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 82

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 82

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knowledge of where the ship's money was con- cealed. He went into business in New Orleans for a short time, and in 1841 he moved to Mobile, where he kept a hotel and was also engaged in the business of unloading vessels. In 1843 he was married to Miss Jane C. French, who was English by birth, but had been reared in Canada. Being left a widow by the death of Mr. Trask, September 15, 1847, she conducted the hotel for one year. Being beaten in a legal contest with an insurance company, she took her orphan children to Beverly, Massachusetts, the home of their father, and set out for California by the way of Cape Ilorn. After being delayed by shipwreck and consequent return to Valparaiso, she did not reach San Francisco until some time in 1850. Proceeding to the mining regions in Tuolunine County, she hired out as cook at 100 dollars a month, and accumulated quite a sum of money. Removing to Sacramento, she was induced to invest her money in mining property and lost. In 1855 she was married, at Iowa Hill, to J. M. Hawley, who kept a store and · saw-mill at Monona Flat. In 1863 Mr. and Mrs. Hawley moved to this county and bought a 220-acre ranch about three miles above Walnut Grove. Meanwhile Mr. C. F. Trask had been brought up by his uncle William Woodbury of Beverly, Massachusetts. After the marriage of his mother to Mr. Hawley he came to Cali- fornia in 1855, but soon returned to Beverly to be educated. After eight years schooling, the last half year at an academy, he again came to California and lived with his mother and step- father on their ranch. In 1867 he went to San Francisco and learned the trade of ship-carpen . ter. His mother died November 8, 1868, leav- ing two children, himself and sister, Mary Trask, now Mrs. Elijah Billington, of Santa Barbara. In 1869 Mr. Trask was induced by his stepfather to return and take charge of the ranch, and he has been ever since engaged continuonsly in that business. C. F. Trask was married February 13, 1873, to Miss Adelia A. Riee, born near Galena, Illinois, in 1849, a daughter of Oliver and Beata Calvarine (Adkins) Riee. Her father

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

died December 22, 1889, aged seventy-six; her mother, born in 1828, and her grandfather, Abner Adkins, born in 1803, are both living in 1889. Mrs. Trask was educated as a school teacher in the normal school at Plattville and taught for two years in East Dubuque, Illinois, and for some time in Wisconsin. She came to California in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Trask are the parents of three children: Alice Maud, born May 25, 1874; Oliver Frederick, November 23, 1875; Charles Raymond, December 22, 1877. They own eighty acres, of which fifty are in orchard; and rent 252 acres devoted to general farming.

FOIIN ROHR, of the firm of Rohr & Loch, proprietors of the Pioneer Bakery, Sacra- inento, is a native of Germany, born in Hesse-Darmstadt, near Heidelberg, on the 8th of January, 1864, his parents being John, Sr., and Margaretha (Schmidt) Rohr. He was reared at his native place and there received his educa- tion between the ages of six and fourteen years. He then went to learn the baker's trade at Krenz Steinach, and served an apprenticeship of two years with a man named Imhoff. He then went to Manheim, where he worked one year. He then came to the United States, working in different establishments in New York for a year and a half. From there he came out to Portland, Oregon, and three months later came to Sacramento and went to work in the Empire Bakery. After six months there he went in business for himself in connection with Mr. Brown. This partnership continued until January, 1887, when the firm of Rohr & Loch was formed. July 1, 1889, Loch sold his interest to Mr. Rohr. The Pioneer Bakery is the oldest establishment of the kind in Sacramento. It was originated by George Schoth in the early days of the city, and he carried on the business until 1882, when he sold out to Joseph Gernsch. The latter continned the business alone until Mr. Rohr came into. the firm, since which time

changes have occurred as before enumerated. Mr. Rohr is a Noble Grand of the Schiller Lodge No. 105, I. (). O. F., and is a member of the Union Visiting Committee of the Hermann Sons. Mr. Rohr is a genial and courteons gen- tleman with a host of friends and withal a push- ing, successful business man.

OHN AMOS SIMONS, rancher, of Brighton Township, Sacramento County, was born March 15, 1836, in Ava, at that time the capital of Burmah, being the second son of Rev. Thomas Simons, a Baptist missionary to Burmah. The father was born at Dofarnbach, Cardiganshire, Wales, July I5, 1801. Con- verted at the age of fifteen, he forthwith evi- denced a strong purpose to devote himself to the service of religion. At twenty he came to the United States, landing in Charleston, South Carolina. Becoming connected with the Bap- tist Church, he was sent as teacher to the Creek Indians at Eaton, Georgia, in 1823. Desiring to become a preacher, he first studied for the ministry at Edgefield, South Carolina, and after- ward at the Newton Theological Institute in Massachusetts, which he entered in 1829. Two years later he was appointed missionary to Bur- mah, and was ordained at Augusta, Georgia, December 18, 1831. He reached Maulmain, Burmah, January 1, 1833. Here he was mar- ried by Rev. Dr. Judson to Miss Caroline Jenks Harrington, of East Brookfield, Massachusetts, June 23, 1833. About the close of 1835 he removed to Ava, but after a few months' resi- dence he was obliged by political disturbances to leave that city and return to Maulmain. In 1843 Mrs. Simons died, leaving four children, with whom two years later the father returned to America. Having made provision for the education of his children, he went back to Bur- mah in 1847 to resmine his missionary labors. In 1851 he married Miss Lydia Lillybridge, and they had two children, of whom one sur- vives. In 1854 he removed to Prome, on the Irra-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

waddi, where he labored for twenty-two years, dying there February 19, 1876, after thirteen days' illness, of cholera, or rather of the ex- hanstion which followed it. The older brother of the subject of this sketch was born in De- cember, 1834, at Maulmain, Burmah; and on the return to America, already mentioned, he was placed at school at West Boylston, Massa- chusetts. After completing his course of studies, graduating at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, he went to Georgia, among the early friends of his father, and tanght sehool there for a time. He soon came North, how- ever, and entered the law school at Albany, New York, and afterward the office of the law firm of Courtney & Cassidy. After a few years in Albany, through the influence of Mr Court- ney, he became assistant in the United States District Court in New York, under Daniel Dickinson, and subsequently nnder Pierpont; and when the latter became the Attorney-Gen- eral of the United States, he was given the office of Assistant Attorney-General in the Court of Claims, and retained that position under sue- cessive administrations. Upon the inaugura- tion of President Cleveland he voluntarily resigned, and in September, 1885, formed the law firm of McDonald, Simons & Bright, at Washington, District of Columbia. He died June 19, 1886, probably of overwork. The only daughter of the first Mrs. Simons, named Jane Olivia, returned to Burmah, married there, and there died of cholera. The younger brother, Charles Jenks Simons, is a physician in Chicago. The subject of this sketch, as before stated, came to America in 1845, at the age of nine. Sent to school with his brother Thomas at West Boylston, he did not exhibit a desire to study, and after a few months returned to his maternal relatives at East Brookfield. Ilere, with an uncle for a time, later with his grandparents, and afterward with a eonsin who was a shoe manufacturer, he spent abont six years. From the cousin he learned some little of the shoe- making trade. Meanwhile he ran away twice to Boston to go to sea, but was rejected as too

young. At the age of fifteen he was induced by his older brother to take an academic course, which he proceeded to do, at Middleboro, Massa- chusetts; but he did not quite complete his course of four years, as an opportunity arose to satisfy his longing for going to sea. His imagination had been fired by his six months' voyage from Bnrmah at the age of nine, while his judgment was not mature enongh to dis- criminate between the position on shipboard of a boy passenger in the cabin and a "boy" be- fore the mast. His illusion was now abont to be dispelled. Taking leave of his relatives at East Brookfield, he went to Boston and shipped on the Challenger, under Captain Burgess. for a voyage around the world. The voyage to San Francisco was not specially eventful, they having enconntered only one severe storm, in which, however, one man was lost and the sails were torn to shreds. He found the captain and second mate friendly, while he formed an aver- sion to the first mate. The voyage lasted four months and a half, and when he received his wages as a ship's boy, amounting only to $21, he went ashore to try his fortune. This was in 1855, and he was nineteen. An ill-fortune he found it, both at that port and at Saeramento. Mining, in which his imagination had pictured millions, was hopeless. His money was soon exhausted and his spirits sauk fathoms deep, finding himself penniless and without work. Ile haunted an employment office in Sacramento, and finally obtained a job, only to find himself defrauded of half the promised wages, receiving at the end of two weeks $10 instead of $20. With a heroic integrity that deserved good for- tune, he paid $4 of that amount to the em- ployment office as fees for the old job and - a prospective one. Despairing of getting this, he struck out in search of a job. This he secured on the river, abont ten miles below Sacramento, where he spent nearly two years in vain at- tempts at making a "raise" by manual labor. His discomfort was aggravated by an attack of fever and ague. Shortly after this he began a career as teacher, amounting to fifteen years and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

extending over a period of twenty years, 1858 to 1878, his last school elosing at Galt, in this county, on May 17, 1878 The five years in- terruption to his career as teacher was the period from 1864 to 1869, which he spent in Albany, New York, where he was identified with the bar after a course in the law school, and where he practiced for a few years. But the glorions climate of California Inred him back, and he resumed his career as school- teacher, becoming also owner of a ranch of 160 acres, which has since been enlarged by recent purchase to 355 acres. June 15, 1876, Mr. Simons married Miss Fanny Prior, a native of El Dorado County, this State. She is the dangh- ter of Harlow Prior, who was born in Hartford, Connecticut. They have one child, Jennie Belle, born June 8, 1879.

ETER HANSON was born in 1838, about fourteen miles from Christianstadt, Swe- den, his parents being Andrew and Charsta (Peterson) Hanson, both now deceased, the mother in 1855, aged fifty, the father in 1881, aged ninety-one. They had two sons and two daughters. Andrew Hanson's father lived to be eighty-five and Andrew's sister, Mrs. Lawson, was 106 when she died. The subject of this sketch came to America in 1856, with some knowledge of farm work and carpentry and pos- sessed of a fair education. He first went to the Swedish settlements in Minnesota, but, being too young to enter Government land and not liking the chances of labor presented there, he proceeded sonthward as far as Moline, Illinois, where he worked in a saw-mill for a year or more. He next went to farming in that neighborhood for two years. Ie 1859 Mr. Hanson came to California, landing in San Francisco. He then proceeded to Sacramento, and thence to the inountains, but not being snited he returned to the city and soon afterward found work on a ranch near Clarksburg on the Sacramento River. There he remained one year, and then worked

near Rio Vista two years. In March, 1862, he bonghit the ranch of 121 acres which he still ocenpies on Grand Island about thirty-seven iniles below Sacramento. He has about twenty acres in orchard, fruit being the chief market- able product. In 1886 he built a comfortable house of ten rooms on his place; and in 1888 he bought eighty acres near Clements in San Joa- quin County. Mr. Hanson is unmarried. Miss Tilda Neilson, a granddaughter of his sister, Mrs. Peterson, of Princeton, Illinois, has charge of his household.

ODOLPHUS BUKEY HALL was born in Kentucky, September 7, 1825, his par- ents being Shadrac and Mary (Greathouse) Hall. The father was born in Virginia, Jan- uary 19, 1789, of American parentage but of Scotch descent on the paternal, and English on the maternal side. The mother, a native of Kentucky, was of German or Pennsylvania- Dutch descent on both sides. Her father, Her- man Greathouse, was a native of Pennsylvania and a soldier of the Revolution. He lived to be over eighty and his wife, by birth Massey Ann Bukey, was seventy-five at her death. Grandfather Shadrac Hall, a Virginian, was 2 Presbyterian minister and his wife, by birth a Miss Walker, was also a Virginian. The par- ents of R. B. Hall were married in Kentucky about the close of 1814, and a large portion cî their children were born in that State. They afterward moved to Spencer County, Indiana, where Mr. Hall was elected sheriff for four terms, eight years, and afterward coroner. He had previously been a tanner, but had retired from that business. He died February 28, 1856, eleven years after his wife, who died No- vember 21, 1844. They were the parents of a large family: Mary Ann R., born October 9, 1815; America G., October 29, 1816; Eliza B., March 30, 1818, by marriage Mrs. Wright, died October 17, 1844; John W., June 28, 1819; Randolph B., April 7, 1821, died November 5,

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

1873; Harmon G., September 30, 1822; Mas- sey Ann G., Jannary 23. 1824, by marriage Mrs. Pierce, died September 27, 1846, Ro- dolphns Bukey, the subject of this sketch, was born September 7, 1825, in Spencer County, Indiana; Jemima G., March 11, 1827; Isaac G. (see sketch); Elizabeth O., September 23, 1830, by marriage Mrs. Mattingly, died July 8, 1869; Luther G., January 8, 1832, a resident of Fresno, California, since November, 1888, when he came out from Kentucky; Nathan F., November 17, 1833; Jonathan P., August 22, 1835; Shadrac, December 28, 1837, died Feb- rnary 4, 1838; Joseph W., July 29, 1838; James Wellington, July 24, 1840, became a physician and came to California in 1878, re- mained here through the winter of 1878-'79, went to Oregon in March. 1879, returned here toward the close of 1880 and died at San Diego, Jannary 12, 1881; Virginia F., December 5, 1843. The subject of this sketch served in the Mexican war in the Fourth Indiana Infantry from April 8, 1847, to Angust 25, 1848, was Sergeant of Company E, and is a pensioner of that war. He came to California across the plains in 1852, arriving in August at Placer- ville, where he went to mining. For many years, at various points, but chiefly at Michigan Bluffs and Forest Hill, he continued in that business, making and losing money, with but little final gain. September 9, 1861, he arrived on Grand Island by invitation of his brother, Isaac G. (see sketch), and was half owner of the ranch until the return of his brother in 1880, when he sold ont to him and removed to Santa Rosa for the better education of his children. He rents 200 acres on Andrus Island, just be- low Isleton, on which he raises alfalfa chiefly. R. B. Hall was married March 4, 1864, at San Jose, to Miss Ellen D. Hawkins, a native of Vermont, a daughter of A. M. and Candace (Rising) Hawkins. The mother, born in Al- bany, New York, died June 7, 1845. The father, born in Georgia, Vermont, in 1809, a lawyer by profession, was appointed postmaster at Starksboro, Vermont, under Jackson, over

fifty years ago, and held the office until Cleve- land's administration. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are the parents of six children: Hattie Virginia, born June 27, 1866, has learned the business of telegraphy and is employed in San Jose; Josie Elizabeth, born March 10, 1870; Rosie Grace, May 27, 1872; Carrie Elmira, November 24. 1874; Lyman Bukey. December 25, 1875; Nel- lie America, February 23, 1877, and died of heart disease at Santa Rosa, June 1, 1889.

ACOB SCHULTZ was born in Holstein, Germany, in 1851, his parents being Henry and Gesche (Wobeke) Schultz, both of whom are still living in Germany. Grandfather Schultz was about seventy at his death; and grandmother Eliza Schultz survived him many years, dying in 1859, aged eighty-two. Jacob Schultz re- ceived the usnal education of his conntry be- tween the ages of six and sixteen, working in the summer months when old enough, chiefly at farm work, which he continued until he came to America in his eighteenth year. He canie direct to San Francisco, arriving in July, 1869, and tlience to Sacramento, where he worked in a brick-yard two months. In October he went to work for a farmer in Sutter County at $1 a day for some months when he returned to the brick- yard for a season. In 1871 he came into Frank- in Township where he worked on Mr. Kerth's ranch at $26 a month for five years. In 1876 he rented the place he now owns from Mr. Korn, carrying on a dairy business with about forty cows and raising some cattle. In 1880 he rented the Stone place of over 1,100 acres, dairying with about eighty cows; about ten years in both places. In 1887 he bought the Korn ranch of 800 acres, just before the boom in farm lands. He runs a dairy as before, of about thirty cows, raises a few cattle for the market every year, and sows a few acres to bar- ley. Mr. Schultz was married in Sacramento, April 6, 1883, to Miss Eliza Zarnig, who is also a native of Holstein, a daughter of Wilhelm

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

and Anna (Kurtz) Zarnig, both deceased, the father at the age of forty-eight and the mother at fifty-seven. They are the parents of Annie and Katie, twin sisters, born July 8, 1886.

PROFESSOR E. P. HOWE, of the Sacra- mento Normal Institute, most favorably known as a prominent educator, was born near Marietta, in Ohio, 1838, bnt removed when a child with his parents to Mount Pleasant, a small town in Iowa Territory. Here his father, a celebrated teacher of that time, opened an insti- tution of learning, in which young Howe was thoroughly drilled for the profession of teaching. At the age of fifteen he commenced his life- work, and, with the exception of a few years, during which he finished his course, he has been continuously engaged in the cause of education. Attheage of twenty he was placed in charge of the Mount Pleasant Union High School, the number of pupils in attendance being over 200. At the close of this engagement he was chosen Princi- pil of the Normal School of this place, over which he presided miny years. Farmington High School and Bonaparte College was organ- ized and put in successful operation by the subject of this sketch. Subsequently he was connected with the public schools of New York and Michigan. It was whilst he was superin- tending the schools of Bonaparte, Iowa, that he was induced by friends and relatives to visit California, and in 1872 was elected Principal of Sacramento Union High School. In 1873 he established Howe's High School and Normal Institute, which is to-day the leading private Normal School of the State. The best and most intelligent families of Sacramento patronize this institution. More than fifty teachers, drilled and disciplined by Professor Howe, and who received their certificates to teach whilst under his care, have been, since the establishment of his institute, connected with the public schools of Sacramento. Some have married, others have resigned to take positions elsewhere, and a few

have gone to that " nndiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns." At the present writing more than half of that number still hold their positions and are doing good work. Since the establishment of this institu- tion in 1873, sufficient time has elapsed to ascertain the effect of its training on the minds and characters of its inmates. The thorough and practical scientific knowledge it imparts, the complete system of mental discipline it pur- sues, the moulding of the mind to intelligence, and the heart to virtue, the energy and zeal it inspires in the pupils, are more and more felt and appreciated. From no private institution are so many able teachers supplied to the State, and from none are they so eagerly sought.

DOLPH SCHUCH, wood turner and scroll sawyer, Twenty-first street between J and I streets, was born in the city of Berlin in 1827; his father, Ernest Schuch, was a dep- uty of that city for many years. The subject of this sketch showed an aptitude in early life for mechanical pursuits, and learned the trade of scroll sawing and turning, in which he be- came an expert. One of his uncles had come to America and settled on a farm in Ohio, and in 1850 Adolph determined to join him. Upon arriving in New York and hearing of the won- derful opportunities to advance in the rapidly developing new country, he determined to come to California. He landed in San Francisco in November, 1850, and at once obtained employ- ment, and three years later started in business for himself on Market street in that city. Later on he came to Sacramento, where he has re sided ever since, accumulating a competence by industry. In 1871 he bought the corner lot ca Twenty-first street, between H and I, and here he has his residence, work-shops, etc. It was here that he perfected his winding-twist turning machine, a marvel of simplicity and ingennity, npon which he was granted a patent June 21, 1887. Mr. Schuch married Miss Eva Aschenauer,

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

a native of Bavaria, in 1860, and their only daughter is now the wife of Mr. Otto Willhelm of this city. Mr. Schuch has had too busy a life to devote any amount of time to the frater- nal organizations, but he early became identified with the Red Men, as a member of the Sacra- mento Wigwam, No. 124. Such, in brief, is the history of one of our German-American citizens, showing what industry and intelligent enterprise will do.

3NCIL FAY RAYMOND, of Flint & Ray- mond, ranchers in Cosumnes Township, was born near Prattsburg, Steuben County, New York, April 12, 1852, his parents being John C. and Sarah Ann (Corey) Raymond. The father, born March 24, 1826, died January 22, 1879; the mother, born August 24, 1828, is now Mrs. Truman C. Corey, of Linneus, Linn County, Missouri, where the Raymond family settled in 1868, on a sixty-acre farm adjoining the town. A. F. Raymond came to California in April, 1874, and worked on a farm. He was married November 25, 1874, to Miss Nettie Harriet Flint, born in New York city, December 1, 1856, of Swayne S. and Ellen M. (Nelson) Flint. Mrs. Raymond had preceded him to California, arriving in June, 1873. After mar- riage Mr. Raymond spent about two and one- half years in Missouri, engaged in stock-raising. In 1878 he returned to California. February 22, 1881, he rented 29.55 acres of the Haggin grant for hop-raising. In 1882 he raised on it 90,000 pounds of hops, a result never excelled in this State. In 1883, after his third crop, he surrendered his lease and made a visit East, re- maining. until March, 1884. Soon after his return he bought one-third interest, which he still owns in the Flint & Raymond ranch of 1,312 acres on the Cosumnnes, near McCabe bridge, Mr. Daniel Flint, of Sacramento, the uncle of Mrs. Raymond, being the senior mem- ber of the firm and owner of a two-thirds inter- est. The ranch is devoted to raising hops, hay

and cattle. There are about thirty-three acres in hops and about 200 in alfalfa. Of cattle, mostly Durhams, there are 200 head, and of horses about twenty. Perhaps 300 acres are bottom land. The new irrigating ditch runs through the ranch for about one and a half miles. There is a small orange grove of about 250 trees. Mr. Raymond is a member of Sac- ramento Grange, No. 12; was its secretary in 1881, overseer in 1882, and master in 1883. He is also a member of Capital Lodge, No. 87, I. O. O. F .; has been conductor, warden, etc. He was elected justice of the peace in 1886, and in 1888, in the general election and special election which followed, he and his competitor on both occasions received an equal number of votes, when both agreed to withdraw.

EORGE MAURICE COLTON, farmer, was born in Stephenson County, Illinois, March 16, 1845, a son of Lewis and Maria A. (Orton) Colton, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Erie County, Pennsyl- vania, who emigrated to Illinois about 1843. Lewis Colton bought land there and remained until 1854, when he came with his family to California, with ox teams, having a compara- tively sate journey. He arrived in this State in October, locating first in Nevada County, about seventy miles north of Sacramento. He bought 160 acres of land there, in Penn's Valley, about twelve miles from Nevada City, toward Marys- ville. During the two years he remained there, he owned a rich surface mine near Rough and Ready, and took ont $16,000 or $18,000, and built a toll-road from Penn Valley to Rough and Ready, a distance of two miles. Then he lived over two years at Washoe, 1861-'63. The first winter there was a hard one, on account of floods. Putting up a quartz mill at Washoe, he ran it about a year. He had a partner in this enterprise, named David Smith. Meeting with reverses in business there, he exchanged his interest in the mill for 160 acres of land in

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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