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 64

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786

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 64

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OSEPII E. WILSON .- Among thie attract- ive orchards and vineyards in the neigh- borhood of Santa Rosa is that of Mr. Wilson. lle is the owner of a beautiful tract of land 1443 acres in extent, located on the Redwood road one and one-half miles west of the business center of Santa Rosa, in the Mon- roe school district. The soil on his farm is a rich loam carrying a fair share of gravel, and is well adapted for orchard and vineyard pur- poses, as is well attested by the condition of his improvements. Forty-five aeres are devoted to the cultivation of wine grapes of the Zinfandel and Grey Riesling varieties. Ile also produces table grapes of the Muscat and Tokay varieties. Twelve acres are planted with apples, pears, cherries and plums, and also a variety of other fruits too numerous to mention, all of which are very prolific in their yield. The rest of his land is devoted to hay and grain, and such stock as are required for farm purposes. Water can be proeured in abundance upon this land at from ten to twelve feet below the surface. Mr. Wil- son has a fine residence in which are all the

needed comforts that characterize a comfortable home. He has also commodions and well adapted ont-buildings. The general appearance of this farm shows the intelligent care and forethought of a practical business man as well as farmer and orchardist. .

HARLES V. STUART, deceased .- Among the pioneers of California, the men of 1849, few led a more active life than he whose name heads this sketch. Connected, as he was, with the early development of Sonoma County and with the early viticultural experi- ments in Sonoma Valley, it is fitting that men- tion should be made of him in this volume. Mr. Stuart was born in Nippenoos Township, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1819, son of Charles and Mary Stuart. His early life was spent on his father's farm, attending the winter schools until he was fourteen years of age. At that time he was placed in the Owego Academy at Owego, New York, where he completed his school education, afterward er tering a mercantile establishment at Ithaca. New York. He found, in 1839, his health failing to such a degree that rest and change became indispensable. The following year was spent in wandering from Maine to Texas and from New Orleans to the upper Mis- sissippi. After returning to Ithaca he formed a mercantile connection which continued until he decided to try his fortunes on this coast. In the last days of March, 1849, as captain of a train of pack-mules, which he had been instru- mental in organizing, he left Leavenworth, via the northern ronte, for this State. Passing en ronte Los Angeles, he reached San Francisco November 20. The old Mission Dolores at- tracted him, and there for nearly twenty years he made his home. Hle was a member of the first board of aldermen of San Francisco, under John W. Geary as mayor, and he carly became one of the city's leading public and business men. llis first great venture was the leasing of the Berryessa family. the supposed true own-

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

ers, of the famed New Almaden quicksilver mines. After years of unproductive labor, to escape litigation, Mr. Stuart sold his interests in the property. In 1851 he built the first briek house in San Francisco. About that time he purchased property in Sonoma Valley, and not long after began one of the earliest essays at viticulture in Sonoma County. In 1869 he settled under his own vine and fig tree upon his Sonoma Valley property, and gave the name of Glen Ellen to his home, a name which was later given to the neighborhood postoffice, and still later to a pieturesque village three-fourths of a mile away, reached by two lines of railroad. In 1870 Mr. Stuart erected a large and well ordered residenee upon his estate. He was elected to the State Constitutional Convention assembled in 1878. Reared in the Democratic faith he loyally supported Abraham Lincoln and his administration, and ever afterward acted with the Republican party. In 1843 Mr. Stuart wedded Miss Ellen Mary Tourtellot, a refined and cultured lady, daughter of Jeremiah Tonrteilot, a Freneli gentleman descended from one of the old Huguenot families who settled at Cooperstown, New York. ller mother, formerly Eleanor Wood, was of English birth. After having witnessed the passing of California from a territory in a semi-ehaotie condition to a State teeming with wealth and civilization, in which he had manfully aeted his part, Mr. Stuart died August 13, 1880. Widely known and universally respected for his many good qualities, his death was a great bereave- ment to the community at large. Mrs. Stuart survives and has the charge and management of the Glen Ellen homestead, which consists of 320 acres. Her eldest son, Robert II., a young man of great promise, died in Colorado in Sep- tember, 1878. The names of her other children are: Mary, widow of Remington Pickett, resid- ing at Santa Rosa; Emily, wife of Mare Stang- room, of Whatcom, Washington Territory. The three already mentioned were born in the East, and the following in this State: Charles D., of Pacific Grove, Monterey County; An-

toinette, wife of Alfred Vermehr, of Kinginan, Arizona; Ida, wife of George W. Sessions, of San Francisco; and Isabell, wife of Foster S. Dennis, of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

ENRY KIRCH was born in Bavaria, Germany, Jannary 30, 1835, his parents being Henry and Sophia (Smith) Kirch, both natives of Bavaria. Mr. Kirch attended school in his native place until the age of fifteen years, when he was apprenticed to the shoe- maker's trade. After working at that for two years, and being desirous of improving his con- dition, he decided to seek some newer country. Accordingly, in 1853, he emigrated to the United States. Upon his arrival in New York, he followed the occupation of a shoemaker for about six months, then went to New Jersey and engaged principally in farm labor nntil 1856. In that year he returned to New York and en- gaged in the hoop pole business for one year. In April, 1857, he came to California, via the Nicaragua route, and soon after his arrival lo- cated in Sierra County, where he worked in a lumber mill until 1858. The Frazer River mining excitement then sprang up and Mr. Kirch decided to seek his fortune in that dis- trict. A trial of six months at mining proved nwsatisfactory and he returned to Sierra County, where he continued his ooeupation in the mills until 1861. In that year he went to Washing- ton Territory and located at Port Discovery, where he remained until the fall of 1862, being engaged in the lumber mills at that place. Ilis next move was for Arizona, and he was there oc- enpied in mining, with the exception of a short time spent in San Francisco, until 1866. In that year he returned to California and located in Marin County where he rented a small farm and engaged in farming. While there he was also largely interested in building and con- strueting county roads, and for three years was a road master of the district in which he re- sided. In 1870 he came to Sonoma County,

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locating about two and a half miles south of Santa Rosa upon lands which he rented from Mr. Harmon. He then established a dairy of about fifty cows, which he conducted until 1874, when he moved to the lands of P. Leddy, on the Santa Rosa and Sebastopol road, where he remained and continued his dairy operations till 1884, at which time he purchased his pres- ent farm and residence. This farm is located on the Santa Rosa and Glen Ellen road in Ben- nett Valley, about nine miles from Santa Rosa, in the Strawberry school distriet. He owns 689 acres of hill and valley land which he is rapidly placing under cultivation and making very productive. A fine vineyard of fifty acres has been planted, which produces a choice va- riety of Zinfandel wine grapes and also a variety of table grapes. Of orchard he has ten acres in which is grown cherries, apples, pears, plums, French prunes, etc. The rest of the land is devoted to hay and pasture for stoek. It is the design of Mr. Kirch to largely inerease his vine- yard and erect a winery. Mr. Kirch has made a success in his agricultural pursuits and this has been secured by an energetic and intelligent system of cultivation. He is located in a rich and productive section of the county, and he knows how to reap all the benefits to be derived from the soil. He is a progressive citizen, and in good standing in the community. In pol- itical matters he is a Democrat. IIc is a men- ber of Sonoma Lodge, No. 53, I. O. O. F., and also of the Knights of Honor. In 1868 Mr. Kirch married Miss Helene V. D. Scheer, a native of Germany, the daughter of Henry and Catherine V. D. Scheer. From this marriage there has been born the following named children: Lizzie, Henry, William, Julius, Frank, Leonard, Karl, and Peter.

OHN. M. LAUGHILIN .- The subject of this sketch dates his birth in Warren County, Tennessee, August 24, 1824. His parents, Alexander and Elizabeth (McGill)

Laughlin, were both natives of Virginia. His father died in 1831, leaving the family to the care of the mother, and in 1840 she moved to Van Buren County, Iowa, and there located on a farm. Mr. Laughlin remained npon his moth- er's farm until 1850, when his ambitious spirit led him to strike out in life for himself In the spring of that year he started, with ox teams, across the plains for California. This long journey was accomplished by the usual months of toil and hardships so well known and remembered by the pioneers of California. September 6, 1850, he arrived at Placerville and engaged in mining. Mr. Laughlin con- tinued this ocenpation until the spring of 1853. He then returned overland to Iowa, and in the same year married Miss Matilda Faught, the daughter of William and Nancy Faught, natives of Kentucky. He remained in Iowa until the spring of 1854 when, in company with his wife, mother, brother and sister. he started upon his third trip across the plains. This time he and his brother brought about 200 cattle with them. Nothing unusual occurred upon this long journey and the party arrived safely in Sonoma County that fall and located on the Mark West Creek. Finding immense tracts of rich land unoccupied, Mr. Laughlin pitched his tent. He then went into the redwoods where he split out shakes and other timber which he hauled to his claim, and nsed in building a cabin. Mr Laughlin then commenced his carcer as a pioneer farmer of the county, and since that time has devoted his attention to that calling. The success that has attended his efforts is well attested by the various productions of his rich and highly cul- tivated lands. A large and well ordered dwell- ing-house containing the comforts and con- venienees of modern well ordered homes has taken the place of his simple cabin. Com- modious ont buildings store his products and shelter his herds. The evidences of his pros- perity are everywhere visible upon this model farm. Mr. Laughlin now owns 550 aeres, com- prising some of the most prodnetive land in Sonoma County, located in Russian River

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Township, Lone Redwood school district, less than one mile west from Mark West station, on the North Pacific Railroad. Among the noticeable features ofhis farm are twenty acres of orchard which is producing a large variety of fruits, such as apples, peaches, French prunes, plums, pears, and figs. 1Ie has also twelve acres of vineyard devoted to wine and table grapes, among which are Zinfandel, Malvoise, Muscat, Tokay and Rose of Peru. His alfalfa fields are especially worthy of mention. They comprise seventy aeres of his land and produce three large crops each year, besides furnishing months of pastnrage for his stock; all this is done without any irri- gation. The balance of his land is devoted to hay, grain and stoek. Among his stock are 300 sheep of the South Down and Shropshire breeds. His cattle, which he raises for market purposes, are improved with Durham stock. He also de- votes considerable attention to horses of im- proved stock, and has some fine specimens of draft and road horses, the former being im- proved with "Suffolk Punch " and English stock, and the roadsters, by " Anteo " Patchen stock. Mr. Laughlin is well entitled to be styled one of the representative farmers of So- noma County. Ilis long residence has made him well known, and his straightforward, con- sistent course of life has gained for him a large circle of friends. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, a strong supporter of any enterprise which he believes will advance the prosperity and welfare of the community in which he resides. Hle has served for thirty years as a school trustee in his district. In political matters he is a Democrat, liberal and conservative in his views. He is a member of Santa Rosa Lodge, No. 57, F. & A. M., also Santa Rosa Chapter, No. 45. Mr. Laughlin's wife died in 1876, and in 1877 he married Mrs. Cordelia (Bixby) Sanborn, the widow of Ezra Sanborn, a native of Maine, but resident of Sonoma County. Ile has seven children living, viz: Alexander D., who married Miss Mary Johnson, living in Santa Rosa, is an attorney-at-law in that city: Eliza Jane, who married Mark

Brown, residing in Washington Territory; Mel- vina, wife of William P. Shusser, residing in Sonoma County; Lizzie, wife of Frank McCul- loh, residing in Mariposa County; Amanda, wife of James Bailey, residing in Windsor; John and Alpheus, living at home. Mrs. Laughlin has also two children living from her former marriage, viz: Willard B. Sanborn, who married Miss Rose Perkinson, now residing in Santa Rosa, and Emma, who married John Faught, residing in Sonoma County.

EORGE WALTER ORMSBY was born in Dane County, Wisconsin, April 13, 1848. Ilis father, John Harper Ormsby, was born in Ohio, where he grew to manhood and from there moved to Wisconsin. Ile was married July 26, 1837, to Betsey Ann Carroll, a native of New York State. After a few years' residence in Dane County he moved to Mar- quette County, where he lived until 1861. In that year the family, consisting of Mr. Ormsby, his wife and five children, came to California. They made the journey aeross the plains, being on the way about six months, and first located in Big Valley, in Sonoma County, within a mile of Valley Ford on the ranch of Stephen Fowler. They put in a crop and stayed there a few months, but left the place before the erop was harvested. From there the family went to Amador County, where the male members worked at mining, at Mineral City, near Forest Home, a postoffice on the old stage route be- tween Sacramento and Placerville. Mr. Orinsby was engaged there about a year, and then came down to Petaluma and stayed there abont a year for the purpose of edneating his children. In 1865 he bought the homestead place in Vallejo Township, in the Waugh district, then consisting of 260 acres. He lived on the place until about 1873, and then moved to a ranch in the Elmore district, near Petaluma, where he lived until about 1884. The family then moved to Geyserville, where they now reside. They

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

have had five children, of whom four are living: John Whitney. Mrs. Mary A. Prescott. George Walter, Powell Martin, and Mrs. Julia Fill- more, deceased. George Walter Orinsby was married October 18, 1871, to Lydia Lucetta Sackett. Shortly after he rented the whole ranch, in which he already owned an interest, the gift of his father after he became of age. After renting it for about seven years he then bought the property, consisting at present of 223 acres. It is used principally as a dairy farm, having about forty head of cattle. Ife milks, on the average, twenty cows and makes a hundred pounds of butter a week. Mrs. Ormsby was born at Fort Walla Walla, Oregon, daugh- ter of David A. Sackett, one of the early pioneers of the county. Her father first moved from Oregon to Yerka, Siskiyou County, Cali- fornia, and when she was about three years old he went to Marin County, and shortly after to Petaluma. Mr. Saekett was postmaster of Pet- aluma for eight years, and in 1875 moved to Calistoga. Napa County, and from there to Hayden IIill, Lassen County; then back to Napa County, thence to Alameda County, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Ormsby have four children: Julia Belle, born November 1, 1572; Ernest Walter, born May 11, 1876; Ella Norean, born March 8, 1875; and Edna Gene- vieve, born September 25, 1557.

R. EUGENE M. COOPER .- Among the native sons of Sonoma County, and the promising young business men of Santa Rosa, perhaps none are better known than Dr. Cooper. Ile was born in August, 1560, five miles south of Santa Rosa, and is the eldest child and only son of three children of S. R. Cooper. After having studied the profession of dentistry with Dr. Savage in Santa Rosa, he opened an office in 1885, in Visalia, Tulare County, and practiced there with good success until January 1, 1858. On account of his own and his wife's health, and owing to the failing

health of his father, S. R. Cooper, of this eity, he moved to Santa Rosa and opened an office in the latter part of January, 1588, in the Rendall Block. corner of B and Fourth streets. Ile makes a specialty of operative dentistry, but does all classes of work. Mrs. Cooper is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, of Scotch par- entage, and has lived in California since her early girlhood. Her maiden name was Stuart.

M K. CADY, proprietor of the town of Agua Caliente and of the Agua Cal- 2 iente Springs Hotel, was born in New London, Connecticut, June 23, 1946, son of M. K. Cady and Sarah ( Holt) Cady. His school days were ended at the Collegiate Institute, New Haven, Connecticut. at the age of eighteen years. At that age he encountered life for himself. Coming to California via the Isthmus of Panama, in 1565, he spent the following two years in mining at White Pine and other points in Nevada. He later spent several years in active business in Marysville, this State, there being the junior member of the firin of Cooley & Cady, extensive dealers in general hardware. agricultural and mining machinery, etc. Mr. Cady sold his interest and accepted, in 1874, the position of chief adjuster in the United States mint at San Francisco, later being pro- moted to the position of assistant coiner and acting chief eoiner. In 1SS1 he resigned his position and inade his home upon the property he now owns, which he had bought the previ- ous year. This fine estate consists of 430 aeres, 100 aeres of which are devoted to wine culture, and many acres to apples, oranges, olives and other fruit. A winery having a capacity for the manufacture and storage of 100,000 gallons, and a distillery attached for the making of brandy, are among the improvements noticed. This property includes both valley and foot- hills. giving wild and secluded nooks and again sightly elevations almost without number. Five mineral springs form part of the natural attrac-

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tions of the favored place. In 1886 Mr. Cady opened to the public his now well and favorably known resort. The same year he platted the town of Agua Caliente. It is already a place of no small importance. The magnificent hotel is provided with gas and electric bells. Telephone communication is had with San Francisco. Its railroad advantages, situated as the town is, half way between Sonoma and Glen Ellen, and on the line both of the Sonoma Valley and the Santa Rosa & Carquinez Railroads, are all that could be desired. The locality is a land of promise for the sportsman, the hills furnishing an abundance of game, and the streams are wel stocked with that gamiest of all fish, the speek- led tront. The hotel itself has a history well worth recording. The south wing, 30x 60 feet. though looking on both the out and inside like a modern building, is a solid adobe struct- ure, two stories in height, which was opened as a hotel, with a sign swinging to the breeze, in 1846. The landlord was one of the many retainers of General Vallejo, and if the ancient walls could speak they might tell the story of many a gay fandango which has taken place upon these premises. The old structure, strong as if new, forms now the greater part of the south wing of Mr. Cady's stately resort. It is believed that it was the first hotel building ad- vertised as such to the traveler in the State of California. General Hooker, who owned the ranch adjoining on the north and separated by a rail fence erected by him, which still stands, lived many years in this building, and left it to enter the Army of the Potomac. The old build- ing has many historic ineidents connected with its history. At different times it has sheltered General Sherman, General Grant, Stoneman, Phil Kearney, and many others who have since become famous in history. Had we space, much of interest connected with the immediate surroundings of the home of Mr. Cady could be given. We mention, however, that the unfor- tunate General Stone, by many held responsible for the disaster at Balls Bluff, which resulted in the death of our gallant General Baker in 1861, 27

and who was afterward "Pasha " Stone of the Egyptian army, and who died a few years ago in that country, owned and occupied a ranch a mile north of Agua Caliente long before the war. Mr. Cady married at his present home, in 1885, Gail Freebern, who was born in Wis- eonsin and reared in Iowa. They have one child, a sweet little daughter bearing her moth- er's name. At the general election of 1888 Mr. Cady was elected supervisor in the first district of Sonoma County, by a vote compli- mentary and flattering to him. To him belongs the distinction of being the first Republican elected in the district, and of having by his election for the first time given to the county a Republican board of supervisors. He is a member of Corinthian Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 9, Marysville, and of several other orders.

JOHN KING .- Dennis King, a farmer of Washington County, New York, came from Ireland to Montreal, Canada, about the year 1823, being one of a party of seven young Irishmen who started ont to seek their fortunes in the New World, nor did they tarry long on the Canadian border, but crossed to Whitehall, New York, where Dennis found em- ployment as a farm hand, being the first Irish- man ever seen in that locality. Seven years later he married Johanna Regan, a native of Cork, Ireland. John King, the oldest son of this union, was born in the little town of Gran- ville, northern New York, in July, 1833. Here he lived on his father's farm, and by attending the country schools during the winter season. acquired such rudimentary education as might be obtained under such eireumstanees. In 1854 having arrived at man's estate and feeling the necessity for a wider field in life, he, in company with three other young men of Whitehall, started for California, the golden field of prom- ise to so many. They came via Panama and landed at San Francisco on the 22d of April, 1854, going directly from there to Sacramento,

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where they had promise of empolyment by the Water Company. In this, however, they were disappointed, and they at once set out on foot for Anburn, Placer County, at that time the scene of active mining operations. His first work in mining was done at New Castle at $1 per day. For two years he followed that ocen- pation, and for two years more was interested in mining and ranching, going first to Nevada County, Joeating at Orleans Flat in 1858, then to Eureka in 1560. In 1862 he removed to Austin. Lander County, Nevada, 180 miles east of Virginia City, buying property there and builling. This was during the silver mining excitement of 1862 and 1864 In the spring of 1566 he came overland to Sacramento by wagon (at that time the only mode of convey- ance), thence to San Francisco by steamer and on to Los Angeles, his object being the pur- chase of stock. He bought the famous "John Temple " brand of horses and, having collected 1.100 head, left Los Angeles County in May, 1866, driving the herd across the country to Nevada, arriving there in February, 1867. The following June he secured a government escort against the Platte River Indians and drove the whole herd across the Rocky Mountains to Omaha, where they were sold. In the winter of 1870 he purchased 6.000 head of sheep in Monterey County, and with five men and two dogs drove them to Lander County, Nevada, being three months on the road. In 1871 Mr. King married Miss Anna M. Clark, daughter of R. N. Clark, Esq., of Anstin, Nevada, and con- tinued to make that place his home until 1851, when, wearying of the labors of so active a life, he disposed of his various interests in Nevada and came to Sonoma County. In June, 1853, he purchased 1.050 aeres of the Lytton Springs property. lying between the Russian River and the Dry Creek Valley, and there engaged in vine-growing and farming. In 1884 he bought the Boggie property, north of Healdsburg, a beautiful building site on the west side of John- son street, where his family residence was ereeted in 1885, and where with his family, con-

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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 64

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 786

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786