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 62
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After giving up hunting he went up on Block Mountain, selected a location, where George Jacobs now lives, and resided there a year, making some improvements, consisting of or- chards, ete. He then bought a piece of land near Franklin Bidwell's place, where he lived seven or eight years, then sold out and bought and improved another place. In the spring of 1876 he bought where he now resides, and in the fall of 1877 he moved on to it. Mr. Bid- well has made all improvements except an old house that has been standing for many years. Before moving to his present place, he had a raneh of 600 acres stocked with eattle and sheep. Ile turned this place and stoek over to his two sons in order to give them a start in life. Mr. Bidwell was married in Missouri to Miss Eliza beth Brooks, a native of Tennessee, who died in the spring of 1855. By that marriage there were three children, viz .: John, James, and Naney Jane, wife of James Anderson. Mr. Bidwell's present wife was formerly Miss Caro. line Howard, a native of Missouri, born in Mc- Donald County, and daughter of William and Rachel (Markham) Howard. Her parents went from Tennessee to Missouri, and from there came to California in 1854, making the trip aeross the plains, locating in Mokelumine, thence to a ranch, on Russian River, and two years later to Ukiah. Mr. Howard is a prosperous business man in the latter place. Politically, Mr. Bidwell is a Demoerat. He has witnessed the great change that has taken place in Sonoma County, and remembers when it was a wilder- ness. Ilis present ranch consists of 160 acres, seven miles north from Healdsburg. This is devoted to general farming, and he has a small vineyard of choice varieties of grapes.
ATRICK CARROLL .- No history of Sonoma County would be considered com- plete without mention of the well-known and representative farmer whose name heads this sketeh. Mr. Carroll was born in Mon-
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aghan County, Ireland, March 27, 1534, the son of Peter and Mary (Graham) Carroll, both na- tives of the county of his birth. His early life was spent upon his father's farm, and he re- eeived at the same time a good schooling. At the age of fourteen years he accompanied two of his sisters to New York, where he joined his brother, James Carroll. Upon his arrival in New York he entered the employ of his brother as a clerk in his store, where he remained until January 5, 1853, when his brother and himself embarked via the steamer route for California. Upon their arrival in San Francisco they pro- eeeded to the mines and there engaged in min ing operations. Mr. Carroll was also, while in the mining districts, engaged in clerking, packing, teaming, etc. In 1854 the failing health of his brother James induced them to quit their mining interests and seek a more congenial occupation, and in that year they eamne to Sonoma County and located in Big Valley, three miles northwest of what is now Bloomfield. Here they purchased 160 acres of land from Robert Gordon, and entered into agricultural pursuits. They were successful in their enterprises and gradually increased their landed interests. They were among the first to recognize the fact that success in farin opera- tions could be best secured by diversified farm- ing. Although their lands produced immense crops of grain, the prices often ruled low, consequently they established a dairy and entered upon stock-raising. They were also among the few who made potato-growing a success in that section. This partnership was continued until the death of his brother, James Carroll, which occurred in 1869. Since that date Mr. Carroll has conducted the enterprise alone. His-present magnificent farm comprises 1,800 acres of rich and productive hill and valley land. Although much of his land is well adapted for fruit cultivation, he has but eight acres of orchard. In that he has a fine variety of fruit, comprising apples. pears, plums, cherries, etc. He has also a large acreage in potato cultivation, but the most of his attention
is devoted to hay, grain and stock. Among his stock are 250 head of cattle improved by Durham breeds. Two hundred head of his eattle are milch cows, forming a splendid dairy, which is producing a superior grade of butter. Mr. Carroll takes a great interest in improving the breed of horses in his section, and has spared neither time nor money in seenring this. He is the owner of the well known thoroughbred stallion, " Ilarry Paton." From him he has bred some of the finest roadsters. Ile has also some fine specimens of draft horses from Norman stock. In fact all of Mr. Carroll's stock is of the best. Ilogs, of which he has a large number, are bred from thoroughbred Berk- shires, and he also has 100 head of Spanish Merino sheep upon this model farm. The build- ings upon this place are finely located and are first-class in every respeet. 1 fine two-story residence with a broad veranda running entirely around the building, pleasantly located amid shade trees, etc., is worthy of mention, as are his commodions barns and ontbuildings. All of these attest the successful farmer and pros- perons man. Mr. Carroll's residence of over thirty-four years in his section has made him well known throughout the county, and his open hearted liberality and straightforward deal- ing have gained him hosts of friends. He is a life-long Democrat, consistent in his views and taking a great interest in his party, which has many times chosen him as their representative in county and State conventions. His influenee has always been exerted for what he considers to be for the best interests of the party without regard to individual members. He is a con- sistent member of the Catholic church. In 1869 Mr. Carroll was united in marriage with Miss Mary Alice Clark, the daughter of Edward and Alice (Stewart) Clark, natives of Tyrone County, Ireland, but residents of Melbourne, Australia, where Mrs. Carroll was born. From this marriage there are five children living, viz .: Mary A., born February 11, 1870; James, Nov- ember 3, 1871; Agnes J., January 12, 1873; Katie L., October 23, 1875, and Gertrude E.,
Robi Briggs
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August 24, 1876. The sixth child, Johnnie, born February 1, 1878, died September 29, 1885, and the seventh, Halenor Eleeee, born June 16, 1885, died October 6, 1885. Among the representatives of Mr. Carroll's family who are residents of Sonoma County, are his three sisters, viz .: Susan, who married Mr. William Jones; Catherine, who married Michael Slattery (sinee deceased), and Jane, who married James Whittaker.
M ARK CARR .- The subject of this sketch, a worthy eitizen of Vallejo Township, was born in the north of Eng- land in 1825. In August, 1848, he married Anna Middlemass, and on the fifth day of March, 1850, sailed from Liverpool, landing in New York May 13th, of that year. Ile went to Ohio and worked there three or four months, when he removed to Wisconsin, where he en- tered the lead mines in La Fayette County, remaining there until the fall of 1852. He then came to California by water and landed in San Franeiseo December 3d. He went to the mines at Placerville, remaining there that winter, when he went to where Folsom now stands, be- fore any houses were built there, it being nothing but a small mining eamp, dotted here and there with miners' tents. Mr. Carr re- mained there until 1858. Folsom by that time had become quite a place. Ile had good suc- cess in the mines, making plenty of money, but according to the eustoms of the miners in those early days, their money went quite as easy as they made it. After leaving there Mr. Carr came to Sonoma County, and remained at Bloomfield a short time and then went over to Tomales, in Marin County. There he rented a dairy ranch, which he condueted two years, then returned to Sonoma County, rented a ranel in Blucher Valley, and remained there three years. On the eighth day of September, 1864, he bought his present place, which then contained 145 aeres, since which time he has added eighty 26
acres to it, making 153 acres of as fine land as ean be found in the Petaluma Valley. This is devoted to the raising of grain, hay and pota- toes, and he also has a fine family orehard of abont 100 trees. When he first went on to the place there was a little old house and only a small part of the land feneed. By his own toil and industry he has succeeded in improving and beautifying his farm to what it now is. Mr. and Mrs. Carr have three children: Ulsula, wife of Hector MeLean, a resident of Santa Barbara County ; Thomas M., a resident of this township, and Mark, Jr., also of Sonoma County.
ON. ROBERT BRIGGS, Senator from White Pine County in the General As- sembly of Nevada, purchased in January, 1888, 295 acres of land in Mendocino Town- ship, within two miles of Heaklsburg, where he now resides. Mr. Briggs is a native of Monroe County, Missouri, born January 21, 1836, and son of Samuel G. and Naney (Wallace) Briggs. Both parents were natives of Kentucky, who went, when young, to Missouri. Samuel G. Briggs was a minister of the gospel. For a time he was engaged in business in Paris, Mis- souri, then removed to Scotland County, and from there he crossed the plains to California in 1852, and located in Amador County. There he became superintendent of schools and held that office for sixteen years. His death occurred June 21, 1875, and his wife died November 23 of the same year. Robert Briggs, who was six- teen years of age when the family came to Cali- fornia, commeneed mining in Amador County, and four years later went to Calaveras County, where he followed prospecting and mining until 1868. He then removed to Nevada and en- gaged in prospecting in Elko County and after- ward in White Pine County. His mining experiences were finally erowned with financial snecess, but not until he had seen for himself the ups and downs of prospecting. In 1884 Mr. Briggs was placed in nomination for the
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position of Senator by the Democratic Conven- tion of White Pine County, and carried the district at the ensuing election, although it is ordinarily strongly Republican. Ile served in the Senate with credit, and although in the minority, soon took a leading posi- tion in that body and was on the important committees of Mines and Mining, Public Mor- als and Education, Roads and Highways, and Agriculture, and was also on the joint commit- tee on Irrigation. He was urged by his party to accept the nomination for Governor of his State, but declined further political preferment, and at the close of his Senatcriat term retired to private life and removed shortly afterward to California. Mr. Briggs was married in White Pine County. Nevada, to Miss Julia A. Fonts, a native of California. born at Iowa Hills, Placer County. They have one child living Daisy. Mrs. Briggs is a daughter of Levi II. Fouts, who came to California from Iowa in 1849. He was a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and was but nineteen years of age when he crossed the plains to California. His death occurred in 1863. Ilis widow is now a resident of Nevada. IIer maiden name was Frances Peters, and she was a native of Missouri, having come across the plains with her parents in 1850. Mr. Briggs' place near Healdsburg is now devoted principally to stock and general farming, and it also has a small vineyard. It is his intention, however, to plant about twenty acres in fruit, mostly pears and cherries, in the winter of 1888-'89. Mr. Briggs is a strong partisan, always contending earnestly for what he thinks is right. yet liberal to his opponents. He is genial in his disposition, and is always surrounded by a host of friends.
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R. JULIEN II. RANKIN is a native of New York, and was born and reared in Rochester. ITis father, John Rankin, was a Scotchman by birth. and his mother was a na-
tive of New York. The Doctor was educated for his profession in his native city, beginning at the age of nineteen years, and remaining there in business about two years after complet- ing his apprenticeship. He came to California when twenty-three years of age and is now past thirty-three. He was in San Francisco a year, pursuing his profession, when he came to Santa Rosa, and after operating three years for Dr. Wiley, returned to San Francisco. He there entered into a partnership with Dr. G. W. Christenson, taking charge of the operative de- partment and remaining there until 1885, when he was seriously injured in a railroad collision in Oakland. The accident occurred by the col- liding of two trains running at right angles with each other, the Doctor being in the hindmost car which was struck by a water car backing to cross the track, and was completely demolished. Dr. Rankin was the only one injured, there being but one other passenger in the car. The injuries he sustained were chiefly of an internal nature. His hips were crushed and his spine and nervous system injured so that he was dis- abled from doing business for three years, being in bed and unable to move except when litted, for five months. For two years he was able to walk only with the aid of erntehes. Thinking to improve his chances for recovery, he took a sea voyage to Honolulu, and after remaining there about five months returned very little im- proved. In March, 18SS, he again settled in Santa Rosa, and on June 15th opened his dental office, being able to work at the chair a few hours a day. He is gradually improving in health, but never expects to fully recover from the effects of the terrible disaster he ex- perienced. The Doctor has always made a specialty of the operative branch of dentistry, and ranks among the most skillful of his pro- fession. Since resuming his work, he has had all the business he can attend to. Doctor Rankin was married in May, 18SS, to Miss Forsyth, a native of Kansas and daughter of William Forsyth, deceased. She has been almost a life acquaintance, and a tried and
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faithful friend during his afflictious. They are a very devoted and happy couple.
OHN Z. JOHNSON, deceased .- Among the well known residents of Sonoma County, and particularly of Santa Rosa Valley, was the pioneer whose name heads this sketch. A brief resume of his life is as follows: Mr. John- son was a native of Virginia, and was a descend. ant of one of the oldest families of the Old Dominion. He was born in 1826, his parents being Benjamin and Sarah (Morehead) Johnson, both natives of the State of his birth. In his early youth his father moved to Indjana and settled in Kosciusko County, where he engaged in farming and other occupations. He is still living (1888) in that county, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Esquire Johnson, as he is called, is a man of prominence and is uni- versally respected and esteemed in Kosciusko County. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in that county. Ilis youth was spent upon his father's farm, at the same time receiving as good an education as the common schools of the county afforded. In his young manhood he learned the trade of miller and wheelwright, at which occupation he was en- gaged until 1849. It was then that the gold fever swept over the country and fired the ambi- tion of the young men and Inred them to the new El Dorado. Mr. Johnson was among the first to start for the Golden State, and in the spring of that year he began the journey across the plains with ox teams. After the usual hard- ships, toils, etc., attending such a long immigra- tion he arrived in California in the fall of 1849, and immediately located in the mining districts and commenced the occupation of a miner. After some months of trial he concluded that a miner's life was not suited to his tastes, and not meeting with the desired success, he abandoned the mines and songht employment at his ealling as a miller. He obtained work at this in Hoopa Valley. Humboldt County, where he remained
until 1858. In that year he returned, via the steamer route, to his old home in Indiana. Up- on his return home, in 1858, he married Miss Mary Ann Yeager, the daughter of John and Catherine (Ut) Yeager. Her father was a native of France, and her mother was of Ger- man descent and was born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Johnson settled down in Indiana, and en- gaged in his occupation as a miller. IIe was also during the years of his residence there the owner of extensive mills, which he successfully conducted until 1864. At that time being de- sirous of a more congenial climate, he came the second time to California, bringing his family with him. This time he came by steamer route, and npon his arrival in San Francisco proceeded to Sonoma County and located in Santa Rosa Township. His first residence in the county was on the Petaluma road, two and one-halt miles south of Santa Rosa, where he purchased a fine farm of 190 acres, and there established a dairy. Mr. Johnson was successful in his farming and dairy operations, and he resided upon that farm until 1875. In that year he sold out and located in Analy Township, in Redwood school district, near Forestville, at which point he purchased 350 acres of land. From that time until his death, which occurred June 2, 1888, Mr. Johnson devoted his atten- tion to the cultivation and improvement of his farm. In this he was successful as in all other enterprises, and soon ranked as one of the lead- ing farmers in his section. He was an energetic and progressive man, and with sound business principles these qualities soon enabled him to take the lead. His long residence in the county made him well known, and wherever known he was respected and esteemed for his straight-for- ward manly qualities. IIe was always a strong supporter and often the leader of any enterprise that would in his opinion advance the interests and welfare of the community in which he resided. In political matters he was a strong Republican and Union man. In the death of Mr. Johnson the community lost one of its most respected citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two
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children, viz .: Daniel Webster and Rebeeca. The former married Miss Emma Banks,' of Forestville. Her parents were Lebbens I. and Mary (Hurlburt) Banks, early pioneers of Oregon, who came to Sonoma County in 1884. Rebeeea married James II. Malone, and is now (1888) residing in Santa Rosa. Mr. Malone is a well known engineer and electrician in that city. Daniel W. Johnson is residing with his mother upon the old homestead, and is engaged in conducting the farm operations. The farm, as before stated, contains 350 acres. It is situ- ated at Forestville station on the Gnerneville branch of the San Francisco & North Paeifie Railroad. With the exception of a fine family orchard in which are grown a large variety of fruits, the land is devoted to hay, grain and stoek purposes. Among the stock are 100 head of fine Spanish Merino sheep. Of horses and eattle the farm is stocked with good Ameri- ean grades. One thing is specially worthy of mention, and that is eleven and one-half aeres of land which is devoted to alfalfa. This land, with no irrigation, readily yields four crops per annum, aggregating eight tons per acre. The improvements upon this farm are of the most substantial character, consisting of a beautiful two-story residence, in which are combined many of the modern conveniences and improvements, and also large and substantial barns and out buildings. Mr. Johnson, Jr., has erected a paint and work shop. Besides being a practical farmer he is also a good carriage painter, a machinist, and photographer, to all which oeeupations he devotes more or less attention, both for pleasure and profit.
N. PETERS, farmer of Vallejo Town- ship was born in Fairfield, Franklin County, Vermont, June 2, 1827. His father, Joseph Peters, was a native of New Hampshire, of English descent, but a son of Richard and Mary (Cass) Peters, both natives of the New England States, his mother of New
Hampshire. Our subjeet's maternal grandpar- ents were Abraham and - (Bradley) North- rup, natives of Connectient, of English extrac- tion. At the age of four years he was moved to the township of Armada, Macomb County, Michigan. Here in a remote settlement he grew to maturity. Though reared in this sparsely settled country where advantages for education were limited in the extreme, by dint of his own perseverance, his will power and his indomitable energy, with which he was blessed, he received a good edneation. Ile attended school during the three winter months, and in the summer months his .training was of a mus- cular nature. Ilis surroundings also had a marked influence upon his education, being brought up in the woods, where nature's de- stroyer had not laid his hand, he, like many men so reared, took nature for his guide; and his tastes and likings are for those things that are natural, and strongly averse to anything falling without the pale of nature's laws. At the early age of nine years he was called upon to mourn the loss of his sainted mother. She being a devout and pious mother, he lost that influenee which more than any other molds the future of sons, and on their lives leaves its sacred tinges. But she did not depart without leaving in a great measure her impress upon her sons, though it was at so early a stage in their lives, her kindly advice and eonnsel always be- ing the more forcible on account of her absenee -serving to direct their course heavenward. When in the twentieth year of his age, he at- tended school at Romeo, Michigan, a branch of Ann Arbor Institute. Here he received the polish of his literary attainments. After leav- ing college, lie spent some little time in pros- peeting in the valleys of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, with a view of following the oeeu- pation of his family of past generations who were tillers of the soil. In his travel through the valley he happened at Nauvoo at the time of the Mormon expulsion. He witnessed their departure and became acquainted with the wife of the celebrated prophet. Joseph Smith. He
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ended his prospecting tour in the great agriclu- tural State of Iowa, loeating in the township of Marion, Linn County, remaining about two years and meeting with good suceess, when he became so afflicted with that pleasure destroy- ing malady-fever and ague-that he was forced to dispose of his property. He emigrated to the State of Wisconsin, locating in the town- ship of Sheboygan. Here he engaged in the farming and lumbering business until the 28th of Jannary, 1849, when his happiness was again disturbed by another fever-this time of a dif- ferent nature -it being the California gold fever. Leaving Wisconsin February 1, he reached St. Louis, where he became leader in forming a company which soon left for St. Joseph where he, in company with one of the partners, seeured and broke the oxen for their long and tedious journey. This absorbed the time until near the close of the month of March. Then the remainder of the mess came up with the wagons and provisions. Ilere they overhanled and loaded the ontfit. In doing so, to his mor- tification and disgust, he found forty gallons of whisky as composing a part of the store of pro- vision. Knowing the evil of this and the liable disastrous failure of the trip which this might cause, he was determined that it should never cross the river. But upon broaching the subject to the rest of the mess he found himself to be alone in the opposition. He was offered the al- ternative of going with the liquor or remaining at home, although he was the principal owner and as before stated, the leader. ITis intentions, however, were not in accordance with either of the propositions. The climax was reached when they arrived at the Nishna Botany River, where, upon appealing to the captain of the Indiana company, whose kindly intervention happily brought an end to the difficulty by seenring the disposition of the objectionable article. Har- mony was restored and he afterward received the thanks of the entire company for his obsti- nate opposition. At this time a company was organized, consisting of five wagons and twenty- five men, with Worncastle, who had been a
United States captain in the Mexican war, as their captain. April 2 they started on their journey to the golden shores of California, ar- riving in Sacramento August 25, 1849. There the company dispersed, scattering themselves to the various mining districts which appeared to them most promising. The subject of this sketch hired ont to drive a team of oxen to Coloma for A. B. Hurd, receiving $10 per day. The trip occupied six days, and after arriving there he purchased a rocker and proceeded to Cold Springs, where, with a partner. he opened his first elaim, receiving from the operation of said claim from $16 to $20 per day each. Ilis aim was that of all those who came to Cali- fornia at that early date,-to become rich and to return to home and friends,-who took for their motto, " Let us be quickly rich," and acting on this he was not satisfied with the above pay but shifted from claim to claim, following after the Jack o-lantern - better diggings conse. quently ending his first experience as all rolling stones-mossless. In January, 1851, he went to San Francisco en route to the Salmon mines, on Salmon River, a tributary to Klamath River. He arrived there and, in company with two others, became the possessor of a store of miners' supplies, the ferry at Red Cap's Bar, and the paeking route from Port Trinidad to the mines, which they operated nine months, giving promise of very Incrative employment. When on the road to Port Trinidad for supplies he came near witnessing and being a participant in a most dreadful and bloody tragedy, which in a single night blasted all promised bright prospects. Upon arriving at Thompson & Mc- Devnott's ferry he found that for a trifling cause an Indian had been shot. This wrought the rest of the tribe to sneh a pitch of anger that they took revenge in their accustomed savage style. All the whites about the ferry were massacred except two, a man and his wife who resided in a house where all the fire-arms were kept, and with these they protected themselves until day when the packers began to come in. The Indians then took flight to the mountains.
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