USA > California > San Joaquin County > An illustrated history of San Joaquin County, California. Containing a history of San Joaquin County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; > Part 37
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Stockton he met a man he had known at Chinese Camp, who told him there were four letters there for him. He gave the man $10 for postage to get the letters for him, while he remained in Stockton. Meanwhile he started to make the rounds of the blacksmith shops, and was offered work in every one. After a month or so he got work enough so that he could do a fair day's work, and would turn out one and a half dozen picks a day, for $10 a day. When he had between $500 and $600 together, he started a shop where Wolf's stables now are. He was afterward at the corner of California and Main, later at the corner of Washington and El Dorado, and finally on Center street, being in all engaged in business about eighteen years. The teaming business going down to a low ebb, he gave his attention to other matters.
He had become largely interested in freight- ing with William H. Hughes, the firm of Hughes & Keys running sixty-seven mules be- tween Stockton and the mines, and doing the bulk of the business with the Mariposa estate, Trainor W. Park, Fremont, Armstead and others. Finally the bubble burst, and it threw on Mr. Keys' hands sixty-seven head of mules when hay was $90 a ton, and barley at a cor- respondingly high price. He did not give up, but went down in the tules and cut hay for his stock. Going down to Stanislaus County, he plowed land, sowed wheat and sold the crop. He freighted during the summer, and the next winter went to farming on his own account. He cleared $17,000 in two years, and in the next four years lost over $30,000. When he went on the ranch he had sixty-seven head of mules, mo: ey, etc., and when he left it six years later he had less than $10. He was next in- terested in the combined headers and threshers.
January 15, 1884, he entered upon the dis- charge of his duties as steward of the State Hospital for the Insane at Stockton, which position he has since held and filled with marked ability. He was married in Ohio in 1848 to Miss Phebe Ann Trumbley, a native of Ohio. Iler father and his brother were soldiers in the
war of 1812, and surrendered with Hull. Mr. and Mrs. Keys have six children, viz .: Eliza- beth, wife of John Stowell, of Stockton; John Milton, an engineer on the Southern Pacific Railroad; Mary, wife of O. F. Atwood, county assessor; James C., traveling agent for the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company; Emma, widow of Miles Reuter, and T. J., Jr.
Mr. Keys is a Democrat politically, and has taken an active and important part in more than one campaign. He represented the dis- trict in the General Assembly of California in 1855 from San Joaquin County, and again in 1863. In 1872 and again in 1874 he was elected to the Senate from the district com- prising Stanislaus County, Merced and Mari- posa. serving as chairman of the Committee on Hospitals, and a member of the committees on Agriculture and Swamp and Overflowed Lands.
Mr. Keys is a member of Charity Lodge, No. 6, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed the chairs, and also been its representative to Grand Lodge. He is now one of its oldest members, having joined in 1853. He is a good type of the hos- pitable, generous Californian of the early day, and is a deservedly and widely popular man. He is a member of the San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers.
D. GRAY, proprietor of the Model Drug Store, Stockton, is a native of Jefferson, Lincoln County, Maine, born December 23, 1835, his parents being Dr. Peter T. and Elizabetlı (Kennedy) Gray. His father, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, was a son of an Epis- copal minister, and was educated at Harvard University. He was also graduated at the Harvard Medical School. His wife is a native of Maine, and a member of one of the old fami- lies of that State.
J. D. Gray, the subject of this sketch, was reared at his native place to the age of seven years, then removed to Waldoboro, where he was educated. In 1857 the family removed to
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Minneapolis, Minnesota, and there he entered into business in the spring of 1858 as a mem- ber of the firm of Greeley & Gray, druggists, at 108 Bridge Square Two years later Mr. Gray bought his partners ont, and carried the busi- ness on alone for the succeeding two years. He then took as a partner his brother. Thomas K., and their partnership continned until 1873. In that year Mr. Gray came to California, and after two years in the drug business in San Diego, removed to San Francisco, where he em- barked in the business of money loaning and mining, ranking as a capitalist. In July, 1880, he came to Stockton, and bought the drug busi- ness of W. B. Pixley, on Main street, where Mr. Gray is now located. This establishment is just what its name implies-a inodel drug store.
Mr. Gray was married in Oakland. His wife was formerly Mrs. M. M. Vincent, a native of New York, but reared in California. Mr. Gray is a member of Truth Lodge, I. O. O. F .; of Centennial Lodge, K. of P .; of Legion of Honor, and of a lodge of the A. F. & A. M. in Minne- apolis. The drug store which he established in the latter city is still a prosperous institution- the oldest drug store in that great young city.
DWIN BRUCE COGSWELL, a rancher of Donglass Township, was born in Charles- town, Massachusetts, September2 5, 1823, son of James and Harriet (Sweetser) Cogswell, both natives of that State. The mother died in 1865, aged seventy-two, and her two sisters also lived to be quite old. The father died compara- tively young, but grandfather James Cogswell lived to be eighty.
E. B. Cogswell received a good district-school education and became a clerk in a store in Boston at the age of seventeen, holding his situation for eight years. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and filled a position in the same line, -hats, caps and furs. His career in that city was cut short by the epidemic of 1849 and he
left for California, more through fear of the cholera than the thirst for gold. His ronte was by way of New Orleans and the Isthinus, and he arrived in San Francisco in Angust, 1849. He went to mining on Big Bar on the Mokelunine river and ranged abont in that vicinity, averag- ing perhaps $6 a day. In the autumnn of 1850 he located 160 acres, in what is now Donglass Township, three miles east of Linden, and there opened a hotel, the place being known for some years as the Henrietta ranch. His next move- ment was the opening of a store in Weaverville, Trinity County, having a partner in each enter- prise. In 1852 he went to Boston, staying only three months and on his return dissolved part- nership. In 1853 he obtained a title to his 160 acres of land from the State, and has since enlarged the ranch to 232 acres. It is good wheat-land, a large part of it having borne wheat for twelve consecutive years with little reduction in the annual yield. Mr. Cogswell has filled no other office than that of school trustee. He took an active interest in the grange inovement at one time; was Master of the Linden Grange, and in 1875 a delegate to the State Grange Convention in San Francisco.
Mr. Cogswell was married in 1868 to Mrs. Sarah Jane (Kelton) Van Pelt, of Mokelumne Hill, a native of New Hampshire, daughter of James and Sarah (Ford) Kelton. The mother died in that State in 1885, aged seventy, and the grandparents on both sides lived to be quite old. The only living child of Mrs. Cogswell is Edwin S. Van Pelt, born June 2, 1858, married June 20, 1888, to Miss Minnie M. Davenport, a native of Linden.
HOMAS THOMPSON, a farmer of Cas- toria Township, was born in Germany, 1838. He was fourteen days in crossing the ocean to New York and fourteen days in coming from New York to California. He re- mained in San Francisco six months, then came to Stockton and bought his ranch, which is sit-
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uated twelve miles from Stockton in a quiet little spot; the residence is tucked away in a little grove. He lias owned four ranches since being in this State, improved each one of them. He also works rented land. He raises grain and horses, and also some fruit for his family.
He was married in San Joaquin County, in 1876, to Miss Edda Abreasa. They have tive children, namely : John A., William C., Otta T. and Lena T.
EORGE M. DAVIS, a native of Virginia, was born September 28, 1818, his parents being Hartwell and Ella (Bunch) Davis, both natives of Virginia. George was raised on a farmi. In the fall of 1836, when he was about seventeen years of age, his father died; leaving Virginia, he went to Missouri, settling in Pike County. His mother had promised the boys that if they would apprentice them- selves to a trade for four years, she would give them either a new suit of clothing or six months' schooling. Our subject learned the blacksınitli's trade, then took the six months' schooling; after which he went to Louisiana and engaged in wood chopping and packing flonr in a mill, which he followed for one win- ter. Then he and his brother Joseph went to Randolph and started a blacksmith shop; at the end of a year they went to Missouri, and started a shop there, which they continued for about two years. George then drove a stage for the next three years. Then he went to work in a saw-mill and advanced from one position to another until he was head sawyer; finally, find- ing the work too heavy for him, lie gave it up. In the spring of 1850 he came to California. He crossed the plains with a party of four men. At South Pass they sold their wagons and packed from there to Placerville. The day after his arrival he traded off a mule for a pick, rocker and pan, receiving $30 to boot, then went to prospecting near Henrytown. Re- mained there three days, then went to Grizzly
Cañon, thence to Jaybird Cañon, where he win- tered, averaging abont $5 a day. They spent the summer at Oregon Pass on the middle fork of the American river. In January, 1852 lie returned to Missouri; in the spring of 1852, in company with his family, his brother and three other families, he started once more for California. Their trip occupied about six months and was in all a very pleasant one. For a year he and his brother engaged in blacksmithing and freighting, then purchased a ranch about seven miles from Stockton, containing about 160 acres. They farmed that land until the brother died, about 1877. George purchased the ranch on which he now resides in 1858. It contains about 160 acres.
Mr. Davis was married, in 1848, to Miss Cynthia Sheppard, a native of Virginia, who died in 1853, leaving a family of three chil- dren, one of whom died the following year. Mr. Davis then took his two children back to Missouri, to have them educated. He returned the same year to California. In 1868 he was married to Miss Ellen Stephens, a native of Missouri. They have one child by this union, a daughter, who is still living at home. The second wife died in 1877. In 1878 Mr. Davis was married to Miss Maggie Fehn, and they have three children, one boy and two girls.
Politically he was a Democrat till Lincoln was put up as a candidate, then he voted for him and has been a stanch Republican ever since.
J. HAHN, of the Commercial Hotel, Stockton, is a native of Maryland, born near Catonsville, Baltimore County, Feb- ruary 2, 1856, his parents being F. C. and Julia (Seymour) Hahn, both of whom were born in Germany. A. J. Halın was reared at his native place and in Baltimore, and was educated at Overlee College, where he took the full curricu- lum. IIe then entered business life as a clerk in the establishment of George L. Stewart, Bal-
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timore. From there he came to California, locating in Stockton, and clerked in the Com- mercial Hotel until 1882, when, in partnership with his sister, Julia Hahn, lie bought the property, and they have since conducted it, he being the manager of the business.
Mr. Halın was married in this city, September 8, 1881, to Miss Laura S. Mersfelder, a native of Stockton. They have two children, viz .: Alına J. and Leland A. Mr. Hahn became associated with the National Guard of Califor- nia as a private in Company A, Sixth Regi- ment, in 1879. He is now Quartermaster, witlı rank of First Lieutenant, on the staff of the General commanding.
The Commercial Hotel was opened in August, 1875, by F. C. Hahn, and he carried on the business until 1882. when the present proprie- tors bought the property. It was a success al- most from the start, and the patronage has increased to a wonderful extent. In 1885 the present owners made a large addition to the building, costing $15,000, and in September of that year, threw open ninety additional rooms, making in all 160. The house has acquired a splendid reputation for hospitality, and a person once stopping at the Commercial becomes a reg- ular patron while in Stockton. Mr. Hahn is one of the most genial of landlords, and is very popular not only with guests, but generally has a large circle of warm personal friends.
ETER CHRISTENSEN was born in Den- mark, February 24, 1820. His parents having been dead for a number of years, and having no other relatives, he sailed for America in 1851, from Hamburg direct to Cali- fornia; he landed in San Francisco on the 18th of January, 1852, after a sea voyage of six months. He went to the mines between Sonora and Columbia, remained a year, then came down to Stockton, and shortly after hired out to Gib Reynolds, in whose employ he remained four years, attending to stage horses. He was then
engaged by E. Comstock and worked on his ranch for three years. At the end of this time he purchased 160 acres of land, and began farmning for himself. Since that time he has made other purchases of land, having at present 400 acres, all in a body, situated in O'Neil Township, on the Calaveras road. Mr. Chris- tensen devotes his ranch to the raising of grain.
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ERBERT ALLEN BENTON, proprietor of the Farmington Hotel, was born in Elk- hart County, Indiana, March 28, 1852, son of Talman and Jane (Thompson) Benton. The mother, born in New York, daughter of Robert and Jane Thompson, was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun while coming to Califor- nia with her family in 1853, and was buried in Ione Valley. She left two daughters by a former marriage with a Mr. Dennison, who are both deceased; and two sons by her marriage with T. N. Benton, -- the subject of this sketch, and his brother Martin Allen, born in 1848. The latter went on a journey in 1882, and, not having been heard from since, is supposed to be dead. He left two children,-Frederick, born in 1872, and Laura, born in 1875.
T. N. Benton, the father of the subject of this sketch, born near Lake Champlain, June 23, 1805, is still living on his ranch near Farming- ton. He is a son of Noah Sylvester and Nancy Northrup (Lamkins) Benton, natives of Ver- mont, who had moved to New York some time before his birth, and thence to Canada in 1806. The father was a millwright, and found a desir- able opening in that country. The declaration of war in 1812 found him engaged in erecting a substantial mill; he was drafted into the British army, and was given the alternative of working for the armny in the line of his trade. Being determined not to serve the enemies of his country in any capacity, he managed to es- cape to New York with his eldest son, who was also liable to conscription. The wife, with two other children, followed two months later, and
ym PMiller
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the family settled in Leicester Township, Liv- ingston County, where the father died in 1832 at the age of sixty five. The wife survived until 1877, when she died at the home of one of her children in Pennsylvania, aged ninety-nine years, nine months and four days. The great-grand- father Benton lived to be seventy, and the great- grandfather Lamkins lived to be seventy-nine. Both families are of New England birth for several generations. T. N. Benton received a limited education of three terms in a district school and left home at the age of seventeen to earn an independent living. He, however, fell into the same line of business as his father and became a millwright, working at his trade about twelve years in New York State, and afterward for five years in Michigan, at Pontiac and Niles. In 1848 he bought 160 acres in Elkhart, Indi- ana, and farmed there until he came to Califor- nia. He arrived in Stockton October 9, 1853, and ten days later on the ranch near Farming- ton, which has ever since been his home, and which now comprises 1,140 acres. The first purchase in 1853 was 320 acres, for a possessory claim, for which he paid $500.
H. A. Benton, the subject of this sketch, was not quite nineteen months old when his father settled near what is now Farmington, in 1853. He received such education as was received in the district schools of the period, and was brought up to farming. In September, 1869, on the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad, and by the first through train he went East, accom- panied by his father, and entered Clayton Col- lege, in Jefferson County, New York, to finish his education. Called home by his father he returned in May, 1871, and at once entered into active service on his father's ranch, where he continued until his marriage. In 1874 he was married to Miss Emma Anna Dial, a native of this State, and has two boys by that marriage, -- Edward Northrup, born December 4, 1877; and George Washington, June 7, 1882. In 1875 he went to work on his own account, renting his father's ranch of 1,330 acres, the first year. In 1876 he bought 590 acres adjoining and farmed
it until 1879, when he added to his farm labors by renting 1,000 acres, which he kept for three years. From 1832 to 1886 he farmed his own ranch; selling it he purchased the Farmington Hotel October 1, 1887, which he has since coll- ducted.
In 1882 he entered the field of practical in- vention in the farming line, perfecting and pat- enting a combined harvester of acknowledged merit, which he sold to the Shippee Combined Harvester Company in 1886, reserving his right to sell his remaining stock of eight harvesters, which found a ready sale at $500 each. He was engaged in the manufacture of these, to- gether with running his farm, from 1882 to 1886.
Mr. H. A. Benton was married a second time, in 1886, to Miss Cora Kelly, born in Missouri, in 1866, and a resident of California since 1882. Her father died in 1889; her mother, now re- siding in this county, came to California in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. II. A. Benton have one child,-Harry Allen, born October 12, 1888.
ILLIAM PAYSON MILLER. - It is probable that no other life recorded within the pages of this work presents so striking an instance of rising from the very bottom-most round of the ladder as does that of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch; and as Mr. Miller ranks among the leading business men and manufacturers of central Cali- fornia, while it is an undisputed fact that his entire career has been marked by the strictest integrity and most painstaking care in all his dealings, this sketchi should be a lesson to young men, so many of whom are taught that honesty and success in business cannot go hand in hand. Mr. Miller is a native of Windsor, Maine, born October 8, 1825, his parents being Thomas and Jane M. (Pratt) Miller. His maternal great- grandfather, Taber, is said to have been the first banker in Portland, Maine. Our subject's mother was born at Vassalboro, Maine, and was
17
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the daughter of Nathan and Mary (Taber) Pratt. Her father, who was born at Little Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 12, 1772, was a clerk in the Taber Bank before mentioned, and afterward a merchant. Her mother was also born at Vassalboro, May 11, 1783, and was a daughter of John Taber, the banker, and his wife Elizabeth, who were well-known natives of Portland. Thomas Miller, father of William P., was a native of Limnington, Maine, and was left an orphan at the age of fourteen years, thus bav- ing to make his own way in life from an early age. His education was limited to reading and writing, but he was a hard-working, ambitious and sprightly young man, and if he had been a good financier would undoubtedly have become wealthy. He worked abont on farms for Qua- kers until his marriage, and his wife, a dangliter of Quaker parents, withdrew from the Society of Friends by her marriage.
When Mr. Miller was but three years of age his parents removed to Vassalboro, and two or three years later to Palmyra, where his father built a house in the forest and cleared up a few acres of land. He next rented an old and bet- ter improved farm for about four years, and af- ter that removed to Augusta. Our snbjeet attended school only during winter terms, and in summer worked out on farms. At first he got twenty-five cents a day and his dinner, but afterward twenty-five cents and board. The father, not being a good financial manager, was working at this time by the day, never earning more than a dollar a day. Having a family of six children to support, his wages were of course insufficient, and all were compelled to lend a helping hand. Mr. Miller, however, has always considered the fact of his having been forced to help himself thus early as a great blessing all through his subsequent career. When he was about twelve years of age the family re- moved to Winslow, on a rented farm, and abont four years later he went to work with an uncle, Thomas Partridge, to learn how to make wheels, the wood-work of light farm wagons, bodies set on leather thorough braces and wood axles. He
afterward went to work in Vassalboro, with an- other uncle, Edward L. Pratt, who ironed the wagons for him. Later, Mr. Miller rented a shop in North Vassalboro, Maine, and engaged in business for himself, running the shop about two years. There, in 1847, he married his first wife, Phebe Y. Roberts, daughter of Dr. Rob- erts. She died September 17, 1849, leaving a son then nine months old. This son, Edward, grew to manhood, and is now a resident of San Diego. His wife's death made Mr. Miller dis- contented, and he decided to move to California. He left home in the fall of 1850, $700 in debt.
In after years, when he had accumulated some money in his far-away Western home, he sent back and paid these debts. It was the best investment he ever made. He went to New York city, and there worked a few days, while waiting for the old ship Clarendon to load. On this vessel he paid $150 for a second-class passage, which secured for him a rongh bunk between decks alongside the freight. A few, who took cabin passage, paid $250 for the privilege. Passage on the Flying Cloud, which left about the same time, was $400, but the latter vessel made the trip in seventy-nine days, while the Clarendon required 196 days, and of this time, on the Atlantic side, they were 100 days out of sight of land. Nothing of especial interest oc- curred on the voyage, and they sailed into San Francisco Bay on Saturday, the 6th of April, 1851, casting anchor on Sunday morning off Pacific street, where fifty passengers were landed on a small wharf. Among the curions who came down to see them land was one of three partners in a little saw-mill and wood-yard on Pacific street. This man had worked in the mines with a brother of one of the new-comers, and thus felt interested enough to invite all who desired to accompany him with their blankets to the wood-yard, where they could sleep on the chips. Mr. Miller, among others, was glad to avail himself of the chance, as his cash capital con- sisted of but $9, while he was not aware of a single acquaintance in the city. One of the partners in the little mill and wood-yard was a
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fine-appearing Southern gentleman-a physi- cian -- who kept the books and assisted about the cooking. At that time one could form no idea of the education or former position in life of men in San Francisco front what they were engaged in, for any ambitious man would then accept the employment affording the largest remuneration. Mr. Miller arose early on Mon- day morning after the first night on his bed of chips, and after eating his breakfast, consisting of bread saved from the regular allowance on shipboard, and water, he set out to look for work. He had been informed that employment would be scarce for a few weeks, as many were in the city from the mines, and business was dull, notwithstanding there were abont 700 ships in the liarbor. He inquired for work at every place where wheelwrighting was being done, but only repair work was then being turned out. He received all kinds of answers, but no encouragement at his trade. He then set abont canvassing the entire city for a job of carpenter work, but for a long time with no better success. He had reached the upper part of the city in his canvass, and looking south saw a small church in process of construction, on the sandy ground not far from where the Palace Hotel now stands, though then there were but a tew shanties south of Market street. He proceeded to the spot and found that a Mr. Jolinson and another carpenter had the contract. He approached one of them, and upon asking if any more help was needed, received a sharp look, while the contractor proceeded to question him. He said they wanted a carpenter, liow- ever. Mr. Miller frankly admitted that he was not a carpenter, and said that he was a wheel- wright and carriage wood-workman, though he had worked a little at carpenter work, and thought he could give satisfaction if plain work was assigned him. His services were accepted, and lie was told that his wages would be $6 per day, payable when the job was completed. Mr. Miller was thien compelled to tell them how poor he was, and that he had not enough to live on, and was then promised $10 every Saturday
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