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 47

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 47

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almost ridiculous without the causes shown and the help given by him in the Union. Besides being the guiding star of the Whigs, the paper, under his editorship, had great influence even with the Democrats, as a legislative party, because they feared his pen. Though a strong, forcible writer, he never descended to personalities, and had but one instance of trouble. Mr. Bell, then Controller of State, took exceptions to an article of Mr. Upson's criticising his official acts, and one morning as the latter was coming out of the Senate chamber, he met Bell, who at once as- saulted him. Mr. Upson never preferred charges against his assailant. Years afterward, however, Mr. Bell called upon Mr. Upson at San Francisco and manfully apologized for his act. He finally broke down under the great strain placed upon him by his literary work, and he was compelled to seek rest. In 1864 he had a para- lytic stroke of the tongue. About that time one of his intimate friends, high in Government coun- cils, secured for him the appointment of Quartermaster of the Division; but as the re- muneration, while great, was largely in the form of commissions on purchases, etc., he did not accept the office with its emoluments, on ac- count of conscientious scruples. He was after- ward tendered and accepted the appointment to the office of United States Surveyor-General, which he held for six years, under Presidents Lincoln and Johnson. He was again ap- pointed but not confirmed by the Senate, and finally Mr. Day, a relative of Senator Evarts, was nominated and confirmed. Returning to Sacramento, he retired to his farm (on the cross- roads between the Upper and Lower Stockton roads), which he had bought while editor of the Union. While living there he was nominated for the position of county clerk and elected. He was re-nominated for another term, but there was a split in the Republican ranks that time, and Ham. C. Harrison, who received the Democratic and Independent nominations, was elected. IIe afterward accepted the manage- ment of the interests of the company operating at Riverside, San Bernardino County, and while

there was interested also in the San Jacinto tin mine. About the 1st of May, 1877, while he was attending the meeting of the board of direc- tors of the company at. San Francisco, he was stricken with something like paralysis of the brain. His son Lauren A. went there and brought him to Sacramento. He never recov- ered the use of his faculties, but died Novem- ber 20, 1885. Ilis faithful and devoted wife died on the 1st of May, 1887. To them were born six children, of whom the first child died. The other children were as follows: Warren F. (a resident of this State); Lauren Asahel (of Sacramento); Lucy L. (wife of Jolin Arnold); Charles W. (who met with an accidental deatlı in this city); and Cornelia Selina (wife of General George B. Williams, of Washington, who is now attorney for the Southern Pacific Railroad at Washington, District of Columbia.

AUREN A. UPSON, second son of Lauren Upson, deceased, was born at Marion, Perry County, Alabama, July 1, 1837. HIe was educated there and at the high school at Mobile until his sixteenth year. In 1853, after his father had gone to California, his inother and four children, including our sub- ject, went to Connecticut. Then he attended Lewis' Academy at Southington, preparing for Yale College, but in 1855 his father sent for the family, and they then came out to California. Our subject, who was then eighteen years of age, became a newsboy on the Union at $75 a month. He carried papers one year, and then went into the employ of the Pacific Express Company. When twenty years old he entered the employ of Sueatlı & Arnold. After a short time he bought the interest of Mr. Kramer in the firm of P. II. Kramer & Co., and the new firm of Purdy & Upson was formed, composed of Mr. Upson and J. E. Purdy, and doing busi- ness at Woolsey's Flat, Nevada County. After two years in that firm, he left there and went to Placerville. The firm of L. A. Upson & Co.

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did business then until 1860, when the store was sold, and Mr. Upson came to Sacramento again and took the position of bookkeeper for the firm of Sneath & Arnold. After the flood of 1862 the firm established a lionse in San Francisco, and Mr. Upson took charge of the office there. In 1863 the firmn was dissolved, Mr. Upson representing Mr. Arnold in the dis- solution, and W. J. Tilly acting for Mr. Sneath. Mr. Upson returned to Sacramento, and the firm of John Arnold & Co. was organized, composed of John Arnold, John McNeill and L. A. Up- son. A little later L. S. Adams became a mem- ber of the firm. The house finally became Adams, McNeill & Co., composed of L. S. Adams, John McNeill and L. A. Upson. Mr. Upson remained a member of the firm until 1868, when he sold his interest to L. S. Adams. He has ever since been connected with the house as salesman, and now represents them as traveling salesman. Mr. Upson is a charter member of Sacramento Lodge, A. O. U. W .; member of Sacramento Lodge, K. of H., and member of K. & L. of H. In the days of the volunteer fire department he was a member of Young American Engine Company, No. 6, and is now an exempt fireman. Mr. Upson is an active Republican politically, and has held the position of chairman of the City Central Com- mittee. He was the first secretary of the Sacra- mento paid fire department, and has been for many years treasurer of the State Agricultural Society, which office he now holds. Mr. Upson was married in this city to Miss Adelaide L. Ilubbard, eldest daughter of I. M. and Sarah Buckley (Wilcox) Hubbard, and a native of Utica, New York. To them have been born ten children, of whom seven are living, viz .: Lauren Stuart, Lucy, Adelaide, Nellie, Miller, Burchell and Gertrude.

M ANUEL CASTRO, one of the active business men of Sacramento, is a native of Lower California, born in the State of Loretta, June 12, 1837, his parents being

Francis and Joanna (Canisares) Castro. His father was born near the frontier between Up- per and Lower California about 1801, and was an officer in the army of Mexico from the age of twenty years, and the Government gave him the San Fernando grant. When Manuel Castro was but twelve years of age he went to sea as cabin boy on the John Anderson, which plied between Mexican and Californian ports. He was with that vessel about three months, then remained in San Francisco about two weeks, when he went on the schooner Sixth of June, also in the coast trade. He remained with her about seven months, after which he was on the Two Brothers for nine months. He got away from her at San Francisco and went to the mines with a party of young men. When they got at the Cosminnes Creek it was raining hard, and they crossed in an oil-cloth boat, riveted. Getting to the other side they went into camp, and some of the boys went ont and killed a deer. They then went on to Dobler's Springs, between Stockton and Mokelumne Bar. At the latter place they went to mining, after a few days. Mr. Castro had no money but could get trusted for anything he wanted, Flour was $3 a pound, bacon $1.50 a pound, yellow sugar $1.50 per pound. Mr. Castro, however, was making from $16 to $20 a day. He fell in with a young fellow he had known in Mexico, and the two boys worked together five months, making $1,300 apiece. All kinds of utensils were ex- pensive. A tin dipper cost $1.50; a bucket cost $6, and a tight half-barrel to make a cradle cost $100. After five months Mr. Castro went back to Lower California, but after visit- ing there about six weeks, he returned and went to the Sonora mines. Three weeks later he went to San Antonio, and after a few days pro- ceeded to Jesus Maria. There he remained for some time, then went to Sutter Creek, and mined between Volcano and Sutter. There he mined for a long time, and became one of the best known young men in that region, and very popular with every one. In 1857 he came to Sacramento, and after five months went to boat-

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ing on the river for Fred Milleo and Anton Brewer. Two years later he bought them out. Afterward he sold his boat, and built two others. He carried on that business until about 1863, but in 1879 he opened a large wood-yard in Sacramento, and has carried on that business since. He has two yards, one between P and Q streets, the other on the corner of Fourth and L streets, and does an extensive business, hav- ing a very large number of customers. Mr. Castro was married in Sacramento March 19, 1861, to Miss Gustella .Paz, a native of Lower California. They have three children, viz .: Ro- dolfo, Golfida (wife of Gus Gonnett) and Mar- shall. Mr. Castro is a member of the Walhalla Grove, No. 6, A. O. D., of Lodge No. 11, K. of P., and of Tribe No. 14, Red Men. In the days of the volunteer fire department he was a member of Eureka Company, No. 4, and is now an exempt fireman. Mr. Castro has a good memory, and has many interesting and enter- taining recollections of the early mining days.

HILIP DOUGLAS, master car repairer, Central Pacific Railroad Company, is a native of the Isle of Man, born February 28, 1843, his parents being Philip, Sr., and Jane (McDowell) Douglas. When he was eight years old his parents came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, and located in New York, where his father resided some eighteen years before, and four years later returned to England. There he remained until twenty-two years of age, and learned the trade of carpenter in the shops of the London & Northwestern Railway at Lancashire. In 1865 he again came to the United States, and was engaged until 1868 working in the shops of the New York Central Railroad and those of the Hudson River Railroad, before these two systems were con- solidated. In 1868 he came to California, and locating in Sacramento, entered the employ of the Central Pacific Railroad as a carpenter in

the car and locomotive departments of the shops, nuder Benjamin Welch. His work at that time was principally in the round-house. He worked two years at the bench as a carpen- ter, then as foreman of the running-gear de- partinent in car shops. In October, 1876, he was promoted to master car repairer, having his jurisdiction over all the lines of which J. B. Wright is superintendent. The number em- ployed in his department averages about 135, though it sometimes reaches 175. Mr. Douglas was married at Albany, New York, June 4, 1868, to Miss Caroline Foreman, a native of Great Yarmouth. England, but was reared in this country. They have three children, viz .: Jennie M., Hattie C. and Harry W. Mr. Douglas is a member of Union Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and of Sacramento Lodge, K. of P. He was one of the organizers of the Union Build- ing and Loan Association, and is now director. He has two brothers, also in the shops, viz .: Robert C., machinist, and James A., a moulder. Mr. Douglas is an active, energetic man of business, and performs with great credit the supervision of his department, in which he is popular with the employes, and whose respect and confidence he commands.

TEPHEN UREN, general foreman of the blacksmith and rolling-mill department of the Central Pacific Railroad shops, Sacra- mento, is a native of Cornwall, England, born September 10, 1837, his parents being William and Bethsheba (Sincock) Uren, the father a blacksmith and machinist by trade. He was reared and educated at his native place, and learned his trade in the shop of which his father was foreman. In 1857 he came to the United States, and spent a year in the copper mining district of Ontonagon County, Michigan. Hav- ing decided to go to California, in 1858 hie pro- ceeded to New York, and there took passage on the steamer Constitution for Aspinwall. Cross- ing the Isthmus, he resumed his sea voyage on

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the steamer Golden Gate, and arrived at San Francisco, October 15, 1858. He came on to Sacramento County, and worked at his trade about Folsom about two years; thence he went to El Dorado Connty, where he mined abont a year. After this he spent three months in Vir- ginia City, Nevada, and from there came to Sacramento, where he became engaged in the construction of the State Capitol building. In 1869 he obtained employment in the railroad shops as a blacksmith, and four years later he was promoted to the post of assistant foreman, under A. F. La Shalles, foreman. In 1875 Mr. Uren was promoted foreman of the blacksmith shop, succeeding George Genslilea, who had occupied the position abont fourteen months. When the rolling-mills were added to the shops that department was also placed under Mr. Uren's authority, and the first bar was rolled out under his supervision, in July, 1881. The mill turned out 11,000 tons of material in 1888. In November of that year 500 men were employed in the rolling-mill and black- smith departments, but the number is less at this writing. The heaviest steamboat forgings ever made on the Pacific coast have been con- structed in this shop. All the forgings for the steamer Piedmont were made here. Mr. Uren has added in a vast degree to the efficiency of his departments through the introduction of his own inventions. There are many of these applied here and in such shops generally, though he has only had a limited number of their pat- ented. Among these may be enumerated the following: Device for forming car-links, pat- ented April 27, 1880. Previous to the intro- duction of this device, links were made by hand. The cost of manufacture has been reduced one- third. Process of utilizing scrap for the manu- facture of nuts, etc., patented October 6, 1885. Scrap was never used for the manufacture of nuts before. Large bridge-nuts have heretofore been hand-made. This machine produces them at the rate of one per minute. The ordinary method requires a half hour for each nut. Wrought-iron brake-shoe, patented December

1, 1885. This invention is used on the cars of nearly all roads ou the Pacific coast, and is in great demand. Mr. Uren manufactures abont 500 tons of them anunally in the railroad shops. The advantage over the cast-iron shoe is in the ratio of 5 to 1. A patent on a method of util- izing serap cast-steel. By this invention it is composed into ingots, and rolled down into bar steel. His latest patent is on a slotting attach- ment for a bolt-heading machine. It is the only machine in existence that will head a bolt and slot the key-way at the same time. This machine, or even the idea, had never been thought of before, and Mr. Uren considers it one of his most valuable inventions. It was patented May 28, 1889,-No. 404,235. Mr. Uren was married in this city on the 9th of September, 1865, to Miss Mary Welch, a native of Ireland. They have seven children, viz .: William, Edward, Minnie, Stephen, Walter, Grace and Nellie. Mr. Uren is a member of Union Lodge, A. F. & A. M. In politics he is a Republican. He has made his own way in the world by attention to details of his chosen trade. He was always of an inventive turn of mind, and some of his inventions have already revolutionized methods always before used in the best shops in the world. As the head of one of the other departments expressed it to the writer of this article, "Stephen Uren is one of the most useful men the Southern Pacific Rail- road Company ever employed."

LAUS FELDHUSEN, one of the well- known business men of Sacramento, is a native of Germany, born at Meyenburg, Hanover, May 5, 1836, his parents being John Henry and Margaretha (Brauer) Feldhusen. He was reared at his native place and received his education at the public schools between the age of six and fourteen years. After that he farmed with his father during the day, in the meantime attending night school. At the age of twenty years he entered the military, and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

served steadily in the Fifth Hanover Infantry Regiment for two years. After that he served one month each year until he was twenty-seven years old. He had been educated in the raising of forests, and he made the forestry business his ocenpation. In 1869 he came to the United States, sailing from Bremen to New York. From the latter city he came directly to Cali- fornia, and located in Sacramento. He went into business the same year on the corner of Eighth and L streets, in partnership with Fred Koster, bnying out the interests of D. Dierssen in the business. After two or three years Mr. Feldhusen bought his partner ont and has since carried on the business alone. He has built up an extensive trade, and has a large and well selected stock of goods. His local trade is very large, and he does quite a jobbing business with the surrounding country. Mr. Feldhusen was married in his native country to Miss Charlotte Mertens. They have five children, viz .: Meta (wife of John C. Schaden, of Sacramento), Ben, Henry, Nicholas and Annie; the latter four be- ing with their father in the store. Mr. Feld- husen is a courteous, genial-mannered gentleman and is popular with his many customers.

C. FITCHI, foreman of the painting department, Central Pacific Railroad shops, Sacramento, is a native of New York State, born at Sidney, Delaware County, December 3, 1840, and son of Cyrus and Evelyn (Eels) Fitch, both of whom were natives of Connecticut, and the father a farmer. W. C. Fitch spent his early boyhood days at his native place, and at the age of fifteen years went to Otsego Connty to learn the carriage-painting trade with the firm of D. Hanford & Co., at Unadilla. He remained with them five years, and then decided to go to California. Proceed- ing to New York city, he took passage there, March 21, 1861, on the steamer North Star. IIe landed on the 1st of April, and crossing the Isthmns of Panama by rail, resnmed his sea

voyage on the steamer Golden Age, landing at San Francisco on the 13th of April. After working three weeks in San Francisco, he went to Marysville, where he obtained employment with the California Stage Company, and had charge of their painting for over four years, or until the stage company closed np business on account of the railroad competition. He then established a carriage painting shop at Marys- ville, and conducted it for two years. He was then offered his present position at the head of the painting department of the Central Pacific Railroad Company at Sacramento, and accepted the offer, and has filled that position since March 28, 1868. Mr. Fitch was married at Marysville, May 28, 1865, to Miss Roscelia M. Graham, a native of Indiana, but reared at New Boston, Mercer County, Illinois. Five children have been born to them, viz .: Adah, wife of Nelson II. Shaver, Jr., of this county; Beatrice G., William L. and Irma R. The one deceased was named Frank Laurence. Mr. Fitch is a member of Union Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and of Union Lodge, A. O. U. W. Be- fore his marriage he belonged to the Marysville Rifles, in which command he rose through the grades of Third and Second Lientenant to that of First Lientenant. This company sent two of its captains (Gibson and Randall), with com- panies which they had organized, to the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Fitch is a master of his business, and is very popular with the large number of men under him, in the employ of the railroad company. His long tenure of his important position is an index to the opinion held of him by the company.

IIRISTIAN WILLIAM THEODOR BENEDIX has resided in this county since 1868. He was born August 10, in the year 1839, in the city of Plau, Mecklenburg- Schwerin, Germany. In 1852 he came with his parents to America via Hamburg, crossing the Atlantic in the English sailing vessel Gib-

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raltar, Captain Jordan. It was a slow and tedi- ous voyage, and came very near being a very hot one, the ship taking fire twice. After a short stay in New York the family moved on to Scott County, Iowa, and settled on a farm four miles from the town of Le Claire, fifteen miles north of Davenport. They sold this in the fall ot 1864 or 1865, and then bought a highly-in- proved farm of eighty-two acres, very near Rock Island, Illinois, paying $100 per acre. There is their present home. The grandparents of the subject of this sketch, on both sides, were well advanced in years when they died. His parents, Frederick John Christian Benedix, born Octo- ber 9, 1812, and Frederika (nee Ribke), born September 30, 1815, had three sons and five daughters, of whom the subject of this sketch is the oldest. The next, a brother, Henry, died at their German home, aged seven or eight years. The third, Mary, at the age of seventeen years, married John Holst, at Le Claire, Iowa, and died four years later, having had two dangh- ters, of whom the younger died a short time before her mother. The older daughter, Sadie H., is at present living in western Iowa, near the town of Glidden. Her husband is Fred. Hebbel, and they have three children, all girls. The fourth is his brother Frederick, who is now living near Pierson, Woodbury County, Iowa, where he is the owner of a large farmn. He is also the happy father of nine healthy children, two sons and seven daughters. The fifth, Dora, married Henry Mumm, at Moline, Illinois, where she now resides. They have six children, one son and five daughters. The sixth and seventh sisters died quite young, while yet in Germany. The eighth and youngest-also a sister- died at the age of about two years, near Rockford, Illinois, while on the journey from New York to Iowa. Mr. Christian W. T. Ben- edix during his boyhood worked mostly on the Iowa farm of his father. In the summers of 1859 and 1860 he engaged in the prairie-break- ing business, " breaking up" many an acre of wild prairie and brush land in the counties of Scott, Cedar and Clinton; and at the same time

"breaking in" many a wild steer. He was the first to enlist in his township during the last war, April 20, 1861, in Company G, First Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers. He was mustered into United States service May 14, at Camp Kirkwood, near Keokuk, Iowa, and was honorably discharged from the service August 21, 1861, at the St. Louis Arsenal, Missouri, by reason of expiration of term of service. He served under Generals Lyon, Sweeny and Franz Sigel. He was with General Sweeny on that tiresome march from Springfield, Missouri, across the Ozark Mountains, and at the storm- ing and capture of the city of Forsyth, near the Arkansas line. Mr. Benedix was never reported on the "sick list," and participated in all the engagements and hardships of his command. Having enlisted against the wishes of his par- ents, he had pledged himself to his mother that if he returned in safety he would not re-en- list, and very much against his will, was held to that obligation. In 1862-'63, on his father's farın in Iowa, he went into the experiment of manufacturing sugar from sorghum, only to find it a losing business. In the winter of 1863-464 he again went to St. Louis, Missouri, and for some three months was in employment of the United States at Benton Barracks, but his health perceptibly failing, he concluded to re- turn to Iowa, and thence go overland to the lands of the Pacific. In the spring of 1864 he left the grain-fields of Iowa for the gold-fields of Idaho-Boise Basin mines. Here he mined nearly two years, working, not very successfully, but successively, on Moore's Creek, Buena Vista Bar, Willow Creek, Grimes' Creek, and in the celebrated Apple Jack Gulch. In the summer of 1866 he prospected for gold in Ore- gon, without finding much. In the fall of 1866 he settled on a farm near Rio Vista, Solano County, this State. In the spring of 1868 he sold this land, and soon afterward bought the 160 acres which he now occupies in Franklin Township, eighteen miles south of Sacramento. In San Francisco, October 15, 1870, Mr. Benedix married Miss Emily Weis-

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mann, a native of Crailsheim, Wurtemberg, Germany. They are the parents of five sons: Fraderick John, born September 15, 1871; Al- bert, born June 8, 1873; Christian William, born July 8, 1875; Frank Weisman, born May 30, 1877; and Henry Charles, born February 2, 1881. In the spring of 1888 Mr. and Mrs. Benedix, with their son Henry C., made a visit to their aged parents in Illinois. At the residence of their son-in-law and daughter Dora in Mo- line, the parents of Mr. Benedix, on the 18th day of May, 1888, celebrated their golden wed- ding. Here at his California home Mr. Bene- dix's business is farming, raising mostly wheat and barley, but at times he has also been rais- ing some cattle, hogs and horses. About six acres of his farm are planted to grapevines. However, he makes but little wine, selling most of the grapes to commission houses in San Francisco, or to the wineries of Sacramento. For fourteen years Mr. Benedix has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Point Pleasant School District. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; and also corresponding member of the Davenport (Iowa) Academy of Natural Sciences.

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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