An illustrated history of Sacramento County, California : containing a history of Sacramento County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also prominent citizens of today, Part 101

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916

USA > California > Sacramento County > An illustrated history of Sacramento County, California : containing a history of Sacramento County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also prominent citizens of today > Part 101

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Montgomery street, in San Francisco; inined awhile at Omega, Nevada County, where he erected a building for a hotel, restaurant and bakery. A year and a half afterward he sold ont this establishment, came to Sacramento and kept a saloon on Third street for a time. Sell- ing out this, he entered a quarter-section of land in Yolo County, near Buckeye, now Winters. Followed farming there about ten years, sold ont, went to New York and to Europe on a visit to his old home. Returned to Sacramento in 1867 and bought 640 acres four miles east of Elk Grove, and followed agriculture there about eighteen years. In 1880 he again visited Eu- rope. A year and a half after returning he sold his farm and moved into Sacramento and re- sided here one year. Then, in 1885, he bought Swiss Station, on the upper Stockton road, about a mile and a quarter from the city limits, and this is his present residence. The ranch con- tains 119 acres, and is devoted to fruit and grain; twenty acres are in grapes. Considering what little he had to start with, and the expenses he has incurred in visiting distant countries, etc., it is indeed a wonder how well he has man- aged. He is a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F., of Sacramento. His children are: Fritz, Emma, Amelia and Gustave.

OHN GOSLIN, a rancher, was born in Eng- land, September 20, 1830, a son of William and Jane (Tyler) Goslin, also natives of that country, who left England abont 1834 and set- tled in Oakland Connty, Michigan, near Pon- tiac, purchasing land there and following agricultural pursuits until their death, -- he at the age of about fifty years, and she abont forty. John left the old home in 1852 and started for California with a party of twenty-one, and in five months reached this State, after a compara- tively pleasant journey. Asiatic cholera was the principal disaster, but they were well equip- ped, having among them a doctor, a carpenter and a blacksmith; but the doctor was the only

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

inember of the party who died with the cholera, as he was peculiarly exposed. His death was greatly mourned. Arriving in Sacramento in September, Mr. Goslin immediately began work for wages, on Griffith's ranch, continuing about nine months. Then he took 163 acres of land where his home now is and cultivated it ten years. Leaving it, but not selling it, he went to teaming in the mountains. In 1861-'62 he lost everything by the floods excepting the land itself; the loss was estimated at $10,000. He resumed work upon his ranch and there he has since remained, improving it until he has made it a model home. Two and a half acres are in vineyard and small orehard for family use. He has 200 acres of fine land, and on the place is a good school, five miles from the center of Sac- ramento, on the lower Stockton road. He has seen his share of pioncer life in California, but feels well paid for his endurance. He was ınar- ried iu 1868 to Miss Cordelia, daughter of La- fayette Sheplar, a resident of Illinois, and pre- viously of Ohio. She came to California about 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Goslin have two sons and two daughters: Ida May, Bertha G., Norman R. and Howard L. George W. died at the age of five years.

YMAN MOMITCHELL, son of John and Zilpa (Eaton) McMitchell, both natives of Fairfield, Herkimer County, New York, was born September 20, 1820, at Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York. In 1849 he came to this coast, sailing on the brig Empire, Captain Baxter, on Sunday, Feb- ruary 16, 1849, from New York for Vera Cruz, came across Mexico to San Blas, from there by schooner to San Francisco, reaching there the last day of May. He came up to Sacramento from San Francisco in June, 1849, and engaged with the Union line of steamers in 1851-'54. The river traffic at that time was immense; with the C. S. N. Company might be mentioned the steamers Senator, New World, Wilson G.

Hunt, the Confidence, and later the Bragdon, Grilda, which ran through to Marysville, and others. With this company and its successors, the Central Pacific Railroad, he has been all these years, having charge of the freight de- partment. October 11, 1859, he was married to Harriet Upegraff, now deceased, daughter of Captain James Upegraff, who came across the plains in 1849. He has one daughter living.

HE GLANN FAMILY .- The given name of the first progenitor of this family in America is not preserved in their tradi- tions. Abont a generation before the Revolu- tion, a Scotch sailor, who was also part owner of the vessel in which he sailed, came to Turk Island for a cargo of rock-salt for the Liverpool market. Ile is said to have been also possessed of a title to an island named Vineent Island, in the ocean; the name thereof may have been changed. Be this as it may, the risks of the great deep soon swept away not only his pros- peetive lordship of an island, but also his actual property, which was all aboard his vessel, and seriously jeopardized his life. While engaged in shipping the cargo, and when the vessel was almost fully laden, Mr. Glann was taken sick with a fever and became delirious. Then a terrific storm arose which wrenched the ship from her moorings, and compelled the throwing overboard of the cargo. Every sail and mast and spar was swept away, and only the hull of the vessel and the lives of the crew were saved. They drifted about for many weeks, when they were finally picked up by a vessel bound for New York, and when they landed in that city Mr. Glann found himself in possession of a single groat! Then and there he soon eamne to the conclusion that he had seen enough of the vicissitudes of a seafaring life, and investing his groat in biscuits he pushed toward the country in quest of work. At Kingsbridge he fell in with a Dutch farmer who set him to threshing, and he wielded the flail with such energy and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

success that he got a permanent job. After three years he married a daughter of his em- ployer, and continued to work for his father-in- law until he was able to run a farm on his own account. He lived and died near Kingsbridge. Of his offspring, the branch of his family with which the history of Sacramento County is con- cerned, have knowledge only of two sons, -- James, their grandfather, and John, his brother. James and John Glann (or Glenn, as the name, it is thought, was then written) were young men when the war of the Revolution broke out, and both enlisted, serving under Generals Greene and Washington. They were in the battle of Long Island, and there John was killed, and buried in the sand. James fought through the war, and took up a "soldier's right" on the line which divides Sussex County, New Jersey, from Orange County, New York, as the chief market town of the district. This was the homestead, and on this he settled per- manently after the war. He married into a German family named Catlin. It was he, as is thought most probable, that changed the name to Glann, as the Kingsbridge branch still write it Glenn. His son, Nathaniel, learned from him that he was induced by an old Scotel schoolmaster to make the change, as being more in accord with the old Scotch or Gaelic tongue. Glann is, in fact, the exact equivalent of the English Glenn, from the common name glen, a narrow defile or valley. A hero of the Revolution would naturally be glad to find a reason so legitimate for breaking off all associa. tion of his name with his late enemy and the subjugator of his race as well. He died at about the age of eighty, and his wife at about 100. Mr. and Mrs. James Glann were the parents of nine children: William, Jaines, John, who became a school-teacher and lived to a good age; Nathaniel (see below); Vincent, who died in 1885, aged about eighty-eight years; Nancy, who married Ralph Van Houten, a farmer of Steuben County, New York; Jennie married James C. Rowley, a blacksmith, near the old homestead; Hannah married David Mercereau,

owner of one of the largest farms on the Sus- quehanna, near Oswego, New York; Rhoda married Martin Wilson, a farmer, who after- ward became the owner of the old soldier's homestead. Nathaniel Glann, the third son of James, was born in 1793, and remained with his father until he was of age. He received a good district-school education, partly under his brother John. He then went to work on liis own account, and at about the age of twenty- two settled on a farın adjoining that of his brother John, in Steuben County, near Ham- mondsport, New York. While on a visit to his uncle, Nathaniel Catlin, at Oswego, he became acquainted with the Mercerean family, and in 1817 he was married to Miss Catherine Merce- rean, daughter of one of the well-known New York families of that name. He was, a black- smith by trade, and was living on Staten Island at the time of the Revolution. He afterward moved to Oswego, and was over ninety years old when he died. His wife, who was English by birth or descent, lived to the age of 106 years. About 1832 Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Glann, with six children, left Hammondsport, in the Indian-summer time, with the accompani- ment of the first flurry of snow, for the great West, by way of Penn Yan, Dansville and Buffalo. There they engaged passage for fam- ily and wagon on the steamer Henry Clay. At the moment of departure, Mr. Glann, with his horses and one boy, were refused passage on the claim that the steamer was already too heavily laden. With the rest of his family and goods aboard, he and his boy were compelled to go by land. The family was put ashore at Port Huron, where they were soon rejoined by the father and son, but too late in the season to reach their intended destination in Illinois. He concluded to proceed to Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio, where Thomas Baker, formerly of Ham- mondsport, had settled some time before. Ar- rived there, he rented a honse and obtained work for himself and two of his boys, from Mr. Baker. In 1833 he moved to one of Mr. Baker's farms. and there raised a crop. Mean-

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while Mrs. Glann's brothers, Henry and Cor- neille Mercerean, had moved from Oswego, New York, to Toledo, Ohio, where Mr. Glann visited them, and being pleased with the loca- tion he also bought land there. In the spring of 1834 he moved to Toledo, traveling over the forty miles of black swamp, rendered almost impassable by the movements of the Ohio militia, then engaged in the "Ohio and Michi- gan war." Arrived in Toledo, he fitted up an old vacant honse on the farm of Henry Merce- rean, for a temporary home, and put in a crop on his own farm of eighty acres. He also rented the farm of Corneille Mercerean, who had gone into business in Toledo, which he kept for two years. In 1834 he bought forty acres abont a mile away, and 160 acres some twenty miles distant. In 1835 he built a house on his original eighty acres. In 1844 he bought 160 acres across the road from his place, and in 1850 he built a larger and better home. Mrs. Glann died in 1858, aged sixty-one. Mr. Glann died November 27, 1875, aged eighty-two. Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Glann were the parents of ten children, of whom seven were born near Hammondsport: James, born about 1818, was first married to Miss Chloe Ann Lewis, who died without issue; his second wife was Susan Poseland, a native of England, by whom he had two boys, William and Archibald. Ann Eliza- betli, born about 1820, married William Cheney, a carpenter and builder of Toledo; they were the parents of Calferna and Elizabeth Cheney, both married. Their mother died in 1852. Henry, born about 1823, was married to Miss Eliza Layburn, an American of English parent- age. They are the parents of Nathaniel P., of the firm of Bick & Glann, boot and shoe deal- ers, of Toledo; and of Alice, who was married to Ferd Haughten, a farmer, and who have sons and danghters. Vincent (see below). Calphur- nia died about 1830, aged three years. David, born about 1829, was married to Ann Poseland, a sister of Mrs. James Glann. They are the parents of one son and one daughter. Daniel (see below). William, born in 1833, near Tiffin,

Ohio, was accidentally killed with his own gun, while hunting, aged about twenty. Peter (see below). Catherine, born abont 1838, married David Upton. They were for many years resi- dents of this county, but are now living in Monterey. Their children are: Mary, William Cassius and Myrtle. Mary is now Mrs. William Nelins, and the mother of two danghters; Will- iam C. is married to Miss Minnie Garrett, and they have one daughter. All the children of Nathaniel Glann received the limited district- school education nsual in their school days.

INCENT, DANIEL AND PETER GLANN .- These three sons of Nathaniel and Catharine (Mercereau) Glann, having been closely associated in business in this county, their lives and labors and the results will be treated conjointly in this sketelı. Vincent Glann was born July 10, 1825, and lived with his parents until 1846, working successively on the farms in Hammondsport, Tiffin and Toledo from the time he was able to render any assist- ance until he reached his majority. Promptly thereupon he demanded wages and received $1 a day from his father for the first week after he had arrived at legal manhood. He then went to work for his uncle, Henry Mercerean, and a Mr. Ketchum. In 1847 he worked on a sec- tion of the railroad; in 1848 he worked for Doctor Miner as a farm hand; in 1849 for Ed- ward Upton. As a farm laborer he received $12 a month and board, and his engagement always closed with the opening of the deer- hunting season, he being an expert deer-stalker. From his youth up he has had a passion for hunting, seldom going to school without taking his gun, which he concealed in some convenient thicket. In 1850 he and his brother Henry rented the farm of their uncle, Henry Mercer- eau, and held. it three years at $300 a year. They have ever since remained closely associated, "a sort of moral partnership," in their Toledo interests. In 1853 they bought the Doctor

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Miner farm of 96.48 acres, and afterward some other farms. Vincent Glann left his home, November 5, and New York, November 15, 1855, for California by the Panama route, ar- riving in San Francisco, December 10. His father had preceded him in the spring to visit his sons, Daniel and David, at Elk Grove in that county, where Vincent and his cousin, Peter Mercereau, who had accompanied him, spent two weeks visiting their relatives and hunting. With his father and consin he started for the American River, by stage from Sacra- mento to Hangtown, afoot to Georgetown, across the Middle Fork at Gray Eagle and thence by Sage Hill to Michigan Bluffs. Stayed there fourteen days. Father and he then pro- ceeded to Last Chance, and there he hired out as a miner at $75 a month. The winter soon broke and so did his employer. Mr. Glann had meanwhile taken up a claim in January, 1856, and this he proceeded to work. Alone he dug a ditch to bring water to his claim, and with his brother Daniel, who had preceded him to the mines, he built a cabin. Working with his whip-saw he constructed sluices and took up a hydraulic claim of seventy-five feet frontage and extending back to the center of the hill. He added two other claims of eqnal dimensions, representing the three by his own work, two days a week to each. Then with two partners he tried Miller's Defeat farther up, which proved also a defeat to him, as on settling up on Angust 1, 1856, his partners reported no assets. Con- cluding to try the lower country for a season, he traveled back to his cabin where he left his blankets, and pushed forward in light marching order for the plains looking for farm-work. After a weary tramp he reached Elk Grove and went to work for Norman Woodbeck, on the Cosminnes, pressing hay, at $55 a month. His brother Daniel having also returned from the mines they worked together pressing hay for various parties, and in building a dam. This brought them to November 1, when they re- turned to the mines, having accumulated enough to buy the necessary provisions and other supplies

for a winter's campaign. Daniel went to mining at Keokuk Point, and Vincent went to Last Chance. In the spring he sold two shares of his claim to two Swedes. After a time, desiring to find some diggings that could be worked in summer, he went on alone to Miller's Defeat. Here he struck a good spot in 1857. In the winter of 1857-'58 he again worked with his partners at Last Chance. In the spring of 1858, the three partners bought a half interest in the Canada- Hill claim. The four owners worked both claims and did a good business; the fourth partner re- turned to Sweden, having "made enough." Mr. Glann sold his interest to two Danes who were acceptable to his partners, and came down to Sage Hill, where he bought a claim, his brother Daniel being still at Keoknk Point. In his new claim he took a partner, L. Morse; and they worked it together. Peter Glann arrived in the mines in November, 1858, and worked with his brother Daniel. The water gave out late in the spring of 1859, and Vincent Glann went on a sporting tour, while Peter Glann came down to Bird's Valley. Meanwhile Vin- cent and Daniel bought an interest in the old Specimen claim, and the former went to work there, Daniel and Peter coming down to the Sacramento Valley, where the former, in part- nership with his brother-in-law, David Upton, had bought 1,130 acres on the Mokelumne. In December, 1859, Vincent bought ont Upton's half interest in the ranch, and also 320 acres near Elk Grove. In 1860 Vincent and Daniel went back to the mines, and worked there till water failed, when Daniel returned to the ranch. Vincent went to Anburn, Placer County, and was there engaged as an assistant or guide to a surveying party, occupied with laying ont a road from Anburn. Placer County, to Virginia City, Nevada. He was able to render good service as guide, from his experience as prospector and hunter while enjoying an exceptional chance on Lake Tahoe and elsewhere on the road, to in- dulge his love of hunting. In 1861 Peter Glann enlisted as a volunteer, Daniel attended to the ranch, and Vincent still worked the old

Mas. M. H. Mayhen.

N. a. Mayhew.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

Specimen claim. In 1862, Peter returned after eighteen months' service in the army, having been wounded in the left arm and partially dis- abled. He rejoined his brother Daniel on the ranch, while Vincent still kept on mining in the old Specimen claim until 1868, returning every summer to the ranch, when the water failed at the mines. From the profits of mine and farm, "by slow and steady accumulation," the three brothers continned to buy land at intervals for nineteen years longer. Seventeen distinct par- cels of land were thus united into one compact ranch of 5,310 acres, making with ninety-eight acres owned across the Mokelumne a grand total of 5,408 acres, all earned by their joint labor. It is devoted to general farming, to the raising of horses and cattle and the running of a dairy of 150 cows or more. They also buy and sell stock of others' raising, and run a bee ranch. Vincent still owns land in Toledo, a farm abut- ting on Darr street, of which he deeded an acre a year ago for a church site, never asking by what sect of the Christian name the church was to be erected. Of the three brothers, Vincent and Peter are bachelors. The former "kept bach" even before he was of an age to marry, hunting in the winter and farming in the sum- mer. He is by nature a veritable Nimrod-a inighty hunter. Even now his eye gleams brightly as he tells of his hunting exploits in by-gone years; nor has he entirely given up the line or gun. Daniel Glann was married June 7, 1884, to Miss Annie Gertrude Keema, a daughter of Frederick Karl Keema and Auna (Koch) Keema, his neighbors. He died March 14, 1887, aged fifty three years, leaving a widow and one child: Annie Catharine Glann, born January 29, 1885.

UDGE H. A. MAYHEW .- The life of some men would, if properly told, fill a volume, and carry with it a lesson which in after years would be of exceeding value and absorb- ing interest. Among the men of this class we 42

may mention the name of Judge H. A. May- hew, the subject of this sketch, a brief page from the unwritten history of whose life finds a welcome place in the history of this county, which he has selected as his abiding place while resting from the labors of a very active life. He was born in Summerset (afterward Franklin) County, Maine, December 13, 1821, son of James Mayhew, a New England farmer and a deacon in the Presbyterian Church, a man who left the impress of sterling characteristics in a marked degree as a heritage to his son. The Judge was educated at the Farmington Academy, which was at that time in charge of Jacob Abbott, an author and literateur of eminence. He grad- uated at the Gorhain Seminary in the class of '40, read law in the office of Hon. Robert Good- now (afterward Congressman from the Farm- ington district), was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Maine in 1844, and at once began the practice of his profession in Farmington. At this period of his life, No- vember 7, 1844, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Pike. Three years later he emi- grated to Ripley County, Indiana, where he re- mained engrossed in his professional duties for over thirteen years. He took an active interest in politics, making a personal canvass of the State upon several different occasions, notably in the campaign of 1852, as a Whig; later on he became closely identified with the Republi- can party. He held the responsible office of District Attorney for several terms. Finally, his health having become seriously impaired, he, through the advice of his friends, sought relief in the highlands of Minnesota, going to Austin, where he resided for four years, but withont experiencing the relief which had been hoped for. Prior to that, as far back as 1858 (at which time he became an active member of the Presbyterian Church), he was deeply in- terested in ministerial work; and in 1860, having passed the requisite examination, he was given the charge of a church at Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana. From this charge, as above stated, he went to Austin, Minnesota, where he

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continued his ministerial labors. In 1871 he came to Red Bluff, Teliama County, California, as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and here it was that the effects of the balmy atmos- phere of glorious California brought relief for the distressing affliction of twenty years' stand- ing. In 1875 he was elected to the county judgeship of Tehama County, serving for four years in that capacity, until January, 1880, when the new constitution went into effect. He was immediately appointed Superior Judge by Governor Perkins, and took his seat in the spring of 1881. During the two years of his incninbency of that office, many cases of im- portance caine before him for adjudication, notably that of Frank Kessler, the Tehama murderer, now serving a life sentence in the penitentiary; and the case of Winans vs. The Sierra Lumber Company, a lengthy suit, in- volving a large sum of money. Mrs. Mayhew is a native of Norway, Oxford County, Maine, a daughter of Charles Pike, and granddaughter of Grandfather Woods, who was a Revolution- ary officer, and served on the staff of General Washington. With such a lineal inheritance we cannot be surprised that in association with her husband, the Judge, she has been equally prominent, and that together they have stood side by side in all good works. She, as well as the Judge, has always been prominent in church work. As an illustration of her earnestness, while in Austin, Minnesota, where her husband was pastor of the Presbyterian Church, her father presented her with $500, with which to build a home. She not only gave it to the church for the purpose of erecting a suitable building in which to hold services, but went to Minneapolis, bought the lumber, and secured the money with which to pay freight. All the lumber that went into the church, pulpit and pews was purchased by her with her money and the money she raised. Later she made pulpit cushions, and cleaned the church, with the aid of her boys. She was one of the first sub- scribers for the first issue of bonds by the Government at the beginning of the war.

Prompted by motives of patriotism, she carried her money to the First National Bank of In- dianapolis and subscribed for the bonds, her money being deposited several months before the bonds were ready for issue. Thirty-seven years ago, Schuyler Colfax (who was an intimate personal friend of Judge and Mrs. Mayhew), widely known not only as a statesman and Vice- President of the United States, but as author of the Rebekah Degree of Oddfellowship, conferred this degree upon Judge and Mrs. Mayhew, and they are without doubt the oldest members of this degree in the State. The Judge was made an Odd Fellow in 1845. He held the position of Grand Master in 1870. Mrs. Mayhew is Past Noble Grand of the Rebekah Degree Lodge. Both Mrs. Mayhew and the Judge are active members of the Eastern Star degree of Masonry (the Judge already being a Knight Templar), which was conferred upon them by the eminent Dr. Robert Morris, the author of the degree, both having held the highest offices in the Eastern Star chapter. Mrs. Mayhew is Past Associate Grand Matron of the order, and has been frequently urged to accept the position of Grand Matron. She was chosen Superin- tendent of Finance of the State Woman's Chris- tian Temperance Union one year ago, and is prominent in the deliberations of the Independ- ent Order of Good Templars. Mrs. Mayhew has served as Grand Vice-Templar in two differ- ent States, and has also been a representative to the Right Worthy Grand Lodge from two differ- ent States For five years she has been a mein- ber of the Board of Managers of the Vallejo Orphan Asylum, and was chosen its president. For three years she was its financial secretary, and for three years chairman of the Purchasing Committee, filling these offices with distinguished .ability. She was president of the Daughters of Temperance, a co-worker with Mrs. Amanda M. Way and Miss Eliza Richmond, of Indianapolis, whose reputation has been world-wide. She is withal a lady pre-eminently fitted to shine in the domestic eircle. Four children, one dangh- ter and three sons, have clustered around the

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Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 916

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916