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 92

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 92

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

one to come to California, arriving in 1850; he died in this county, in 1880, never having mar- ried. Soon after Mrs. Wackman's birth in Vir- ginia, her parents moved to Ross County, Ohio, and remained there during their lives. Her father, Andrew Kelly, died at the age of ninety years, ten months and eight days. After the death of his first wife, Mary Thomas, who was the mother of four children, he married, in Ohio, a lady named Caton. The first children were John, Harriet, Elizabeth and Harrison; and by the second marriage there were Washington, William, Cornelius, Andrew, Ripley, Edward, Mary, Malinda, Anna and Jane. Andrew and Ripley crossed the plains to California in 1849, and William and Cornelins in 1851. Andrew. and Ripley mined together from 1849 to 1854, when Andrew settled on the Cosumnes River; Ripley was in Sacramento a number of years and then settled in Plumas County; he was at one time a member of the Legislature from that county; Cornelins went to Idalio in 1863 and resided there fifteen years; William went to Idaho with Cornelius, and the year afterward returned to Sacramento, where he resided until his death. Mr. Andrew K. Wackman, the sub- ject of this sketch, is the youngest of the family and the only one now living. He remained in Ross County, Ohio, until 1852, when he went to Scott County, Iowa, on a visit, desiring soon afterward to come on to California. He re- mained in Iowa a year, and, failing to persuade his friends to come with him, he returned to Ohio. In the spring of 1863, however, when the war of the Rebellion was in active progress, he obtained the consent of his mother that he might come to the Coast. Going to New York to take sail, he just missed a steamer starting for the Isthmus, and he had to lie over eleven days for the next one, the North Star, on which he took passage April 20, for Panama. On this side he took passage on the Moses Taylor, an old boat on her last trip, and landed in San Francisco May 15. He came almost immedi- ately to this county and stopped with his brother Ilarrison on the Cosnunes River. He and his

brother bought a steam thresher and they fol- lowed grain-threshing part of the year and farm- ing the remainder. Theirs was the first thresh- ing-machine ever run in this valley. For a year and a half they conducted a store and saloon at Sheldon; ever since then Mr. Wack man has been a farmer and stock-raiser. In 1871 he bought land on the Cosumnes River, in 1874 another tract adjoining, and the total area now is 600 acres, of fine land. A part of this is river de- posit, or what is commonly called " bottom land," and is excellent for raising corn or any- thing else excepting wheat. He has nearly 100 head of horses and cattle; has some fine speci- mens of blooded horses specially adapted to speed. Politically Mr. Wackman is a Demo- crat, but takes no particular part in political matters. He was married in Sacramento Janu- ary 19, 1869, to Miss Mary Amanda, daughter of Lonis Colton. The Coltons are old settlers in this State, although Mrs. Wackman was born in Illinois; she was reared mostly in California. She died May 30, 1884, leaving three children. She was a woman of excellent worth and her death created a vacancy that can never be filled. The children are: Etta May, Harry Harold and Creed Colton, all born in this county.

RANZ HENRICUS LUDWIG WEBER, grocer, 1217 and 1219 L street, Sacramento, was born in Hamburg, Germany, May 14, 1835. His father, Angust Christian Carl Weber, was a manufacturer in that city, and his mother's maiden name was Johanna Christina Elizabeth Wagenlinger. He was only eleven years old when he crossed the ocean alone to join his adopted sister and her husband in New York, where some time before they had established a drug store. After remaining with them about two years he went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and worked on a farm on Sunk Prairie until April, 1859, when with a party of young men he started overland with ox teams, for California, via Landers' cut-off. Arriving late in October

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that year, at Honey Lake, he left the company and struck across to Indian Valley, Plumas County, where he engaged in ranching for two years. November 30, 1861, he joined the Fifth California Infantry as a volunteer. The com- mand was ordered to Fort Yuma, and thence to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and was , some months on the Rio Grande. On Decem- ber 1, 1864, he re-enlisted and served until January 5, 1867, when he was houorably dis- charged. After spending some months in trav- eling over this State in order to select the best location for business, he came to Sacramento, in April, 1867, and started in the grocery business near his present location. After two years lie bought property and erected a store building on what is now part of the Capitol grounds; and when, in 1865, the Capitol was erected, he bought the lot directly opposite, on L street, Nos. 1217 to 1219, and erected the building which he now occupies, at a cost of $8,000, dedi- cating it the "Capitol Grocery." His business rapidly increasing, he associated with himself L. E. Smith, who was previously with W. R. Strong & Co., on Front street. The firm name was then Weber & Smith. Mr. Weber was a stanch Republican until 1880, when he became identified with the Prohibition movement, and was the first Sacramento candidate for office in the new party. In 1867 he was married to Miss Lizzie M. Webber, daughter of Luther Webber, of Maine, where 'she was born. She was a child when her parents removed with her to Boston, Massachussetts, where she was educated. Mr. and Mrs. Weber have two children living, namely : Luther, who is an assistant of his father in the store, and Lizzie Etta.

AMES WELCH, a farmer of Sutter Town- ship, was born in Ireland in 1834, son of James and Mary (Stack) Welch. In their family were three sons and four daughters, all of whom excepting one daughter came to America. Two sons and two daughters are now living.

In 1847, when but fourteen years old, Mr. Welch came to America, landing at New York, and first visited his parents at Syracuse, that State. The first three years he spent with his brothers at Brockford, Monroe County, New York, and was well taken care of and educated by them. Then, in 1861, he sailed from New York city and came by the Panama ronte to San Francisco, landing March 16. He began working on a farm, first for a man on the lower Stockton road in this county. During the flood of 1862 he lost some money; after that he worked by the month again until he accumulated a little means, and then he worked upon rented farins three years, and then bought a place about a mile below where he now lives. Three years afterward he sold out and rented a ranch adjoin- ing for one year. In the fall of 1870 he moved upon his present place, containing fifty acres, on the Freeport road and about six miles from Sacramento. For the six years ending in 1874 he also followed teaming and peddling up in the mountains. He has been moderately successful in whatever he has undertaken and he has also met with some heavy losses. He was married in 1878 to Mrs. Eliza Flood, widow of Michael Flood. Her maiden name was Carpenter, and she was a native of Ireland, and was ten years old when she came to this country. She came to California in 1862.

LI WELLS, Brighton Township, was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, October 25, 1833, son of James and Margaret (Williams) Wells; and when he was very young his father died, and afterward, when yet but six years of age, his mother also died. There were nine children in the family: Isaac, who died in Tennessee; Edward, who died in Alabama, and was buried in the same grave with his mother; Jackson, who died in Barry County, Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Reed, who died in California and was buried in Sacramento; Mrs. Nancy Stewart, who died in Texas; Malinda Cluck,

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

who died in Alabama; Mrs. Mary Milton, who died in Barry County, Missouri; and Eli, the subject of this sketch, the youngest of the fam- ily. He was brought up by his oldest sister until he was able to take care of himself. He had no opportunity for education. The first free school he ever saw was after he came to California. From the age of fifteen years to eighteen he began to make his own way in the world. In 1844 he went to Missouri and re- sided in Barry County two years, theu one year in Lawrence County and one year in Dade County. April 18, 1849, he joined a company of 300 men, women and children, with ox teams for the gold fields of California. After a journey of five months on the usual route they reached Grass Valley, and four days afterward Sacramento, and two days after that again they arrived at Hangtown for winter quarters. In October Mr. Wells and another man named William Wells (from the same county but not a relative) came to Sacramento with six yoke of oxen and a wagon, and obtained provisions for the winter, coming by way of the Darling ranch on the Cosumnes River, in order to get provender for the cattle. One night they camped on the bank where the Slough House now is, and the coyotes stole their provision sack which had been left out of the wagon and dragged it entirely away. This performance left the Wellses without anything to eat. The day they started from Placerville (Hangtown) it commenced to rain, and continued for ten days, the trip consuming fifteen days; and during that time they never had their boots off their feet; and for a whole day after the coyotes stole their provisions they had nothing whatever to eat; nor could they have found anything had they tried. The rain continued pouring. They could not sit on the wagons to drive, for they had oxen and immigrant cattle, the latter being so poor they would not travel without constant urging. The next night they encamped on the bank of the American River, about half a mile from the place where he now lives, and, going to an adobe house, to obtain food, succeeded in

getting some bread and salt pork, which indeed was about all he had expected. The next day they reached Sacramento and purchased ten bar- rels of flour, at $75 a barrel, and some other articles. On the return journey to Hangtown they found the roads so bad that they had to halt until they dried up somewhat. It was still raining. After the rain ceased they took off the wagon box, put poles on the axles, roped the barrels npon them and proceeded. During the ensuing winter they mined at Placerville, when the weather would permit; it was a very rainy season. The price of vegetables and almost everything else eaten was $1 a pound, and very scarce at that. Beef was fifty to seventy-five cents a pound. In the spring of 1850 big sto- ries of gold finds elsewhere caused a tremendous stampede from Hangtown. One night, in the big tent where gambling was in progress, fire was accidentally dropped into a keg of powder and the explosion killed five or six men and wounded others. Probably 200 men were in the tent at the time. Mr. Wells left that neigh- borhood June 10, and came to the valley, where he has remained till the present, excepting a short time in 1863 when he was in Carson Val- ley, Nevada. He was at Sacramento during the riot, and saw many exciting scenes here. In 1863 he commenced farming on his present place, which he had purchased in 1850, on the Placerville road nine miles from Sacramento. The farm has 110 aeres. Grapes are his main crop, and alfalfa to a considerable extent. His vineyard embraces thirty-two acres, comprising Tokays and Mission grapes three and four years old and in good condition. The remainder of the farm is devoted to hay, barley, etc. In 1872 he put up his fine residence, and all the buildings on the premises he himself has erected April 23, 1873, he was married to Mary E. Gore, who was born in Lexington, Kentucky, January 17, 1849, and who came to this State in April, 1870. They have three children, viz .: Lewis J., born March 12, 1874; Charles E., born November 18, 1876; and Frank D., December 20, 1880. In early times Mr. Wells was a

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Democrat, but since the beginning of the last war he has been a Republican.

OSEPH TOMLINSON, a rancher of Nato- ma Towuship, about four miles from Fol- som, was born April 8, 1814, in what is now West Virginia, of same parentage and de- scent as his brother Lewis, whose sketch is sub- joined. The subject of this sketch received a limited education in his youth, opportunities in that direction being scant. He is, however, a well educated man, mainly as a result of his labors in self-education. He picked up the trade of ship carpenter, and some light-draft boats of his design and construction, in which his father and brothers were also engaged with him, have plied on the Ohio over thirty years ago. He also carried on, for fifteen years, the saw-mill built by his grandfather on Grave Creek in Marshall County, West Virginia, and successively conducted by three generations of Tomlinsons. Steamboating on the Ohio was the last business followed in the East by Mr. Tomlinson. He came to California in 1850, and engaged in mining more or less steadily for a dozen years. Among his ventures in other lines was the building of the sloop Far West, in Sacramento, and running her for about a year between San Francisco and Benicia, and some other points in that section. Of late years he has been occupied with mechanical inventions, one recently patented by him being known as Tomlinson's Chock Wrench, a very ingenious device in its line. In 1872 he bought the 160 acres where he lived on the Placerville road, twenty-three miles from Sacramento. Mrs. Elizabeth (Tomlinson) Biggs, sister of the pre- ceding, and residing with him since 1876, was born on the family homestead in Marshall County, West Virginia, November 18, 1812. She was married in 1842 to Joseph Biggs, a native of Ohio, his parents being Benjamin and Rebecca (MeKniglit) Biggs. His grandfather, Joseph Biggs, had moved from Virginia to

Ohio, and the Biggs family is said to have con - tributed seven sons to the army of the Revolu- tion, the youngest of whom was this Ohio pio- neer. Mrs. Elizabeth (Tomlinson) Biggs lost her husband some thirty years ago, and of their six children three are still living in 1889, and residing in this county: Theodore, May and Lewis. Theodore is married to Annalene Lo- rain, and they have six children: Dora, John, Alice, Joseph, Charles and Elizabeth. May Biggs is the wife of Samuel Pelton. Lewis is married to Nanny Lorain, and they have eight children: Ida, Asa, Annie, Frank, James, Sam- uel, Florence, and a baby not yet named.

EWIS TOMLINSON, deceased. The sub- ject of this sketch, for many years a resi- dent of Natoma Township, was born in what is now West Virginia, in 1816, his par- ents being Samuel and Lovisa (Purdy) Tomlin- son. The grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Harkness) Tomlinson, natives of Virginia, had moved westward into Marshall County, where among other enterprises Mr. Tomlinson laid out a village, and named it Elizabethtown, in honor of his wife, the first white woman settled in those parts. It is now known as Mound- ville, eleven miles below Wheeling. Both lived to be about eighty. Samuel Tomlinson died in January, 1846, aged sixty-six, and his wife in 1854, aged sixty-five. Grandfather Jonathan Purdy, a native of New York, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died abont 1839, aged eighty-two, having entered the service of his country, like so many others, while quite young. Grandmother Ennice (Dickinson) Purdy died at the age of sixty. Their son Lonis fought in the war of 1812. Lewis Tomlinson was raised on his father's farm, receiving such education as was accessible in those days in a pioneer settle- ment on the Ohio, and was fond of reading and self-improvement. He came to California in 1850, and went to mining in Placerville, and afterwards in Rhoads' Diggings. In 1854 he

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

went East, and in December, 1855, was married to Miss Alta McMillan, born in Boone Connty Kentucky, December 10, 1832, daughter of George and Ellen (McNinch) McMillan. The father died at the age of fifty-five; the mother died July 28, 1852, aged sixty-five. Return- ing to California in 1856, Mr. Tomlinson re- snmed mining, in which he continued, more or less, almost until his death. His judgment in that line was above the average. In partner- ship with his brother Joseph he bought 160 acres also in 1856. He afterward entered 160 acres under the homestead law, but of this he was deprived through legal chicanery. He secured by pre-emption the 160 acres on which the family still resides. Mrs. Alta Tomlinson, since the death of her husband, has added largely to the realty, having purchased 260 acres, of the railroad company, and other ranches of private individuals, making in all 1,000 acres, nsed mostly for pasturage. Some hay is raised in favorable spots, but the chief marketable products of the ranch are sheep and turkeys, there being usually over 1,200 of the former and 700 of the latter. Some forty head of cattle, including cows for a small dairy, and some horses, mostly for use on the ranch, complete the list of stock. Mrs. Tomlinson has also a small bnt thrifty orchard of mixed fruits for family use. Mr. Tomlinson died May 28, 1876, leaving five children, all residing with the mother: Ida, born March 18, 1857; Lewis, July 8, 1858; Frank, June 8, 1860; Joseph, January 28, 1862; Samantha, January 18, 1864.

D. F. TAYLOR, land and mine attorney, Sacramento, was born January 25, 1836, at New Carlisle, Clarke County, Ohio. His father, Jonathan Taylor, a native of Win- chester, Virginia, emigrated to Ohio in 1822, and his mother, nee Elizabeth Robinson, was a native of New Jersey. He came to California in 1855, arriving in San Francisco March 28,

and the next day went over to the mines in El Dorado County, where he was engaged in busi- ness until 1869. In the fall of that year he came to Sacramento, and has ever since been connected with the United States Land Office, first as clerk; in 1878 he was appointed Regis- ter, and acted as such until in the fall of 1886. At present, besides officiating in the capacity of land and mine attorney for the district em- bracing Sacramento, Placer, Nevada and Ama- dor counties, and a portion of Calaveras, Tuolumne and Alpine counties, he is also en- gaged in farming in Butte County. Mr. Tay- lor has also held the office of mining recorder, justice of the peace, ete., and was a member of the Legislature in 1865-'66, being elected on the Republican ticket. In public affairs he has been active and efficient. He was married in 1859 to Miss Susan Woods, a native of Ken- tucky, who came to California in 1855.

ACOB MEISTER, a rancher, was born in the canton of Solothurn, Switzerland, Au- gust 28, 1817, a son of George Meister, a farmer, and Marianna, nee Zeigler. In 1854 he emigrated to America, whither his brother had come two years previously. He was six weeks on his journey from Switzerland, coming to California by way of New York and the Isth- mus, and arriving at San Francisco January 17, 1854. By way of Sacramento. he went directly to the Greenwood Valley and mining district, and several months afterward went to Nevada, where he found employment in a brewery. Re- turning to Sacramento, he started in the dairy business, in 1855, in partnership with his brother, on a farm near Sutter's Fort. After- ward they purchased 270 acres of land across the American River, and from time to time they added to their area of land until 1876, when their tract contained 945 acres. In the meantime they had bought another ranch on this side of the river. In 1876 Mr. Jacob Meister sold out his interest in the dairy busi-

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ness to his brother, and the property was di- vided, he retaining the ranch in American Township. He had carried on the dairy busi- ness for twenty-one consecutive years. In 1873 he removed with his family into the city, locat- ing on D street. In 1879 he bought the lot sitnated at the corner of I and Seventeenth streets, and during the following year erected what is now his family residence. This is indeed a commodious, ornamental, well-built and well- furnished mansion. It was built by the noted contractors, Carle & Croley, according to plans and specifications drawn up by N. D. Goodell, one of the best known architects in the city. Especially worthy of this mansion is Mr. Meis- ter's noble wife, intelligent and refined. Her maiden name was Catharine Kopp. She is a native of Baden, Germany, came to this country when a child, and speaks English as well as any one. They were married in Sacramento, May 22,1862, and now they have four children living; two have died. Their names are: Minnie, who died at the age of sixteen years; Kate, Lanra, Emma, Willie and George Jacob. In May, 1887, Mr. Meister started on a trip to Europe, for the sake of improving his health; but exposures prevented the good that might have been ob- tained. He was gone six months on this visit. He is a Republican in his political principles, but is not a " politician " or office- seeker.

APTAIN A. MENDIS was born on the Western Islands, Portuguese possessions, January 13, 1838, son of Jose and Maria (Loper) Mendis. His father was a carpenter, and when thirteen years of age young Mendis went to sea, and during his career as a sailor he traveled all over the known world,-China, Bra- zil, India, Africa, England, Austria, etc. In 1853 he came to the Pacific coast, and in 1855 he bought a sloop from a clipper ship which had come around Cape Horn, namned Leonaide. In 1854, previously, he did some mining at Negro IIill, Rattlesnake Creek, etc., at different

periods along until 1861; and was so engaged in Mariposa and Shasta counties, and at Fraser River and other places. Returning to Califor- nia, he was employed in the Bay trade with the schooner Rising Sun, between San Francisco and all points inside the Bay, and to Sacramento, Stockton, etc. Next he bought the vessel Ma- tilda Heron, which he ran until May, 1864, being engaged in the lumber trade from Bodega Bay and other inside and ontside ports. He then settled down in Sacramento, and October 18, 1864, was married, and has remained a citi- zen of this city ever since. He has been inti- mately identified with river transportation during all this period, owning an interest in several well-known vessels,-among them the barge Caroline, the Two Brothers and the May Elizabeth. In the winter of 1869 he built the Mary Ellen. In 1868 he became a member of the Steam Navigation Company, but afterward sold his interest in it. He bought the Neponset No. 1, and afterward built the Neponset No. 2, in 1883-'84. He now has the barge Alameda No. 2, with which he is engaged in the wood trade. In this business, indeed, he has been employed ever since the summer of 1864, with the exception of seven years, 1871 to 1878, when he was ranching in Sutter County. Mrs. Men dis' maiden name was Elizabeth Preston; she was born in County Mayo, Ireland. The chil- dren's names are Jose, Minnie, Antoine, Helena and Katie.

IMEON S. SLAWSQN, a farmer of Sut- ter Township, was born in Sussex County New Jersey, May 13, 1841, a son of De Witt and Elizabeth (Horton) Slawson, natives of Orange County, New York. IIis paternal grandparents, Elihu Slawson and wife, were natives of New York State, and had four sons, - De Witt, Locke, Milton and John B. Locke died in the State of New York; Milton resided a number of years in New Orleans, returned to New York and died there; and John B. was

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

eminent in the street-car business in New Or- leans; he started the first street-car line in that city, and is the patentee of the cash box for col- leeting fares on short lines now in nse through- ont the United States. He was in New Orleans during the war, and afterward was in New York city, and then in Europe, where he introduced his invention and became wealthy. De Witt, father of Simeon, went to New Jersey about 1826, and continued his residence there until 1847, when he moved to Perry County, Illinois. He had seven sons and four daughters, eight of whom are now living: H. H., Joseph N., Mrs. Fanny J. Hoge and Mrs. Mahala Pyle, reside in Perry County; J. P., W. H .; Mrs. E. M. Combs resides in Jefferson County, Illinois; and Simeon S. resides bere in Sacramento County. Their parents passed the remainder of their days in Perry County, their father dy- ing in 1872, and their mother in 1875. Mr. Slawson, the subject of this notice, was born May 13, 1841, and was very young when the family moved to Illinois, and that section was in its pioneer stage of development. In 1863, at the age of twenty-two years, he camne to Cali- fornia by way of New York, on the steamer Golden Age to the Isthmus, and landed in San Francisco on the last of June, after a voyage of twenty-three days. After visiting Copperopolis and Mokelumne, in Calaveras County, he went to Nevada, near Carson City, and worked there abont two years, getting out timber for the mines. Coming tben to this connty he pur- chased, in 1867, eighty acres of land near the lower Stockton road, about four miles from the city. In 1878 he bought 135 acres adjoining, and the public road now bounds the whole on three sides. Here he is following agricultural pursuits. Has about four acres of vineyard, and larger fruit enough for family use. This prop- erty he sold in 1887 to S. P. Smith; but he still resides upon it. He has been successful. Com- ing here without means, he has made all he has by honest industry, and the place is well im- proved. Although he has sold it, he has no intention of returning East. Mr. Slawson is a

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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