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 71

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 71

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is a valued and popular member of society. The names of his children are Fanny Elizabeth and William Barlow.

DWARD WEGNER .- Among Sonoma's most enterprising and successful business men is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He is the proprietor of the only drug store in Sonoma Valley, and is the only skilled druggist and ehemist in Sonoma. This establishment is located on the west side of the plaza on the corner of Napa and First streets. The fine two-story adobe building, located on a lot 300 x 165 feet, has been substantially fitted up by Mr. Wegner, and his store, which occu- pies the south end of the building, is perfect in all its appointments. In addition to his busi- ness as a druggist, Mr. Wegner combines that of a general merchandise store, carrying a well- selected and first-class stock of such goods as the requirements of Sonoma Valley demand. His enterprise in this matter is well rewarded, as he is well patronized by the community. A brief sketch of Mr. Wegner's life is of interest, showing as it does, how success has been wrought by intelligent industry, combined with straightforward, honest dealings with his fellow- men. Mr. Wegner is a native of Berlin, Ger- many, and dates his birth November 30, 1837. His father, Gustav Wegner, was also a native of Germany. The subject of this sketch was reared in the city of his birth, receiving a liberal education in the excellent schools of his native place until seventeen years of age, when he was apprenticed to the trades of a master mason, carpenter and architeet. Ile worked diligently at these callings until twenty years old, and then entered the scientific sehools to perfect himself in chemical studies. After a thorough course in various scientific branches, he left Germany in 1860, and proceeded to South America, locating in Chili. There he was engaged in various occupations, and finally was employed as a druggist and chemist in Val-

paraiso until 1863. At that time he was offered employment by the well-known firm of Gode- froy & Co., of San Francisco, as an architect and builder in the building up of a town and trading station in Eastern Siberia, near Nik- olaevsk. Mr. Wegner at once went to Siberia, where he was engaged for some time, but the building operations of the company were finally abandoned, and he left that place and went to Hong-Kong, where he was engaged by the same company as a clerk in their commission house at that point. In 1867 he came to San Fran- cisco and some months later to Sonoma County. Locating in Sonoma, he established himself as a druggist. Finding the demands for drugs and chemicals rather limited, he gradually in- creased his business until he now has the fine establishinent already described. For more than twenty years Mr. Wegner has been identi- fied with the business interests of Sonoma. He is well known throughout the valley and has made hosts of friends. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the city of Sonoma since its incorporation in 1883, and was the first president of the board. Politically he is a Democrat. In 1878 Mr. Wegner was united in marriage with Miss Julia Brandt, a native of Germany, but resident of San Francisco. Fromn this marriage there are two children living: Lydia and Frieda.

EORGE W. HUNTLY was born in Jef- ferson County, New York, March 4, 1838, his parents being Jason and Hannah (Consaul) Huntly, both natives of New York. Mr. Huntly's father was a carriage-maker and farmer. The early life of the subject of this sketeli was spent mostly upon his father's farm, receiving at the same time fair edneational fa- cilities. When sixteen years of age he went to Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, where one of his brothers was living. There he entered a machine shop and worked as a machinist for over two years, after which he was engaged as

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an engineer on a ferry-boat. In 1858 Mr. IIuntly, being desirons of a change and wishing to see more of the world than his short travels had afforded, went to New York and thence by steamer route to California, arriving in San Francisco in March of that year. Soon after his arrival he went to Ynba County, where he was engaged in mining operations until 1863. In that year he came to Sonoma County, locating at Valley Ford, where he was engaged as an en- gineer in the steam flouring mills of Thomas Smith. Here he seems to have found an occu- pation and location suited to his tastes, for he continued that occupation until 1870, when he purchased a half interest in the mills. After this purchase they were under his control and management. In 1870 he married Miss Lueile Dutton, a native of Ohio. At the time of her marriage her parents, Reed and Emily (Culver) Dutton, were residents of Valley Ford. Mr. Huntly continued the successful management of his mill until 1882. In that year lie sold out and purchased a fine orchard property of eighty acres at Sebastopol on the Bodega road, taking up his residence thereon. He has a magnificent orchard of seventy acres in extent, containing some of the finest varieties of fruit grown in the county, among which are plums, apples, peaches, pears, apricots, cherries and French prunes. He also devotes considerable attention to berry cultivation, and has six and a-half acres containing blackberries, raspberries and enr- rants. These berries grow and give a large yield, although they are never irrigated. Mr. Huntly early saw that a profit was to be gained in drying his own fruit. He therefore, in 1883, built a dryer of the most approved order. It has a capacity of six tons per day of green fruit, and thus he is enabled to care for and dry such fruit as the orehards in his vicinity have to dispose of, in addition to the products of his own orchard. He is a thorough business man and has achieved a success in this enterprise as is well attested when the fact is known that his dryer is always running to its full capacity throughout the whole fruit season. The prod-

ucts of this dryer being first-class in every re- spect, find ready sale at the highest market prices. There is no man in Analy and Bodega townships better or more widely known than Mr. Huntly, nor is there one whose long business associations with the farmers and fruit- growers has commanded more respect for honest, upright and straightforward dealing. Not only in these townships, but throughout the county, Mr. Huntly is well known and re- spected. Never seeking office, he still has ex- erted a beneficial influence in the ranks of his party. Ile is a consistent Republican and a progressive citizen, and has always been identified with any enterprise that tended to advance the interests of the community in which he resided. His support has always been heartily given to schools and churches. He is a school trustee in the Laguna sehool district, and also served in a like capacity for years while living at Valley Ford. Mr. Huntly is a mem- ber of Lafayette Lodge, No. 126, F. & A. M., of Sebastopol. His wife is a member of the Sebastopol Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. and Mrs. Huntly are the parents of seven children, viz .: George W., Mary Mand, Mabel Emily, Frank, Albert, Gertrude and Garfield.

OHIN T. PETERS, proprietor of the Mervyn Hotel at Glen Ellen, eame to California at the age of eleven years with his father, John Peters, who settled on 400 acres of land, a part of the " Blucher Ranch " west of Santa Rosa, in Two Roek Valley, late in the year of 1853. John Peters was born in Washington County, Kentucky; was reared on a farm and followed the vocation of a farmer all through liis life. He served under General Harrison in the war of 1812. Ilis wife was formerly Miss Elizabeth Peters, who, though bearing the same name, was not a relative. For a number of years Mr. Peters made his home in Indiana, where several of his eldest children were born. Later he returned to Kentucky, remaining there

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until 1844, at which time he moved to Andrew County, Missouri, engaging in farming there until 1853. In the spring of that year, with his wife and six children, he joined and made a part of a splendidly equipped train consisting of twenty-one wagons and 1,000 head of stock, destined for California. Reaching Sonoma County, the Peters family spent their first night in camp upon the old "Sears Ranch," west of Sonoma, on the west bank of Sonoma Creek, in the month of November. From there le pro- ceeded to his future home in Two Rock Valley, Analy Township. Long years of litigation fol- lowed his settlement before he was able to secure a perfect title to his property. Mr. Peters was bereaved by the death of his estimna- ble wife not long after coming to this State, her death occurring in 1855, at the age of fifty-two years. She was the mother of fifteen children, ten of whom lived to come to California with or before her, and who were all present at her burial, and who, with the exception of Silas, the eldest, who died at Selma, Fresno County, in Angust, 1888, are at this writing living. Their father lived to the age of seventy-two years. He was a man of sterling worth, pos- sessed of much energy, and was highly esteemed and respected by all who knew him. Of his children, Merriman and Hartford live at Stock- ton; Jordan, in Del Norte County; Horace, in Santa Clara County; Samnel, in Washington Territory; John T., in Glen Ellen; Mrs. Mar- garet White, a widow, lives in Denver, Color- ado; Elizabeth, wife of A. A. Walker, is a resident of Washington Territory; Nancy, wife of George W. Cofer, resides in Salina County. John T. Peters, whose name heads this sketch, was born in Washington County, Kentucky, June 11, 1842. His childhood, from two to eleven years of age, was spent in Andrew County, Missouri. After the family settled in this county in 1853, he remained at home assist- ing in the work of improving the large family homestead until he reached his twenty-first year. He then went to Virginia City and worked in a quartz mill until called home by his

father's death, which occurred a few months later. A year or so after the death of his father, he took charge of a force of Chinamen on the Central Pacific Railroad at Dutch Flat, camp 22. Returning to Sonoma County he spent nine years in steamboat traffic on San Francisco Bay, and in the employ of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company in the San Diego and Oregon trade, and later was two years on the line between San Francisco and Stockton. In 1879 Mr. Peters entered the employ of Peter Donahne in the construction of the Sonoma Valley Railroad. 1Ie had charge of the con- strnction of the line between Sonoma and Glen Ellen. Later he was a conductor on the finished road, and still later, assistant superintendent with headquarters at Sonoma. Resigning his position in February, 1885, he erected and opened the Mervyn Hotel, a favorite resort at the beautiful picturesque village of Glen Ellen, where he yet dispenses hospitality to all who are so fortunate as to be able to become his guest. In 1872 Mr. Peters married Miss Nora O'Sullivan, at San Francisco. Mrs. Peters was born at Jersey City. She is the mother of seven children, of whom five are living: Mattie, Leland S., who died at the age of ten years; Nellie, James T., who died in infancy; Nora, John F., and William. Mr. Peters is a mem- ber of Temple Lodge, No. 14, F. & A. M., at Sonoma. In politics, since the election of Abraham Lincoln, he has been identified with the Republican party.

EV. T. H. B. ANDERSON, D. D., was born in Grundy County, Missouri, May 26, 1842. His father, Josiah Anderson, who was born in Kentucky in 1805; went to Missouri in 1836; came to California in 1849; returned to Missouri in 1851, and in 1858 brought his family to California, where both he and his wife died in 1867 and 1870 respectively. They had nine children, six daughters and three sons. The eldest son, and subject of this sketch,

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is a self-educated man, never having attended school after he was fifteen years old. In 1865- '66 he studied law and recited his lessons to Hon. J. W. Coffroth, of Sacramento. He was ready for admission to the Supreme Court, but refused to go further, preferring the ministry, having studied law to supplement deficiencies in early training. He began preaching in 1862, in Butte County, and his work in the ministry has been confined to California, with a brief ex- ception. The doctor says he believes in Cali- fornia and her people, and expects to live and die here. He has traveled circuits, districts, and filled stations at Grass Valley. San Fran- cisco, Sacramento, Colusa, and Santa Rosa. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by the Military College of Kentucky in 1881. He has been Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of California for three years; Grand Orator one year; Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence, writing the reports of the Grand Lodge; and Chaplain of the Leg- islature during Governor Haight's administra- tion. He has been twice elected delegate to the General Conference of the church. Dr. Anderson is now President of the board of trustees of the Pacific Methodist College of Santa Rosa, California, and has been president pro tem. of the same. IIe is now its financial agent, in which capacity he has done good work. Ile is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, Sonth, in Santa Rosa, and that his ministerial labors are appreciated is evinced by the fact that he always has a full house, and during the past year he has had seventy-three accessious to the church. He works six hours every day in his study, beginning at S A. M., and then writes and reads from 8 r. M. until near midnight. He preaches more sermons than any minister in his conference, and also frequently lectures. Dr. Anderson is a hard student and an inveterate worker. Possessing a highly wrought nervous temperament, he has one of those bright, sein- tilating minds, that, like the charged dynamo, · is ever ready when tonched to emit an electric spark. In conversation he is ready and en-

tertaining; is exceptionally affable and frater- nal in manner, and as a writer and pulpit orator has few equals on this coast. Dr. Anderson was married April 23, 1867, to Miss Sarah 1. Brooks, of Marysville, California. They have a family of three daughters and two sons.

IRAM B. HASBROUCK .- There is no one who is more universally respected or enjoys a more prominent position in the affections of his fellow men than he who is mentioned in this sketeh, an old pioneer of So- noma County and a large and successful farmer and stock-raiser of Petaluma Township. Hiram B. Hasbrouck is a native of Sullivan County, New York, born February 4, 1829. Regarding the ancestry of his family, we find they were originally from Holland, his great-grandfather having emigrated to this country some time before the Revolution. Ilis father, Isaiah IIas- brouck, was a native of Ulster County, New York, and after he became a young man, moved into Sullivan County. Ile was married there to Elizabeth Eller, a native of the same county, where they made their home ou a farm until their deaths. They reared a family of four sons and five daughters, of whom one is deceased, and four are residing in this State. The children are as follows: Benjamin, residing in Ulster County, New York; Caroline Hasbrouck, living in Fallsburg, Sullivan County, New York; Mrs. Agnes Broadhead, of the same place; Mrs. Maria Forshay, who came to California and died in Peta- luma; Hiram B., the subject of this sketeh; Mrs. Elizabeth Hoyte, of Yerka, Siskiyou County, California; John Hasbrouck, residing near Ne- vada City, Nevada County; Angustus, of San Francisco; and Celia Ilasbrouck, a resident of Fallsburg, New York. Hiram B. was reared in Sullivan County, New York, and made his home with his parents until he was twenty-six years old. Ilis education was received during the winter months at the district schools of his neighborhood, and when he was twenty-one he

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attended one term at an academy. November 5, 1855, he left Sullivan County, for California, sailing from New York on the oldl steamer George Low, which name was afterward changed to Cen- tral America, and the steamer was lost at sea during a heavy gale. He made the passage via Panama and landed in San Francisco November 29th of that year, after a journey of twenty-four days from the time he left home. The next day after arriving he went to the mines of Placer County, near Auburn, on the American River. Hle, with two others, bought out a bar elaim which he worked two summers with fair snecess when he sold out his interest, and in 1857 came to Sonoma County and bought out the ranch where he now lives, on the 9th day of March of that year. During the summer of 1858 he was affected by the Fraser River ex- citement; so to satisfy his desires in this respect he sailed from San Francisco on the 7th of July, and after arriving there mined until the follow- ing November, when, becoming satisfied that the country had been over-rated, he returned again to San Francisco, arriving there on Thanksgiving day. He then devoted his atten- tion to the cultivation of his farm, which he rented a part of the time np to 1864 when he made a visit to his native State. Taking the Nicaragua ronte, he missed the steamer at Vir- gin Bay and was obliged to lay over at that place four weeks until the next steamer sailed for New York. He arrived in the latter place January 8, 1865. After spending some time in visiting around his old home, he made a traveling expedition through some of the west- ern States; was in Chicago when the news eamne of Lee's surrender, and in Buffalo on the arrival of Lincoln's funeral train during the last days of April. Not being desirons of returning to the far off Pacific coast single handed he decided to bring with him a partner, one that would be a companion and a help-mate to him through life and would cause a California sun to shine with a brighter glow than ever before, and to introduce a new life into his household such as he had never seen before. He found such a :

partner in Miss A. Celia Hill, to whom he was wedded at Fremont, Sullivan County, New York, on the 14th day of August, 1865, and on the same day started with his bride, leaving New York on the 16th and arriving in San Francisco on the 8th of September. Ile took up his residence in Petaluma where he lived for several years. On the 24th of January, 1874, his wife died and in February following he made another trip East. Ilis father had died and, after settling up the estate, he returned to California bringing with him his sister Maria who died in Petaluma. In the summer of 1874 Mr. Hasbrouck returned to his ranch where he now resides. This ranch contains about 300 acres, devoted to stock-raising and general farm- ing. There is a fine orchard on the place that is now more than thirty years old. Mr. Has- bronek is a Knight Templar, belonging to the Mt. Olivet Commandery, No. 20, of Petaluma. IIe has one son, Sherman A., born October 11. 1867.

- EORGE W. HARMON has a ranch of ten acres a mile and a half from Healdsburg, as the road runs, but considerably less than that in a direct line. He purchased the place in 1883, and removed on to it in April of that year. Of this place eight acres are planted to tree fruits, the trees having been set ont in the spring of 1884. The majority are French prunes, the remainder being divided between IIonest Abe and Early Crawford peaches, Bart- lett and Winter Nellis pears, Coe's Golden Drop, Yellow Egg and Jefferson plums, Black Tartarian, Napoleon, Bigerean and Centennial cherries. The peaches are in bearing, as are also the prunes, but not fully. He also has half an aere in strawberries, besides blackberries and raspberries. About an acre is usually de- voted to alfalfa. Mr. Harmon is a native of Indiana, born in Floyd County, September 9, 1842, and son of Matthias and Naney (Edel- mann) Ilarmon. Both parents were natives of

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Indiana, and representatives of early settler families. Our subject was reared in his native county and resided there until 1864, when he removed to IFendrieks County, Indiana, and a year later to McDonough County, Illinois. There he resided three years, then removed to Hamburg, Fremont County, Iowa, and after re- maining there one winter, removed to Atchison County, Missouri, where he resided four years. In the spring of 1872 the family removed to California, locating at Visalia. Two years later they removed to Kernville, Kern County, where Mr. Harmon was amalgamator in the Senator J. P. Jones Mill, of eighty stamps, for four years. They then removed to Pierce County, Tacoma, and Mr. Harmon conducted a hop field, ten miles from Tacoma, until 1882, after which he went baek to Indiana. From there they eamne to their present location. Mr. Harmon was married in Floyd County, Indiana, October 26, 1864, to Miss Sarah Teaford, a native of that county, and daughter of Jacob and Phebe (Hickman) Teaford. They have three children: Clara, Oliver, and Mabel. Mr. Ilarmon was a soldier in the Union army, having enlisted in New Albany, Indiana, in July, 1861, and was mustered in July 12, in Company C, Twenty- third Indiana Infantry. The regiment proceeded to Indianapolis, where they went into camp, and a few months later went to St. Louis, where they were in barracks over a month, and thence were sent to Paducah, Kentucky, where they were first engaged, and next at Bolivar, Tennes- see. lIe served all through the Shiloh cam- paign, and was engaged at Pittsburg Landing, second day's fight, under Wallace. Then went to Corinth, and was in the Vicksburg campaign. In the movements about the beleaguered city he took an active part and participated in the bat- tles of Champion Hills, Chickasaw, Raymond, etc. At Champion Hills he served under Mc- Pherson, and was one of those who cut the breastworks to let the artillery in, and drove in the skirmishers. During the assault on the works at Vicksburg he was in the charge on Fort Hill immediately after the explosion.

After the capture of the city, the regiment camped for a time in Vicksburg, and there vet- eranized, the members returning to Indiana on a thirty days' furlough. Rendezvousing at Corinth, the regiment started on a march to Atlanta, and took part in all that campaign with its many skirmishes and battles. Ile pro- ceeded with his command beyond the Chatta- hoochie River, and on the 27th of July went to Marietta, where he took cars for Chattanooga, turned over his equipment, and was there mus- tered out July 28, 1864. From there he went to Louisville, Kentucky, thence to Indianapolis, where he received his pay and went home. Mr. Harmon is a member of the G. A. R., and of the I. O. O. F., in which he has passed all the chairs. Politically, he is a Republican.

ILLIAM D. JONES .- This gentleman. who is one of the pioneers of California, having crossed the plains by ox teams in 1849, is one of the best known and highly esteemed citizens of Sonoma County. Ile was born in 1825 in Oneida County, New York. In 1837 his parents removed to Ohio, taking him with them. He lived there until the spring of 1846 when he answered the call for men by enlisting for service during the Mexican war. Ile was a member of an independent horse com- pany, and was engaged as mail escort, carrying dispatches, etc., and took part in many skir- mishes, and was present at the fiercely fought battle of Buena Vista. The company was known as Captain J. R. Dunean's Ohio Mounted Volunteers. After the elose of the war Mr. Jones determined to come to California, and came across the plains in 1849, as has been already stated. Until the year 1852 he mined, meeting with pretty good success. This was in El Dorado County. In the summer of that year he came to Sonoma County and selected a superior ranch just west of Bloomfield. He still owns the same farm, a fine fertile stretch of 1,120 acres, and devoted to grain and dairy

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farming. He continued upon this farm, bring- ing it to a high state of enltivation, until 1884, when he removed with his family to Petaluma, where he is now enjoying the evening of life in comfort. Ilis comfortable home has one of the best locations in the city, being situated on the summit of the hill on which is the Baptist church, and commands an extensive and beanti- ful prospect overlooking the city and the whole expanse of the Petaluma Valley. Mr. Jones was married April 30, 1856, to Miss Susan Carroll, the sister of Messrs. James and Patrick Carroll, well known and popular old settlers at Bloomfield. They have six children, three sons and three daughters. Their names are Walter, Carroll, William, Mary, Martha, and Clara. Mr. Jones is a Republican of life long standing, having been one of those who assisted in organiz- ing that grand old party in this State in the early days. IIe is an extensive land-owner in Marin and Mendocino counties as well as in this, and is looked upon as a leading and representative man.

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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 71

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