Mr. Briggs is of very active temperament, a rapid thinker, prompt to act, and quick to take advantage of opportunities that come in his way. He has always taken an active interest in any project conducive to the welfare of the coul- munity, and to all such he is a liberal contrib- utor. He is prominently connected with the warehouse business, which is one of the prin- cipal features of the town of Hollister, and is secretary of the Hollister Warehouse Company. He is a stockholder and director
in the Gas Works Company, the Water Works Company, was one of the organizers of the Bank of Hollister, and is now one of the principal stockholders.
Mr. Briggs married, in 1866, in Amador county, Miss Annie E. Barton, who is an estimable lady, the partner of her husband's joys and sorrows. His surviving family, which in addition to himself and wife consists of two sons, one a boy of thirteen, and the other a young business man of twenty-one, resides in a handsome residence adjoining the court- house on Fifth street.
Mr. Briggs, during his long residence in San Benito county, has conducted all his dealings in a manner, which has secured for him the respect and esteem of the entire community.
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EORGE ALLEN was of Scotch- English parentage, born in Ireland. His par- ents were said to have been Quakers. He came to Monterey in 1821, being then twenty-six years of age. He was baptized as Josef Jorge Tomas, at San Carlos, in 1824, and in 1826 was united in marriage with Petra Bordonda, a native of San José, their marriage taking place when she was fourteen years of age. He was naturalized in 1829. In company with William Galbatch, he kept a store and inn at Monterey. He sold his interest in this in 1830, to a man named McIntirh. He was a man of remarkable versatility and was professionally inclined. On frequent occasions he acted as surgeon and dentist, and was at various times con- nected with the municipal government; and in 1836 he was Treasurer of the municipal- ity. In 1842 he was a Justice of the Peace. He acquired some property in San Francisco, but never lived there. In 1844-'45 he taught
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school, having received his appointment as teacher from the Mexican Government. In 1845-'46 he was an efficient clerk in the United States consulate, under Officer Larkin, being an expert penman and having an excel- lent education. He died in Monterey, in 1847, leaving the following children : Miguel, born in 1827; José George, born in 1833; Alonzo E., September 25, 1845; and Guada- Inpe, who married Dr. Marlen of San José.
Alonzo E. Allen is a native of Monterey, born September 25, 1845. He resided in Monterey from birth up to his sixteenth year, when, tiring of home restraint, he set out to unake his fortune by his own personal en- deavors. He betook himself to Nevada, which State was then the seat of the greatest mining activity, and where sturdy labor com- manded the most remunerative reward. Hav- ing seen and experienced all the great tri- umphs and reversals of fortune in the fickle Sage Bush State, and, believing a brighter field of action presented itself in Arizona, he struck out for the land of the cactus and merciless Apache. But experience soon taught him that "all that glitters is not gold." He, however, remained for some time; but all the while his inclination led him to desert the southern wilds and once more seek the balmy breezes and fragrant flowers of the matchless El Dorado of his early boyhood. He decided to return, and next found himself in charge of a lumber camp on Halfmoon Bay, where he remained for two years.
Mr. Allen was married May 13, 1874, to Miss Dolores Munras, a wealthy lady of Mon- terey. Since his marriage he has devoted his time to superintending his wife's large landed estate, and in 1887 he took up his home in Monterey, having erected one of the most cosy and beautiful homes on the bay.
He is a member of the N. S. G. W., Mon- terey Lodge, No. 75, and also a member of the Y. M. I., Lodge No. 57.
ARSON JENSEN was born in Schleswig- Holstein, Prussia, September 10, 1848. Heremained with his parents until 1868, when he left his native country for the United States. He landed at New York in the spring of 1868, and at once found employment in that city. After remaining in New York one year, he came in 1869 to California. First he went to Monterey county, where he pur- chased a ranch and began stock-raising. He was in this business until 1884. That year he sold his stock ranch and came to Hollister, the county seat of San Benito county, and since then has been engaged in the hotel busi- ness here. As a genial and obliging host, he is well-known and is popular with the travel- ing public.
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