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 98

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 98

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PHRAIM RAY, an old Californian, and resident of Sacramento County since 1850, is a native of the north of Ireland; he was born there June 10, 1827. His father, John Ray, emigrated to the United States with his family in 1836; stopped a short life in New Jersey, and was naturalized there, and then

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

moved to Illinois, settling in Clay County; his death occurred about a year and a half after- ward. Mrs. Ray, whose maiden name was Jane Thompson, survived her husband about three years. In their family were seven children, six sons and one daughter; four of these are now living: William, Hugh and John in Clay County, Illinois, and Ephraim here in California. The latter was brought up as a farmer's boy, and has passed all his life in the same noble calling. After the death of his father he and his twin brother Robert went to live with their brother Hugh, the third in order of birth; and when they were sixteen or seventeen years old they secured teams and began hanling wheat from Rock River to Chicago. After accumulating some money they took some land in Ogle County, and commenced improving it at such times as they were not otherwise occupied. In the fall of the year they would make freighting trips between Chicago and Galena. Thus they were employed until the California gold fever broke out, and in the spring of 1850 they came with ox teams to Sacramento, arriving in Au- gust. There they turned out their teams upon a ranchi npon the Cosumnes River and went to the mines at Folsom. They worked at Beale's Bar at the junction of the north and south forks of the river. After accumulating a little money they returned to Illinois. Robert married and remained there until his death in February, 1884. In the spring of 1852 Ephraim recrossed the plains with ox teams to his far western home; and here he engaged in hauling freight between Sacramento, Placerville, Georgetown and other places and the mines. In 1854 he moved down to the McIntyre ranch in Dry Creek Township, and he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits and in the care of live. stock. In 1876 he disposed of his farm and moved into Galt, his present residence. He has always been a hard-working man, devoting his attention principally to the raising of cattle when it was on a good paying basis. When he quit the ranch he let out on shares what cattle he had, sending them to Pit River in Modoc

County ; six years afterward he disposed of them altogether. One thing can be said of Mr. Ray that can be said of very few men : he has always conducted his business in such a manner as not to run in debt; and during the many years he has lived in California he has never owed a man a dollar ! Often he refrained from buying when a good bargain might have been made be- cause he had not the money in hand. Mr. Ray is an Irishman by birth, a naturalized citizen of the United States, a supporter of the Union during the last war, and a Republican in his political views. He is a charter member of Galt Lodge No. 83, K. of P.

ETER HOEY, farmer, Brighton Township, was born in County Lowth, Ireland, De- cember 23, 1839, son of John and Mary Hoey, farmers. Of the family of nine children six sons came to the United States. The first to come was Patrick, who located first in New Orleans and came thence to California. The next was John, who left Ireland in 1850, and also stopped a short time in New Orleans and came to this State with his brother, in 1854; but the first to come to California was Bridget, now Mrs. Stoner, who came to the United States early in 1851, and to California in 1853. Cath- arine Quail came next, in 1866; Mary Carroll in 1867; Peter in 1868. John died in Novem- ber, 1880; Patrick, in April, 1887; Michael, who never came to the United States, died in the old country in 1882. Thomas, still another brother, inherits the old home place in Ireland. Another sister, Margaret, now Mrs. Byrne, also resides in Ireland. Peter Hoey, the subject of this sketch, when a little boy, entered the em- ploy of Sir John McNeal, who manufactured tile and brick. After he learned the business he had the position of burner, and for sixteen years conducted the whole business on contract. Then he ran a portable threshing-machine for five years. Ile left home at the age of twenty- seven years, and he sai.ed from Dundalk, Ire-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

land, in the spring of 1868, and landed in Sacramento June 5, coming by way of New York and Panama. He first stopped with his brother John, and the next year bought a farm of 163 acres in Brighton Township; and this is his present ranch. In 1882 he purchased another ranch of 170 acres, on the Coloma road, and since then he has sold half of it, and now owns seventy aeres of the place. His total real estate is now 233 acres. He has followed agri- culture ever since his arrival here. The large rauch where he resides is devoted to grain, but it is also well adapted to fruit. On the smaller ranch he has fifty-six acres in vines and the rest in fruit trees, bearing. Mr. Hoey was married first in 1872 to Bridget Dunn, a native of Queen's County, Ireland, who died April 15, 1885, the mother of four sons, of whom only one is now living, John J., born September 19, 1880. In 1886 Mr. Hoey married Annie Cur- tis, who was born in Ireland and came to this State in 1876. They have two children: Gracie and Gertrude, twins, born March 29, 1887.

- DWARD KELLEY, of Brighton Town- ship, was born in Calais, Maine, March 4, 1822, son of John and Hannah Kelley, both natives of Ireland. He was reared in his native State. At the age of nineteen years, in 1841, he married Maria Kern, a native of St. Stephens, New Brunswick. In the mean time he learned to be a ship carpenter and calker, at Calais, Bangor and Eastport, Maine, at St. Ste- phens and in New York. At St. Stephens he worked on a ship called Fannie, for Eastman & Wright Bros., of Boston. From Eastport they fetched a steamer named S. B. Wheeler, and this was placed in the ship Fannie, of 250 tons burden. The method by which this was done was the following, which was the invention of William Hines, of Kennebec, Maine, from whom Mr. Kelley learned his trade: they calked the ship np to the gunwales, launched it, took it along side the wharf and sunk it into a cradle,

by the help of the tide which rises forty to fifty feet there. Then they hauled the steamer into the ship and then the hull hanled upon the flats. Then as the tide ebbed they let the water out through a 1 x 8 foot scuttle, which let the steamer down in place. Closing the scuttle enabled the next flood-tide to set it afloat. But the deck of the ship was not put on till after it was hauled to the quays. The space between the ship's skin and the steamer was then filled up with 300 tons of coal, and freighted with flour and whisky, etc., all they could pack in, and then all was ready. They then carne around Cape Horn, landing in San Francisco May 10, 1851. First they discharged all the freight ex- cept the coal, which they afterward unloaded into a hulk that they bonght for the purpose. The ship was then run np to Benicia and an- chored among the tules. Then they took the mizzen and main masts out excepting the fore- mast, and all the decks but the forecastle. Next, taking a six by ten plank out of the ship's side below water mark, they sank it again, the pres- sure of the water being ganged by a leather valve large enough to cover the aperture and guided by ropes inside and out. The S. B. Wheeler was then taken out of the ship, and run abont two years between San Francisco and Stockton, commanded by Captain Spcar. The engineer who came with it to the coast was named Lockett. The steamer was afterward run to the Sandwich Islands, whither Mr. Kelley went and calked the deck, for Mr. Wright of the Islands. In 1852 he went to Madeira, near the San Quen- tin State Prison, and worked six months in a saw-mill called the Baltimore, perhaps the first saw-mill on the coast, for a Mr. Morrison. The next five months he was employed in a mill at Bolinas, Marin County. Then he purchased a lot of forty feet front at the corner of Dupont and Washington streets, San Francisco, in part- nership with John McCloy. He brought lum- ber in his schooner from the mill where he was working and built a house on the lot, in 1853. His next move was to go with Meggs & Will- iams, who went up into Mendocino County, to

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put up a mill, and worked for them seven months, at $130 a month. Returning to San Francisco, he leased a lot on Clay Street and built a house there for rent; but two years after- ward the extension of Davis Street prevented him from obtaining what he had to pay for the ground, and he had to surrender the lease and the building with it. Next he made the trip to . the Sandwich Islands already referred to; and in 1856 he worked a short time in San Fran- cisco, and then bonght his place in this county from Captain Mace, for $1,100. Thenceforward he has been a resident of this county. There are 173 acres here, well improved. Mrs. Kelley died in 1852. They had five children, all of whom are dead. In 1855 Mr. Kelley married Elizabeth McCloy, and by this marriage there have been three children, two of whom are liv- ing; Jane, wife of H. B. Smith; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Peter Robinson. The one who died was Maggie, who was burned to death when fourteen years old.

£ H. RUSSELL is a pioneer of Sacramento, who was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1825, the youngest of eleven children, five of whom were boys. His father, Francis Russell, was a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania. When a little over thirteen years old (April 1, 1839), he went to work as a clerk in his brother's hardware store, and for nine years, nine months and nine days continued with him. His friend in the store was John Whiteside, and for several years the subject of " going West" was discussed between them. In 1846 he entered man's estate, and to celebrate the event he received $100 and a new suit of clothes, when he at once started off on a trip to " see the world." He went to Ohio, to Michi- gan (where he had a brother), and to Chicago, where he met a party of fifteen young men who were making a pleasure trip. There were no railroads out of Chicago at that time, but a stage line ran to Galena, 198 miles, and the fare

was 83. On this stage trip he first met Gov- ernor Stoneman, then a young lieutenant on his way from General Kearny. The stage was up- set and Stoneman and Russell became acquainted and went on to St. Louis together. Years after- ward, when Stoneman had become Governor of California, he met him again and the incidents above related were recalled. The trip made, his $100 spent, he returned again to the store a "wiser if not a better man." He camne to the coast in 1849, with two companions, Sam Crist and Henry Good, arriving in Sacramento on the 12th of August. They camped here for a month, and then went to the mines. The ups and downs of mining life need not be related here. Suffice it to say that in February, 1854, he returned to New York, via the Nicaragua route, and on the 1st of May was married to Justice E. Danner, daughter of George Danner, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a well-known Penn- sylvania man, who owned the receipt for the noted Hostetter's Bitters. Mr. Russell returned at once with his wife and engaged in the drug business, under the firm name of Fowler & Rus- sell, afterward Russell & Kirk; this was in 1860. In 1863-'64 he was mining in Nevada, and afterward was interested in land and was engaged in farming in Sutter County. In 1853 he was elected treasurer of that county. Re- turning to Sacramento in 1885, lie was elected public administrator for two years, and latterly, with his son-in-law, F. Y. Williams, he has been ranching in Placer County. His family consists of one son and three daughters: Margaret, now Mrs. Griffits; Caroline H., now Mrs. F. Y. Williams; Mary I., and B. U. Russell, the youngest of the family. Their home is on H street.

O). KANE, a rancher of Dry Creek Town- ship, was born January 1, 1820, in Lon- donderry County, Ireland, son of John and Mary (McMaster) Kane. His parents came to the United States in 1830, by way of the St.

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Lawrence River, landing at Lewiston, Maine; they lived in Niagara County, New York, until 1844, and then moved to Kane County, Illinois, fifteen miles west of St. Charles, where they re- sided on a farm until their death, the father in 1854, at the age of sixty-five years, and the mother in 1856, at the age of fifty-six years. They had five daughters and three sons; the latter were Patrick, Peter and J. O. The two last mentioned came to California together; and Peter, in returning home in 1851, died in St. Louis, Missouri, with Asiatic cholera. Mr. Kane, the subject of this sketch, was brought up on a farm. In 1850, when about thirty years of age, he came across the plains and mountains to California, reaching Hangtown, August 10, and followed mining there until 1854, with good success. Then he came down to Deer Valley and purchased a squatter's title near Sheldon, and remained there until 1858. Then, selling out, he purchased his present property in Dry Creek Township, seven miles north of Galt and one mile east of Hicksville. All the improve- ments on this place he himself has made; and he has also met with some heavy losses. His house with contents, including $500 in paper money, was destroyed by fire July 8, 1888; but he rebuilt and now has a comfortable home. His land, 200 acres in extent, is in a fine state of cultivation, devoted to hay, grain and live-stock. He has also some fruit of all kinds, and three acres of raisin grapes, in a flourishing condition. Mr. Kane is a hard-working, honest man, is phys- ically active, and enterprising. He is a member of Galt Lodge, No. 239, I. O. O. F., and of the order of K .of P. of the same place. From 1863 to 1886 he was a justice of the peace. In 1850 he participated in the Indian troubles of that year.

EELY DEKAY, farmer, was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, in 1820. In 1848 he moved to Republican, Ohio, and a short time afterward, in 1852, came to Cali-

fornia, overland, being three months on the way. The Pawnee Indians stole some of his cattle, but fortunately he recovered them. Arriving in Sacramento with a few head of cattle, he sold them. Was then employed by William Mul- drow for six months, and then rented twenty- five acres of land and began gardening. Two years afterward he bought three span of mules and commenced teaming over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and this business he followed for about twenty years. Finally he bought the ranchi of 480 acres where he is now living and where he is raising all kind of stock, hay and grain. William DeKay, father of Seely, was also a native of New Jersey and died in that State; and his wife Rachel, nee Hamilton, born also in New Jersey, died in Republican, Ohio. Mr. C. S. DeKay married Jane Pitcher, who was born in London, England, in 1829, and they have one child, Guy P.

RIN RANDOLPH RUNYON was born in Will County, Illinois, in 1833, said to be the first white child born in that county, his parents being Armstead and Anna (Horn- becker) Runyon. The mother, a native of Ohio, died in childbirth, in 1839. The father, a native of Kentucky, died at Santa Rosa, California, in 1876, aged about seventy-five. Grandfather Michael Runyon was about eighty at his death in 1856. The father mnoved with his family to Missouri in 1844, and thence to California in 1849, settling soon afterward on the Sacramento River, two miles below Courtland. Here the elder Mr. Runyon first took up 160 acres, to which he added by later purchase until he owned abont a section of land, with a frontage of one mile on the river. O. R. Runyon worked for his father from boyhood until 1855, and had but little regular schooling in his youth. In 1855 he returned to Lockport, Illinois, his birth-place, and went to school in Beloit, Wis- consin, for three years. For several years he was in business as a boot and shoe dealer in

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Lockport, and at Waterloo, Iowa. He was also a book-keeper for a short time at this period of his life. Mr. Runyon was married at Lockport, December 28, 1859, to Miss Martha E. Place, who was born at Oswego, New York, in 1835, daughter of Joseph and Malora (Wright) Place. Joseph Place died in 1865, at the age of eighty- four, and Malora Place died in 1847, at the age of fifty-one. The Place family is American for several generations, and of English origin. Mr. and Mrs. Runyon are the parents of two living children, both born in Lockport, Illinois: George, in 1863, and Lanra M., in 1868. One child, Howard Wright, born in California, died at the age of five years. In 1870 Mr. Runyon re- turned to California, and went to iruit-raising about two miles below Courtland, where he still resides. His ranch comprises 300 acres, of which, however, two-thirds is swamp land, and 100 acres are devoted to fruit and alfalfa. In 1875 his title was perfected, and in 1878 he built his present residence, one of the most beautiful homes on the river. It is a two-story and basement house of fourteen rooms, well built and handsomely furnished. Its dimen- sions are abont 50 x 60 feet, and must have cost over $12,000 to build and finish, not to mention the additional outlay for interior ornamentation. Mr. Runyon has been school trustee of the Onisbo district for ten years.

SAAC F. FREEMAN (" Uncle Isaac"), a prominent citizen of .Sacramento County, was born in Ohio, in the year 1814. As early as 1836 he made a trip across the country from Hamilton, Ohio, to the Black Hawk pur- chase, now Burlington, on the west side of the Mississippi, crossing the river in a canoe run by Indians; and three years afterward he settled at Bentonsport on the Des Moines River west of Burlington. At that time the milling (corn- grinding) for the immigrants was done by Meeks & Sons at Bonaparte, and Dr. G. S. Bailey dosed out the quinine to the inhabitants all

along the Des Moines River. In 1852, with a son, A. C., twelve years old, he drove a herd of live-stock across the plains, and walked all the way, sleeping every night with no tent cover- ing. Although the Indians were numerous along the route, they gave no trouble. After arriving in California, Mr. Freeman was en- gaged in the milk business for about a year, and then returned East. In 1859 he came again to California, settling at his present home near Elk Grove. The country at that time was wild, and only the following settlers were in Old Elk Grove, then known as the "Illinois Ranch." Thomas and Thaddeus McConnell, H. Stewart, Judge Hannon, Messrs. Beam, Foulkes, Buck- ner, Frye and James Whitcomb. There was no farming, stock-raising being the only industry ; hay-raising began about 1861, but little or no wheat till later. Kerr Bros. set out the first grape-vines in that part of the county. The land grants inade much trouble and impover- ished many of the original settlers. The flood of 1862 caused a great devastation, and reached nearly up to Georgetown, now Franklin. The plains were covered with cattle dying and dead, and a man named Meny was said to have made money by killing them and stealing their hides. In 1869-'70 Mr. Freeman was a member of the Legislature. He has been a school trustee for over thirty years, and he has filled various other positions. He has now been a fariner for sixty- five years, and has always been in favor of white labor and opposed to Chinese labor, Chinese citizenship and Chinese immigration.

ETER PLANALP, farmer. It is with pleasure that we record the life of such an old Californian as the subject of this sec- tion of our history. He is a marked type of those who came hither in carly day. IIe was born in Switzerland, November 20, 1828, a son of Peter and Barbara (Stahley) Planalp. In 1834 the family came to the United States, lo- cating in Dearborn County, Indiana, where they

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made their home for a number of years, during the more active part of their life. The old gen- tleman was a farmer by occupation, and when he and his wife were somewhat advanced in years they went to Missouri, where they remained with some of their children until their death. They had three sons and four daughters, all of whom are living. Mr. Planalp, the subject of this sketch, is the only one of the family in this State. He was brought up a farmer boy in pioneer times, at hard work and with bnt little schooling. At the age of twenty-four years, in company with a returned Californian,-Mr. Matthews, -- he started, April 15, 1852, for the gold fields of this State. He came by steamer to St. Louis, and thence by mule teams, leaving Independence, Missouri, May 10, and arriving in Sacramento September 16, without any special trouble on the trip, although the trains ahead and behind them had troubles with the Indians and other accidents. When he arrived in Sac- ramento he had poor health. The friends with whom he came went up on the San Juan grant, on the American River, and obtained a ranch. Mr. Planalp obtained work from a neighbor living there, remaining with him three months. He then made a trip through the mines between Sacramento and Marysville, and up the Yuba River and on to San Juan and other places. Returning to this county, he obtained work upon a farm about where he is now living. Some two years later he again visited the mining region and worked about two years there. Pre- vious to this he had taken up land claims in Dry Creek Township, and when he returned from the mines he went upon his land, and since 1858 he has given his entire attention to farm- ing and stock-raising. Iu 1863 he sold his lands, went to Fresno County and entered the live-stock business there, remaining until 1867. Returning then to this county, he bought back his old place, which he now occupies. It com- prises 874 acres, and 240 acres adjoining belongs to his wife. Mr. Planalp is a most successful farmer, beginning here, as he did, in early days without anything to help him except

his industrious habits and business tact. In 1879 he erected his handsome residence in Galt, where he has ever since resided. In politics he has always been a Democrat, but not an active politician. In 1870 he married Mrs. Rosanna M. Need, widow of Michael Need, who came to this State in 1857. Mrs, Planalp has had four children, two by each marriage. The names of all are, in order, Sarah E. and George W. Need, and Rosanna and Henrietta Planalp. All are natives of the Golden State.

OHN GARMAN HITE was born near Rushville, Schuyler County, Illinois, De- cember 28, 1848, his parents being Alexan- der and Arabella (Matthus) Hite. The father, born in Virginia in 1806, died on the place now owned by the son, in December, 1885, lacking only a few days of being eighty years old. The mother, born in Ohio in 1812, and there married in 1829, is living with her danghter Rachel, now Mrs. C. E. Adams, of Sacramento. The parents came to California by the northern route across the plains in 1853, arriving at Bear River, September 24, with six sons and six daughters. Their youngest child, Daniel Oren, born in Sacramento County in 1854, is now living with the subject of this sketch. One daughter died in 1861, aged fifteen; another is also deceased, and one son, Abram E., died in 1885. The father bought a place on his arrival, about three-quarters of a mile to the west of his later location, now owned by his son, a quarter of a mile west of the Six-Mile House, on the lower Stockton road. This he settled on Janu- ary 9, 1855, taking up a quarter section, of which, however, only 120 acres were patented to him. He put up a house the same year. From 1858 to 1864 the family lived on the Haggin grant, six miles above Sacramento, the two oldest sons renting the father's ranch. J. G. attended the usual spring and autumn terms of the local schools during his boyhood and youth, and before his majority had also picked

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up the trades of carpenter and blacksmith. Be- fore he was quite twenty-one he went into the threshing business, which he still follows now with much improved machinery, and in winter and spring he worked as carpenter. He also at one time clerked in a store at Freeport for two years. Mr. Hite was married July 17, 1876, to Miss Lillian Rheil, a native of California, her parents being Philip G. and Mrs. Hannah (Budge, by birth Weber) Rheil, both living in Freeport. January 5, 1881, Mr. Hite bought out his father, and built a new house of six good rooms. He raises grain and hay chiefly. He rents 400 acres in Sutter Township, across the road to the north of his line, mostly sown to wheat; and with a partner rents 240 acres more, devoted mainly to cattle and hay. For four to five months each year he is engaged in threshing for various ranchers, in and out of Sacramento County. Mr. and Mrs. Hite are the parents of two children: Lovella, born October 11, 1878; Waverly John, March 9, 1880.

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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