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 72

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 72

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

OWRY B. HALL, deceased. One of the early settlers of Santa Rosa Township was the gentleman whose name heads this sketeh. Ile was born in 1820 in Kentucky, and was a descendant of one of the pioneer families of that State. IIe was reared on a farm and followed the occupation of farming through life. About the time he reached his majority he wedded Miss Elizabeth Holland and settled down to the quiet life of an agrienlturist in Barren County, that State; but, being seized with the fever of emigration, we record that in 1852 he moved to Greene County, Missouri, with his wife and six children, remaining there until 1857. In that year he started with his family, then consisting of wife and eight chil- dren, on the overland journey to this sunny and beautiful land, reaching Santa Rosa without serions mishap or unusual delay. Mr. Hall lived in the Wright school district about two years, and in 1859 he purchased 200 acres of

land and commenced the improvement of a home of his own. Later he added to his purchase and became the owner of a splendid ranch on the old Santa Rosa and Sebastopol road, where he lived until 1873. At that time he sold out and moved into the city of Santa Rosa, where he spent a few years of quiet life, and in 1879 again bought a country home on Santa Rosa Creek, three miles west of the eity, there spending the remainder of his life, his death occurring in the spring of 1883, at the age of sixty-three years. His widow was not destined to battle with life alone, for in a few days she was laid by his side, her age at death being fifty-eight years. The worthy and respee'ed couple are well remembered by hosts of friends, and their memory is cherished by a large family of children and grandchildren. Near the old homestead now lives their eldest son, James W. The names of their other children who came to this State are: Mary, now Mrs. Fouschee; Mrs. Prudence J. Lake, Mrs. Sarah Mapes, George II., Mrs. Luann Ross, Pressly M., and Mrs. Lizzie Piekrell, who died in 1888. Attezra, their sixth child, died in Missouri, aged four years.

AMES W. HALL, the eldest son and eldest child of Lowry B. Hall, was born in Barren County, Kentucky, September 25, 1812. He was but ten years of age when the family moved to Greene County, Missouri, and fifteen years of age when he did the work of a man in helping to care for the family and stock in cross- ing the plains and mountains to California. IIe helped to build the family home, at which and near which, with the exception of eighteen months spent at Healdsburg, he has ever since resided. November 22, 1866, Mr. Hall wedded Miss Lou Eva Dameron, daughter of John Dameron. Mrs. Hall was born in Randolph County, Missouri. She is the mother of four children living: Harry L., Sara C., Richard B., and Benjamin F. Their third child, Julia, died at the age of three years. The homestead of

488

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

ninety-seven acres owned by Mr. Hall is of the choicest in the beautiful Santa Rosa Valley. Considering its extent, location, nearness to market and a city giving all business and social advantages, it is a most desirable property. A fine hop field of fifteen acres are among the valuable improvements upon the place.

ANDREA SBARBORO, secretary of the Italian-Swiss Agricultural Colony, and its founder, is a native of Italy, born thirty miles from the city of Genoa. November 26, 1539. his parents being Stephen and Mary Sbarboro. In 1844 the family removed to the United States, locating in New York City, where the subject of this sketch was reared to the age of thirteen years. In 1852 the parents went back to Italy, but Andrea had decided to remain in America and about the same time he came to San Francisco, via the Panama route. Ile engaged in the grocery trade, and condneted a prosperous .business until 1881, in which year he organized the colony enterprise. When he came to this coast, a mere boy in years, he had his own start to make. His high business qualifications won for him success and drew to him the confidence of those with whom he came in contact. His services have been songht in the business management of numerous associa- tions, and he is now secretary of the following corporate institutions: Italian-Swiss Agricul- tural Colony, West Oakland Mutual Loan Association, San Francisco Mutual Loan As- sociation, West Oakland Masonic Hall and Building Association, Italian -Swiss Mutual Loan Association, and San Francisco and Oak- land Mutual Loan Association. Since 1560 he has always taken an active part in the Anti- Chinese movement. He has been foremost in advancing the interests of his fellow-countrymen who have, like himself, become citizens of the United States. Mr. Sbarboro is one of the pro- moters of the Italian school, San Francisco. He is a member of the F. & A. M. and A. O. U. W.

Mr. Sbarboro was married in Italy to Miss Romilda Botto. They have five children, Alfredo, Aida, Romolo, Romilda, and Remo.

UGH H. DAVIS, M. D., was born in Norristown, Montgomery County, Penn- sylvania, October 10, 1841, his parents be- ing Benjamin and Elizabeth (Hamill) Daris, descendants of some of the oldest families of Pennsylvania. Upon his father's side the family is traced back to the veteran soldiers of the Revolution, his father being also a grandson of John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Davis's father was a business man in Norristown, and afterward in Delaware, where he moved his family in 1560. The doctor received the benefits of # good education, and, in 1862, entered upon the study of medicine; his patriotism, however, induced him to abandon his studies and enlist in the defense of his country. Accordingly. early in 1863, he en- listed as a private soldier in the United States Signal Corp of the army, in which he served with credit until the close of the war, having been promoted to Sergeant in that corps before his discharge. While in the service he was actively engaged in the field with the Army of the James and Army of the Potomac. He was also in both engagements at Fort Fisher, first under General Butler and afterward under General Terry when the Fort was captured. Soon after his discharge from the army, in 1865, the doctor resumed his medical studies, and in March, 1868, received his diploma from the University of Pennsylvania. He then entered upon the practice of his profession in Gloucester County, New Jersey, where he remained until 1869, in which year he came to California and located in Nevada County. He remained there until the next year when he again entered the United States military service as an acting assistant surgeon, and was stationed in Alaska, first at Sitka and then at Tongas Island. The doctor remained in the medical department of

489

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

the United States army until 1874, and during that time was on duty in Oregon, Idaho, Ari- zona, and California. In the latter year he was appointed by the interior department as surgeon of the Colorado River Indian Reservation. He therefore resigned his position in the United States army and took up his residence upon that reservation where he remained until 1876, in which year he returned to Delaware and re- sumed the practice of his profession in civil life until 1878. He then entered the oil business in the oil regions of Pennsylvania. This ven- ture not proving as successful as he desired, lie abandoned the enterprise and accepted the situa- tion of surgeon of the Silver King mining com- pany in Penal County, Arizona, remaining there until 1884. In the latter year he came to So- noma County and located in the city of Sonoma, where he has since resided, engaged in the prac- tice of his profession. Being a graduate of one of the best medical colleges of the country and having had years of experience in the varied climes of the United States, the doctor has won the confidence and esteem of the community. He is one of the public spirited and progressive citizens, and is therefore a desirable acquisition to any community. He readily and promptly identifies himself with any enterprise that will tend to build up and develop the varied re- sources of his chosen valley. He is a member of Temple Lodge, No. 14, F. & A. M., and also of Sonoma Lodge, No. 28, I. O. O. F. In political matters he is Republican. In 1887 Dr. Davis was united in marriage with Miss Natalie Hope, daughter of Valentine and Adelaide Hope, residents and pioneers of So- noma County.

ILLIAM HOWARD PEPPER, an old settler of Petaluma Township, and pro- prietor of the largest nursery in the county, was born in Dutchess County, New York, Jannary 14, 1824. The Peppers are of English descent. The parents of the subject of 90

this sketch, Michael and Mary (Gorham) Pep- per, were natives of Connecticut. They made their home in Fairfield County after their mar- riage. There three of their children were born. In 1822 or '23 they moved into Dutchess County, New York, the county adjoining over the State line, and made their home there about five years. They then moved to Clinton County, Ohio, where they resided two years, thence to Indiana, and a year later back to Clinton County, Ohio, where they made their home most of the time until 1840. After four or five other changes they finally located in Greene County where the old gentleman died in 1876, at the age of eighty- two years. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Pepper came to Petaluma where she died in November, 1888, in her ninety-second year. They reared a family of seven children, five'sons and two daughters, of whom three of the chil- dren are now living. W. II. Pepper, the sub- ject of this article, lived with his parents until his eighteenth or nineteenth year. He then en. tered a cabinet shop in Columbus, Ohio, where he was apprenticed to the trade which he fol- lowed there and in Louisville, Kentucky, until December, 1849. He then went to New York City and took passage for California on the last day of December, making the voyage around Cape Horn and landed in San Francisco on the 17th of June, 1850, being a little over five months and a half on the way. He went to Bullard's Bar on the North Yuba River, where he engaged in mining until the fall of 1851, when he went on to Oregon Creek about three miles from Bullard's Bar and, with his brother, G. B. Pepper, put up a saw-mill and engaged in the manufacture of lumber until the spring of 1858, when the mill took fire and burned down, all the stock of lumber be- ing destroyed. This incident, as he says, let him out of the business, so he came down to San Francisco in the summer, and in the fall of that year purchased and settled on his present place in Sonoma County. In the first place he bought 157 acres of a squatter's claim and an undivided interest in the Borjorques grant, and later ninety -

490

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

eight acres of the Roblar grant, making his es- tate at the present time 255 acres. There are about forty aeres devoted to the nursery, started by Mr. Pepper as soon as he came here, to which business he has devoted his careful attention ever since. It is the only nursery on this side of the bay that has been run continuously, and is the oldest and largest in the county. Mr. Pepper is a thorough hortienlturist, having gained his knowledge by many years of exper- ience and by constant application and experi- ments with almost every known tree and shrub. His orchard of sixty acres is one of the finest in this section. He makes a specialty of grow- ing cherries and plums, and also apples, pears and other choice fruits. Mr. Pepper was mar- ried in IS74 to Mrs. Phoebe Perry, whose maiden naine was Cooper, a native of Seneca County, New York, and who came to C'alifor- nia in 1863. They have one daughter, Hattie May Perry, wife of W. L. Parent, of San Fran- cisco.

OL. JAMES A. HARDIN is a represenat- tive of the best type of the American business man. Like most men who achieve distinction in their respective callings, he started in life with but little capital save a fine physical organization and an active well poised brain. He was born in the State of Ken- tncky, September 2, 1830, and was the fourth of a large family of children, eight of whom (three sons and five daughters) are still living. His parents, Henry Hardin and Mary (Phillips) Har- din, were also natives of the Blue Grass State. In 1839 they moved to Missouri, and resided there nntil 1853, when they emigrated to Cali- fornia and settled near Sebastopol in Sonoma County. There the remainder of their lives was passed, Mr. Hardin dying in 1859 at the age of fifty-eight years, and Mrs. Hardin in 1566, aged sixty-three years. The subject of this memoir crossed the plains with his parents, being then a young man of twenty-three years, and the

same year started in the cattle business with a few hundred dollars capital; and from that to the present has been actively and extensively engaged in raising live stock. In early years his ranch interests were confined to Sonoma County, but in the rapid expansion of the bnsi- ness under his masterly management they ex- tended into other counties and finally into other States. While there is quite enough in such a great growing business to occupy the mind and energies of an ordinary man, such was not the case with Colonel Ilardin. In 1859 he opened a store in Petaluma, with a combined stock of groceries and staple dry goods. Two years later he took in Mr. 1. W. Riley as a partner, and they enlarged the stock so as to embrace general merchandise. Soon after the firm began to establish stores in other towns, and for some years they owned and conducted a number of mercantile houses in as many towns in Sonoma and adjacent counties. The firm of Hardin & Riley continued merchandising until 1850, when they sold out and discontinued that branch of business. In 1870 Mr. Riley became a part- ner with Colonel Ilardin in a portion of his already extensive ranch property, which rela- tion still continues. Mr. Riley not being a practical stockman, Colonel Hardin has always had active supervision and control of their vast and expanding business, which he has handled with such phenomenal success that they now own great ranges in California, Nevada and Oregon, number their herds and flocks by the tens of thousands, and rank among the - Cattle Kings" of the Pacific slope. Besides their joint property, Colonel Hardin owns a large ranch in Mendocino County, which has until recently been stocked with sheep, but is now occupied by cattle chiefly. During the thirty- five years of his ranching life in developing and managing this gigantic business, which places Hardin & Riley in the front rank among the wealthy five-stock firms this side of the Rocky Mountains, Colonel Hardin has not only dem- onstrated his thorough knowledge of stock- raising, but has exhibited those rare powers of

491

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

inind possessed by recognized leaders of men, the founders of great enterprises and the ehar- acters which shape the events of their time. Sueh men wear nature's stamp of superiority and leave the impress of their extraordinary in- dividuality upon whatever they come in contact with. In his more than third of a century of experience as a stockman, Mr. Hardin has per- formed labor and endured hardships which few men could undergo. In 1857 he went East and brought a drove of cattle across the plains from Missouri. In 1866 he took a drove of horses and cattle across the country to Helena, Mon- tana, spent the summer there disposing of them, and in the fall went by steamer from Fort Ben- ton down the Missouri River, to St. Joseph, Missouri, consuming a month en route. Being joined there by his family, they went by rail to New York and thence took passage by steam- ship to California via the Isthmus of Panama. In the years 1870, 1871 and 1872 Colonel Har- din took droves of cattle overland from Texas to Nevada. He has crossed the plains six times with droves of cattle; has made six round trips across the continent by rail, and has been in peril on both land and sea, in railroad wrecks and shipwrecks. In the winter of 1854-'55 he sailed from San Francisco on board the steamer Southerner, Captain F. A. Samson in charge, for Portland, Oregon. On their way up a heavy storm struck them off the coast of Oregon and so seriously damaged the vessel that she sprung a leak of such magnitude as to require constant and vigorous use of the pumps and bail- ing of water to keep her afloat. After forty- eight hours of incessant effort it became evident that the vessel would go down, and the passengers and crew, consisting of forty-five men, five women and three children were com pelled to take the life-boats, with such few ar- ticles of provision as they could hastily gather and carry with them. On the 26th of Decem- ber they landed near Cape Flattery at the mouth of the Quineote River, and there on that bleak shore, in the midst of hostile Indians, with no shelter to protect them from the fury of the

elements during the almost continuous storins of December and Jannary, and subsisting on quarter rations, they remained twenty-seven days, waiting and watching for deliverance. The terrible suffering of body and anguish of mind that shipwrecked band endured during those three weeks of exposure to the mid-win- ter storins-hoping and despairing, tortured day and night by the grim specter of death by starvation -- are beyond the power of tongue or pen to portray. Finally, when the last meager ration had been issued and eaten, their vigilant watch for a passing vessel was rewarded. One was siglited and in response to their signal of distress sent her relief-boats and took them on board. It proved to be the old Major Tomp- kins which rendered them such timely succor. The party landed at Olympia, and from there were obliged to travel through a wilderness country about seventy miles to the Cowlitz River, which they descended in small boats te its confluence with the Columbia. Colonel Har- din was the first to reach the river and impart the glad news of their rescue, as it was supposed that all on board the ill-fated Southerner had perished with her. Another instance of the almost miraculous escape of Colonel Hardin from death occurred on his last birthday, Sep- tember 2, 1888, on the Central Pacific Railroad at Cisco. Ile was riding in the caboose at- tached to a train of twenty cars loaded with the firm's cattle, coming down from their ranch in Nevada; his train had just come to a stop after passing through the tunnel, preparatory to side-tracking, when a heavy freight train came dashing through the tunnel at full speed and crashed into the caboose. The engine struek with such terrific foree that it literally erushed the caboose in which he was riding and plowed half its length into the car filled with cattle in front of it. Some articles of clothing of the train men which were lying on the seat opposite to that occupied by Hardin were torn to shreds. The concussion was so great that Mr. Hardin, who weighs about 200 pounds, was raised bodily from his position in the caboose

492

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

and hurled many feet, landing in the front end of the car forward among the eattle. While very much stunned by the shock. he retained sufficient consciousness to realize his perilous situation under the frantic animals' feet, and dropping through a hole broken in the side of the car he was hurriedly picked up in a state of partial syneope just in time to save him from being erushed to death by the escaping eattle. Upon examination of his injuries it was found that he was suffering from a dislocation of the wrist, several painful bruises and contusions, some of which were made by the cattle's feet, and a severe wrenching of his shoulder and spine. These were only sufficient to curb his irrepressible energies for a few weeks, when he again assumed charge of his own and the firm's business interests. Two years after coming to this El Dorado of the Occident, in 1555, Mr. IIardin returned to Missouri, and was there united in marriage with Miss Nannie C. Myers, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, born in 1834. Her father and mother, Charles and Rebecca (Williams) Myers, were from Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. Five children, two sons and three daughters, comprise the family of Colonel and Mrs. Hardin, viz .: C. II. E. Ilar- din, Miss Eudora. Miss Jimella. Amos Riley Ilardin and Miss Ethel. (. 1I. E. Hardin was married in 1552 to Miss Ursula Mason, of San Francisco, and there have been born to them two children, a son and a daughter. Miss Jimella was married in 1887 to William J. Eardley, of Santa Rosa. The three unmarried children reside with their parents in the family home. Colonel Hardin has been during his whole life au earnest advocate of higher educa- tion and has extended to all his children the advantages of collegiate and university courses of study. He is now, and for many years past has been a member of the board of trustees of Pacifie Methodist College in Santa Rosa, and has materially aided its fortunes. not only by his advice but also by large contributions of his means. Colonel Hardin and family lived for fourteen years in Petaluma before removing to

Santa Rosa, sixteen years ago. Since settling in this eity he has built their elegant residence on Fifth and Beaver streets. It occupies a full block of richly ornamented grounds, and is one of the most charming residences in California. Everywhere within and without abound those ornaments that indicate the superior taste and eulture of its occupants and appeal to the sense of the beautiful. Spending much of his time in Nevada, as he does, looking after their great stoek interests, he is considered a citizen of that State, and was chosen one of the Presidential Electors for 1888 on the Democratic ticket. Owing to his conscientious regard for the rights and feelings of others, and his eonrteons gen- tlemanly manners. Colonel Hardin commands the respect and esteem of all who come in eon- taet with him either in business or social rela- tions. In his happy home and on the ranch he rules with the law of kindness.

ILLIAM McDONNELL, of Knight's Valley Township, one of the old settlers of Sonoma County, is a native of Mis- souri, born April 29, 1525, and son of Hamil- ton and Ann (Hunniford) McDonnell. Both parents were natives of Ireland, but they came to America when young, loeating in New York City. In 1816 they removed to a point in Mis- souri, thirty miles below St. Louis. They were there when Missouri was admitted to the Union as a State. In 1523 they returned to New York and there the father died. Ilis widow married for her seeond husband Robert N. Tate, and in 1839 the family removed to Illinois, loeating in Lee County, where the mother died in 1858. William Mc Donnell left home in 1844, going to Jo Daviess County, and was engaged at farm work and lead mining and smelting near Galena until 1846. Ile made an arrangement with a man named Kellogg, by which he and John Spitler were to drive Kellogg's teams across the plains half the time and were to have the other half to hunt or do as they pleased. They pro-

493

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

ceeded to a point fifteen miles below Independ- ence, in what was then the Indian Territory, and there a train of 500 wagons were gathered together, all under command of Judge Noran. After crossing the Blues, they found such a . large train to be unwieldy, and henee split up in smaller parties. Kellogg's outfit consisted of one mule team, two ox teams and three cov- ered wagons. They followed the Salt Lake ronte,. by Hastings cut-off after leaving Fort Bridger, and thence up Truckee River, striking the first California settlement at Johnson's rauch. Oregon had been the destination of most of those who gathered near Independence to make the trip aeross the plains, but Fremont sent back tidings of war with Mexico, and suggesting the probability of California being annexed to the United States, also advised them to go there, and the most of them therefore de- cided to change their route to California. On the way the provisions of Kellogg's party ran short and all hands were put on rations, this on account of having divided with Fowler's family. They proceeded to Sutter's Fort, and from there to Sonoma, where they arrived about the first of November. Mr. McDonnell at once enlisted in Fremont's Battalion, accompanying the eom- mand to Los Angeles, and serving all through that campaign. He was discharged after six months, at San Gabriel Mission, and returned overland on horseback, riding a pack-saddle up to Sonoma. He located near Bales' Mill, in Napa Valley, and in 1850 settled on the farm where he now resides. He at first made his living by hunting, and would send from ten to fifteen deer per week to San Francisco, being a good shot. He was married in 1849 to Miss Eleanor Graves, a native of Marshall County, Illinois, and daughter of Franklin Graves. The family were members of the ill-fated Donner party, and she lost both of her parents by death at Truckee during that terrible winter's experi- ence, which is familiar to readers throughout the entire country. The children, six sisters and two brothers, all got through, but one brother and a brother-in-law died from the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 72

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