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 49

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 49

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

broke, and Mr. Cave then said, " It is Califor- nia." He sent word to his men that snch of them as wished to go to California would accompany him, and they refitted and started on the 1st of February. They followed the Rio Grande until they struck the old overland St. Louis and San Francisco road, thence proceeded by Tucson, Ft. Yuma, and Los Angeles to Sac- ramento. There Mr. Cave arrived with three wagons and some twenty mules and horses, his entire band of 350 cattle having been lost on the Colorado River. He traded 100 cattle to Smith for inules. He at once went to the ranch of his brother, who lived ten iniles down the Sacramento River, in Yolo County. Mr. Cave left his family there, and then proceeded with one of his nephews up above Yreka, where another brother had a hydraulic mine. Mr. Cave borrowed enough money from his brother to buy 300 head of cattle, which he purchased right there. He paid for the cattle and branded them, then came to Sacramento to rent some land to put the cattle on. While he was on this mission a terrible accident happened at the place he had just lefc. The brother from whom he had borrowed the money had three sons liv- ing at Sawyer's Bar, who had a large pack train, and in their possession was considerable money belonging to their father. The father went over to the Bar to visit his sons, and while there they said to their father, we will send the money by express. They provided him with a mule and a new saddle to ride back. On the way home he was shot by some one who knew he had the money, and killed. The murderers got but little money. The miners turned out to search for him, and found the body, but not the perpe- trators of the foul deed. When Mr. Cave got back there, he at once told the boys to take the cattle, and they did so, but gave him fourteen head. He then came back here, bought a ranch, and commenced farming seven iniles below Sac- ramento. When the Nevada mining excite- inent broke out he went to teaming, and drove forty mules over the mountains ont of Sacra- inento, in four ten-mule teams. When the Pa-

cific Railroad was building, a serious dispute arose between the railroad people and the Team- sters' Association as to whether the latter should take freight from Sacramento, or at Colfax. Mr. Cave was sent for, and at 1214 K street he met Messrs. Stanford, Crocker, Hopkins and Earl to discuss the situation. Mr. Stanford said, " We have a favor to ask. We want you to go to Colfax and hanl a quartz-mill to Austin." He offered to haul the teams to Colfax free, but Mr. Cave drove them. He continued teaming until that division of the road was built, and then sold his teams to a man named Yeager, of Ft. Yuma, who engaged Mr. Cave to go and haul quartz for the Vulture Mining Company, up the Colorado River about 150 miles above Ft. Ynma. Yeager borrowed $2,000 above the price of the team, Mr. Cave went to Sacra- mento, where he was to get the money, but Yeager did not show up with it. Mr. Cave went to San Francisco and, meeting Yeager at the Russ House, " tackled " him for a settlement, and a promise of payment was there made. Mr. Cave afterward met a man who told him the teams had been attacked, and he proceeded to look Y'eager up. He made a trip to the scene of Yeager's workings, and after much trouble and discouragement found he would never realize a dollar from him, so that he was out more than $14,000 in the operation, and all by accommo- dating a man. Mr. Cave has since devoted his attention to farming. He and George L. Clark purchased 1,100 acres of land in Yolo County, sixteen miles from Sacramento, and have started in' the business of raising alfalfa on a large scale. They have made many improvements, and have built a levee a mile and three-quarters long, fifty feet wide at the base and six feet high. They have some 10,000 cords of wood on the place. Mr. Cave was married in Van Buren County, Iowa, on the 8th of April, 1842, to Miss Delilah Donaldson, a native of Ohio. They have four children, viz .: Reuben, David and Hugh, who reside in Yolo County; and Miss Ella. Mr. Cave is a member of Bona- parte Lodge, No. 73, A. F. & A. M., which he

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joined away back in 1856. Politically he is a Democrat. He has led an active life, more than ordinarily mixed with adventure, and is at the present time a pushing man of business.

HARLES SCHWARTZ, retail butcher, Sacramento, is a native of Germany, born . at Neckar-Gemund, Baden, his parents being Angust and Caroline (Wentzel) Schwartz. His father was at the head of the Gens-d'Armes in that district, and was a military man all his life. When Charles Schwartz was but nine years of age his father died, and his mother re- moved to Adelsheim, and there he was reared, and attended school until the age of fourteen years. In 1853 he came to the United States, sailing from Bremen on the two-masted schooner Figaro. At 2 o'clock on Friday morning, after they had been three or four days out of port, they were shipwrecked in the English Channel, but picked up and transported on a barge to Ramsgate. Fifteen days passed by, the schooner was repaired and made ready again, and they proceeded on their way to America. On the voyage the captain became sick, and they landed at Bermuda for medicines. From there they proceeded to New York, where they landed the latter part of May, or the first of June. Mr. Schwartz had two sisters at Albany, and he went up to see them. After his visit he returned to New York city, and learned the butcher trade with John Mittler, No. 504 Honston street. In 1855 he came to California via Nicaragua, leaving New York on the steamer Star of the West, and landing at San Francisco abont the 15th of September, from the steamer Uncle Sam. On the latter vessel cholera played sad havoc, and nearly 200 out of those on board died. Mr. Schwartz came on up to Sacramento, and went to work for Lonis and Jacob Korn, who kept the St. Louis Market, on K street, near Sixth. Six months later he went to work for Schwartz & Bosler, at the City Market, where Wilson's livery stable now is. He remained there about

a year, then engaged with Charles Lehman, where the water works are now located. He remained there until February 22, 1859, then started in business for himself, on the corner of Seventh and L streets, in 'partnership with Charles A. Yoerk, of the National Market. That partnership continued until the flood of 1862, when Mr. Yoerk retired from the firm. Mr. Schwartz has continued in business at that location ever since, and the business of the L street market is now managed by his son Clem- ens. In 1880 Mr. Schartz started, in addition, the P street market, on the corner of Seventh and P streets, and now an extensive business is carried on at both places. Mr. Schwartz was married in this city May 28, 1864, to Miss Mary Neidhardt, a native of Hamburg, Germany. They have six children, viz .: Clemens, Edward, Louis, Charles, Alice and Fred. Two have died, viz .: Carl and Caroline. Mr. Schwartz is a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F., and held the presiding chair in 1863. He is also a member of Sacramento Lodge, No. 80, A. O. U. W. Mr. Schwartz has made his start in Sacramento, having come here with bnt $10 in his pockets, while now he ranks among the substantial men of the city. He is enterprising and pushing in business, and is, withal, a popu- lar man with a very large circle of friends.

292 EORGE NEUMANN, one of the best posted of the old-time residents of Sacra . mento, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, born May 27, 1837, his parents being Andrew and Elizabeth (Straw) Neumann. His parents were natives of Germany. His father was born abont thirty-five miles from Bremen, and reared there. He came to the United States, locating at Baltimore. In 1839 the family removed to Van Buren County, Iowa, and there the father purchased about 200 acres of land and afterward purchased Missouri school-land. In 1853 the sen- ior Neumann and two partners purchased cattle and drove them across the plains to California,

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the subject of this sketch accompanying them. Their route took them by Forts Kearney and Lar- amie and on to Sweetwater, which they ferried, constructing their own ferry for the purpose. They were successful in getting their stock through safely, though they saw a great many cattle which had been shot by the Indians. They came into California by the Beckwith ronte, and brought up in American Valley on the 28th of July. That being a good stock country they stopped there to let their cattle recruit, remaining until about the middle of November. They then proceeded to the Buttes, back of Marysville, where they sold ont and the father then went back to Iowa. George Nenmann, the subject of this sketch, did not return to Iowa with his father but decided to remain in California. He went from Marysville to Grass Valley, and mined there and at Nevada City until 1856, when he sold out his interests there. He then came to Sacra- mento, from here proceeded to San Francisco, and from here took a steamer for home, going by way of Panama and New Orleans. In 1858 his father made another trip across the plains with about 100 head of cows, and he again accompa- nied him. There was considerable talk of emi- grants being killed who came by the old emigrant ronte that year, so they came by way of Salt Lake, and camped adjoining them during the height of the Mormon troubles. When they reached Carson Valley, the great Washoe min- ing excitement was on. They remained there three or four months, until the cows had reached a marketable condition, then proceeded to Hang- town, and from there to Clarksbury, El Dorado County, where the remainder of the cows were sold out. They then returned to Iowa, where the elder Neumann died in 1865, aged sixty- four years. George Neumann again crossed the plains to Pike's Peak in 1859. He was in the mines there, and on Blue River, and in Utah Territory daring that trip. In October he left Denver for the East, going to St. Joseph, thence to Plattsmouth, from there to St. Louis and thence to New York. There he took passage on a steamer for Panama, crossed the Isthmus

and proceeded to San Francisco, where he landed from the steamer Sonora. He came to Sacra- mento on the 6th of November 1859, and en- gaged with his brother, at the What Cheer House, on Front and K streets. About a year and a half later he secured for himself the cigar department of the business, and on his brother's death, March 8, 1868, he succeeded to the entire .business. He was there when the water came through the levees at Rable's tannery, Decem- ber 9, 1861, and remembers that three-quarters of an hour after the alarm was given the cellars commenced filling up. It was soon up even with the tops of the counters. It was the same during the flood commencing Jannary 9, 1862, and on both occasions they did business on the second floor, customers coming up in boats, Mr. Nen- mann was married in Sacramento, May 29, 1873, to Miss Mollie E. Crump, a native of Virginia. They have four children, viz .: Harry, Walter, Edith and Emma. In the days of the old vol- unteer fire department, Mr. Neumann was a member of No. 3 company for twelve or thir- teen years. He belongs to the K. of P. (was a charter member), and to Cosumnes Tribe, Red Men. He was formerly a member of the Sars- field Guards. In politics Mr. Nemman is a Republican. He has a splendid memory on matters of historic interest, and is one of the most entertaining conversationalists on those subjects to be met with in the city.

ACOB GRUHLER, proprietor of the Butch- ers' Home, Sacramento, is a member of the prominent Gruhler family, extended men- tion of whom is made in several places in this volume. He is a native of Germany, born at Aldingen, Wurtemberg, on the 2d of August, 1861, his parents being Frederick and Christina (Glazer) Gruhler. He was reared at his native place to farm work, and received his education between the ages of six and fourteen years. He came to the United States in 1880, locating in Sac- ramento on the 5th of May. For the first three

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years in this city he was engaged at the Colum- bus Brewery, and for the succeeding three years with his brother John on J street. He then started in business for himself in his present location, No. 1020 J street, where he has built up an extensive trade. Mr. Gruhler is L. S. to N. G. in Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F. He is also a member of Sacramento Stamm, No. 124, Red Men; of the Verein Eintracht; of Sacramento Turn-Verein, and of the Sacramento Rifle Club. Mr. Gruhler is an active, energetic young man, of excellent business qualifications, and for the comparatively short space of time that he has been in business for himself in Sac- ramento, has done remarkably well indeed. He is popular and has a host of friends.

- USTAV WAHL, of Sacramento, is a na- tive of Germany, born at Neuffen, Wur- temberg, on the 11th of August, 1858, his parents being William and Catharine (Lad- ner) Wahl. Ilis father kept a bakery and pub- lic house. Gustav Wahl spent his boyhood days at his native place, and there attended the public schools between the age of six and four- teen years. He then commenced attending the Loury Polytechnic School, at Stuttgart, where he also learned the trade of stone cutter. When seventeen years of age he went to Zurich, Switzerland, to Berne and throughout Wurtem- berg. When he arrived at the age of twenty years he went into the army, and served in the Seventh Wurtemberg Infantry Regiment, No. 125, Third Company, with headquarters at Stutt- gart. At the expiration of three years he was discharged with the rank of corporal. In 1882 he came to New York, thence to Omaha, from there to San Francisco, and finally to Sacra- mento. He was for some time with his brother in the Columnbns Brewery, then commenced business for himself at 1023 Third street, his present location. Mr. Wahl was married in this city, in April, 1883, to Miss Frederika Bertsch, a native of the same town as himself. 21

They have three children, viz .: Annie, Edward, and Walter Otto. Mr. Wahl is a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F .; of Sacra- mento Stamın, No. 124, Red Men (in which he has been twice chief); of Sacramento Lodge, No. 11, Hermann's Sons, and of the Verein-Ein- tracht. Mr. Wahl is a popular man and has a very large number of personal friends.

ON. FRANK D. RYAN .- Although but young in years, Mr. Ryan has already shown himself to be possessed of abilities that have giben him a prominence that is only filled by worth, and that promise to lead himn to positions of higher honor and preferment in the future. He is a native of the city of Sacra- mento, having been born here May 11, 1859. IIis father is Hon. John Ryan, Commissioner of Streets and Second Trustee of this city, a gen- tleman who has held representative positions for many years. Mr. F. D. Ryan, our sub- ject, received his academic education in this city, completing it by a scholastic course at St. Mary's College in San Francisco, where he graduated in the year 1878. Returning to Sacramento, he began the study of law in the office of Judge R. C. Clark in this city, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, November 9, 1890. He opened an office at once, and has from the first commanded a practice of important and growing dimensions. Mr. Ryan has always taken an active interest in politics, in its bearings upon the live ques- tions of the day, supporting from convictions the principles upon which the Republican party reste its canse. His abilities and powers, both as a speaker and worker, have been frequently employed, and he has personally been called upon by the suffrages of the people to accept the duties of responsible offices. In the State election held in 1882 he was chosen to repre- sent this county in the Legislature, and was nominated and wonld have been elected for the succeeding terin as well, but for the fact that a

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change of residence made him ineligible. He was the youngest member of the House at the time, but not the least active and efficient worker. In 1885 he was appointed Chief Clerk of the House, holding that post until 1887. Mr. Ryan has, however, filled even a larger place in the eyes of the people, and performed a still more important work as a member of the order of Native Sons of the Golden West, of which he was one of the incorporators. In 1880 he was Grand Vice-President, and in April, 1889, he was elected Grand President of the Native Sons, and now holds that position, the highest honor in the gift of the order. He has been prominently identified with the almost nnexampled growth and prosperity of the Native Sons, who now have the satisfaction of seeing no less than twenty of their number occupying seats in the Legislature, one of them, Hon. Stephen M. White, being chairman of the Sen- ate. On the occasion of the unveiling of the handsome monument to General Winn, the founder of the order, in Sacramento lately, a notice of which will be found in another place, Mr. Ryan took a leading part. Mr. Ryan was married November 25, 1884, to Miss Ella Bout- well, herself also a native of Sacramento, and thus a Native Daughter, the family thus being thoroughly Californian. They have two chil- dren.

ATHANIEL DINGLEY, proprietor of the Star Coffee and Spice Mills, is a native of Maine, born at Winslow, Kennebec County, February 14, 1824, his father being Nathaniel- B. Dingley. His mother was also a native of Maine and daughter of an old soldier and Revo- lutionary veteran, who came to this country with Lafayette, settling in Maine after peace was declared. On his father's side the family were principally engaged in ship building, his grandfather and father both following that trade, and also that of shipping lumber to the West Indies. Nathaniel Dingley, subject of this

sketch, spent his early boyhood days at his na- tive place, but was quite young when he went to sea, his first experience away from home and without leave, at that. He landed at Boston " dead broke," bnt soon obtained employment with the firm of Hill, Capen & Co., who were engaged in English dry-goods trade. When the first named member of the firmn disposed of his interest in the business Mr. Dingley left there and went with Hill, Capen & Nicholas, corner of West and Washington streets. After he had been in Boston eight years he went to a branch house of the firm at Portland, Maine, where he remained a year. He then returned to Boston and became one of a party of 100 organized to go to California on the " Harriet Rockwell." Among the party were Charles Tueker, Jr., and Theodore Hastings, who for the past seventeen years has been a salesman and bookkeeper for Mr. Dingley. They left Boston on the 18th of September, 1849, and landed at San Francisco about the middle of February, 1850. On the voyage the ship put into port at St. Catharine (just at the time of the riots there) at the Faulk- land Islands, and at Valparaiso, where they stopped two weeks. Their only serious trouble on the trip was off the month of the Platte River, where they were storm-tossed for three days, and were in danger all of that time. Mr. Dingley remained in San Francisco about two months after his arrival there, waiting for re- turns from the sale of effects jointly owned by the company, and received $65 as his share. He then went up to Marysville, and from there went up to Shasta by ox-team. On the way he got ahead of the party, and going to one side went to sleep. When he awoke his companions were far ahead. He went up to Cottonwood Creek, and ran into a band of lava-bed Indians, who took him prisoner and kept him over night. His life would not have been worth inneh were it not that he had in his possession a lot of pipes, which he presented to the Indians. An- other fact in his favor was that Boston Charley, one of his captors, was the son of a Boston inan, and as Mr. Dingley was from Boston

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Charley interceded in his favor. At daybreak next morning they placed Mr. Dingley astrad- dle the tallest Indian, and with two others bracing him they carried him across the stream so that he did not get wet. They then provided him with an escort, who accompanied him until he joined his friends. He went up Clear Creek to the foot-hills, and engaged in mining at One- Horse Town. He was there six months and in that time had cleared $2,000. They then pur- chased an ox-team and undertook the long jour- ney to Union Valley. There Mr. Dingley en- gaged again in mining, and also started a grocery store, with a partner. Three months later, when the cold weather came on, Mr. Dingley became sick, and left the concern with his partner while he went to Marysville to receive medical atten- tion. A conple of months later his partner, who had disposed of the business, came down and settled up. Mr. Dingley went to work drawing a wagon for the Boston Bakery, on Webb street above Montgomery, and some time later, about the time a sale of the bakery was being made, Mr. Dingley expressed a desire to purchase a half interest, saying that he had $1,000 and could be of mnch service in drumming np trade. The deal was consummated and a partnership formed, and they were doing a fine business when the great fire came and cleared them out, Mr. Dingley losing between $8,000 and $10,000. Ile borrowed $9 and came to Sacramento. He obtained employment in the coffee business with Charles Tucker, on Front street, between I and J. Three months later Mr. Tucker went under financially, and his stock was sold at anction. Mr. Dingley bought it in, added the mannfact- ure of syrups to the business, and has added to it until the trade has assumed very large pro- portions indeed, extending throughont Califor- nia and Nevada. After the fire on Front street, Mr. Dingley removed to his present location, on I street, where he has ever since continued. The products of the factory enjoy a reputation second to none, and the business has met with a well deserved and permanent success. Mr. Dingley has been a resident of California ever

since the pioneer days, and has been an eye witness to the State's great progress in reaching her present proud position. He commenced in Sacramento with no capital save willing hands and a determined head, and is in every sense of the word a self-made man.

ETER NEWMAN, proprietor of the El Dorado House, Sacramento, is a native of Germany, born at Alsheim, Hesse-Darm- stadt, October 24, 1843, his parents being Ru- dolph and Catharina (Lang) Newman. The father was a cabinet-maker by occupation. Peter Newman was reared at his native place, and there educated from the time he was six years of age until he was fourteen. He then learned the barbers' trade. In 1864 he went to Mainz, and thence to Hamburg, where, on the 3d of August, he took passage on the steamer Titonia to New York, where he arrived on the 17th of August. From there he started for California, and landed at San Francisco from the steamer Constitution. He proceeded to Sacra- mento, arriving here on the 8th of February, 1865. On the 28th of the month he went to work at the barber trade with Jacob Heintz (now a farmer) in the City Hotel barber shop, and was so engaged for thirteen years. He then succeeded Mr. Drijen in the proprietorship of the Philadelphia House, which he conducted until October 13, 1887, when he bought out the El Dorado House and has since conducted the business there. Mr. Newman was married in this city, October 4, 1868, to Miss Frederika Stober, a native of Baden, Germany, whose father died there, the family afterward locating at Rochester. IIer mother afterward died in. Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have six children, viz .: Albert J., Frederick William, Minnie Frederika, Henry Peter, Frank Ridge- ley and Peter Blaine. Mr. Newman is now trustee of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed the chairs. He was

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District Deputy Grand Master of the order under M. W. G. M. Ezra Pearson, from May 15, 1880, to May 15, 1882. He is also a member of Occidental Encampment, and of the Canton. He is a member of Union Lodge, No. 58, A. F. & A. M .; of Sacramento Stamm, Red Men, and of the Sacramento Turn-Verein. Politically he is a stanch Republican. Mr. Newman has made his start in Sacramento, commencing work here at $50 a month, and becoming a partner in the business March 10, 1868. Now he is one of the solid men of the city, and a large property owner. Mr. Newman is a whole-souled, genial gentleman, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of a host of friends.

APTAIN FRANK RUHSTALLER, pro- prietor of the City Brewery, and one of the prominent business men of Sacra- mento, is a native of Switzerland, born at En- siedeln, November 8, 1847, his parents being Frank, Sr., and Josepha (Ochsner) Ruhstaller. His father was a hat-maker by trade in early life, but afterward a farmer and dairyman. The subject of this sketch attended the public schools between the ages of six and thirteen years and learned the brewers' trade at Canton Berne. In 1862 he came to the United States, taking passage on a steamer at Havre, in July, and landing at New York. Proceeding to. Louis- ville, Kentucky, he obtained employment in the Falls City Brewery for a short time, then went across the river to St. Albany, Indiana, where he became foreman in Panl Reising's brewery, before he was eighteen years old. He went back to Louisville again and from there came to California in 1865, via New York and Panama, landing at San Francisco about the 24th of August. He came to Sacramento and went to work in the City Brewery, and on the 3d of September, six weeks later, became fore- inan, and held that position for one year. He then went to the Pacific Brewery, and brewed for George Ochs, off and on, for three years.

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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