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 119

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 119

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coming almost immediately to Sacramento, and later on going to Mormon Island, where Mr. Fabing had a sister living. To illustrate more fully the willingness and independent spirit of young Bronner, it is worthy of note that when he landed in Sacramento on January 5, 1854, he, having no money, rather than be dependent or under obligations to his friend Fabing, at once accepted a position as dish-washer in the Stanford House, on I street, a hotel at that time kept by a man by the name of Stanford. This spirit has followed Mr. Bronner through life, it being his motto to do whatever came in his way, and to do it well. It was not long, how- ever, before his friend Fabing insisted that he should join him, and they worked together in Blue Ravine, also at the Western Diggings, on the American River, where they had an interest in a tunnel, until the spring of 1855, when he came to Sacramento and entered the employ of Dr. J. F. Morse, a prominent physician, and editor of the old Daily Union. After five or six years Dr. Morse removed to San Francisco, and Mr. Bronner engaged with Dr. Cluness, who had at that time recently come to Sacra- mento from Petaluma. In 1862 he entered the employ of Wells, Fargo & Co., the office being at that time under the management of Alexan- der Hayden, who afterward committed suicide and was succeeded by Felix Tracy, Mr. G. G. Clark taking charge of the office until Mr. Tracy was installed as agent of the company there. At the time of Hayden's trouble and death, Bronner and the janitor were the only employes who were retained. Bronner con- tinned his position for some time under Tracy, resigning in 1870 to engage in business for himself. He always was interested in politics, and has held many positions of trust in his party, being peculiarly fitted by nature to con- trol men and to assist in party councils. In 1876 he was elected public administrator, and re-elected in 1879, filling this important office with marked ability. A prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, a Knight Templar, a member of Tehama Lodge, No. 3, Sacramento

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Chapter, No. 3, Council No. 1, and Command- ery No. 2, he has held offices of trust in these organizations, in which he takes great interest. He is also a member of Union Lodge, No. 21, A. O. U. W., and of the Knights of Honor. He married a Boston lady in 1866, and with his family resides at Fifteenth and L streets, oceu- pying property of his own, of 120 feet front- age. They have nine children, six sons and three daughters; they lost three.

EORGE BLAKE COSBY, late Adjutant- General of California, is a resident of Sacramento city. A brief mention of his antecedents, a brief glance of the story of an unusually eventful life, cannot but be gratify- ing to his many friends, in connection with the historical volume of a county which has become his home. In the person of the General we see the harmonious blending of the characteristics of the old-time Southern chivalry, with the en- ergy and business qualifications of the New Englander. Born in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, in 1831, his father, Fortunatus Cosby, Esq., was a gentleman of leisure, a student of belles-lettres, the son of Fortunatus Cosby (Ist), one of the early settlers of that portion of Kentucky; while his mother, Ellen Blake, was a native of Boston, Massachusetts, being of English deseent. Young Cosby re- ceived his preliminary edneation in the schools of his native city, and with the energy born of his New England mother, entered a clerkship, fully determined to become a merchant. He was at that time seventeen years old. When the appointment of a eadetship to the United States Military Academy at West Point was within the gift of Hon. Garnet Duncan, Repre- sentative of the Lonisville District, a life-long friend of the Cosby family, it was but natural that this gratifying selection should fall to him. Ile passed the requisite examination, donned the uniform of a eadet, entered the academy, and after a four years' course was graduated 48

with honor in 1852, and assigned as Second Lieutenant in the United States Mounted Rifles, stationed at Fort Ewell, a frontier station at the erossing of the Indian trail midway between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, in Western Texas. He vividly recalls the hardships of that time on the Texan frontier. In 1857 he was assigned as Lieutenant in the Second United States Cavalry, on duty in the Southwest, where he was at the breaking out of the sectional war in 1861. True to his principles and belief as to the calls of duty, he resigned his position on the 12th of May, 1861, and hastened to Mont- gomery, Alabama, at that time the seat of Con- federate government, and tendered his services to President Jefferson Davis, being accompanied in this departure by George B. Anderson and John B. Hood, also of the regular army. He remained in the Confederate service until the capitulation of General Lee, in April, 1865. The stirring events of these years need not be chronieled here, indeed could not be, within the limits of this sketeh. Suffice to say that he did his duty,-at Bethel Church, his first battle; at Fort Donelson, where he was captured by the enemy; at Perryville, etc. He served with dis- tinction cn the staff's of Generals Magruder and Buekner, being chief of staff, and Brigadier- General under Van Dorn at the time of the latter's death, engaged in skirmishing duty and guarding the flanks of the army of General Bragg. Later on, toward the close of the war, he was with General Jubal A. Early as Briga- dier-Commander in his memorable Virginia campaign. Shortly after the failure of the Con- federate movement, and in consequence of the demoralized condition of affairs in the South, the General emigrated to California, and be- came, as he tersely expresses it, a " bread winner for his family." For two years he had charge of a stage line from Chico to Silver City, and later ou was a rancher in Butte County. In 1876 he came to Sacramento and was appointed elerk of the State Senate in the session of that year, and was reappointed and served in the session of 1878. Subsequently he was appointed

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by Governor Irwin Secretary of the State Engi- neering Department, holding the position until 1883, when he was appointed Adjutant-General by Governor Stoneman, and reappointed to the same office by Governor Bartlett in 1887, an office which by his early education and his ex- perience as a soldier he was so eminently quali- fied to fill. Upon the death of Governor Bartlett in 1887, and upon the accession of the present incumbent, he was removed for political reasons consequent upon the change of adminis- tration. The General is a most affable gentle- man, and notwithstanding the cares, dangers and disappointments which were crowded into the early years of his life, he is still in his prime. His wife, also a Kentuckian, is a daughter of Dr. John M. Johnson, an eminent physician, a State Senator, and a Medical Director on the staff of General Hardee during the war. The family residence and home, situated in the southern portion of this city, is a model of old- time hospitality, and here, surrounded by his interesting family, the General is at present Recording Clerk in the office of the Secretary of State.

FIRAM EMMET BARTON, a rancher of Natoma Township, was born in Cattarau- gus County, New York, November 6, 1833, his parents being Iliram and Almira (Guy) Barton. The family moved to Iowa in 1837, settling on a farm eleven miles from Bur- lington. In 1859 the parents went back to New York and there bought a farm on which they lived until 1865, when they came to Cali- fornia, arriving at White Rock, El Dorado County, by the train that brought the news of the assassination of President Lineoln. After a visit of two years with the subject of this sketch, they settled at Davisville, Yolo County, where the father died in 1872, aged about seventy-four. The mother survived him nine years, dying in 1881, at the home of her daugh- ter, Mrs. Isaac Baylis, near Red Bluffs, Cali-

fornia. They had nine children who grew to maturity, of whom four are residents of this coast: H. E., the subject of this sketch; Tim- othy, who lives a few miles further east, in El Dorado County; Henry, at the Willows, in Co- lusa County, and Jane, Mrs. Isaac Baylis, now of Maxwell, Colusa County. H. E. Barton left Iowa, in 1853, as driver of a ten-ox team for Rev. Jolin W. Short, who settled in Oregon. Mr. Barton worked in a saw-mill eight miles east of Albany until April, 1854, when he came to San Francisco by steamer from Portland He then struck out for the mines at Mud Springs, El Dorado County, where he mined with some success for two years. In 1856 he came down on Deer Creek and went into the business of raising cattle on the free ranges between Clarks- ville and Latrobe. On March 4. 1859, he was married to Miss Margaret Skiffington, born in New York city, in April, 1844, and there reared, but living with an aunt at Mud Springs, Cali- fornia, since 1856. After his marriage, Mr. Barton made a trip to the East, visiting his relatives in Iowa and New York and returned in 1860. He resmined his business of cattle- raising. and in 1862 went into dairying, hauling the product from the mountain range to Nevada in summer, and from the plains to Sacramento in winter. In 1866 he bonght 400 acres ten miles from Folsom on the Michigan Bar road, which he has since increased to 3,040; all this is in Sacramento County. Besides, he has 580 acres in Lake Valley, El Dorado County, and 320 in Alpine County, used mostly as a stock range. He, however, farms between 300 and 400 acres, raising hay and grain for home con- sumption. He usually keeps a herd of 3,000 sheep, 300 head of eattle (of which about 125 are milch cows for dairy products), and seventy- five horses, some of them a superior breed. He was deputy sheriff of El Dorado County two terms under W. H. Brown and is deputy sheriff of Sacramento County at the present time under George C. McMullen. He has also been school trustee in the district in which he lives for the last seven years. Mrs. Barton died October 21,

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1884, leaving eight children: Henry Clay, born August 17, 1859; Robert Guy, July 6, 1860; John Quincy, July 6, 1862; Nettie, July 10, 1865; Hiram Emmet, April 5, 1867; William Delos, April 10, 1868; Isabel May, September 4, 1869, and died November 9, 1883; David Lester, born October 4, 1870; and George H., December 4, 1871, all born in California. John Q. was married May 15, 1888, to Miss Belle Phillips, born in Oregon of American parentage, and has one boy, John Harris, born February 15, 1889. Nettie was married May 10, 1887, to John L., son of Hon. J. H. and Eliza Miller, formerly of Latrobe, now of Sacramento.

NWYL O. GREGORY .- Photography! Sun printing! How little we of to-day realize the importance of the art, and that its discovery lies within the present century, that indeed its development to the stage of a practical utility lies within the space of half that time! To England belongs the honor of first producing a photograph, by one Wedgwood, in 1802. This was followed in 1814 by the ex- periments of Nicephore de Niepce, who died in 1833. His son, Isadore de Niepce, together with Daguerre, made further improvements in the process. These pictures were taken upon silver-plated copper, and were called Daguerreo- types; and from that day to the present there has been a steady advancement in this art of " sun printing." To-day, in the best galleries, we find artists of merit who are making the study and improvements of this art their life- work, and accomplishing results which would have been deemed impossible only a few years ago. Sacramento has been fortunate in secur- ing for herself such a one in the person of Anwyl O. Gregory, whose studio is on J street, and who although a young man, has had a prac- tical experience of over twenty-eight years in his chosen profession. A short sketch of his lite cannot but be interesting to his many friends,

in connection with the historical volume of the county and city of his adoption. Mr. Gregory, born in the city of New York, is the only son of Joseph W. Gregory, a pioneer who came to the coast to establish the western branch of the great Atlantic & Pacific Express Company, the rival of Adams. This company, from its office on Montgomery street, San Francisco, did an immense business in pioneer times. The senior Gregory returned East, and died in New York city in 1870. Anwył was educated in the pub- lic schools of that city, and, early evincing a strong liking for all forms of picture work, he determined to become a photographer, a branch of art then just coming into vogue. He first entered the Kimball Gallery, corner of Broad- way and Broom street, and later on was with Gurney, who for years was the leading photog- rapher in the Empire City, and indeed in the whole United States. His gallery on Fifth avenue will be remembered as one of the sights of the metropolis, the rendezvous of theatrical and society people of the great city. Gurney enjoyed an immense prosperity, and deservedly too, for he kept well abreast with the rapidly developing science of photography, and made practical application of all the newest methods, supplemented by his own vast and valuable ex- perience. Such was the training-school which fitted the subject of this sketch for his life- work; and when in 1879 he concluded to emi- grate to the " land of golden promise,"_of which he had so often heard his father speak in terms of highest praise, -- it was with a knowl- edge of his profession which materially assisted him in securing a responsible position within the Golden Gate, in the city of San Francisco. It was about this time that Mr. Leftwich, a skilled photographer and an artist of merit, fore- seeing the advantages of a really first-class gal- lery in the Capital City, had bought and fitted up his elegant studio on J street, which was in- tended to excel anything on the coast. He died, however, and Mr. Gregory was fortunate in securing the place, which he at once did; and, bringing his family to Sacramento, began

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a work which year by year has grown, and, un- der his fostering care has opened up new possi- bilities in the way of art photography. He first introduced the 20 x 24 camera for taking life- size portraits. He introduced Grecian statuary and Rembrandt styles, and adopted the plan of having on hand costumes and draperies of suit- able color and texture, to produce the most art- istic effect; aud in the matter of artistic " posing" alone he has scoured an immense success. Indeed, in this and other particulars he has revolutionized the old methods and pro- dnced results most gratifying to himself and to his patrons. He has taken silver medals three years in succession. That which was taken at the State Exposition in 1889, was a special medal for quality pictures. His display and art rooms at the State Exposition building on the Capitol grounds in 1887-'88-'89, were the most elaborate ever seen on the coast; and he was awarded the silver medal for highest merit; and not only this, but he has also established an enviable reputation as a conscientions, pains- taking artist.

ESTAURANT DE FRANCE, Faure & Becker, proprietors. This institution, har- ing the greatest prestige of all in Sacra- mento, was established in pioneer times by A. Mouton, a Frenchman who was widely known as a restaurateur and baker for many years. It was afterward kept by Louis Payne, who for fifteen years was the popular proprietor of the French Hotel on Second street; and it came into the hands of the present management in 1888, Mr. Payne having transferred his interest to them in March of that year. Its location, on the northwest corner of Fifth and K streets, in the Metropolitan building, is at once central and desirable. The main dining-hall comfort- ably seats eighty persons, while in addition there are two private dining-rooms, each having a seating capacity of twenty-four guests, and four smaller ones, suited to smaller parties, be-

sides of course the kitchen and other rooms, all on one floor. A genuine French chef de cuis- ine is employed. Julien Faure, the senior mem- ber of the firm, was born in Hautes Pyrenees, Southern France, September 11, 1852. His father, Alexander Faure, was a farmer; his mother's maiden name was Madaline Pene. At the tender age of eleven years young Julien began to learn the trade of pastry cook, at Pan. On hearing the accounts of his friend La Louche, who had made a fortune at the Bay here in Cal- ifornia, he determined to emigrate to the Golden State. Arriving at San Francisco from Bor- deaux, he was first employed at the Sanford House. Eight or ten months afterward he went to Salinas, this State, and was employed in a French restaurant there a little more than a year and a half. Returning to San Francisco, he was chef at the Occidental two years, but he soon lost some time on account of impaired health. In March, 1876, he came to the Capi- tal City, abont the time Louis Payne took charge of the French Hotel, and was chef at the Arcade in 1878, and furnished the dinner for the Press banquet in the presence of King Kalakaua and his suite, who were at that time making a tour of this country. Subsequently for eight years he was chef at the Western Hotel in this city, which position he left to be- come a inember of the present firm, in 1888. Mr. Faure was married in October, 1884, to Miss Emma Trope, daughter of Alexander Trope, who came from France and settled in Sacramento in 1852. She is a native of this city. Their children are three sons. Mr. Faure has been a member of the A. O. U. W., the Druids and the Red Men. In the latter organ- ization he is Past Grand Sachem, and he has represented his lodge in the grand council of the order at San Francisco, in August, 1889. A. Becker, the other member of the above firmn, was born in Calaveras County, this State, De- cember 15, 1862. His father, John Becker, a brewer, came to California in 1852, and estab- lished the Altaville Brewery. His mother, nee Elizabeth Myers, was a native of Baden, Ger-

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many. He was next to the youngest in a fam- ily of five sons. His first station after arriving at the years of responsibility was in a Stockton brewery, and the next at the San Joaquin House in that city. In 1883 he was employed by Louis Payne at the French Hotel in Sacramento, and there he had charge of the dining-rooms until he formed his present partnership relation.

T. BURKE was born in the city of New York, September 14, 1827, at which place he lived (with the exception of five years when he lived on his father's farm in New Jer- sey), until he came to California, November 23, 1849. He sailed from New York for California on the ship St. Mary (Captain Hill, com- mander), and arrived in San Francisco on Sun- day, April 27, 1850, after a pleasant voyage of 153 days, including one week's stop at Rio de Janeiro and two days at the Island of Juan Fer- nandez. He came up the Sacramento River on the brig General Cobb, and arrived at Sacra- mento May 6, 1850 After going to the mines he returned to Sacramento, where he engaged in the brick-making business. In the spring of 1853, after the big fire of 1852, he went to San Francisco and engaged in the brick business on Mission Creek. His brick-yard was situated where Center street crosses Mission Creek. In 1854 he returned to Sacramento, and in the fall of 1859 he was elected an officer of the police force. He sustained this relation until 1864, when he was elected Chief of Police to fill an unexpired term. He was afterward elected Chief of Police four years in succession. June 1, 1868, he entered the employ of the Central Pacific Railroad (now the Southern Pacific Company), as detective, and has remained in their employ ever since,-nearly twenty-three years. He has remained trne to Sacramento through all her vicissitudes of fire and water. He took an active part in capturing the Verdi train robbers in Nevada in 1870; also in the capture of the Cape Horn train robbers in

1883; the Popago train robbers near Mountain Springs, Arizona, in 1887, and the gang of in- cendiaries in Sacramento in 1860. Chief Burke belongs to the Exempt Firemen's Association. He was a member of Eureka Engine Company, No. 4, and a delegate to the Board of Delegates of the Old Volunteer Firemen's Association, and was vice-president of the board, Hon. Grove L. Johnson being president. At the last meet- ing of the board, before it adjourned sine die, - in the absence of the president, Mr. Burke oc- cupied the chair at the final adjournment.

B UFFALO BREWING COMPANY. - That the beverage known as lager bier (from the peenliar method of its brewing and storage prior to use) has become firmly established in the mind and appetite of the American people, a glance at the statistics showing the immense demand for this com- modity, and the vast sums invested in its pro- duction, is sufficient proof. A brief outline of an establishment of this kind, together with a mention of its founder, Mr. Herman H. Graw, will be found to be of interest in connection with the historical volume of the county with which he has recently become identified. The splendid pressed-brick, iron and granite fire- proof structure, which for the past year has been in course of construction on the block bounded by Twenty-first and Twenty-second, and Q and R streets, in the city of Sacramento will, when completed, be unexcelled by any in this or any other country. The main building, or brewery proper, 40 x 40 feet, is five stories high, to which is attached the ice-house, a four-story building 100 x 50 feet, and the boiler house, 40 x 60, con- densing-room, coal-sheds, wash-house, etc., in the rear. The malt-house, built upon the "Sala- dine Pneumatic System," is 45 x 100 feet, with a capacity to make and store 70,000 to 80,000 bushels of malt. The office building, a two- story strneture 32 x 32, comprising the com- pany's business offices, are on the first floor and

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directors' and stockholders' rooms above. It is conveniently located, on the corner of Twenty- first street and the alley, while immediately in the rear is the spacious malt kiln, and just op- posite-across the railroad track-are the bot-

tling works 40 x 60 feet. In the rear of this, fronting on Twenty. second street, are the fine stables, etc., 30 x 50 feet. Back of the ice-house, facing the switch, is the packing-room, 25 x 40, where the product is received on the cars and wagons for shipment, and opposite and to the

south of the packing-room is located the artiti- cial ice plant, having a daily capacity of thirty to forty tons of ice, made by the latest and most improved methods known to this important branch of industry. The ice is made by con- densing steam, and the water thus produced is filtered and deodorized, and thence goes into ice cans where it is frozen, thereby ensuring the highest degree of purity. The present capacity of the brewery is 60,000 barrels, and can be easily augmented to any desired extent, ample provision having been made for such increase of capacity at a minimum of cost. The archi- tectural designs and plans for these works were made by Mr. Otto C. Wolf, of Philadelphia. The general contract was awarded (February 28, 1889) to A. MeElroy, of San Francisco, for brewery; ice-house, store-rooms and boiler sheds, to Mr. Schneider; to N. Harvie, the con- tractor of this city, the malt-house, bottling works and stables. The work has been carried out under the immediate personal supervision of Mr. Graw, together with a representative of the architect's superintendent, Patrick O'Meara. It has been the aim of the company to secure, as far as possible, both in material and construc- tion, the services of local business firms. To Lucas Kreuzberger was sub-let the contract for brick work for office, malt-house, kilns, etc .; for plumbing and steam-fitting, to Messrs. Crouch & Lyman; the boilers, tanks, bins, etc., were furnished by Cunningham & Co .; cooperage, by Ochsner & Co., and David Woerner, of San Francisco,-all local firms. The copper work is from the Goetz & Brada Manufacturing Com-

pany, Chicago, while the ice machine and re- frigerator came from the De La Vergne Refrigerator Machine Company, of New York. The electric plant was furnished by the Electric Improvement Company, of San Francisco; plas- tering by D. J. Mannix, Sacramento; ice plant building and store-room, Mr. Schneider. The brewery engine, 150-horse-power, was built by Winkly, Spears & Hayes, San Francisco; the deep well pump was furnished by the Dow Steam Pump Works, of San Francisco. The millwright machinery is the most modern and complete, anperintended by a representative of Mr. Il. England, also a superintendent for the architect in that particular branch of science. The erection of the building was under the direction of a building committee, consisting of Herman H. Graw, chairman, Louis Nicholas and Frank Ruhstaller, the former giving it his active supervision. The entire ontlay for build- ings, machinery, and the entire equipment is $400,000. The officers of the company for the first year are: Adolph Heilbron, president; I. R. Watson, vice-president; Fred. Cox, treas -. urer; William E. Gerber, secretary. The pres- ent officers are: Adolph Heilbron, president; Frank Ruhstaller, vice-president; Fred. Cox, treasurer; William E. Gerber, secretary. Mr. Herman H. Graw, the master spirit, founder, general manager, and one of the largest stock- holders of the Buffalo Brewing Company, is a native of Germany, born April 29, 1846. He received his preliminary education in the coun- try of his nativity, but came to America at the age of seventeen. For a number of years he traveled in the interests of a large commercial house in New York city, and when, in 1871, he was united in marriage to Miss J. F. Bertha Liegele, daughter of Albert Liegele, the well- known brewer of Buffalo, New York, he became identified with the largest enterprise of that kind in that city, soon becoming a member of the firm, and later on he and the two sons of Mr. Liegele conducted the business successfully for twelve years. In May, 1887, having dis- posed of his business in Buffalo, he came to

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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