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 117

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 117

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F. BASSETT, City Surveyor of Sacra- mento, is a native of Sencca County, New York, born October 4, 1851, his parents being Pierrepont and Roxy (Cole) Bas- sett. He was reared and educated there, but when eighteen years of age went to Des Moines. There he became assistant to chief city engineer J. B. Bosman, and occupied that position until the spring of 1873, when he engaged in rail- road surveying work, first in Nebraska, after- ward in Utah. In September, 1874, he canie to Sacramento, and was for a few months con- nected with the county surveyor. He then en-

tered the employ of the Central Pacific Railroad, in the engineering department, and so contin- ued two and one-half years. After that, he was for six months engaged in swamp land surveys, in connection with Lisbon district, Yolo County. Since 1888 he has been city surveyor of Sacra- mento, having been chosen as his own successor at each succeeding election. Mr. Bassett was married to Miss Ella Genevieve Jackson, a na- tive of Indiana. Her father died in Yolo County, but her mother still resides there. Mr. Bassett is a member of Industrial Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F., and Unity Lodge, Knights of Honor. He is also a member of the Tech- nical Society of the Pacific coast.

HRIS WEISEL, one of the prominent figures in business circles of Sacramento, was born in the district of Solms Lauback, Hesse-Darmstadt, now in the empire of Ger- many, March 3, 1834. His father, John Henry Weisel, was a butcher by occupation, and for 300 years (as far back as the family tradition goes) that has been the family business. His. mother's maiden name was Annie Elizabeth Schoner. Chris Weisel was reared at his native place, a town of 2,000 inhabitants named Freien- scen, whose citizens had always enjoyed the dis- tinction of being all free, with no serfs. He at- tended school from the age of six to fourteen years and for five years of that time received instruc- tions from a private tutor. After completing his schooling he commenced the butchers' trade with his father. In 1852 he came to America, via Rotterdam and Liverpool, taking passage from the last named port May 9, on the sailship Cumberland for New York, where he arrived after a voyage of forty-nine days. They were glad to reach land, as water had run short, and but one quart per day was meted out to each person. After three days in New York city, Mr. Weisel went by steamer to Albany, thence to Buffalo by rail, from there to Sandusky, Ohio, by steamer, thence to Cincinnati by rail, and

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next to St. Louis by steamer. The cholera broke out on the vessel, and he helped to bury twenty- five persons. After lying in quarantine eight days, he landed at St. Louis, and met his brother, who had come to this country in 1846, and was in business there. In 1854 he left St. Louis, going to New Orleans by river steamer, then taking the steamer Pampero to Greytown, which liad just been bombarded by the English. Pro- ceeding up the St. John River to the falls of Castillon, and passing over a half mile by land, he took another steamer to Port St. Carlos, on Nicaragua Lake. He crossed the lake at night, witnessing the finest sight of his life-that of volcanoes in action at night. The remainder of the journey to San Juan del Cœur was made by mule-back, and he then took the steamer Sierra Nevada for San Francisco, arriving there on the 2d of April, 1854. Ile remained there till June 29, then went by the steamer New World to Sacramento, and soon went to work at the city market for Haywood, Fratt & MeNulty. On the 3d of November of the same year he started in business for himself at his present location, Nos. 726-728 L street. His present building was erected in 1857. During the floods of 1861 -'62 he lost 1,500 head of sheep which he had on a ranch on Cache Slough, in Solano County, and he and L. B. Mohr lost about 1,000 hogs. The water-mark of that year is still visible inside his building-five feet eight inches above the floor. Mr. Weisel has built up a big trade, and does an extensive wholesale and packing busi- ness. Mr. Weisel was married, August 16, 1860, to Miss Minnie Jurgens, a native of the Island of Heligoland, a possession of England in the North Sea. She sailed to California from Hamburg via Cape Horn in 1852, on the brig Emma (Captain Robin), landing at San Fran- cisco April 11, 1853. She came with her father, Jasper Jurgens, and her brothers, Jasper, Chris- tian, Peter and Martin, and sisters Dora and Gondola. She departed this life May 12, 1888, in her forty-ninth year, leaving five living chil- dren, two having preceded her in death. Those living are: Theodore Jasper, Martha, Minnie,

Theresa and Christian. Mr. Weisel was one of the original members and officers of the Sacra- mento Sharpshooters, and he and Jacob Nathan were the originators of the Germania Building and Loan Association. He was its first vice- president, served the first term as acting presi- dent, and held the office of president for thirteen consecutive years. He is Grand Past Chief of the order of Red Men for the Pacific coast. He has been twice president of the Sac- ramento Turn-Verein, and served three succes- sive terms in that capacity, from 1860 to 1862 inclusive. Mr. Weisel has taken an active part in the Democratic party organization, has been chairman of the city central committee, member of the county committee, and delegate to State and other conventions, having been a member of the Greeley convention at San Francisco in 1872. Mr. Weisel had $2.50 when he came to Sacramento; now he ranks among her solid men. He has two fine ranches in Sacramento County, and one in Colusa County. He has good mining interests at Coloma, the patent having been issued by President Grant, Mr. Weisel holding two-thirds interest, and J. Nico- lansen the remainder. As high as $22,000 has been taken ont of the mine in three months, and in 1888 $12,000 was extracted in two months,

H. GREEN, proprietor of the American Laundry, Sacramento, is a native of Con- necticut, born at Norwalk, Fairfield County, May 5, 1831, his parents being Will- iam and Eunice (Barnum) Green. Both parents were members of old Connecticut families, and his father was extensively engaged in the manufacture of liats. When E. H. Green was eleven years of age the family removed to Henderson County, Illinois, and started a settle- ment five miles from the Mississippi River, which took the name of Greenville. There the father engaged in farming. The second year after the family came to Illinois, E. H. Green,

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the subject of this sketch, went to Oquawka, and there learned the blacksmith and wagon- making trade with George Muck (who afterward came to California, and was one of the early settlers of Wheatland). While he wasat Oquawa- ka, Colonel Finlay, who had been to Califor- nia, returned, and his accounts of the "Golden West" created great excitement, and many started for the new El Dorado. Mr. Green was one of a party of fifty-two organized at Oquawka, of whom over forty were under twenty- two years of age, and they organized by electing Robert Pence as captain. All materials for this outfit were gotten together there, including provisions for eight months. Their route took them by Council Bluffs, Laramie, Salt Lake, Ogden, and the Carson route, into California. They arrived at Placerville, Angust 12, 1850. This party was in some respects a remarkable one. Though nearly all were young men and even boys, the best of orJer prevailed throngh- ont, and they strictly kept a rule they made, never to travel on Sunday. There were none of those quarrels that were of too frequent occurrence with so many trains that made that weary journey, and, in fact, they were said to have been the jolliest party that ever crossed the plains. They did not lose a mnan or a wagon all the way from Illinois to Placerville. There the party disbanded. Mr. Green and Jackson and John Pence remained together, and bought a mining outfit. They remained at Placerville that fall and winter, and a couple of months of that time, while not mining, Mr. Green ran a team between Sacramento,' Gold Springs and Placerville. The next spring he went to the Middle Fork of the American River, and en- gaged in mining there. In 1832 a company of fifteen was organized to flume the American River there, called the " Eagle Bar River Claim." The river was flumed, and the company did well. Jackson Pence died in the fall of 1852, and the next year John Pence went back to Illinois. They disbanded that fall, and Mr. Green proceeded to a point twenty-eight miles from Sacramento, on Carson Creek, where he

spent the winter. In the spring of 1853 Mr. Green and others went back to the Middle Fork of the American River, and mined there until the spring of 1854. He then went to Downieville, and was soon engaged in mining at Monte Cristo, five miles up the hills from there. He remained there and in that vicinity until 1860, having mines at Monte Cristo and Morristowa, and then went to Virginia City. Nevada, where he was employed by the Gould and Curry Con.pany as foreman, about four years. In the spring of 1864 he resigned his position, and took a trip to Idaho, where he had some interests; but not finding them profitable he returned to Virginia City. The following summer he bought a ranch two miles from Car- son, and resided there until 1866. He then came to Sacramento, and became connected with the American laundry, and in partnership with its proprietor, S. B. Cooley, he engaged in the manufacture of the Crandall spring bed. In 1869 they opened a house on the site of the present Baldwin Hotel, at San Francisco, and Mr. Green had charge there until 1872. He then returned to Sacramento, to their business here, located on Front street. In the fall of 1873 the establishment was destroyed by fire, with a loss of $20,000. The partnership was dissolved, and in the spring of 1874 Mr. Green went to Connectient. He remained but a short time, then returned to Sacramento, and has been connected with the laundry ever since. This laundry was established by J. R. Webster, on Slater's addition, near the present depot site. In 1866 S. B. Cooley (brother-in-law of Mr. Green) bonght Webster out. In 1880 the new building on J street was built, and the laundry removed into it. Mr. Green, the present pro- prietor, became sole owner in 1885. Ile does a very extensive business, and has forty-five em- ployés. Mr. Green was married at Carson City, Nevada, July 11, 1863, to Miss Mary A. Cooley, a native of Connecticut. She died in this city, October 21, 1873. By this marriage there were two children, of whom one, Ellen, is living. Mr. Green was again married, in 1875,

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to Elizabeth Calvyn, of Brooklyn, New York. By this marriage there are three children, viz .: Charles W. A., Henry E. and Amy. Mr. Green is a member of Industrial Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Green is an upright, honorable man of business, genial and courteous always in demeanor, and his success in life is a source of pleasure to his many friends.

C. GRAFF, plumber, gas-fitter, etc., Sacramento, has in a few years built up a business which has already at- tained large proportions. He is a native of St. Louis, born December 20, 1851, his parents being Andrew and Anna (Plattner) Graff. An- drew Graff, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Switzerland, who came to the United States when he was a young man. When the California gold fever broke ont, his attention was turned, like so many others, to the New El Dorado, and he decided to try his fortune. Accordingly he joined the vast caravan that traversed the plains, mountains and deserts be- tween the civilization of the East and the new- found gold fields of the West, and in 1849 he reached California, and was soon engaged in mining. He returned east, however, and lo- cated at St. Louis, in the butcher business. In 1852 he again came out to California, this time bringing his family along, and once more safely accomplished the tedious journey across the plains. On arriving at Sacramento, he first en- gaged in the brick-making business, afterward at butchering, and later entered the employ of Mr. Locher, the wholesale liquor inan. After this he again engaged in the butcher business, which he then followed until the time of his death, which occurred in 1879. His widow yet lives in Sacramento, at the family residence on Tenth street, between Q and R streets. Their children are seven in number, as follows: Will- iam C., with whose name this sketch commences; Mary, wife of Joseph Darioth; Emma, wife of

Willard Lee; Sophia (Roeder); Emil, Henry, and Louisa, wife of A. Menke. William C. Graff, the oldest of the children of Andrew Graff, deceased, and the subject of this sketch, was reared and received his education in Saera- mento. He learned the cigar-making trade in the factory of R. H. Pettit, where he worked three years and a half, then went with David Bush in the plumbing and gas-fitting business. After two years with him he spent four years on the road, and traveled and worked through- out the Pacific coast, from Salt Lake City to San Diego. He then started in business for himself in Sacramento, and by his thorough knowledge of the business, and close attention to all the details, he has made for himself a reputation second to none. He does general work in his lines, and contracts for plumbing, gas-fitting and sewer work. Mr. Graff was mar- ried in this city, February 19, 1883, to Miss Sophia Schniedwind, a native of Elgin, Illinois. Mr. Graff is a pushing, enterprising young busi- ness man, and is meeting with well-deserved success.

LIAS GRUHLER, of Sacramento, is a native of Aldingen, Spaidingen, Wurteni- berg, born October 24, 1855, his parents being Fred and Christina Maria (Glazer) Gruh- ler. He was reared at his native place, and attended the government schools between the ages of six and fourteen years. At the age of twenty years he entered the German army in the Twelfth Company, Seventh Regiment, Thirteenth Army Corps, and served with honor and credit until 1880. During that time his stations were Stuttgart, Ulm, Freidenstadt and Ludwigsburg. The first year he was a subaltern, having charge for eight or ten years; the next two years his authority was enlarged, and during the last two years he served as sergeant. After 1880 he was in the government civil service, with headquarters at Stuttgart. In 1884 he came to New York, and from there to Sacra-

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mento. On the 9th of February, 1884, he opened the Postoffice Exchange, and in October, 1888, removed to his present location, at No. 924 Second street. Mr. Gruhler was married October 29, 1884, to Miss Mary R. Bolaz, a native of Wurtemberg. They have two children, viz .: Othelia and Ada. Mr. Gruhler has been president and secretary of the local lodge of Hermann's Sons, and is also a member of the Verein-Eintracht, in which he has held the office of secretary. Mr. Gruhler is an affable and courteous gentleman, and shows by his bearing the results of his training in the magnificent German army organization.

- AUL GRAF, manufacturer and dealer in harness, saddles, etc., Sacramento, is a na- tive of Germany, born at Muhlhausen, Baden, January 10, 1846, his parents being John and Helena (Rehm) Graf, the father a farmer and paper-maker. Paul Graf was the youngest of a family of nine children. He at- tended the public schools from the age of six until he was fourteen, and afterward at private schools. He then engaged in farın work. In 1867 he came to America, taking the steamer Hansen from Bremen to New York. He re- mained in the latter city for some time, then came to California via Panama. He took the steamer Rising Star on the Atlantic side, and on this side the steamer Golden Age, landing at San Francisco in October, 1868, and coming from there to Sacramento. His first employ- ment here was with Mr. Eiser, harness manu- facturer, and six months later he went with John T. Stoll. On the 5th of February, 1886, he commenced business for himself on K street, between Eighth and Ninth, and in March, 1887, he removed to his present location, No.1128È J street. Here he carries on the manufacture of harness, and handles saddles, collars, and in fact everything pertaining to a well-regulated store in his line. Mr. Graf was married in Sacramento, in February, 1877, to Miss Louisa Dresch.

They have two children, viz .: Mina and Mabel. Mr. Graf is a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F .; Lodge No. 42, Knights of Pythias, and of the Sacramento Turn-Verein. He taught athletics in the gymnasium for years. Mr. Graf has got his business well under way, and is making a first-class reputation as a busi- ness man.

M J. AZEVEDO, proprietor of the Eagle Winery, Sacramento, is a native of the Azores, Islands, born February 21, 1837, his parents being J. A. and Orsa Marrianna Azevedo. He attended school there, and was reared to farin life. In 1854, at the age of sev- enteen, he came to California around Cape Horn, and landed at San Francisco, January 20, 1854. Ile went to Butte County, and mined success- fully on Butte Creek. In 1861 he came to the Sacramento Valley, and located on a farm op- posite Freeport, where he engaged in ranching until 1872. He then went back to the old conn- try, and remained there until 1888, when he re- turned to Sacramento. The firm of Azevedo & Co. was organized in April, 1889, and pur_ chased the Eagle Winery. This winery is an extensive one, and has a distillery in connection. The finest of wines and brandies are turned out here, and the product of the winery has a high reputation. It is the only retail winery in Sac- ramento. Mr. Azevedo was married while in the old country, to Miss Marie Adelaide Azevedo. They have four children, viz .: John M., Mary A., Frank A. and John A. Mr. Azevedo is an active, enterprising man, genial and courteous in disposition, and just the kind of a man to push the Eagle Winery to the front rank.

M RS. MARY DICKINSON, a rauchi- owner of Cosumnes Township, was born in Ireland in 1840, her parents being Henry and Nancy (Rooney) Doyle. She came

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America in 1858, and settled in Wisconsin, where she married early in 1863 at Janesville, John Hilton, the son of an English father and Irish mother, but born during the tempo- rary sojourn of his parents in France, in 1825. Mr. Hilton was a mason by trade and came to California with his wife and child in May, 1864. and died in Sacramento in 1869. leaving two sons: Thomas Jefferson, born near Janesville, Wisconsin, February 28, 1864, and John, born in this State, June 26, 1867. In 1871 Mrs. (Doyle) Hilton was married in Sacramento to Mr. Peter Dickinson, born in England, April 11, 1830. His mother is known to have been eighty when she died in England in 1870. When the father died is not known. The son went to sea at the age of eleven and followed that kind of life for nine years, visiting China, India, Australia and nearly all parts of the world. Coming to California in 1850 he quit a seafaring life and went to mining, which he followed many years. He secured title to 197 acres, half a mile east of Michigan Bar, well adapted to fruit culture and farming. Mr. Dickinson died November 15, 1885, leaving three children: Rose Alice, born Angust, 1872; James Peter, May 19, 1874, and Mary Ellen, June 16, 1878.

HOMAS McANALLY, deceased. The subject of this sketch was born in the County of Armagh, Ireland, abont 1840. He emigrated to America at eighteen,and came to California before he was twenty-one. Arriving in this county in 1861 or 1862, he worked for eight or nine years at general farming, dairying and fruit-raising in Franklin Township. He was known by his employers and their neigh- bors as an upright, industrions and kindly man, straightforward in his relations with all classes and conditions of men, an excellent type of the better class of Irish workmen. Having saved his earnings for several years of steady work, he bought, in 1870, the fruit ranch of seventy-

one acres about one mile above Conrtland, where his family still resides. Mr. McAnally was married in April, 1876, to Miss Catherine O'Flaherty, also a native of Ireland, born in the County of Galway in 1852, daughter of Patrick and Mary (Folan) O'Flaherty. She came to this county in 1875. By the early death of her husband, in May, 1887, she was left a widow with two children: Mary Agnes, born August 22, 1878, and Edward 'Thomas, born February 6,1880.

S ANFORD DICKEY was born in Bar- tholomew County, Indiana, February 27, 1832, his parents being Thomas and Eu- nice (Starke) Dickey. The father, a native of Randolph Connty, North Carolina, lived to be ninety-two, and the mother, born in Monon- gahela County, Kentucky, died at seventy-eight. Grandfather William Dickey was over eighty when he died in Randolph County, North Caro- lina. Thomas Dickey was married to Eunice Starke, in Clark County, Indiana, about 1815, after the close of the war of 1812, in which he had served. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters. all of whom lived to matu- rity. In 1847 they moved to Marion County Iowa, where they bought a farm of 220 acres. The subject of this sketch received the nsual district-school education and learned farming on his father's place. In 1854 Sanford Dickey re- ceived a forty-acre farm from his father, and in September of that year was married to Miss Cynthia Billups, a native of Iowa, daughter of Edward and Theodosia (Barrett) Billups. In 1857 they came to California, accompanied by a nephew, Thomas Dickey, now living one and a halt miles below Isleton. They left Council Bluffs May 10, and reached Placerville Septem- ber 27. Coming down to Sacramento County, Sanford Dickey worked a few months for ranchers on the lower Stockton road near Franklin. He then entered 160 acres of Gov- ernment land about two and a half' miles south-

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east of Franklin, which he kept and worked nn- til 1867, when he sold it to Walters, whose family now own it. In 1867 he bought the dairy bus- iness of the Jacobs ranch, half a mile west of Franklin, consisting of abont forty cows. After one year he moved his dairy to the Tib- bets ranch, about two miles below Richland. In the antumn of 1869 he moved to Ross' ranch about midway between Franklin and Richland. Abont 1875 he quit the dairy bnsi- ness and moved to Miller's ranch about two miles below Freeport, where he remained abont three years, engaged chiefly in peddling meat. Then moving a mile further south on the river road, he was engaged for abont two years in gen- eral farming and fruit-growing on the Neu- baner ranch. October 6, 1880, he moved into the Isleton Hotel as renter, bought it in August, 1881, including lot, 80 x 120 feet, and still conducts it. He also rents the Cole ranch of 819 acres on the Georgiana Slough, devoted chiefly to raising natural hay and alfalfa. Be- sides quietly and kindly caring for the welfare of his guests, and actively superintending the hotel and ranch work, Mr. Dickey is road overseer of a large territory, including Grand Island and Georgiana Township. Mrs. Dickey died in March, 1867, leaving six children, the two oldest being natives of Iowa and the others of California: Delilah, born March 5, 1855, now Mrs. James Aikens, of Sacramento; Homer Lawrence, born February 19, 1857, married to Miss Margaret Drone, a native of Canada, who came to California in 1885: they reside in Isle- ton and have one child, Cynthia Marie, born July 27, 1888; Naomi, born October 9, 1859, now Mrs. Louis Wagner, of Sacramento, has one daughter; Cynthia, born May 3, 1861, now Mrs. Charles Shipley, of Philadelphia, has one son; Iva, born Jannary 14, 1863, now Mrs. George Hignett, of Sacramento; Sanford, Jr., born October 14, 1865, still unmarried, assists his father especially as road overseer. October 9, 1868, Mr. Dickey was married to Mrs. Melinda (Haruff) Funk, a widow with one child, Frances, born September 7, 1865, now Mrs.

Arthur Dulion, of Sacramento. Mrs. Melinda Dickey was born in Arkansas, January 28, 1843, her parents being Peter and Margaret (Hinton) Haruff. With her mother and step-father she came to California in 1849, and with them went back in 1852, and returned to California in 1866. Her mother, now Mrs. Margaret Gor- don, born in Ohio. June 14, 1812, is living in San Jose, California. Grandfather Hinton was also a native of Ohio, and grandmother (Filson) Hinton was a native of South Carolina. She was over seventy when she died. By this second marriage Mr. Dickey has two children: Angeline, born December 23, 1869; Hiram Joseph, born July 5, 1879.

M RS. ISABELLA W. MISER, a ranch- owner of Cosminnes Township, abont twenty seven miles from Sacramento, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 3, 1826, her parents being Edward A. and Mary Ann (Ryder) Hughes. The father was a native of Nova Scotia, and the mother of New Bruns- wick. The latter died of cholera in 1849, in St. Louis, Missouri, where they had settled in 1841, the father being a dealer in boots and shoes in both cities. Hle came to California in 1854, and lived with his children, already settled here, and died some years later at the age of seventy- seven. The subject of this sketch was married in St. Louis, February 2, 1848, to Solomon Miser. In 1849 Mr. Miser came to California, and was engaged in mining on the Cosninnes, and afterward in cattle-raising near Redwoods, until he went back for his wife and child in 1851. After a weary jonrney of five months across the plains, they arrived on the Cosumnes and soon afterward squatted on the place still occupied by Mrs. Miser. By purchase from the Government and others he became possessed of 680 acres of land before 1865, to which Mrs. Miser has added 320 acres since his death. Mr. Miser came to his death in 1876, by being run over by his own heavily-loaded wagon. 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