USA > California > Sonoma County > An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time > Part 59
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necessary for the vigilantes to establish order and protect life in the mining districts, he was a member of. that organization, and was promi- nent in a service that finally rid the country of thieves, gamblers and other criminal elements. In 1858 the subject of this sketch came to Sonoma County and located in Green Valley. At this time Mr. Allen became interested in hop culti- vation, and entered into partnership with Mr. Amasa Bushnell, a practical hop cultivator who was confident that Sonoma Valley soil and cli- mate were well adapted to that industry. They planted their vines and soon had a harvest of fine hops. Mr. Allen is confident that these were the first hops ever raised in the State and also the first ever produced on the Pacific coast. Their first crop readily sold for one dollar a pound. Since that time Mr. Allen has been a strong advocate for liop cultivation in Sonoma County. Ile conducted the business with Mr. Bushnell until about 1860, when they divided their property and Mr. Allen took the portion upon which he now resides. It is located in the Laguna school district, one and one-half miles north of Sebastopol. He is the owner of 200 acres of fine land at this point, twenty acres of which are in hops. Fifteen acres are devoted to grapes of the Zinfandel and St. Mecaire vari- eties. Ile has also a large variety of table grapes. There are two acres in orchard, produc- ing a large variety of fruit such as is grown in that section of the county. The rest of his land is devoted to hay, grain and stock-raising. Among the stock are twenty head of cattle improved by Durham and Jersey stock, also some fine horses by " Butler," " Alexander." and "Twilight " breeds. Among the many improvements upon his farm is a commodious dry house with a capacity sufficient to cure and dry the products of his twenty-acre hop field. He has also just completed one of the most beautiful and substantial dwelling-houses to be found in Green Valley. In this he has placed all the conveniences and comforts that characterize a well ordered home. Mr. Allen is well known as one of the most public-spirited
and progressive citizens of his district, ever ready to aid in all enterprises that tend to pro- mote the welfare and growth of his section and the county. In political matters, he is a strong and consistent Republican, and though never seeking office his influence has been felt in the party, and always for its best interests. A strong supporter of public schools, he lias served for years as a school trustee in his district. Ile is a member of Lafayette Lodge, No. 126, F. & A. M., of Sebastopol. In 1863 Mr. Allen mar- ried Miss Harriet Sebring, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Piper) Sebring, resi- dents of Sebastopol. The following named children have been born to them: George Otis, Margaret E., Saralı Elois and Mary C.
ILLIAM E. FIFIELD, M. D., was born in East Redfield, Kennebec County, Maine, September 18, 1826. Ile was educated at the common schools of his native State, and at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary; he began his medical studies in 1848, with Dr. H. HI. Hill, of Augusta, with whom he re- mained two years, during which time he attend- ed one course of medical lectures at the Bow- doin College in 1849. In November, 1850, he went to Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and opened an office, where he practiced until March, 1852. On the 26th of April of that year, he sailed from New York for California, via Pana- ma, and landed in San Francisco about the 18th of May. ITis brother, A. C. Fifield, came with him and is now a wealthy farmer of San Joaquin County. After being in the mining district on the Mokelumne River until 1856, he com- menced the practice of medicine in Amador County, and also opened a drug store, which he conducted in connection with his practice, he being the only physician in that neighborhood. While there he built two hotels at a cost of abont $12,000 each, one of which was destroyed by fire and the other is still standing. He was also postmaster of the place, having the office
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in his drug store. In 1868 he went back to Maine on a visit, and while there obtained the degree of M. D. from the old college which he had previously attended. In the fall of the same year he returned to California, and soon after he left the mines in Sutter Creek and moved to Linden, San Joaquin County, where he practiced his profession until 1876. He then went to San Francisco and entered the Medical College of the Pacific (now the Cooper Medical College), and graduated there November 2, 1876. The same year he removed to Madison, Yolo County, and practiced there until March 23, 1883, when he opened an office in San Fran- cisco. Hle continued the practice of his profes- sion there until coming to l'etaluma in -May, 1886. He was married March 15, 1877, to Ella J. Roice. They have one daughter, Mary Ella, born November 10, 1880. Dr. Fifield is now engaged in the active practiec of medicine with his wife, who is a regular graduate, and they are among the most prominent and success- ful physicians in this city.
LLA J. FIFIELD, M. D .- This accom- plished and intelligent lady is a native of Wisconsin, where she was born April 15, 1851, in the town of Lyons, Walworth County. She was a mere child when her par- ents moved to Minnesota. In that State she was educated at the public schools and later at the State Normal at Mankato. In 1872 she commenced teaching school, and after teaching two years in Minnesota she came to California, in 1874, and tanght for two years more in this State. After her marriage to Dr. William E. Fifield, she began the study of medicine, in 1878, and in 1980 entered the Cooper Medical Col lege of San Francisco, graduating at that insti- tution on November 7, 1883. She then en- tered the Children's Hospital of that city as attending physician, where she remained one year and a half, during which time she was also an attending physician for the Boys and Girls
Aid Society. She came to Petaluma, August 7, 1885, and opened an office, where she has been a most snecessful practitioner in the science of medicine.
OSEPH B. REID dates his birth in the State of Alabama, November 4, 1835, and is the son of William F. and Elizabeth (Shores) Reid. He was reared to a farm life in his native State until at the age of eighteen years, when he emigrated with the family to Washington County, Arkansas. From there the family, consisting of the parents and four- teen children, crossed the plains and mountains to this State in 1857, making the journey with ox teams. They established their home in Yolo County, where William F. Reid bought 640 acres of land and engaged in grain and stock- raising. The subject of this sketch remained with his father until 1864. In that year he wedded Miss Louisa Range, danghter of Charles and Elizabeth (Klepper) Range, natives of Ten- nessce, but at that time residents of Solano County, and now living near neighbors to Mr. and Mrs. Reid in Sonoma County. (See biography of Charles Range.) After this marriage Mr. Reid commenced farming upon his own account in Yolo County, remaining there until 1867 and thien coming to Sonoma County. Ile bought ninety acres of choice land on the Healdsburg road, one and one-half miles north of Santa Rosa, and established the residence he has ever since occupied. His purchase in all respects was a fortunate onc. The land so well adapted to agriculture became of great value by its for- tunate location near the growing city of Santa Rosa with all its commercial and social advan- tages, and in 1887 Mr. Reid sold all but his residence and a reservation of thirteen acres. His residence and other building improvements are among the best of the neighborhood, and were erected by him, utility and convenience being the main object to be attained. Fine family orchards, vineyard, etc., are a part of the
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improvements to be found on the land retained by Mr. Reid. The parents of Mr. Reid are yet living in Yolo County. Ilis father was born in 1512 and his mother in 1516. In political action Mr. Reid is in full accord with the prin- ciples of the Democratic party. His residence in Sonoma County has been marked by an in- creasing devotion to the welfare and true inter- ests of the county. Never behind in co-opera- tion with any and all measures tending to advance the interests of the community, he is now reaping in part his reward.
UDGE JOIIN BROWN is one of the old- est living settlers in Sonoma County, hav- ing come here in 1555, across the plains 5 from his native State-Tennessee. He arrived July 29. 1849, and opened a grocery store in Ringgold, El Dorado County, in which he continued two years. In the meantime an Indian war broke out with the Digger Indians, and he was appointed quartermaster of the northern portion of California by Governor MeDougal. In the spring of 1851 he was sent with supplies across the Sierra Nevada Moun- tains to Carson Valley, to relieve the emigrants coming to California. Ile returned in the win- ter of the same year and stopped in Sacramento, which he made his headquarters until coming to Santa Rosa in 1855. While in Sacramento he was a member of the grocery firm of Brown & Co., located on Front street. April 15, 1532. the firm was burned ont, and the same fire destroyed a large hotel owned by Judge Brown. This hotel was situated on I street, and it with all the furniture was completely consumed. By that fire Mr. Brown suffered a loss of $50,000. He then spent considerable time in traveling and prospecting, and in the latter part of 1855 came to Santa Rosa and has since been a resi- dent of this place. He was appointed deputy clerk, auditor and recorder of Sonoma County, of which Mendocino County formed a part. as- suming the duties of the office on April 6, 1856.
Hle had the entire charge of the business, his elective superior having turned over to him the full control of the office. Ile served the term of office of his superior, two years, and for a year after the expiration of that term. Having been appointed notary public by Governor J. B. Weller, he opened an office and began the prac- tice of law, to which practice he had been ad- mitted in 1558. He enjoyed a Incrative practice until he was elected justice of the peace in 1562, and has been his own successor until the present time, having held the office twenty- six consecutive years. Until the last few years he enjoyed his full share of law practice, having had a large volume of legal business in the Federal Courts. Department of the Interior, and the Treasury, in the Land Department, he having made a specialty of land practice, of which there has been a large amount of busi- ness, owing to the system of land grants in this State. In 1869 or 1870 he purchased 207 acres of land lying immediately south of Santa Rosa Creek, embracing what is now the South Park Addition to Santa Rosa, and a portion of the city contiguous to the creek. Ile laid out that part of it north of what was then called the Bennett Valley road, in five-acre tracts, being the pioneer in that line of sub-division, antici- pating that men would want small tracts of a few acres to build on and ocenpy as homes. This was in 1872. The same time he sold the rest of the original traet to John Richards, a colored barber and ex-slave, who afterward died here, and in the settlement of his estate-Judge Brown being the attorney-sold the land now comprising South Park Addition for $6,000 to a man named Fitzpatrick. Seven years later, in 1887. the last named gentleman sold it to B. M. Spencer and Guy E. Grosse for $27,000. At the time of Judge Brown's coming to Santa Rosa, soon after the removal of the county seat to that place, William Churchman was county judge, and E. W. Mckinstry was district judge. Judge Hopkins was the first district judge of this judicial district, of which Sonoma County formed a part. Judge Brown has been identi-
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fied either as attorney or in his official capacity with most of the important trials and litigation in the courts of this place for a third of a cent- ury. When he came here he only found two small stores, one a general store and the other a grocery. And at that time there were but two lawyers, Jackson Temple, now one of the supreme judges of the State, and William Ross, an Ohio man who came here in 1852 and died about eight years ago, leaving a valuable estate in Santa Rosa. Both of the judge's grandsires, Richard Wheeling and Thomas Brown, fought in the Revolutionary war. The former, an Irishman, fought for the colonists, and the lat- ter, a Scotchman, combatted for the crown. The father of Judge Brown was a native of North Carolina, and his mother of Virginia, born where Wheeling now is. Judge Brown grew to manhood in his native county in Ten- nessee, and on the breaking out of the Mexican war, he enlisted in the very beginning of the conflict as a member of the Second Tennessee Infantry, commanded by Colonel William F. Haskell, and in Captain J. D. Lowery's com- pany. He served the term of his enlistment, one year as a private in that company, and re- enlisted in the Fifth Tennessee, under the regulation of the United States army, as Second Lieutenant of his company, and served in that capacity till the elose of the war. He now draws a pension as a Mexican veteran. He was in General Taylor's command until after the battle of Monterey. Then he went with General Patterson and General Pillow to Tam- pico, there joined General Scott's command, and with it was in the battles of Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, and went to the City of Mexico after its surrender. He was also at Queretaro, where the treaty of peace was signed. The last year of his service he was appointed by the division commander to the position of quartermaster, and served in that capacity till the elose of the war, and went to Washington, D. C., to settle with the Government. July 3, 1866, he mar- ried Miss Whallen, daughter of General Murray Whallen, now a resident of Petaluma. She was
born at Erie, Pennsylvania, from whence the family eamne a few years previous to her mar- riage. They have three sons and one daughter, their ages ranging from twenty-one to twelve years. The eldest son, Frank W., is a clerk for Rohrer, Einhorn & Co. The other children are in school and at home.
EORGE BLOCH is one of the well-known wine makers of Sonoma County. The Dry Creek Winery, of which he is propri- etor, was established in 1872 by George Bloch and Alexander Colson, who continued its opera- tion until 1884, since which time Mr. Bloch has been sole proprietor. The place is on the Dry Creek road less than three miles from Healdsburg, and among its features are 3,000 vines, mostly Zinfandel with a few Mission and other varieties, and all in bearing. The out-put of the Dry Creek Winery is about 35,000 gal- lons per annum, a market being found at San Francisco, and also a number of private enston- ers at different points on the coast. The storage capacity is 35,000 gallons, and some 4,000 gallons are annually carried over to receive the advantages of the added age. George Bloch is a native of France, born in Alsace April 23, 1829, his parents being Francois and Catherine (Jaunt) Bloch. His father, who entered the French army at the age of sixteen years, was a soldier under Napoleon I. George Bloch was reared in his native place and in early life fol- lowed various ocenpations. In 1850 he came to America, sailing from Havre to New York on the Carola America. Ile remained in New York City sixteen months, and then started for California on the steamer Uncle Sam. Ilis route was via the Isthinns of Panama, which he crossed, and on the Pacific side took the steamer Sierra Nevada for San Francisco, at which place he arrived in March, 1853. Ile remained for a time in that eity, and then went to the mining districts. Ile followed mining on Fra- zer River, at Foster's Bar, and then returned to
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San Francisco. After a connection of thirteen years with a restaurant on Dupont street, he came to Sonoma County in 1870, bought where he now resides, and commenced improving the place. He was married in San Francisco to Rosina Clare, a native of France and also born in Al- sace. They have three children, viz .: George; Rosina, wife of Charles Austin, and Albert. Mr. Bloch is a member of the French Ilospital Association, San Francisco. Politically, he is a Democrat.
HARLES AUSTIN is a native of New York City, born October 7, 1836, and a son of Wiliam and Winnifred (Swift) Austin. ITis father, a cotton merchant and broker, was a native of Scotland, while his mother was of Ameriean birth. Charles Austin was reared and educated in the American metropolis, and in 1858 came to California via Panama. For three years he was interested in the mines of Calaveras County, and since that time he has been identi- fied with various interests on the coast and in the western territories. Since 1556 he has been a resident of Sonoma County. July 3. 1855, he was united in marriage with Miss Rosina, dangh- ter of George Bloch, whose sketch precedes this.
LBERT G. BURNETT, a member of the law firm of Gale & Burnett, is a native of the Pacific coast, born in Oregon in 1556. Ilis father, Rev. G. O. Burnett, a native of Tennessee, immigrated to Oregon from Missouri, in 1546, and settled in the Willamette Valley. Polk County, where he improved a farm of 640 acres. In 1558 he removed with his family to San Jose, California, and for twenty-five years there- after was engaged in the ministry of the Chris- tian church, mostly in California, but partly in Oregon, where he lived a portion of the inter- vening time. Obedient to the summons of the I Silent Reaper he passed away in July, 1586, in
the city of Santa Rosa, where he had been living since 1573, having done valiant service for Christianity many years as one of the pioncer preachers on this coast. His brother, Hon. Peter HI. Burnett, went to Oregon still earlier, in 1843, and from there came to California in 154S. Ile was elected in 1849 as the first Governor of California, which office he resigned in 1851. Albert G. was educated in Hesperian College at Woodland, and in the Christian Col- lege in Santa Rosa where he graduated in 1875. During the summer vacation two years previous. when but seventeen years of age. he had begun teaching school, and after his graduation he re- sumed the pedagogical profession, first teaching a year in the country schools. He then accepted the professorship of Latin and Greek languages in his Alma Mater, the Christian College, filling that chair two years. The college becoming embarrassed financially and passing into other hands, Professor Burnett taught a year in the public schools of Santa Rosa; was then elected to the principalship of the Healdsburg schools and filled that position four years. The two years following he was principal of the Peta- luma grammar school, then principal of the Petaluma high school for a year and a half. While teaching. Mr. Burnett had devoted all his spare time to the study of law and attained such proficiency in knowledge of legal lore that he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of California in 1586, six months before he resigned his position in the Petalnma high school, which he did in May. 1SS7, to open a law office in Santa Rosa. as a partner with D. R. Gale. Though less than two years old this law firm already enjoys a fine business in both the civil and criminal branches of their practice. They are both young men of marked ability, are close students, inspired by a zeal born of love for their profession, and being gentlemen of unquestioned integrity of character, they are destined to oeenpy the front rank among the law firms of Califor- nia in the near future. During the year 1887 Mr. Burnett served as a member of the Sonoma County board of education. and chosen presi-
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dent of that body. Ile was president of the Young Men's Republican Club during the pres- idential campaign of 1888, and was the Repub- lican nominee for district attorney, to which office he was elected November 6, 1888. Mr. Burnett is universally coneeded to have but few equals in the State as a politieal orator. At the November election, 1888, Mr. Burnett was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney. The high esteem in which he is held by the citizens of this county is shown by the very large majority he received at this election, run- ning as he did far ahead of the party vote. Of the twelve children composing his father's family. only one, a twin sister, resides in Santa Rosa with the widowed mother. Mr. Burnett in 1878, was united in marriage with Miss Dora 1 Hood, a native of Santa Rosa, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Hood, pioneers of Sonoma County.
OHN T. PEPPER, residing on Dutton avenue, in the suburbs of Santa Rosa, is a new accession to Sonoma County, and one of a elass that is giving to the county an impe- n s in the right direction, so welcome to all in- terested in the county's best and greatest good -- fruit enlture. Mr. Pepper eame to California and located in Marin County in 1875. A brief review of his former life gives the following faets: He was born in Genesee County, New York, August 27, 1837, and is the son of Robert and Lydia (Irwin) Pepper, both of whom were born in Ireland. The subject of this sketch was an infant when the family moved from the State of New York to Oakland County, Michigan. There he was reared on a farm, spending a portion of the years of his youth in sehool attendance. At the age of twenty-one he left the parental home and encountered life in his own behalf. About two years later he re- turned home and worked his father's farm on shares. In 1869 he engaged in mercantile busi ness at Davisburg, Oakland County, Michigan, 25
and conducted a successful business until 1975. In that year he came to California. Ile rented a large dairy farm, with 150 cows, of Charles Webb Howard, in Marin County. This busi- ness Mr. l'epper conducted with profit to him- self until 1888, when, in October of that year, he bought the property he now owns and occupies, one of the finest suburban properties to be found at Santa Rosa. The building improvements, including the elegant cottage residence, are first-class in all respeets. Of the forty-four acres of very choice land, as yet but twenty acres are in orehard, comprising every variety of deciduous fruitsand all showing thrift. The rest of the land- now devoted to general agriculture-will in the near future be appro- priated to fruit eulture. The same enterprise and energy, combined with intelligent appliea- tion, which has characterized his life in the past, will produce grand results in the favored Santa Rosa Valley as the reward of Mr. Pepper's efforts in horticulture. In 1870, in the State of Michigan, the subject of this sketch wedded Miss Mary L., daughter of Frank and Fanny Skinner, of New York. Three children have been born to them, viz .: Lydia Evelyn, born June 16, 1872; John Raymond, December 30, 1877; Ada Elaine, December 11, 1884. Mr. Pepper in political action is fully identified with the Republican party, having voted for every Republican president since the party was formed.
J. MeGAUGHEY, druggist, corner of Mendocino and Fourth streets, has been in business in that location since May, 1887. She succeeded W. C. Reed in the bus- iness, whom she bought out and who was one of the oldest druggists in the city, having moved to the present location upon the com- pletion of the building in the fall of 1885. Miss McGaughey is a professional pharmacist, have attended the California College of Phiar- macy, a branch of the State University. She graduated first at the Winona high school, and
HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
then at the Minnesota normal school in 1878, , to general farming purposes. Mr. Arata is and has been a teacher for seven years. She came to California for her health, in 1851, spent six months with her sister, Dr. Start, in Santa Barbara, and then came to Sonoma County. Before purelasing the drug store she taught here between three and four years. She holds a State teacher's diploma, which entitles her to teaeh in any grammer school in the State. From her girlhood, while in the high school, Miss McGaughey had an ambition to become a druggist, and shaped her course with that end in view. She is one of the three proprietresses of drug stores in the State, and was the third lady to enter the College of Pharmacy. Al- though the business was an old one, it has stead- ily increased during her ownership, and has prospered beyond her anticipations. She con- pounds prescriptions and performs every kind of pharmaceutical work done in a drug store. She employs one assistant. With a woman's natural tact for beautifying and improving, she has made her drug store one of the handsomest in the interior of California. Miss MeGanghey was born in Macomb, MeDonough County, Illi- nois, but since eleven years old resided in Minnesota until coming to California. Two of her brothers and one sister are physicians. Mrs. Dr. Stuart, and Mrs. Martin, county superin- tendent of schools of Sonoma County, reside in this connty.
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