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 67

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 67

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been the cause of saving large sums to the city. Mr. Gregory is looked upon generally as a "com- ing man," and if the feeling of this community, which knows him best, is any test, he will ere long be called upon to fill other posts of a more honorable, if not more responsible, nature. He is an active member of the Masonic order, in which he is a Past Master, and also of the Odd Fellows, as well as others of the leading orders. Personally, he is a man of captivating presence; to meet him is to be his friend; possesses in the fullest degree the esteem and confidence of every one irrespectiveof sect or party, is an ora- tor of no mean merit, is favored in social circles, and worthily wears his honors as Chief Execu- tive of the Capital City. He was married July 3, 1874, to Miss Emma Crump, a native of Sac- ramento. They have one son, Julius, now nearly thirteen years of age.

ILLIAM STARK MANLOVE, M. D. Doctor Manlove's ancestors were origi- nally from Yorkshire, England. Grand- father Christopher Manlove was commissioned Surgeon or " Apothecary's Mate," to his Majes. ty's Hospital in North America, August 5, 1761, during the reign of George III, King of England, by General Amherst, Commander-in- chief of the British troops in this country. This was before the Declaration of Independ- ence. He settled first in New Jersey for a few years, and then moved into Virginia; was mar- ried in Petersburg, and resided there until his deatlı. He had five sons and five daughters. His third child, John Manlove, was born in Dinwiddie County, that State. on a plantation adjoining the city of Petersburg. There he grew up to manhood, studied medicine under the tutelage of his father, and was a prominent physician of that county for eighteen or twenty years-until his death, which occurred in 1825. Ile married Miss Ann King, a Virginian, who survived him for about thirty-five years, and died in 1857. They had one son and one daugh-

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ter. This son, the subject of this sketch, was born December 9, 1824, at the old Virginia ho.nestead in Dinwiddie County. His prelimi- nary education was had at private schools, he then attended an academy, and then the Univer- sity of Virginia at Charlottesville, and subse- quently he attended medical lectures, and after- ward a course in the medical department of the "University of Pennsylvania," at Philadelphia, graduating there in 1847. He practiced his pro- fession in his native State nutil 1849 when a stock company of abont 125, then organizing in Rich- mond, Va., for a trip to California during the gold excitement, Dr. Manlove became a shareholder. They sent a committee to New York, who pur- chased the ship " Mary Ann," brought it to Richmond, loaded it with supplies, and in March embarked on their long journey around Cape Horn. Four days out the vessel sprang a leak, and from that until they reached Rio Janeiro they had to keep a gang of men pumping, pas- sengers alternating with the sailors at this labo- rions task. At Rio Janeiro they spent an enjoyable month, repairing the ship and recruit- ing. They celebrated the Fourth of July at the Fanlkland Islands. The weather was cold and rough as they rounded Cape Horn, but the eight days which they passed at Port Conception, Chili, were delightful; they arrived at San Francisco on the last day of September. The company then disbanded, sold the vessel and effects, and scattered to varions points in the State. After remaining some six weeks in San Francisco, Dr. Manlove went to the Southern inines in Amador County, and was there until the spring of 1851, mining, trading and practic- ing medicine. Then selling his interest, he went to Nevada City, and mined and prospected through the mining regions in the northern part of the State. Not meeting with success, and tired of roaming, he selected this county for a permanent residence, purchasing his pres- ent place, consisting of half a section of land, and here he has since remained, farming and practicing his profession, with the exception of two years, when he was sheriff of Sacramento

County, 1857-'59. Among the very first to re- alize the future of grape culture in this favored locality, as early as 1858, he began planting the Mission variety, which was at that time thought to be the best; out or' his abundant experience he now favors the " Burgundy," and the finer varieties of table grapes, Tokays, Muskats, Cor- nichons, etc., of these having fifty acres, or about one-half his vineyard. The Doctor is the standard authority in his section on all questions pertaining to fruit culture, and he thinks cher- ries the best paying crop; he has half a hun- dred acres devoted to them, and to plums, apricots and peaches of the best varieties. The Seedling orange does well,-trees seventeen years old, well filled with Inscions fruit. He has more orange trees than any other man in this section, ineluding a considerable plant- ing of trees obtained from Florida direct. He also has pecans, butternuts, Eastern and English walnuts, Japanese persimmons, dates, etc., all fruiting. Politically the Doctor has always been a Democrat, and has filled many positions of trust and responsibility, beside that of sheriff for two years, to which reference has already been made. In 1887 he was appointed by Gov- ernor Bartlett a member of the State Board of Viticulture, a position which he fills with credit, but perhaps his greatest public work has been his connection with the " Patrons of HIns- bandry;" sixteen years ago he was chairman of the Farmers' Association, which was merged into the " Grangers'," or " Patrons'," movement. He was chosen the first master of the new or- ganization in this county, and was organizing " deputy " for the district composing El Do- rado, Amador and Sacramento connties for the three first years, during which time he organ- ized and put into successful operation no less than fourteen local granges. Of his home life we need say but little. His wife, to whom he was united in September, 1859, is a daughter of the late Hon. Shubel N. Baker, who came to California from Coldwater, Michigan, at an early day, was a merchant in the city of Sacramento, and associate county judge under the old Con-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

stitution; he was afterward a rancher in this county, where he died some fifteen years ago. The family comprises an only son, J. Edward, who takes charge of the various farming opera- tions, and a daughter, Catherine A. The home- stead is situated on the old "Jaekson road," seven miles east of the Capital City; the Placer- ville railroad cuts it in twain, and affords them a convenient station almost at their gates. The house a commodious modern structure, shel- tered by gigantic " black " oaks, and surrounded by beautiful flowers, tended evidently by some loving hand, is a picture of home comfort and genial hospitality. Here then we see resting from his labors a man whose life has been one of more than usual activity, truly a representa- tive man, one who has done mueh to advance the agricultural and fruit-growing interests in this favored section of the State, and we gladly accord to him a prominent place in the anuals of this county.

LIVER PLUMMER, a raneher of Cosum- nes Township, was born in Yates County, New York, November 26, 1829, his par- ents being William and Delilah (Fitzsimmons) Plummer. The family moved to Illinois in 1844. The father, a native of Pennsylvania, lived to be seventy-six, and the mother to be seventy-four. Grandfather George Plummer, a native of New Jersey and a Revolutionary sol- dier, lived to the age of ninety-one, and his wife, Hannah McMurtrie, reached ninety. Re- ceiving a limited education in the district schools, Oliver worked on his father's farm until he set out for California. Crossing the plains, he arrived in Sacramento, September 20, 1852, and went to te iming with the two horses he had driven from Illinois. After eight months he opened a miners' store on Dry Creek, near Dry- town in Amador County, which he carried on about three years. Mr. Plummer was married at Cosnmnes, May 18, 1856, to Miss Mary L. Wilson, born in South Bend, Indiana, Septem-

ber 8, 1839, her parents being William D. and Elizabeth (Garver) Wilson, both natives of Ohio. The father was born April 3, 1810, and the mother in 1813. They left Indiana for Cali- fornia in 1847, but wintered in Missouri, and in 1848 resumed their journey. The father was captain of the emigrant train. On the way they heard from returning Mormons of the discovery of gold in California. Mr. Wilson and part of the company coneluded to seek the land of gold, while others kept to the original design of go- ing to Oregon. On his arrival Mr. Wilson mined for a short time on Mormon Island and then moved to Hangtown, now Placerville, where, in the winter of 1848-'49 he built the first house erected in that place. The family then com- prised six children; five more were born in California; nine grew to maturity and seven are living in 1889. In the spring of 1850 he moved down on the Cosumnnes and purchased 6,000 acres of the Hartnell Grant, and built a tavern, long known as Wilson's Exchange, aeross the river from what is now the Cosnmnes postoffice. He was postmaster from the establishment of that office until 1868. He was by trade a millwright and built the first suspension bridge on the Co- suinnes. In 1868 he sold out his ranch and hotel and moved to Gilroy, Santa Clara County, where he died November 22, 1869. His widow, by her second marriage, Mrs. W. A. Angel, died at Los Angeles, July 13, 1877. Meanwhile Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Plummer rented Wilson's Exchange in 1857 and carried on the tavern business for three years. Mr. Plummer also rented some 600 acres from his father-in-law and went into cat le-raising and general farming, in which he continued until 1870, after the place had been sold by Mr. Wilson. In 1871 he bought 230 acres about three miles higher up on the Cosumnes, where he still resides, and of which about 100 acres are bottom land. He does general farming, and makes a specialty of corn and alfalfa on the home place. He also owns 280 acres below Sebastopol and rents 2,000 acres, as sheep range, of which he usually keeps about 2,500 head. Mr. and Mrs. Plummer have

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two daughters and one son: Mary Emma, born November 13, 1857, and Alına May, born De- cember 24, 1862. These fondly cling to the homestead, a help and comfort to their parents. The son, Harry William, born April 3, 1860, was married at San Jose, January 1, 1884, to Miss Annie Fischer, born in New York, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fischer. They have two children: Oliver Christian, born September 28, 1884, and Gertrude, born July 28, 1886, who are equally at home with their grandpar- ents on the Cosumnes or their parents in Sacra- mento.

RNOLD D. PATTERSON, deceased, was born February 25, 1804, in Carlisle, Penn- sylvania. ITis father, Robert Patterson, was one of seven brothers, and born in Virginia. He and a younger brother, Benjamin, were both Indian scouts in the employ of the Government during the war of 1812. At the battle of Black Rock, where the city of Buffalo now stands, he was wounded. He was in all that frontier war, serving with distinction. He piloted Colonel Williamson, who was sent over by the Earl of Pultney with 300 emigrants to settle the estate in Steuben County, New York. Ile and Uri Stephens acted as pilots for those emigrants, taking them through about 200 miles, to the estate, before the war of 1812. A. D. Patterson came from Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania, to California in 1849, leaving in March, and reaching Weaver Creek, El Dorado County, in August. He opened a store at Ringgold Coming to Sacramento for supplies, his wagon broke down near Joseph Routier's place, and he turned out his cattle thiat night, and they were stolen. This event incidentally led to his set- tling in this connty. He located on what was then the northeast corner of Sutter's grant, taking up 160 acres; and his partner, Charles Thorn, took up the same amount adjoining. About a year afterward, in 1852, Mr. Patterson bought out Mr. Thorn, who went down into the

redwoods of San Mateo County. During this year Mr. Patterson's family arrived from New York, leaving there July 10, and coming by way of Panama, landing at Sacramento August 20. The family then consisted of Mrs. Patter- son and five children: James G., Mrs. John E. Plater, of Los Angeles; Mrs. C. H. Watt, of San Francisco; Mrs. J. C. Foster, of Sacra- mento, and Francis, married and living in Can- ada. They lost one daughter. Mr. Patterson was married in Steuben County, New York, in 1836, to Mary Starkweather, a native of Scho- harie County, New York. Her father was agent for the estates of Rutgers and Livingston, and Livingston and Van Rensselaer. The latter covered almost three counties, during the time of the a iti-rent riots. Mr. Patterson lived on his farm until 1856, when he moved to Folsom and built and ran the Patterson House, in part- nership with J. M. Waters, until 1865. Waters took the farm here, and Patterson the Folsom property. In 1865 Waters was accidentally killed, and in 1868 Mr. Patterson leased out the hotel and moved back upon the ranch to settle the Waters estate. IIe built a station on the railroad three-fourths of a mile below Rout- ier station; in the fall of 1870 the building was burned, he moved further up, and during the following winter built the present station- honse at Routier. He died December 4, 1884. He was postmaster over twelve years. The postoffice was first established in 1869, at May- hew's station; in 1872 it was changed to Rout- ier, and Mr. Patterson appointed postmaster. In September, 1851, he was elected sheriff of Sacramento County, and held that office in 1852-'53, and during his term three men were exeented by hanging in Sacramento, the first men hanged by the authorities in this county. James G. Patterson was born in Steuben County, New York, August 21, 1837, and came to California in 1852. In 1860 he went over to Carson and Virginia City with a wagon, crossing the summit of the mountains May 10, and spent a year there in mining; then he was a year at Austin, Nevada; then a year and a

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

half in this county. and then was in Nevada till 1870. Next he mined at Salt Lake until 1872; spent eight months in Lower California, to trace up a copper mine which he had heard of at Salt Lake; traced the mine for five miles, sunk a shaft forty feet deep and took ont sixty tons of ore, which proved to contain twenty- eight per cent. of copper by an assay of 100 pounds made in San Francisco. This was the last of his mining, with the exception of acting as foreman of the smelting works in Sacra- mento about a year. He is a mining expert. He came to his present place in 1875, which comprises thirty-three acres, all in a vineyard of choice grapes. December 8, 1884, he was appointed postmaster, and was appointed ex- press agent February 4, 1885. He was inar- ried in November, 1878, to Mary Crew, adopted daughter of Dr. W. S. Manlove. They have Que son-Arnold D.

OLOMON RUNYON was born in Wilt County, Illinois, in November, 1827, his parents being Armstead and Anna (Harn- backer) Runyon. The father was a native of Kentucky and of American descent for some generations, but the more remote ancestry was probably French. The mother was a native of Ohio, of German or "Pennsylvania Dutch " parentage. Grandparents Michael Runyon and wife, the latter an American lady by birth, but of English parentage, lived to a good old age. Grandparents Harnbacker were also quite old when they died. The father, Armstead Run- yon, first moved to Preble County, Ohio, and afterward to Will County, Illinois, of which he was one of the early settlers, locating near Lock- port. The subject of this sketch had but scant opportunities for education in his youth, just enough to learn to read, write, and keep accounts in his own way. He worked on his father's farın until he was twenty-one, and since then lie las labored to some advantage, as is pretty generally known, on his own account. With

his father and brothers, O. R. and A. N., the latter now a resident of Michigan, he came to California in 1849, arriving in Sacramento abont the middle of September. He went into inining for two years or more, and in 1852 he returned to farming, taking up 160 acres of State land near Schoolcraft, Solano County, which he improved and occupied until 1858, raising vegetables chiefly. September 15, 1859, he bought the well known ranch on which he still resides, about twenty-four miles below Sacramento, on the river. There were four or five acres of orchard when he bought thirty years ago, which he has increased to eighty. Mr. Runyon was married July 23, 1863, to Miss Adaline Blooin, born in Missouri, Decem- ber 3, 1846, danghter of William H. Harrison and Delilah D. (Dye) Bloom. She arrived in this State with her parents September 12, 1850, and has been a resident of this township since 1855. In 1868 the old home was replaced by a comfortable mansion, which for many years was the finest on the river. December 13, 1871, Mr. Runyon bought 155 acres at the head of Andrus Island, five miles lower down on the river, and on August 21, 1881, he bought the 286 acres adjoining, making 441 acres in one body. Of these abont 200 acres are orchard, which with the eighty on the home place make Mr. Runyon one of the largest orchardists in the county. Ile also owns considerable realty in Sacramento and San Francisco, is a heavy stockholder and director in the California Trans- portation Company, of which he was one of the incorporators. He owns a sixth of the stock and is a director of the Central Street Railway of Sacramento. He is also a member of the State Board of Horticulture, and its treasurer. He is a Knight Templar, and has taken the thirty-second degree, and, as may be judged, is kept pretty busy superintending his varions in- terests, but what is still better is, that he is uni- versally regarded by his neighbors as au en- tirely reliable, upright man, a public-spirited citizen, kindly and obliging in his relations with his neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Runyon are the

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

parents of one child, Ora, born January 18, 1875, who is now being educated in Mills Semi- nary, near Oakland.

HOMAS CALLEY PERKINS, merchant at Perkins, was born in Marblehead, Mas- sachusetts, January 24, 1830. His father, Thomas Perkins, was born in New Hampshire, Jannary 20, 1803, and " ran away " from home at the age of fourteen years. Goingto Marble- head, he fell in with Captain Calley, a sea cap- tain, with whom he went to sea. He continued the life of a sailor until at length he became the master of the vessel; and he followed the sea until 1836. During that time he married a daughter of Captain Calley, Miss Mary, who was born July 13, 1809. In 1836 they moved from Marblehead to Illinois, locating in Han- cock County, where he bought a quarter-section of land and entered into agricultural pursuits, and resided there until his death, October 2, 1844. His wife had died March 15, 1843. They brought up two children to the years cf maturity, Thomas C. and Elizabeth; the latter was born September 9, 1837, in Illinois, and is now the wife of Mr. Savage, residing in Humboldt County. Mr. Perkins, the subject of this sketch, was six years old when his parents removed to Illinois, leaving Boston on the first railroad built in the United States. Leaving the rail- road, he came into New York city on a sailing vessel, thence went to Philadelphia and thence across the Alleghany Mountains by stage to Pittsburg, down the Ohio River by boat, up the Mississippi River to Quincy, and settling north of that place, on the frontier, on the " raw " prairie. In those primitive times Mr. Perkins had to obtain his edneation mostly by home study, at which he was naturally industrious When he was fourteen years of age his parents died, and he chose a guardian, by whom he was employed for a time, and then he went to work in a store at Pontoosue, Illinois, where he re- mained a year. Then he went upon the rivers

Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland and Missouri for about two years. Returning then to his guard- ian, he worked for him on a salary of $100 a year; but as his labors there were too severe, he remained with him only ten months. Leav- ing Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, Marclı 18, 1850, he came overland to California, with four others, taking five yoke of oxen and one wagon, independent of any train. Mr. Perkins walked all the way, from a point three miles north of Carthage, to Placerville, California, with the exception of half a day. At the head of the Humboldt their provisions gave out, and at the sink of the Humboldt they had nothing to eat but beef and coffee; and the longer they boiled the beef in the alkaline water the tougher it became. Upon reaching Ragtown on this side the desert, they found plenty of flour, at $2 a pound! and thenceforward they had a plenty to eat. They reached Placerville about the middle of Angust, and on the 1st of Octo- ber they came into Sacramento County. The first work in which Mr. Perkins engaged here was to haul hay from some place west of the Sacramento River to this city, buying it at $20 a ton and selling it at $40. Soon he had a two- weeks' spell of sickness, during which time he lay in a tent near the present corner of Eighth and M streets. The Asiatic cholera then break- ing out here, he took his team and went to Rough and Ready, Nevada County, to escape that fearful scourge. The next spring he re- turned and located in Brighton Township. Dur- ing the summer of 1851 he was employed on a farm on the American River, and in the fall lo- cated a piece of ground where Routier Station now is, took up his residence in a hut and com- menced cutting wood; but was soon taken sick again, and until the following spring he lay in the Four-Mile House at Hoboken, on the American River; was there during the fall of 1852. During the summer of 1853 he was em- ployed by a Mr. Jones, at $75 per month, at a hotel eight miles south of Shasta. In the win- ter of 1854 he was married, in Brighton, and he followed farming near Rontier Station. Dur-

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ing the summer of 1855 he resided at Forest Hill, Placer County, teaming; and in the fall of 1856 he settled upon his present property, where he has ever since resided. He followed farming and teaming until 1863; after this date the lat- ter vocation was not profitable. In 1864 he opened a store and ran it two years only, and in the spring of 1881 he established his present business. His farm comprises 250 acres, de- voted principally to grain and hay; two acres are in vines. In early years Mr. Perkins was coustable for a number of terms; and during the war and some time afterward justice of the Peace. Up to 1884 he was a Democrat, and since that time a stanch Republican. For a number of years he has been a member of Capi- tal Lodge, I. O. O. F., and for several years also of Sacramento Lodge, F. & A. M. The post- office was established at this place in 1864, and a short time afterward he was appointed post- master, in which office he served 'until he was removed about four years ago, for political rea- sons. He was married June 4, 1854, to Rebecca Frances Young, a native of New York, who came to this State in the fall of 1852, crossing the plains from Galena, Illinois. They have two children: Harriet Adel, who was born August 27, 1859, and is now the wife of H. S. Small, of Oakland; and Charles Calley, born Angust 30, 1862. They have also lost five children, all sons, who died young.

EORGE THOMAS RICH .- Five brothers in England, of a preceding generation, scattered into different parts of that coun- try, but only one, Samuel, who was born in 1805, came to the United States, emigrating hither at the age of twenty-one years, and locat- ing in Michigan. There he carried on the luin- ber business two or three years, cutting logs in the pineries and rafting them down the streams to the mills. The country there being malarial . he moved on to Iowa County, Wisconsin, abont forty miles from Galena, Illinois, and followed

lead mining there for seven or eight years. In 1848 he began to think of coming to Oregon, as the climate of Wisconsin was too harsh; ard while studying over this matter the gold excite- inent of this State arose, which determined him to come here first and then go to Oregon and settle down at gardening and farming. Leav- ing Wisconsin, 'April 9, 1849, with wife and one son,-the subject of this sketch,-he passed through Iowa and arrived at Cainesville, Mis- souri, ou the Missouri River, where he found twenty-one wagons drawn by horses and inules. They all came along together on the north side of the Platte River, through the buffalo re- gions, by Fort Laramie, and then through the Black Hills, and so on by the old stage route to Salt Lake City, where they stopped for three days. Then they came on by way of the Hum- boldt and Truckee rivers, crossing the latter twenty-seven times, in some places where it was deep and dangerous, there being many boulders along the bottom. They also came by the place where the Donner party met their ill.fate. The cabins were still standing, and many evidences of terrible suffering were yet visible. This party, too, suffered considerably. After cross- ing the mountains their first stopping place was Deer Creek, in Nevada County, August 3. Here they remained three weeks, and tried their hand at mining, washing out two or three ounces of gold per day. Coming on down into the plains, they first struck them at Johnson's ranch, on Bear River. Beef was then in fine condition, and here they had their first good feast on that article since they left the States. They forded the American River near where the railroad bridge now is, and pitched their tent about where the State Capitol stands, under a large oak tree. The following winter Mr. Rich kept boarding-house on L street, between Fifth and Sixth. Among his boarders were Judge Searles, of Nevada; Charles Mulford, a proin- inent banker of Grass Valley in early days; George W. Wallace, a carpenter, now deceased, and Israel Luce, engaged in a marble quarry in Inyo County. The flood of that winter being

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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