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 63

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 63

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M ANVILLE BARBER, a prominent rancher residing in Sacramento, has had a life which forcibly illustrates what may be accomplished by definite aim and con- centrated energy. He was born on the 3d of June, 1829, in St. Lawrence County, in the northern part of the State of New York. He was the eldest son of Otis and Lanra (Welsh) Barber, both natives of the Empire State, and engaged in farm life. During his childhood his parents removed to Avon, Lorain County, Ohio, near Lake Erie and not far from Oberlin; but, although living almost within the shadow of the famous college at that place, young Barber could not avail himself of its advantages, as he was obliged to labor upon his father's farm ex- cept during the winter months, when he at- tended the district school, at a considerable distance from home. At the age of nineteen he had an idea of becoming a ship-builder; bnt as the prospect in that direction did not brighten up, he went to Sheffield, Ohio, to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, and then to Wellington, same State, where he learned the trade of car- riage-builder and became proficient. Next he was clerk in a mercantile house, and then had

charge of the Wadsworth House for a season. This was the finest hotel in Wellington. While there, and while yet but twenty-two years of age, he fell in with a party of railroad surveyors who were on their way to Tehuantepec, Mexico. Thus, in a company of strangers, he ventured to a strange land. Going to New Orleans by rail, and to Vera Cruz by ship across the Gulf, he began work in the new position; but six months of that kind of life satisfied him, and in the spring of 1852 he returned home. The spirit of adventure, however, still fired his blood, and in Jannary, 1853, he again turned his face westward, the land of gold and sunshine being this time the objective point. Coming by way of the Nicaragua ronte, he was one of the 400 passengers who were wrecked on the steamer Independence on the island of San Margarita, February 16, 1853, when 200 lives were lost. Here were apparent the advantages of the skill he had obtained in early life on the banks of a great inland sea; for he was an expert swimmer, and this ability alone saved his life. Forced by the devouring flames to trust himself to the deep, he was tossed by wind and wave and suf- fered almost incredible hardships until he at length reached the shore. What then? San Margarita is a barren island off the coast of Lower California, a mere rock, nninhabited and desolate. Here for three days, without shelter or food and almost without hope, were huddled together 200 human beings! Fortunately they were able to attract the attention of those on board a fleet of small whale-ships, and they came to the rescue. One of these vessels, containing the subject of this article, four weeks later reached San Francisco, and with $100 in his belt, the savings of many a hard day's toil, Mr. Barber stepped ashore upon the land of promise. To see this strange world, and to obtain a fortune in its gold-fields, was his dream but alas! which so few realize, yet which happily came to him, "after many days." Coming to Sacramento, the starting-point for all gold-seekers in this State at that early day, he went successively to Folsom, Mormon Island, Auburn, Red Dog and

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Marysville. "Dead broke," he returned to Sac- ramento and became a dishwasher at one of the hotels, and next at Mineral Point for an old man named Harvey, and then at the Dawson House on Fourth street, where the St. George building now stands. Soon after this he obtained employment from Rippon & Hill, wagon-makers on J street, at $75 a month. A bone felon, which developed at this time, compelled him to give up this position, and, as soon as he was able, he began teaming for George Elder, who was engaged in the "China trade," that is, hauling Chinese laborers to and from the mines: He soon saw there was money in this, and in 1854-'55 he started in for himself and continued it for four years. In 1859 he made a visit to the East, returning in the summer of 1861 with a drove of horses, which he had purchased in Ohio, and which were driven across the plains and sold here in Sacramento at a profit. It had long been his desire to become a merchant, and in the fall of 1862 an opportunity offered, and he went to Woodland, Yolo County, and entered into partnership with F. S. Freeman, who has since become noted as a buyer of wheat and as a prominent business man. After four years operations in Woodland, Mr. Barber returned to Sacramento, and, in connection with John Real, bought the Phoenix Mill, and for six years had charge of the same. In 1884 he purchased the Capay Valley ranch of 1,500 acres in Yolo County, and afterward other ranch property ad- jacent to the town of Williams in Colusa County ; and in 1888 he purchased the River ranch in Yolo County, nine miles from this city, where he is now engaged in raising alfalfa and fine stock. His home on H street, which he built in 1873, combines the comforts and ele- gance which affluence alone can give; and here, in the antnmn of his days, he is able to enjoy the material results of a well-spent life. In his political principles, Mr. Barber is an ontspoken Republican, and has twice been honored by his party with a nomination for County Treasurer. IIe is a veteran Odd Fellow, being a member of Sacramento Lodge, No. 2, and is also a member

of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. He was married September 3, 1863, to Mrs. Julia A., daughter of Peter Gallup, a native of Connect- icut. By her previous marriage she had one daughter, Ella A., who is now the wife of A. G. Folger, of Sacramento. Mr. Barber has one daughter, Laura R., now the wife of Frank Hickman, of this city.

ENDALL KERTH, capitalist. Among those who, coming to the United States from a foreign land, have achieved af- fluence under our benign institutions, may be mentioned the subject of this sketch,-Wendall Kerth, of Sacramento, a native of Bavaria. The story of his early struggles and his later tri- umphs carries with it a lesson which many of the present generation might do well to heed. He was born at Gravenhansen, on the Rhine, March 15, 1819, his parents being Henry Kerth and Mary (Hank) Kerth, the father, by occupa- tion, a small Bavarian farmer. Compulsory education was the law in his native country then, as now, and also a term of service in the Landwehr (the German army). At the ex- piration of his terin of service his parents were both dead, and he determined to emigrate to America. He set sail from Havre on the 15th of January, 1847, and, after a voyage of fifty- five days, landed at New Orleans, where he had a relative, Mr. Henry Sibel, a butcher of that city. There he remained two years. The trials of a foreigner in a strange land are graphically described by Mr. Kerth. He was determined to "get on;" he picked black- berries, drove a cart, worked for Sibel at $10 a month, and, after a time, made sufficient money to buy a stand in the market. When the Cali- fornia gold fever broke ont in 1849, he was making $70 to $80 per month. He sold out to Sibel, however, and came to California via Pa- nama, paying $175 passage money from Cha- gres to San Francisco. During the voyage the captain was drunk, they ran short of water and

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were nearly wrecked, but finally, after a trip which will not soon be forgotten, they reached San Francisco. There he met an old acquaint- ance, Gerald Spone, and together they went to Nevada City and the Grass Valley mining dis- tricts, and began mining. He was not very suc- cessful, but at length, after many vicissitudes, made a little money at Cook's Bar. He was glad to leave the place, however, and return to Marysville and Sacramento, where, little by little, he gained headway and made money. In 1862 he went to Europe, and visited the scenes of his boyhood, being gone three years in all. Returning to California in 1865 he made two investments, one being a seventeen-stamp quartz mill in Amador County, the other a ranch on the Cosumnes River of 2,000 acres. In 1872 he made a second trip to Europe, and was absent about eight months. He has since acquired an interest in another large ranch on the Cosumnes River. Mr. Kerth was never married, but makes his home with his sister, Mrs. Louis Nicholaus, of this city.

ATHANIEL JEROME BRUNDAGE, retired farmer of Sacramento, was born in Erie County, New York, in Pendleton Township, near Niagara Falls, five miles from Lockport, April 9, 1823. When he was a small boy his parents removed to Genesee County, that State, where he received his education, at- tending the common schools during the winter, and working on the farm during the summer, until he became of age. Going then to Alex- andria, same county, he was employed by J. C. Farnham, a marble dealer, and learned the trade of stone-dressing and lettering, working for his board. In 1845 he went to Leroy, that county, and worked for five years for Orrin Starr, of the firm of Starr & Gordton, proprietors of marble works. September 6, 1849, he married Miss Mary Cannon, a native of England. In 1850 he moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with his family, "took up" a quarter-section of land,

built a log cabin and began clearing the place for cultivation; but he soon rented it and worked at his trade for a year and a half in Milwaukee, while his family remained on the farm. On this homestead his three children, Mary Jane, Virginia and Nelson W., were born. On quitting Milwaukee Mr. Brundage went to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and for a time was engaged in the marble business. He moved his family to Oshkosh, that State, for a season, and then returned to the farm, and for several years alternated between that place and Sheboygan. His wife died at Sheboygan in 1856. He then moved to Fond du Lac County and entered into partnership with Michael McNeal in a stone quarry, and in lime works. In the autumn of 1857 he married Mrs. Phebe Riley, a daughter of James Meader, who was a farmer of Canada East. At the time of this marriage she had four children: Ann, who af- terward died at the age of sixteen years; Emma, now the wife of Charles Pinkerton, of Iowa; John, who died at the age of ten years; and Addie, now the wife of James Wood, of Iowa. By the present marriage there have also been four children: Frank, Leroy, Ella and Warren; the last named died at the age of six years. Mr. Brundage continued to reside in Fond du Lac County, working at his trade in marble and granite, and also conducting his tarin until the fall of 1872. His wife's sister, Mrs. William Daniels, then residing in California, wrote to them of the glories of this State, and Mrs. Brundage came and visited her. She was so well pleased with the country that she desired to make it her permanent home. Accordingly Mr. Brundage came and bought 200 acres of land near by, in Franklin Township, about six- teen miles south of Sacramento, this county, where they lived seven years. Then he bought property on M street, in the city, where he has since resided, enjoying the well earned comforts of an industrious life. In his political sym- pathies he is a Republican, but does not take a publie part in civil affairs. Ile is a member of Metomen Lodge, Wisconsin, I. O. O. F., and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

Mrs. Brundage is a member of the order of Daughters of Rebekah.

R. E. J. SWANSON, specialist, Sacra- mento, was born in the city of New York, in 1854. His early education was ob- tained at the public schools of that city, at Clin- ton College, at Philadelphia and at Charleston, South Carolina. He has practiced his profes- sion in New York, St. Louis, Chicago and New Orleans, and came to the Pacific Coast, in Ang- ust, 1887, locating in Saeran.ento, corner of Tenth and I streets, making a specialty of chronic diseases, and has over 2,500 patients. His laboratory and parlors are commodions and elegant, and the Doctor is a man of remarkable perceptive powers. His business is rapidly in- creasing here and throughout the United States.

NNE A. KRULL .- Among Sacramento's worthy citizens who have amassed a for- tune by the cultivation of the soil, the gentleman whose name heads this sketch stands at the front in results attained. He was born December 6, 1834, in Holland. His father, Ayelts Krull, a native of Hanover, died when the subject of this article was but one year old. During those times Holland was a scene of turbulence, and Mr. Krull's maternal uncle, Klaas Swart, who was a Liberal and opposed to a monarchial government, came to America in 1844, and traveled over a considerable portion of the United States, and determined that at some future time he would return here and make this country his permanent home. Re- turning to his native country, however, it was some years before he could satisfactorily dispose of his large and landed interests and personal property; but after completing his business he came to the land of opportunity, in company with an elder brother, Folkert by name, and his mother, nee Catharine Swart. They came

by the United States mail steamer Arctic, and after many delays they reached New York city about the 1st of June, 1854. His uncle went directly to Elkhart, Indiana, and bought a sec- tion (640 aeres) of land. The two younger Krulls purchased a sınall farın of forty acres near by, on time for the larger portion of the purchase, and began working by the month for the means whereby to pay the balance. After four years of hard labor and economical inan- agement, they had not only paid this debt, but had $700 in cash, with which they determined to come to California. Accordingly, they went to Chicago, then down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, crossed the Gulf of Mexico and the Isthummus of Tehnantepec, and thence to Acapulco, connecting there with the steamer Pacific, of the Panama line, and arriving at San Francisco December 28, 1858. About the 1st of January following they came to Sacra- mento, went down the river fourteen miles and found employment on the ranch where Lewis Winter lives. Afterward they purchased a ranch on Merritt's Island, and engaged in the raising of potatoes and garden products, haul- ing their produce to Placerville and other mining districts, where excellent prices were obtained. Thus they continued for six years, when Mr. Krull's brother returned to Indiana. In the meantime, in 1866, Mr. Krull bought 336 acres additional on Merritt's Island, paying for it $1,500. This tract he afterward sold for $30,000! In 1868 he exchanged property for 480 acres in Lee Township, and subsequently acquired property in other localities. In 1881 he bought his present 350-acre farm near Florin, and resided there five years. In the meantime, in the fall of 1886, he purchased a residence on the corner of Nineteenth and M streets, and moved his family into town. In 1887 he sold this property and purchased his present place of residence, 2201 () street. Of later years Mr. Krull has been largely interested in live stock and the growing of altalfa, making a specialty of alfalfa seed. His crop of the latter for 1887 alone was valued at 83,300. In his religious

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relations Mr. Krull is a member of the Presby- terian Church, and in politics a Prohibitionist. In 1888 he was a candidate on the Prohibition ticket for supervisor of the county, and he ex- pects to live to see his principles vindicated at the polls. He was first married in 1872, to Miss Rebecca Schlater, a native of Holstein, Germany, who died in 1875. January 1, 1879, he married Marictta Savage, a native of New Brunswick, Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Krull have two children, Della and Albert.

M. LUCKETT, general foreman of the locomotive department of the Southern Pacific Railroad shops, Sacramento, came here in 1873, went to work in the machine de- partment as a machinist, was appointed foreman of the machine shops at Terrace, Utah, re- mained there two years and eleven months, and returned to the Sacramento shops and served as gang foreman for eleven months. Then he left the company and entered the employ of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, and was foreman of the shops at Carson for two years; next he went to Bodie, where he became master me- chanic for the Bodie & Benton Railroad abont a year. Leaving Bodie on account of his health, he returned to Sacramento and re-entered the employ of the Central Pacific as gang foreman, in 1882. Two years later he was promoted to the position of foreman of the machine shops, and since that time has been general foreman. He is a native of Maryland, born in Frederick County, October 1, 1849, was reared there and learned the machinist's trade in the Baltimore & Ohio shops at Grafton, being there four years all together. Next he was employed for a time in the Mt. Clare shops at Baltimore; then en- tered the Pittsburg Locomotive Works, and later the shops at Louisville for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company; was gang fore- man there two years. In 1873 he came to California and entered the railroad shops as mentioned. His parents were J. C. and Mary

A. (Graham) Luckett, his father a native of Maryland, and mother, of Virginia. They now live in Hamilton, Loudoun County, Virginia. Mr. Luckett has evinced a great capacity for heavy responsibilities, being energetic and thoroughly competent.

- ENRY EHRHARDT was born in Germany in October, 1835, his parents being John and Theresa Dorothy (Gehrholdt) Ehr- hardt. The mother was born November 4, 1800, and died on the same day in 1847. The father died in June, 1887, in his seventy-seventh year. Henry lived with his grandfather Ehr- hardt, for whom he had been named, from the age of eight to fourteen. The father and step- mother with five children came to America in 1850, landing at Baltimore on the 20th of Aug- ust. They went thence to Chariton County, Missonri, where three brothers of John Ehrhardt were already settled; and it took two months to get there by railroad and the canal boat on the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. After two years the father came to Utah, and in 1853 to California, where he went to mining for a short time near Folsom, but with little success. Henry Ehrhardt came to California also in 1853, direct from Missouri, with 400 head of cattle. In passing along Blue River-all except six of the twenty men and two women were sick with mumps. Mr. Ehrhardt, being one of the well ones, stood guard night and day for the cattle during four weeks. After arriving here he mined about two months, in the spring of 1854, for $30 a month and expenses, in the employ of James M. Stephenson, for whom he worked in all nearly three years. He then went to herding sheep at $40 a month for about eighteen months. He had some knowledge of the business froin boyhood, his grandfather having been engaged in sheep business in Hesse Cassel, where he lived. In 1857 his brother John and he in- vested $1,750 in sheep, for which they found free range on Government and school lands.

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After three years and ten montlis they sold out for $14,500 in cash. In 1860 Henry Ehrhardt inade his first investment in land, buying 320 acres: he has been buying land at intervals ever since, and now owns about 4,000 acres. He raises wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa; keeps three to four hundred head of cattle and eighty to 100 cows for dairy purposes. Mr. Ehrhardt has been School Trustee abont twelve years; is a member of the " Christian" Church, and of the order of Chosen Friends. Ile was married April 12, 1863, to Miss Elvesta George, a na- tive of Iowa, and daughter of Andrew and Mary E. (Johnson) George, who came to California in 1852, settling first at Diamond Spring. In 1854 Mr. George came to this township, and kept the Twelve-Mile House on the Lower Stockton road for a time. In 1856 he bought a ranch three miles farther south, and built a tavern and other buildings, the place becoming known as Georgetown, from the name of its founder. He died in 1869, aged forty-eight, and Mrs. George died in 1886, aged about fifty- six. Georgetown is now Franklin.

DWIN ALLYN. BURR was born in the city of Hartford, Connecticut. October 12, 1822, and is a descendant of parents whose history dates back to Revolutionary times. His father, Chauncy Burr, died when Edwin was a boy, but his mother, Sarepta A., daughter of Ethan Allen, lived to an advanced age. . Mr. Burr was the eldest of six children,-educated at the public schools of his native city, and like other New England boys was taught a trade,- that of saddler and harness maker. He served five years as an apprentice, two years more as a journeyman in the shop of Smith & Bowen, the now celebrated firm of Hartford. At the age of twenty-two he married Elizabeth O. Alcott. She was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the granddaughter of Jonathan Alcott, of Hartford, Connecticut, who died when he was over 100 years old. At the age of twenty-three, he with

his young wife emigrated to the wilds of Wis- consin, and settled at Beloit, where for six or seven years he carried on his trade. In 1851 Colonel Darius Fargo, then a resident of Cali- fornia, went to Beloit on a visit, and on his re- turn to the Golden State induced young Burr to join him, which he did, leaving his wife be- hind; indeed, a large party was made up by the Colonel, who came direct to Sacramento. To save expense, for living was expensive in those days, young Burr began at once to work, receiv- ing only his board at first, then for monthly wages, in the confectionery store of George Nagle. In the fall of 1851 he bought out a bake-shop on Sixth street, between I and J, and after about six months he returned East for his wife, determined to make California his future home; he intended to return at once but found it impossible to obtain passage, so great was the rush, and so limited the accommodations. He waited three months, and then paid $640 for two tickets. Upon his return to Sacramento, he engaged in the restaurant business on J street, still, however, retaining an interest in the bakery. The great fire of 1852, which swept the city from Eighth street to the Levee, " cleaned him out;" but with characteristic New England pluck he started again before the ashes were cold. Six or eight months later he started a confectionery business on J street, between Third and Fourth, and here he was burned out for the second time, in the fire of 1854, his bakery also being burned the same time. It was about this time that he went to Folsom, in this county, where he built the postoffice building and a bakery. There was no railroad to that point at that time, and he was compelled to get off at Alder Creek, on the Valley Road, and walk the rest of the way. In less than one year he returned again to Sacramento, and opened a second-hand furniture store, corner of Third and K; and less than a year after he, requiring larger accommodations for his increased bnsi- ness, rented the corner lot, Fifth and K, for $150 per month, and built a one-story brick store house. His excessive losses however had

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crippled his means, and he gave it up finally and engaged for a year as clerk with Millikin Brothers, on J street, and afterward they sent him to Grizzly Flat, El Dorado County, to take charge of the store at that place, where he remained for another year. About this time the Goss & Lambert Company began putting up a ten-stamp quartz mill, and Mr. Burr was en- gaged to take charge of the work as superin- tendent. When this was completed he again returned to Sacramento, and engaged in the livery business on Ninth street, and later in the feed business on J street, where he was once more burned out he, however, started further down the street; but in the meantime he inter- ested himself in teaming, soon after the second fire, and ran three teams to Nevada City, Aurora and Silver Mountain, mining towns, and re- ceived 12g cents per pound for freight. He was in the feed business until 1884, when he retired. In 1876 he made a trip East with his wife, visiting the Centennial Exhibition at Philadel- phia, and revisiting the old New England home. He was absent over three months, and returned fully convinced that, although there doubtless are other fine and desirable places in the world, still California has no equal under the sun. For two and twenty years Mr. Burr and family have resided at their home on O street, in this city; there their two sons, Charles C. and Rich- ard P., were born; there they lived during the trying times of the floods of 1862-'63, when for three months the only approach to the residence was by boat. Dreadful times, indeed! but they survived, and the affluence of to-day testifies to the pluck and perseverance with which his many trials and disappointments have been met.

RS. C. H. SCHAPER, residing near Roseville, was born April 27, 1826, in Germany, came to America in 1848, and married J. C. H. Schaper April 23, 1850, at St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Schaper was born in Ger- inany November 24, 1820, son of Andrew Scha-

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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