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 85

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 85

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and James; and the subject himself had John and James as brothers; and these were all the male deseendants in the line mentioned. When William H., our subject, was six years old the family moved to Parke County, Indiana, across the Wabash; and when he was eight years of age he was bound out to William Broekway, who lived in the northern part of Parke County, and was to give young Ellis nine months' schooling, a good suit of clothes and a good horse, saddle and bridle,-a common condition in those days in the matter of indenture of orphan children. The boy remained with him until twenty-two years old, a rarity; and Mr. Brockway gave him two years' sehooling, the horse, saddle and bri- dle and two or three snits of elothes. Mr. Ellis followed the river several years, making nine trips to New Orleans in eight years. On the second trip he made $100 net, by steering the boat. From 1852 to 1854 he ran eanal boats. The first locomotive after the first railroad built into Terre Haute, was brought down by the eanal, and Mr. Ellis took it from Lafayette to Terre Haute, and rode on it during the first trip it made from the latter. The railroad was then completed to a point only five miles east of the place. It was the first railroad ride Mr Ellis ever had. He also boated coal from Coal Creek to Lafayette and did earpenter and joiner work, which he learned from Mr. Broekway. He in- herited a mechanical genius and also made wagons and cabinet furniture. About 1848 he was taken sick and lost about 85,000 in gold, and at the end of five years he was $10 in debt. Ile next lived in Ottumwa, Iowa, two years, and then in Oskaloosa, that State, until 1853. A man named Joseph Batton intending to come to California, with his family, wanted three men to come with him, and Mr. Ellis joined him. May 8th they started, and eane by way of Salt Lake, the Humboldt, Carson Canon, and reached the summit of the Sierras October 8. They proceeded to Grizzly Flat, and there Mr. Ellis remained until Mr. Batton went down to Tuolumne River. He made shingles, while another man took charge of the stoek. Next

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he went to mining six miles above Diamond Spring and followed that employment three years, within ten miles from the place he com- inenced; sticking to the old place proved his wisdom. He had good success in the winter time, making $2,000 to $3,000 every winter and sinking it in the river during the summer. At one time they were $4,000 in debt. They tore np their flume and carried it down the river a mile and got abont $80. They collected gold at the rate of only fifty to seventy-five cents a day; but they obtained $4,080 one day, and Mr. Elllis at once went to Placerville and secured the coin, and returned and paid off his debts, and then they had $8 apiece. After accumnlat- ing $200 or $300 he came into the Sacramento Valley and entered 160 acres of land, put in a crop and began improving the place. When le came there it was a wild place. There was · no honse within a mile, and there was not 200 acres of land fenced within four miles. Mr. Ellis worked at carpentering a great deal and at repairing wagons, etc., at which he made $5 to $12 a day. On the night of July 7, 1880, he went to Sacramento with a load of hay, return- ing home abont eight o'clock in the evening. Just as he opened the bars a tramp stepped out of a place of concealment, the horses became frightened and ran away, dragging the wagon over Mr. Ellis and knocking him senseless. His wife was not at home, and he lay there all night. Although it was four days before he became fully sensible, the next morning he arose, went into the house and told the parties there to go to work. He suffered no pain for a month, but he has not seen a well day since. His splendid constitution enabled him to recover so far as he has, although the doctors thought he would die. He received no injury below his shoulders. He possesses re- markable good judgment, as his career shows. His memory is good and. he relates many in- teresting anecdotes. Jnly 8, 1858, he married Miss Nancy Elizabeth Pressley, a native of Tennessee, and reared in Missouri. Her father died when she was an infant, and she also lost her mother when young and was bound out with

her brother to a man named Neal in Missouri. She lived with him until she was nearly twenty years of age. In 1857 she came with some friends overland to California. They lived with Mr. Bell until October 27, 1858, when they moved to the present place, where they liave ever since resided. When Mr. Ellis' first child was an infant his wife was taken siek, and she has been an invalid ever since. They have five children: Urania Ann, born April 12, 1859, now the wife of George Casey, and living in Sacramento; Sarah Louisa, born November 29, 1860, now the wife of Arthur B. Casey, and living in Brighton Township; James Franklin, born October 14, 1862; John Grant, born Feb- rnary 20, 1865; and William Sherman, born February 7, 1867. Urania Ann has four chil- dren, namely: William George, Effie Amber, Bertha and Frank; and Louisa also has four; Amanda Elizabeth, Jesse Sylvester, Vina May and Nora.

ON. WILLIAM EVERMONT BRYAN was born in Kentucky October 29, 1821; resided in Campbell County until thirty- two years old, except one winter he spent in Indiana, when he emigrated to California with ox teams. After a long and tedious trip of seven months he arrived in El Dorado County in September, 1853. After a few days of non- success at mining, he turned his attention to freighting to the mines and mining towns, first with horse teams and later with ox teams and lastly with mules and horse teams, which busi- ness he continned during the gold and silver excitement of Nevada, and until the railroad crossed the Sierras, in 1867, when he sold most of his teams and turned his attention to farm- ing and sheep-raising. In the meantime he located on the Folsom grant, thirteen miles from Sacramento, and purchased 4,200 acres. Continued in the sheep business with the sons until 1876, when he divided the land among his fonr children. Mr. Bryan was

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inarried October 21, 1845, to Miss Mary Gregg Herndon, also a native of Kentucky. There were five children: Mrs. Maggie C. Morris, a native of Kentucky, born August 21, 1846, Alonzo W., a native of Kentucky, born Sep- tember 30, 1848; Elijah H., also a native of Kentucky, born December 20, 1850; Mary D., born also in Kentucky, and William F. Bryan, a native of California, born August 3, 1855. Mr. Bryan in early life was a Whig, but has since inclined to the Independent party, which, in 1873, elected him a member of the Assem- bly, where he served one term with distinction. He has always taken an active part in public affairs. In September, 1880, he removed to Alameda, where he has since made his home. During his residence in that city he was twice elected a member of the board of city trustees, and was sought after to again take a seat, but owing to pressure of business and other arrange- ments declined.

EORGE ALLEN STODDARD, mechani- cal engineer and draughtsman at the shops of the Southern Pacific Company at Sac- ramento, who has been intimately connected with the development of the mechanical depart- ment of the company from its infancy, was born at Brattleboro, Vermont, in November, 1833. His father was a well-to-do farmer, of Scotch ancestry, his mother being of English descent. He graduated at the high school in his sixteenth year, and after one season on a farm and a term in the academy, he, in the fall of 1850, entered a machine shop at Hinsdale, New Hampshire; but when only a few months at work he received an injury that disabled him for manual labor. He at once went to teaching school until he was able to return to the shop and finish his first year, for which the wages were 85 a month and board. He then entered a shop at Brattelboro, as he could see a wider range for improvement. Here he remained for fifteen months, and then turned his attention to railroad work, in Febrn-

ary, 1853, entering the shops of the Connecticut River Railroad at Northampton, Massachusetts, under Master Mechanic John Mulligan, at $1 a day, which, during the following year was in- creased to 81.50, the full wages for journeymen. Mr. Mulligan seeing that young Stoddard was ambitious and willing to work, and finding him good at figures and general mechanics, took great interest in him. The shop had no draughts- man, but needed one. Mr. Mulligan, to test the young man's ability, requested him to make designs for changes in the engine Springfield, which it was desired to rebuild. This he did at his home evenings, and the plans were submitted to the president of the road, which after thor- ough examination he returned approved. Stod- dard was at once installed as draughtsman, a position he retained and filled satisfactorily until 1860, going on the road for a while, in order to study practically the workings. of the " great iron horse." He had been making the working plans for the company for about a year before ever having any instruction in drawing, when by the advice of the master mechanic he attended night school, under a most excellent designer. In June, 1860, he decided to come to California, influenced mostly by the rigorous climate of New England. Accordingly, in company with S. H. Gerrish, one of his shop-mates, he sailed from New York on the steamer Northern Light. crossed the Isthmus on the railroad, came up the coast on the Sonora, landing in San Fran- cisco on the 28th of June, and on the 30th went to work for E. T. Steen in a machine shop, who induced him after a time to accept a position at engineer in charge of the machinery for a quartz mill in which he was interested, to be erected near Virginia city, Nevada. After seeing this in working order he engaged in a similar capacity for a mill company at Gold Hill, where he remained until the summer of 1865, when he became interested in a ranch and min- ing operation in Calaveras County, California. Learning that an old friend of his -- I. H. Graves-was master mechanic of the Central Pacific Railroad Works at Sacramento, he on

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the 9th of June, 1866, engaged at the company's shops, which at that time comprised only a few rough shed-like buildings, with no machinery. His first work was to put up an engine and shafting and get machine tools at work, which the company had then lying at the wharf. He worked in the machinery department for about two years, setting up and running the various tools required in the work. Then he became draughtsman, when A. J. Stevens, in 1870, took the position and was for several years alone in the office doing the entire work; but the de- inands so increased as to require at times from one to three assistants. There have been con- structed at the works, all from original designs under his supervision, ten or twelve different types of locomotives complete, besides a large portion of the working apparatus in the shops here. The boilers and entire machinery for the two river boats Modoc and Apache, also for the ferry boat Piedmont, running between Oakland and San Francisco, having cylinders 57 inches diameter and 14 feet stroke, nearly horizontal, being so placed to leave deck clear of machinery. New boilers have been designed for nearly all of the boats used by the company. Another branch of the business has required and received a great deal of attention, that is, the rolling- mill. In the spring of 1876 Mr. Stevens strongly urged the construction of a mill, and was finally allowed to have a small experimental one de- signed and put in operation. It was located in the blacksmith shop, in charge of Stephen Uren, and proved a great success, saving the company miany thousands of dollars. In 1879 a more complete plant was designed, the one now in operation, the entire designs being executed personally by Mr. Stoddard, his own hand making every figure and line. One singular fact connected therewith may be noted, namely, this was the first rolling-mill machinery ever seen by him, he working out the plans on gen- eral mechanical principles, advising with Ste- vens and Uren, neither of whom, however, had had any practical experience in that direction. It may well be considered a success, as it has

been steadily at work, a great portion of the time night and day, since erected, turning ont more than 10,000 tons a year. In his political views Mr. Stoddard is a Republican, and he is a Mason and Odd Fellow of long standing, an amateur photograper, and something of a tele- graph operator. He has, of course, like most Californians, been more or less interested in mining operations and " has bought a farm." He was married in 1879 to Mrs. Lucy C H. Noyes, nee Hazelton, a native of Strafford, Ver- mont, and daughter of Deacon Thomas and Sylvia (Kibling) Hazelton. The Hazeltons emigrated from England. Her grandmother Kibling was Sarah Cooledge (before marriage), a native of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, a re- lation to the well known Cooledge family of Boston, Massachusetts. She lived to be ninety- eight years old. She lived to see the fifth gen- eration, and at her death had 103 descendants. Mrs. Stoddard's father's family consisted of six sons and six danghters. She has three sisters and two brothers residing in Stafford, Vermont; one sister married Amos Morrill, brother to Senator Morrill, of Vermont. Two brothers and one sister live in Barnett, Verinont. H. J. Hazelton, M. D., a brother, has been a practicing physician there over twenty years. The sister married John S. T. Wallace, a merchant at that place. The youngest brother, Walter S. Hazel- ton, is a merchant at Elkhart, Indiana. She has two children living by her former marriage. Charles T. Noyes, the eldest, is a mechanical engineer, at work in the office with Mr. Stod. dard. The youngest, Frederick B. Noyes, re- sides in Nicolaus, California. Mrs. Stoddard came to California in 1875. In 1876 she called a meeting and helped to organize the first " Christian Temperance Union" on the Pacific coast. In 1879 she was elected on the Board of Managers of the Protestant Orphan Asylum; was one of the charter members of the Fair Oaks Relief Corps, and is an earnest worker in mis- sionary work. She was secretary of the Woman's Board of Missions (Sacramento auxiliary), for eight years; in 1888 was elected president of

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the same; also president of the "Central Com- mittee" (auxiliary to the Young Men's Chris- tian Association); to the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and the " Woman's Aid Society,"-all the same year. She has been a member of the Congregational Church nearly thirty years, a teacher in the Sunday-school twenty-five years, where she still remains an earnest worker. Truly it can be said of her, " She hath done what she could."

OSES SPRAGUE, a farmer of Sutter Township, was born in Batavia, Gene- see County, New York, February 19, 1820, a son of Jeremiah and Martha (nee Sprague) Sprague. His father was born in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York, in 1793. Starting with his wife and children, on February 15, 1830, after a wearisome journey they reached the town of Westfield, Medina County, Ohio, locating on land on the West- ern Reserve. Subsequently he settled near Huntington, Lorain County, where he remained until April 6, 1886, the date of his death. His wife's death occurred April 14, 1865. During their residence in Ohio five children were born to them, making a total of twelve, namely: Lucy, Moses, Charles, Ruth, A. J., Minerva, Alonzo, F. A., William B., Louisa, Sophia and Lamira. Of this number, three daughters are dead, and the remainder of the family are scattered in Ohio, Michigan and California. Mr. Sprague, whose name heads this sketch, was brought np on a farm; when eighteen years of age he went to Hnron County, Michigan; thenee he traveled through the Manmee Swamp to the railroad at Sylvania, where he took the cars for Adrian, that being the first train of cars he had ever seen, except at a distance. He remained in Michigan until 1841, employed in farm work; and (one season) as carpenter and joiner in Adrian. Hle next purchased fifty acres of land in Hillsdale, Michigan. In Angust, 1841, he went to Steuben County, Indiana, where he

followed the trade of carpenter until he started for California March 18, 1852. He went from St. Louis to Council Bluffs on the steamer " Robert Campbell," being eleven days on the trip. May 9, 1852, the train crossed the Mis- sonri River, the first movement on its long journey "across the plains," arriving in Hang- town August 27. From there he went to Stock- ton, and after visiting several points came to Sacramento the day before the election of Frank- lin Pierce as President of the United States. He Was permitted to vote at the election. He was inarried February 17, 1846, to Miss Nancy M. Smith, who was born in Otsego County, New York, April 14, 1821, of New York parents. In March, 1854, she came by way of the Nica- ragua route to California, reaching Sacramento May 6. Until August following Mr. and Mrs. Sprague were in Colusa County; they then located upon the place where they now reside. It contains 135 acres, and has been improved until it is equipped with all that is necessary to make life comfortable. In 1876 Mr. Sprague visited in the East, meeting his father and his brothers and sisters, but was willing to return to California to spend the remainder of his life. He is a member of Sacramento Grange, No. 12, Patrons of Husbandry, and is still an active and busy man, prospering in the vocation of farm- ing and dairying. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague have a family of three children, namely: Helen I., now Mrs. E. W. Brainard, of Sacramento County, California; Frederick D., of Seattle, Washington, and Hattie S., widow of Hugh C. Jones, of Sutter County, California.

EORGE G. DAVIS, attorney at law, of the firm of Hart & Davis, Sacramento, was born in Nevada County, California, Janu- ary 21, 1858. His father, Aaron Davis, crossed the plains from Wisconsin, in 1849, and was engaged in mining at Park Bar, Yuba County; and in connection with his partner, Captain Richardson, is said to have had the largest find

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of gold that was ever discovered in one pocket, it being sixty-three pounds. When George G. was nine years old, his parents moved to Sierra Valley, Sierra County, where they still live. Here he was educated, graduating at the gram- mar schools, then the highest grade in the county. For two years after graduating he taught school in Sierra Valley, Sierra County. Being desirons, however, of entering one of the professions, and his predilection being toward that of the law, he gave ap teaching, and, com- ing to Sacramento, entered the law office of Arınstrong & Hinkson, then one of the most prominent firms of the city. Here he prose- cnted his studies with energy and determina- tion, and in 1885 was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of California. In 1886 he received the nomination for justice of the peace on the Republican ticket, and was elected by a handsome majority. On the ex- piration of his term of office in 1888, he formed a partnership with E. C. Hart, ex-city attorney. Mr. Davis is one of the rising lawyers of Sac-

. ramento, and he and his partner enjoy the con- fidence and esteem of the public; and his friends confidently predict that at no distant day he will be one of the shining lights of the Sacramento bar. Mr. Davis has been prominently connected with the Sacramento Hussars, and has enjoyed the distinction of having been First Lieutenant and Captain of that company of soldiers; is also a member of the Sunset Parlor of the Na- tive Sons of the Golde : West, and of Eureka Lodge, No. 4, of Odd Fellows.

AMES H. SULLIVAN was born in Mon- treal, Canada, in 1830, but of an American family. When but a little shaver his father removed to New Jersey, and in New York city, adjoining, Mr. Sullivan learned the cooper trade. Upon hearing the electrifying news of the gold discoveries in California he took passage for the voyage round Cape Horn, on the ship " Balance," of which John L. Dur-

kee, a well-known resident in San Francisco, was mate. The passengers numbered thirty persons, one of them being W. K. Hopping, sheriff of Shasta County, and a leading man of the northern part of the State. The voyage was made without serions mishap, and the Golden Gate was reached September 4, 1849. Mr. Sullivan started at boat-repairing, at the prevailing high rate of wages, and a month later went at his trade of coopering. He was succeeding well, owning a considerable piece of land on Montgomery street, between Sacra- mento and California streets, with houses upon it that were bringing in very comfortable rent- als. The big fire of May, 1850, burned him ont, however, and, discouraged by the disaster, he sold the land for $1,200, which to-day is very valuable. He then went to the mines, and at Coloma succeeded well, so well, in fact, that after three months' time, thinking he had made enough to satisfy himself for the remainder of his days, he decided to return East and enjoy life. The route chosen was by way of Panama. On the voyage, however, the vessel was disabled upon the coast of Mexico, and taken in this condition to Acapulco. Here Mr. Sullivan fell in with other adventurous spirits, and with them went to Nicaragua, then a very favorite route for passengers. Having plenty of means at their cominand they secured a monopoly of the trans- portation of passengers, and also dealt extens- ively in horses and cattle. During the year they spent at this they made money very fast, and seemed in a fair way of "heeling" them- selves for life. One of the party was a rogue, however. By knavery he managed to get hold of all the money belonging to the company, and got away with it. This left them almost bank- rupt, and when just after this time the Pacific Mail Company, which was running to Panama, managed to buy off Vanderbilt, who was run- ning to Nicaragua, this capped the climax. With $500, which was all Mr. Sullivan saved from the wreck, he turned his face again Cali- fornia-ward, came at once to Sacramento, and has been since that time prominently identified

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with the city's best interests. This was in 1851. He opened a cooper shop at once, and continued in this business until 1856, when he was elected city treasurer. Two years later he was appointed Deputy State Comptroller, holding this office until he resigned, to resume coopering. In 1866 he became deputy sheriff; in 1868 was chosen under-sheriff, and from 1870 to 1872 was manager of the sheriff's office. After that he made contracts for public improvements, performing much of the work done in raising the grade of the streets between that time and 1882. In that year he opened his well-known and leading real estate and insurance office, first at the northwest corner of Fourth and J streets, and afterward at 1007 Fourth street, where he has since conducted a large business. Mr. Sul- livan was married in Sacramento August 9, 1859, to Miss Emma Anderson. They have five children, four girls and one boy. Their names are as follows: Julia C., Sophie E., Alice F., Lizzie J. and Robert W. His handsome residence on the southwest corner of Fifteenth and H streets, in the heart of the best residence quarter of the city, is one of the finest and most comfortable to be found anywhere.

M L. WISE .- Among the self-made men now prominent in business and manu- facturing circles of Sacramento is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, who was born in Richland County, Ohio, April 26, 1846. His father, Hon. Jacob Wise, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and was the son of a gentleman whose father had come · from Germany and located there. He learned the carpenter's trade. He removed to Ohio. and then followed farming. He was an active man, and figured largely in political history there. The mother of the subject, whose maiden name was Lydia Hibbard, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania. M. L. Wise was but eighteen months old when his parents re- moved to Fayette, Fulton County. Ohio, where

he spent his boyhood days. The breaking ont of the civil war roused in the youth the patriotic ardor, and in the spring of 1861, though a mere boy in years, he enlisted in the service of the United States. Going to Camp Chase, Colum- bus, he was assigned to Company K, Thirty- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After organi- zation they proceeded to Camp Dennison, thence to St. Lonis, and from there marched to Crab Orchard and Corinth. His first battle was at Perryville, Kentucky, and he took part in the engagements of Corinth, Trinne and Murfrees- boro, the latter on the 22d of July. He was engaged at Chickamauga, and after the rendez- vous at Ringgold, Georgia, proceeded on the march to Atlanta, and was engaged, among others, at the battles of Dalton, Atlanta, Jones- boro, Buzzard's Roost and Tullahoma. He was wounded three times at Jonesboro, in the left arm, left breast and head, and was taken from the field to Atlanta. He was next sent to Nashville, and from there to Jeffersonville, In- diana, where he lay in hospital for three weeks. He was after this sent to Camp Dennison, and was there discharged on the 18th of June, 1865, having served honorably throughont the entire war. He was in the Third Brigade, Third Di- vision of the celebrated Fourteenth Army Corps, under General George H. Thomas. He went to Cincinnati after his discharge, and from there home. There he remained until September 12, 1868, when he started for California via New York and Panama. He left New York on the last opposition steamer, October 5, 1868, and crossing the Isthmus, took passage on the steamer Santiago de Cuba, for San Francisco, where he landed October 30, 1868. He came to Sacramento and went to work for his brother, W. E. Wise, on the following Monday morning, to learn the blacksmith's trade. He remained with his brother nine years and a half, then en- gaged in business for himself at the Telegraph Shops, on J street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. On the 1st of October, 1877, he purchased a lease on the property on the corner of Eleventh and J strects, and the firm of Wise

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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