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 74

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 74

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h DANS PEDER CORNELIUS, a Sutter Township farmer, was born in Zealand, Denmark, February 20, 1846, son of Ras- mus and Chirsten Cornelius. Rasmus died in

November, 1888, and Chirsten is still living in the old country. They brought up six children, four of whom are now living: Hans, Frederick (a merchant in Rengsted, Zealand), Anna, So- phia, in Copenhagen, and Marion Christina, in Sacramento. Mr. Cornelius remained with his parents until he was twenty-two years of age, obtaining a good education and learning the carpenter's trade, and also working some in the woolen mills where his father was superintend- ent. He was then in the Government service six months; next he went to Greenland, where he was employed in making shafts and other equipments for mining camps for one summer. October 15, 1869, he left for the United States and landed at Philadelphia December 4, unable to speak a word of English. Accordingly he found it difficult to obtain employment. He went through New York State and Michigan to Chicago, where he obtained a situation, through an employment agency, away down in the State of Mississippi, sixty miles below Memphis, at Friar's Point, on the bank of the Mississippi River. He was there employed, with interrup- tions, for five years, running a saw-mill there four years. Life in this depressing climate was to him quite a contrast to "Greenland's icy mountains," and he found it to be advantageous to his health and his spirits to drift northward. During this period he was married, in May, 1871, in Chicago, to Anna Tromena Johnson. He was a carpenter in Chicago, a part of the time in the shops of the Chicago & Northwest- ern Railroad Company. He came to California in 1875, locating in Sacramento and engaging for the railroad. A year afterward a siege of sickness compelled him to give up his place there. After his recovery he entered upon his present place, where he has since resided; it contains ninety acres, and is located on the up- per Stockton road three and a half iniles from the city limits. He started in here raising hay and grain, but for the last three or four years he has turned his attention more to fruit-raising. His wife died January 3, 1886, the mother of four children, as follows: Lizzie, born July 29,

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1873; Mary, November 24, 1876; Robert, Jan- nary 25, 1879; and Johnnie, March 9, 1882. Mr. Cornelius married his present wife April 24, 1889, wedding Mrs. Margaret Sparrow, of this county.

YRUS TOWLE, farmer, was born in Co- hasset, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, October 2, 1829; his parents, Ezra and Sybil (Barnes) Towle, were natives respectively of Cohasset and New Hampshire. His father, whose principal vocation in early days was that of a sailor, was abont eighteen years of age when he went into Massachusetts, and commenced a seataring life, which he kept up for about thirty years. The summer season was devoted to mackerel fishing, and the winter to the coast trade of the Southern States, chiefly New York, Baltimore, and so on southward. He was en- gaged in the business of carrying oysters from Baltimore to Boston, and corn and other products from the different Sonthern ports to New York and Boston. From the time he was twenty-one he was master of a ship until he quit the sea. He then followed farming for a while in Massa- chusetts, and ran a stage line from Cohasset to Hingham, to connect with the steamer May- flower, running from Hingham to Boston in opposition to a railroad company. This business he followed until he died. His widow survived him a number of years. They had six children: Cyrus; Joanna Maria residing in Cohasset; Sybil Barnes, in Chester, Vermont; Mary Eliza- betli, in Coliasset; Ezra, who died in 1865, in Cohasset; and Benjamin Barnes, who died some- time in the '60's. Cyrus Towle was reared in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and lived there until 1852. During the summer. he followed mack- erel fishing from the age of sixteen to twenty- one, and during the winter he worked at shoe- making. After he was of age he entered the dry goods business in Cohasset, continning therein until 1852. May 3d, that year, he left home, went to New York city and bought a ticket for

California, embarking May 5 on the steamer Northern Light, which took him safely to Grey- town, then ealled San Juan del Norte, at the mouth of the San Juan River; was a week going up that river and erossing Lake Nieara- gua to the Pacific Coast; remained at San Juan del Sud twenty-six days. being in all thirty-two days on the Isthmus; left there on the steamer S. S. Lewis and arrived at San Francisco July 5, and at Sacramento two days afterward. In a few days he reached Baker's ranch in Placer County, and hired out as a mule-packer. He worked at that four or five months, at $100 a month and boarding and lodging furnished. This work consisted in conveying goods and provisions from the store at Baker's ranch to the mining camps, along a mule trail on the sides of the hills, by mule train, there being no wagon road at that time. One of the amusing incidents occurring on one of these journeys happened as follows: A keg of butter was knocked off the pack in passing a rock, and rolled down a hill at a declination of about forty degrees and traveled about a mile before it landed at the bottom. Only a " grease spot" was left! That winter, after quitting business, hie engaged in placer mining for a short time, with varying success, making from 25 eents to $16 a day; some days he worked hard and ob- tained but 25 cents, and on one day, by working only three hours, he obtained $16. He worked at mining until his health failed, and he had to quit when he was making $4 a day. During the last of February he bought a inule team and engaged in hauling freight from Sacramento to Bird's Valley, near Michigan Bluff, till abont the 1st of December, 1854. Then, exchanging his team for lumber and hay, he started a hay yard on the corner of Ninth and K streets, Sacramento. The next spring he sold out this business and engaged in teaming again. Lo- cating his present ranch during that summer, he put in his first crop, in the winter of 1855-'56, and continned teaming meanwhile. He cooked his first meal, a supper, on this ranch, August 1, 1856, and since that time that place has been

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his home. It first comprised 160 acres; in 1867 he sold half of it. At first he raised hay and grain, and for the last twenty years he has been principally engaged in fruit-raising. When the postoffice was first started at Florin, in June, 1869, he was appointed postmaster, which po- sition he filled until January 1, 1876. In po- litical matters he has always been a strong Republican. He is a member of the Grange, joining at Sacramento in 1873. Mr. Towle was inarried January 1, 1874, to Anna Maria Ames, who was born in Lnnenburg, Essex County, Vermont, February 27, 1832, and came to Cali- fornia in 1873, arriving at Sacramento April 12. They have no children.

EORGE THISBY, deceased. The subject of this sketeli was born in Scarborough, England, May 15, 1828, his parents being William and Mary (Trattles) Thisby. At about the age of twenty-one George Thisby came to the United States and among his earliest occu- pations in this country was that of night-watch- man on a Mississippi steamer for two or three years. In 1852 he came to California, being employed to drive cattle across the plains by the southern ronte to Los Angeles. He afterward went to mining for a year or two in the neigh- borhood of Nevada City, with such ill success that he came down on the Sacramento in the spring of 1854, having only 10 cents in his pocket. He was employed by Mr. Madge at $40 a month, and in the autumn of that year he be- came his partner, the arrangement continuing two years. He then bought fifty acres on Georgiana Slough, about thirty-two miles sonth of Sacramento, with a cabin of 10 x 12 feet upon it, and only two or three acres cleared, paying $350 cash and 3 per cent. per month interest on an equal amount, and proceeded to clear it. He also rented twenty acres on Grand Island, pay- ing one-third of the proceeds. In 1859 he ran a trading boat of five tons' bnrden from Walnut Grove to Sacramento and Stockton. In the

flood of 1862 he lost all his stock except a span of horses and one cow. In November, 1862, he paid a visit to his old home in England, re- turning in June, 1863. In the autumn of 1864 he bonght the sloop Franklin, of thirty-five tons, and was her captain for three years in the San Francisco trade. In 1868 he planted an orchard of about ten acres on his slongh ranch, now in- creased to about thirty acres by his widow. In 1867 he bought for $5,000 the place of 222 acres, on the river; still occupied by the family, thirty-two miles south of Sacramento, having rented it for the preceding year, and put it in charge of Henry Hebb. From 1868 onward he gave his undivided attention to farming. It had only three or four acres of orchard when pur- chased, which he increased to about fifteen. He was a director of the California Transportation Company from its organization, being the first man to pay $1,000 cash for stock in the new concern, and was vice-president of the company at the time of his death. Mr. Thisby was mar- ried August 8, 1869, to Miss Rebecca Elliott, a native of Ireland, born in Enniskillen, March 26, 1848, daughter of Henry and Sarah Elliott, both of the same name but not related within any known degree of kinship. The widowed mother came to America in 1865, and to California in 1870. She died February 21, 1885, aged eighty, at the home of another daughter, Mrs. Anna Sidwell, of Rio Vista. Mrs. Thisby came to America in 1861, accompanied by her oldest sister. She found employment in New York city for five years, first as a nurse-girl, and afterward as seamstress, and in 1866 came to California, arriving at Rio Vista on Thanksgiv- ing Day. Here she worked chiefly as seam- tress and milliner, and at general housework for one month, for which she received $45. She has one brother and two sisters living: John, a farmer in Sullivan County, New York; Ellen, now Mrs. J. M. Gleason, of this (Andrus) island; Mrs. Anna Sidwell, of Rio Vista. Mr. Thisby was accidentally killed on his own ranch by fall- ing from a wagon loaded with hay and being dragged along by his team, September 24, 1880,

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dying twenty-four hours later, without having recovered sufficiently to explain the circum- stances. The surviving children of Mr. and Mrs. Thisby are: Philip Henry, born June 1, 1870; Mary J., December 28, 1871; George, September 24, 1873; William Jolin, October 15, 1875; Robert Francis, June 4, 1877; Leon- ard Charles, October 2, 1878. Philip H. has taken a course at a business college in San Fran- cisco; Mary J. was educated at Mills' Seminary in Oakland, and afterward at Irving Institute in San Francisco; and the other children are at- tending the district school. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Thisby has added eighty-one acres of the adjoining Westfall ranch to her place on Georgiana Slough, has increased the acreage in fruit, cleared up some more land, and improved the home place very materially by the erection of a new barn at a cost of about $2,000, and the expenditure of about 84,000 on the house, making it a very comfortable home for the family.

ULLIVAN TREAT, deceased, in his life- time here a prosperous farmer and exem- plary citizen, was born in Aurora, Erie County, New York, January 18, 1811. His father, Timothy Treat, was born in Rutland County, Vermont, and when a young man moved into New York State and inarried there his first wife. The only child by this marriage was the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Treat died, and Mr. Treat afterward married again and brought up a family of eleven children. One son died in the late war, and a daughter died at the age of three years. Two sons and three daughters are in this State. Timothy Treat served with distinction in the war of 1812, and in 1839 he moved from New York State to Cass County, Michigan, when the primitive condi- tion of that country occasioned him many hard- ships and monotonons periods of privation. He lived there until 1865, when he came to Cali- fornia and made his home with his son, Sullivan

Treat, until his death, which occurred March 3, 1875, when he was eighty- nine years of age. He was a very healthy, stout man, and did as much work as two ordinary men should do. He was very strong and in good spirits up to within a few days of his death, and, like John Wesley, " ceased at once to work and live." For his second wife he married Miss Bentley, who died in Michigan. The subject of this sketch was brought up in Erie County, New York. When of age he started out with no means but his brain and muscle, to make his own way in the world. After working some time in his native county, he went to Berrien County, Michigan, in 1836, three years before his parents moved to that State. Two years afterward he went to Cass County, Michigan, settling in Silver Creek Township, where he entered 240 acres of Gov- erminent land; 200 acres of this was in heavy timber, which he cleared excepting a small grove reserved for wood. He resided there until le came to California; and while living there, December 25, 1843, he married Miss Caroline M., daughter of Cyrus and Mahala (Wiltsey) Gage, who was born in Ledyard Township, Ca- yuga County, New York, March 11, 1824, and in her sixteenth year came with her parents to Wayne Township, Cass County, Michigan. They have one daughter, Alvira H., now the wife of Julius Everson, a sketch of whom ap- pears in this volume. On account of Mr. Treat's poor health there, he and his family left Michi- gan for California May 10, 1859-eleven of them altogether in the party-coming overland, with three wagons, three fine horses and twenty- two head of pure-bred cattle, some of them fresh cows; but all were yoked together and used as teams. All the cattle but one died on the way by the use of alkaline water! On ar- rival here, Mr. Treat rented a place the first year within four miles of Elk Grove, and the follow- ing season bonght 160 acres about a quarter of a mile east of the upper Stockton road, and east of old Elk Grove. At that time the plains were barc of improvements. There he followed farin- ing, and also raised some fine sheep and had

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

many fruit trees. He was the first to raise much fruit successfully in this section. He also introduced the custom of deep plowing and summer-fallowing, with signally good results. He had also other land,-640 acres elsewhere in this county and 176 acres in Yolo County. At the time of his death heowned 976 acres, which, with the exception of that in Yolo County, is still in the possession of his widow. His death occurred January 21, 1880, after he had just passed his sixty-ninth birthday. He never saw a sick day after coming to California until his last illness; nor has Mrs. Treat yet seen a sick day since coming here. He was a quiet man in his manner, attending to his own business, and was a good neighbor and citizen, greatly assist- ing all public local institutions and bestowing many charitable contributions known only by the beneficiaries themselves. In his political sympathies he was a Republican.

C. TRAINOR, prominent in the live- stock trade, is a resident of Sacramento. He was born in New York city, June 1, 1830, and while yet small he was a "fly boy " in the Herald office, of that great . metropolis. That was the day of old-fashioned presses. Ar- riving at the age of fifteen years, he was em- ployed by his uncle, hobert McKinnin, in the olá Catharine Market in that city. Seven years later, namely, in January, 1852, he came to California in the ship Ohio, Captain Whitney, by way of Panama, arriving at San Francisco April 8. His first work there was in the em- ployment of William Montgomery. Subse- quently, being acquainted with Bishop Goodrich, of Sacramento, who kept the Queen City Mar- ket, corner of Seventh and J streets, he came here in June, 1852, and was employed by him until November, when the market was burned ont. They at once bought a ready-made house, and in ten or twelve days resumed business at the old stand. Mr. Trainor afterward associated himself with Andrew Weston and Christopher

Green (whose sketch as one of the mayors of Sacramento appears in this volume elsewhere), in a little shop on J street, between Front and Second, where the Tremont Honse now stands, and where they were at the time of the great flood. In September, 1853, in company with Mr. Goodrich, he went first to Shasta, and Jan- nary 1, to Yreka, near the Oregon line, and in May returned to Sacramento. Mr. Trainor then began in business for Rolla & Werner, for whom Mr. Green was then book-keeper. In 1856 he formed a partnership with Mr. Green, pur- chasing the interest of Rolla & Werner, and this business they continned for many years. About 1860 they acquired ranch property in Yolo County, eight miles northeast of Dixon, in what was called "the pocket," and there they had at one time as many as 5,000 sheep. The native breeds were crossed with the Spanish and French Merinos. The firm continned in sheep- raising, in connection with the market, until about 1874-'75; but in the meantime, in 1869 or 1870, they bought a ranch in Placer County, where they had 5,000 sheep, and also had some 1,600 acres of land in grain, Mr. Trainor being the active outside business man of the firm, while Mr. Green attended more particularly to the interests of the market. They are still en- gaged in the live-stock business in Arizona, where they now have 5,000 head of sheep and 2,000 head of cattle. In 1867 Mr. Trainor built a house on H street, where R. S. Carey now resides, and lived there many years. Ile now resides at 1222 Tenth street. He is a prominent member of El Dorado Lodge, No. 8,. I. O. (. F. Being one of the "boys," he took an active interest in the volunteer fire depart- ment; became a member of the Exempt Fire- men's Association. He was also the chief or- ganizer of the Washington Guards, a Yolo County organization, Captain Mathews, which in 1862 was attached to the Sacramento Battal- ion, and served during the war. Mr. Trainor was early an active Democrat, a member of the County Central Committee, and chairman of the same; but he was never an office-seeker or

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

an office-holder. His father, Charles Trainor, was a native of Donegal, Ireland; was a "free- lander," and compelled to emigrate to the "land of the free," America. The maiden name of the mother of the subject of the foregoing sketch was Mary McKinnin, and she was a native of the city of New York. His grand- mother was a Quakeress, a native of Dublin, who came to New York in the year 1799. In 1858 Mr. Trainor was married to Rose Toland, danghter of George Toland, of Sacramento. Their children are named Daniel, Isaac, Charles, Frank, Alfred and Walter.

HARLES EDWARD ADAMS, proprie- ter of the hay and feed store at 1108 and 1110 J Street, Sacramento, was born in Randolph County, Illinois, March 28, 1841. When seven years old his parents moved to New Orleans. In 1853 he took steamer for California, coming to Sacramento; spent about two years in the State, during which time he at- tended school. In 1855 he returned East, going to Massachusetts, for the purpose of completing his education After graduating he went to St. Louis and entered the office of the Missouri Republican with a view of learning the printing business; he went to New Orleans in 1859, stay- ing about six months. In the fall of the year he determined to come to California; taking steamer, he arrived in San Francisco early in 1860 and came directly to Sacramento. Shortly after his arrival he entered the grocery store of James I. Felter, remaining till the breaking out of the war in 1861, when he enlisted in Com- pany F, Second California Cavalry, for the period of three years, holding the position of Quarter- master Sergeant. Part of his company was assigned to provost duty, with headquarters in San Francisco, where it remained until the ex- piration of term of service, when he was inus- tered out. In February, 1865, he went to Mazatlan, Mexico, and opened a ho el; this place was then occupied by the French. Mr.

Adams, however, being a loyal citizen of the United States, had his wife make an American flag, which he flung to the breeze July 4, 1865. This was the only emblem of the Republic dis- played, and his courage and patriotism were amply repaid by the universal respect it com- manded. In December of this year Mr. Adamns thought to improve his circumstances by going to the mines. Accordingly, he sold his hotel and went to a mining camp near Durango. He remained here about a year with varying fortunes, when the clamor of war raised his war- like spirit, and, believing himself safer in the Mexican army than the disturbed condition of the country would warrant as a civilian, he dropped the pick and shovel, and, going to the city of Durango, where Americans were at a premium, he was given a commission as Cap- tain of Engineers. At this time the campaign against the French under Maximilian was being vigorously pushed. Shortly after his commis- sion was received, orders were given to lay siege to the city of Queretaro. After some bombard- ments and numerous engagements, which lasted about two and a half months, Maximilian surrendered the city unconditionally May 15, 1867. The next move was upon the city of Mexico, and thither the army went, under con- mand of General Porfiro Diaz, the present pres- ident of the Republic of Mexico, and had the satisfaction, on June 21, 1867, of forcing the city to capitulate. In his capacity of Captain of Engineers, Mr. Adams was very close to General Diaz, and speaks of him in the highest terms. He remained with Diaz until the end of the year, when he went to the State of Zaca- tecas, determined to make his fortune or "bust," by again engaging in mining. IIe returned to California in February, 1875, making a " bee line" for Sacramento. In 1876, Mr. Adams opened a hay and feed store, which he has car- ried on ever since, meeting with good success. In 1864 Mr. Adams married Miss R. D. Hite, of Sacramento County, who accompanied him to Mexico, sharing all the hardships and privations of a soldier's life, as well as the dangers. They

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

have been blessed with three children, two sons and one daughter. In politics Mr. Adams is a stanch Republican, and in 1860 took a very active part in the Lincoln campaign, though not old enough to vote. He takes a great interest in the local government, and though he has done his party great service, has never been an aspirant for political honors. Mr. Adams is a prominent member of the G. A. R., having joined Sumner Post, No. 3, of this city, in 1867. He has creditably filled all the offices in the Post, including that of Commander. Is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Honor. In the latter order he has been Assistant Grand Dictator and for a number of terms has held the office of treasurer in the local lodge of which he is a member. Mr. Adams' snecess in business is due to his strict integrity and carefnl attention to the wants of his patrons. He is devotedly attached to Sacra- mento, and although he has seen much of the world, has found no place so attractive as the city he has chosen for his home, and where- his wanderings having ceased-he is willing to end his days.

AMES THOMAS CHINNICK was born February 19, 1843, in Devonshire, England, son of Robert and Sarah (Wooland) Chin- nick, who came to the United States in 1874, locating in Philadelphia. The former died Feb- rnary, 1877, and the latter in February, 1876. There were nine children in the family, of whonf five-two sons and three daughters-are dead. Four died in the old country, and one, Eliza- beth, in New York city, at the age of thirty- two years, the mother of one child, who is also dead. The living are William John, resident near Trenton, New Jersey, a florist and farmer who grows a great many flowers for the New York markets; Robert Henry, blacksmith and machinist, resident in Erie, Pennsylvania; Ed- win, carriage blacksmith and spring-maker, resident in Philadelphia. James Thomas, the

subject of this sketch, was raised in Devonshire to the age of fourteen years, then went to Bris- tol, where he commenced learning his trade of carriage blacksmith and spring-making, remain- ing there until he was past seventeen years old; then he went to London, and continned in the same business until 1872. In July of that year he sailed for New York, landing there July 2, 1872; thence to Trenton, New York, where he made a short visit to his brother. Going to Rahway, New Jersey, he worked at his trade for a man named Pennoyer. In the fall of 1872 his employer shut down, and he went to work for Hatfield & Jackson. In the fall of 1873 he went to Philadelphia, and worked there for Petrie, Grizel & Co., large carriage manu- facturers. In the fall of 1875 he left there for Ravenna, near Cleveland, Ohio, where he en- gaged with Merts & Riddle, remaining there until April, 1876. During all this time he was working at piece work, as it paid better than day work. Next he went to Camden, New Jer- sey, where he worked for Charles Coffery, a large carriage-builder, and remained with him till September, 1876, when he met a man named Schreb, who was in partnership with Dolan. They were patentees of carriage springs, whichi were being manufactured by William Pritchard, corner of Eighth and K streets. Mr. Schreb urged him to come here and work for Pritchard by the piece, which he did. In 1879 he went into business for himself at Elk Grove. He has been very successful, and is doing a good deal of machine work, carriage work and general jobbing. He is a natural. mechanic. Early in life, when a mere boy, he evinced a strong de- sire for and interest in mechanical arts. Ile entered upon the duties of acquiring the pro- fession of his choice, and in due course of time was able to master its many intricate difficul- ties. He is possessed of a strong inventive faculty, and his business has been built up by the first-class work he turns out. He was mar- ried August 17, 1878, to Benicia Walton, daughter of Elijalı Walton, an old pioneer of this State. Mrs. Chinnick was born in Sacra-

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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