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 73
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effects of their long suffering, shortly after arriv- ing at Sutter's Fort. Mrs. McDonnell was a child at the time, and was reared by the family of Reason Tucker. Mr. and Mrs. MeDonnel were the parents of ten children, of whom six are living, viz .: Ann, Charles, Mary, wife of L. D. Green, now living near Walnut Grove on Sacramento River; Henry, Nellie and Louisa. Mr. McDonnell is a Republican, politically, with prohibition proclivities. He east his first pres- idential vote for Fillmore. Though averse to office holding, he has served one term as justice of the peace. He is a steward and trustee of the Methodist church at Calistoga. In the early days in this county Mr. McDonnell often went as a guide to the Geysers, and made a trail there himself. He is the owner of a fine ranch of 1,200 acres. On this he is engaged in stock raising and usually winters from 700 to 800 head of sheep, sixty head of cattle, and sixteen or eighteen American and Clydesdale horses.
M ILTON Y. LUCE is a native of Vien- yard Haven, Massachusetts, born Octo- ber 11, 1848, his parents being Jiralı and Mary (Cottle) Luce. Ile was but fourteen years of age when the family came to Sonoma County, receiving his education at Healdsburg and San Francisco. Mr. Luce was married in this county, July 3, 1879, to Miss Lollie B. Monmonier. They have four children, viz .: Mary Elizabeth, Marguerite Yale, William Monmonier and Milton Amerton. Politically, Mr. Luce is a Republican. He is the owner of a fine ranch of 350 acres, on Russian River, three miles from Healdsburg, which is devoted to sheep and to the raising of fruit and alfalfa. Ile has nearly ten acres in fruit trees, ranging in age from two to fifteen years. The trees are peaches, plums, prunes, almonds, figs, etc. It is the intention of Mr. Luce to go into the fruit culture more extensively, and he will plant a number of acres in select varieties. He has
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nearly twenty-two acres in vines, about one- third of which range in age from fifteen to twenty years. The remainder are between two and five years of age. The vines are Zinfandel, Mataro, Sauvignon Vert, Chasselas, Riesling, Light Burgundy and Mission. In the culture of grapes he has been very successful and the vines are in good condition. There is a winery on the place, and it is the intention of Mr. Luce tomake his own grapes into wine. The storage capacity of the winery is 10,000 gallons. About fifteen acres of this ranch are devoted to alfalfa. which yields in three cuttings, over three tons per acre. After the third crop is ent the land is used as pasture for sheep. Five acres is his usual crop of corn, and thirty to sixty bushels to the acre is the average yield. He has abont 200 head of sheep, of the Merino stock, selling off the increase annually and marketing the wool at Healdsburg. The ranch, called Vineyard Haven, is well supplied with water by the Russian River, which almost surrounds it, and by never failing springs. Mrs. Luce was born in Baltimore, Maryland. and educated in New York and San Francisco, attending the high school. She is a daughter of William B. and Ellen (Lit- ton) Mommonier, the former of French parent, age, grandson of Viscount de Monmonier Descombecque. William B. Monmonier is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, born January 4, 1821. He followed the sea in early life, and in 1548 came to California, via Cape Horn, in command of a vessel. Ife went into business in San Francisco, but was burned out in one of the early fires. He was afterward in business at Downieville and again at Virginia City. Hc has also resided in Healdsburg, where he was in business, and still has property there. Since 1882 he has been in business in Tombstone. Arizona, but has lately returned to Sonoma County. He was married in Baltimore, April 15, 1>45. to Ellen M. Litton. They have five children as follows: Dr. Julius L., who is a well-known physician at Brooklyn, New York; William D., who is county clerk of Cochise County, Arizona; Thomas L., who is a resident
of Santa Barbara where he is in business; Mrs. Luce, and Eugenie, wife of Joseph Brown, a business man of Tombstone, Arizona.
ACOB E. DAVIDSON .- The subject of this sketch was one of the widely known and universally respected pioneers of Santa Rosa Township. We give a brief review of his useful life in presenting the following facts: He was born in Barren County, Kentucky in 1801, and was reared to a farm life, which voca- tion he ever afterward followed. Ilis education was very limited, as was common to the sons of Kentucky farmers in the early part of this cen- tury, but possessed of quick perceptive faculties and a retentive memory, he amply compensated for lack of youthful advantages. In his native State Mr. Davidson was united in marriage with Mary B. Winn, who was born in 1803. They emigrated to Hancock County. Illinois, in the pioneer days of 1835; the following year to Van Buren County, Iowa: in 1837 to Henry County. Missouri; a short time later to Jackson County, the same State; and from there made the long tedious overland journey to this State in 1552. He purchased 200 acres of choice land one mile west of Santa Rosa on the Sebas- topol road, and established what has ever since been known as the Davidson ranch, a property now owned by h's children. The reader will note that Mr. Davidson must have possessed largely those elements of which the true pioneer is made, for, before coming to this State as one of its early settlers, he had tried pioneer life in three of the western States, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. He reared a large family of children, all of whom became worthy members of society. His eldest son. Smith E. Davidson, lives at the old home. Of the other children, we record that Augustus W. is a resident of this county ; Anna P. is the wife of G. M. Sheldon of Jack- son County, Missouri; Jane E., wife of Joel Crane, has made her home on part of the old homestead: Walter A. returned to Missouri
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and died in the bloom of manhood; Christo- pher lives in Placer County: Susan C., wife of Robert Crane, lives in Santa Rosa Township; Mary L. is the wife of J. R. Williamson (see his biography); Amanda K. resides in the city of Santa Rosa; Alexander T. lives in Santa Rosa Township; Isabella I. is the wife of C. I). Frazee, of Santa Rosa. Mr. and Mrs. David- son lived to be fully ripe for the harvest and died full of the peace and hope of Christ, her death occurring May 29, 1883, and his Novem- ber 25, 1884. Both had been for years members of the Missionary Baptist church. Fondly is their memory cherished by a large family of children and children's children. Of them it may well be said, " Well done good and faithful servants."
AVID STEWART, deceased, an old set- tler of Sonoma County, and for many years an honored citizen of this commun- ity, was born in Blair Athole, Perthshire, Scot- land, August 8, 1825. He was a son of Daniel and Christie Stewart, and one of a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. One of the sons, Daniel Stewart, came to Cali- fornia in 1849, and was a resident of San Fran- cisco, where he died in 1864. Another son, Alexander Stewart, died in California in 1872, after a residence of two years. David Stewart was reared on his father's farm until he came to the United States. He was married on the 11th day of August, 1858, to Ann Shaw, who was also a native of the same locality, and immedi- ately afterward they sailed for this country. They landed in New York, where they were obliged to remain nine days, waiting for a steamer bound for Panama. They reached San Francisco thirty-five days from the time of leaving Glasgow. Mr. Stewart came direct to Sonoma County, and shortly after purchased the homestead place in Vallejo Township, con- sisting of 500 acres, where he afterward made his home. He was the father of six children,
as follows: Christie, wife of James McNabb, of San Francisco; John, who died in infaney; Daniel R., born February 21, 1865, engaged in the grocery business in l'etaluma; David. born August 6. 1568, died August 8, 1887; John. born November 6, 1870, died in infancy; John, born November 10, 1872. The death of Mr. Stewart occurred February 24, 1888. Ile at one time was a member of the county board of supervisors. A consistent and devoted member of the Presbyterian church, and an elder of the same, he was always found where duty caller, and was often associated in deeds of charity, and the influence of his kindness of heart and liber- ality in financial assistance was felt in many different ways. He was one of the prime movers and a liberal donater toward the building of the Presbyterian church in Petaluma, to which church he belonged. His efforts were so effi- cient, both as an elder and as a trustee, and his infinenee as a Christian gentleman so whole- some, that they ever kept him faithful to his friends, his family, his church and his God.
OHN HENRY BOWMAN .- Among the best known and most respected citizens of Sonoma County, was the gentleman, now deceased, whose name heads this sketeh. He was a native of Mansfield, Ohio, of which place his father had been one of the early settlers, locating there when the surrounding country was a wilderness. He came of a race of busi- ness people, and during his boyhood days his father and nnele were extensively engaged in mercantile affairs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When fourteen years of age he entered the establishment of his uncle at Uniontown, Penn- sylvania, and when, two years later, a branch house was established at Wapakoneta, Ohio, he was selected to take charge of it. In 1852 he came to California, via l'anama, and, locating in Sacramento, engaged in banking. There he and his brother-in-law, Judge Charles Bryan, were leading figures in commercial and professional
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circles. In 1856, having determined to change his location, he obtained a footing in the mer- cantile house of John Love, at Rich Bar, on Feather River, in which he soon became the principal owner, and was there interested until the decline of river mining. He then went to Marysville and purchased an interest in the Buckeye Mill, with which he was associated for ten years, at the expiration of which time he sold ont and removed to San Francisco. In 1875 he eame to Cloverdale, and was soon again deeply engrossed in business. He purchased an interest in the mercantile business which after his death was incorporated the Cloverdale Banking & Commercial Company; he also pur- ehased and operated a flour mill near the town, and invested largely in real estate, and gave his personal attention to the details of his business until shortly before his death. While in Marys- ville Mr. Bowman was married to Miss Frances Josephine Teegarden, daughter of Dr. Eli and Deborah (Carr) Teegarden, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the latter being of Quaker ori- gin. Her father came to California in 1849, locating in Marysville, where he remained a prominent factor in public, professional and social life until his death, in 1884. Ilis wife also died in Marysville. Dr. Teegarden served in the House of Representatives and Senate of California, and held the position of auditor in the land office. He was very prominent in Masonie circles, and was one of the oldest Knights Templar in California. After coming to Cloverdale, Mr. Bowman improved the bean- tiful place known as "Glen Eyre," the present family residence. Here he died October 26, 1882. In his death the community suffered an irreparable loss, as his great business energy and ability were accomplishing much in the way of the development and prosperity of Cloverdale. He enjoyed, in a marked degree, the confidence and respect of all with whom he came in con- tact. In politics he had always been a staunchi Republican. He was a member of the 1. O. O. F., and took an active interest in the welfare of the order. Mrs. Bowman now gives her atten-
tion to her property and business interests, she being a member and director of the Cloverdale Banking & Commercial Company. She has three children, Ilettie Prescott, Jolin Perey and Robert Braeding.
MITH E. DAVIDSON, the eldest son of Jacob E. Davidson, was born in Barren County, Kentucky, February 17, 1822. In 1850, two years prior to the coming of his parents, in company with two younger brothers, Augustus W. and Walter A., he came across the plains with ox teams to this State. In part- nership the three brothers engaged in mining on Feather River, at Rieh Gulch, and in Shasta County, keeping at this occupation until 1852, when all engaged in farming and stoek-raising in this county. Having advice of the coming of his parents and other members of the family, the subject of this sketch met them on the plains near Carson River. His brothers later joined the family and all came on to Santa Rosa together. Many years Smith E. Davidson lived with his parents, and at this writing oecu- pies the old homestead. Honorable and true in all dealings with his fellow man, he deservedly bears a worthy name.
S OLDATE & GIACOMINI, proprietors of the American Hotel. Mr. Joseph A. Soldate was born in the city of Brontallo, Canton of Ticino, Switzerland, in 1846. He came to California in 1862, and for a time worked on a farm in Marin County. It was not to be, however, that he should waste his abilities in tilling the soil or in watching after the inter- ests of a dairy ranch. It is a truth that the successful hotel-keeper is born and not made, and Joe Soldate is a visible proof of this fact. For the fifteen years and over that he has been the proprietor of a house, he has kept his place the most popular in town. For ten years he
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conducted the Washington Hotel in this city. Those were in its palmy days. He has now carried on the American for four years and has raised it to a high state of favor with the travel- ing public. Ile is affable and courteous-you can't make him mad-but he knows his busi- ness and can be firm and decided. He is still an unmarried man. Mr. M. Giacomini, who is associated with Mr. Soldate in the proprietor- ship of the American Hotel, is like him a native of Brontallo, Ticino, Switzerland, and as a popular and successful hotel man comes only second to Mr. Soldate. Ile was born in 1852, came to California in 1867, and after engaging for some time in the dairy business was with Mr. Soldate in the Washington Hotel until the change was made to the American, when he be- came a partner. He is also an unmarried man. Messrs. Soldate & Giacomini are among the best instances that can be brought forward of the best type of our foreign born citizens, and are thorough Americans in all but birth. Their native Canton of Ticino has furnished to Cali- fornia some of her most industrious and pro- gressive citizens, men who do honor both to the land of their birth and their adoption.
ACOB GUNDLACHI .- One of the finest vine growing sections of Sonoma Valley is found in the foot-hills east of Sonoma. As one drives in that direction he is particularly struck with the magnificent vineyards that cover the slopes of the hills, and also with the evi- dences of the capital and energy that has been expended in the erection of magnificent wine- ries, beautiful residences, etc. One of the most noticeable of these is the " Rhine Farm," owned by the above named gentleman. This farm, rich and productive in its character, is located two miles east of Sonoma, upon the foot-hills sloping to the south and west. The 200 acres comprising the farm arc all under cultivation, and, with the exception of a small orchard, is devoted to the growing of wine grapes of the
most approved varieties. The product of this vineyard is manufactured into wine in the large winery upon the place, which has a capacity of 150,000 gallons. This winery was erected without regard to cost; the great object sought and obtained was the fitting it up with the' most approved applianees for the production of pure wines. A distillery of the same order is also attached to the winery, where the choicest of grape brandy is distilled. The wines, etc., of this vineyard are disposed of by Mr. Gundlach through his extensive wine house in San Fran- cisco, the well known wine vaults of J. Gundlach & Co. Mr. Gundlach established the " Rhine Farm " in connection with Emil Dresel in 1858, it comprising at that time about 400 acres. This splendid tract is divided as follows: 200 acres to Z. Gundlach; 108 acres to Julius Dresel, and 110 acres to Henry Winkle. Mr. Gundlach is a native of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born in 1818. Ilis father, Jacob Gundlach, was a proprietor of a hotel and a wine grower, and the subject of this sketch was early in life placed in the establishment of his father, where he learned the trade and business in all its details. This calling he followed until 1849, in which year he started on a German bark, the Emmy, on a voyage around Cape Horn for California. This voyage was attended with shipwreck and disaster. The vessel was wrecked on the coast of Brazil, and Mr. Gund- lach finally reached San Francisco, via Rio de Janeiro, in 1850, upon a British vessel. Upon his arrival in that city he established himself a brewery by the building and conducting of the well-known Bavaria brewery. This is now the oldest brewery in that city, and its beer has ever been a favorite with the San Francisco public. Success attended Mr. Gundlach in his enterprise, and in 1858 he began the cultiva- tion of grapes and the manufacture of wine, and about the same time established the wine house before noted. Since that time he has been largely identified with the wine industry of California, also having a large branch house in New York City. In 1858 Mr. Gundlach re-
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turned to Germany, and while there married Miss Eva Hoffinan, a native of that country, From this marriage there are seven children living, viz .: Francisco, who married Charles Bundschu, Mr. Gundlach's partner in the firm of J. Gundlach & Co .; Carl, who is at their branch house in New York; Rosa, Freda, Eva, Bertha, and Harry, all members of his family, who reside in San Francisco. Mr. Gundlach, although a resident and large property owner in San Francisco, still has a deep interest in the prosperity and growth of Sonoma County. He is one of those large minded and publie-spirited men who are not confined to a town or city; hence any enterprise that tends to develop the industries of Sonoma is sure of a supporter in him.
M ISS MARTHA E. CHASE, principal of the Santa Rosa Seminary, who ranks among the most enterprising and suc- cessful educators of California, is a Vermont lady by nativity. She is a graduate of Miss Aikin's Seminary at Stamford, Conncetient, and studied a year and a half in Europe, where she had a special training in music. The seminary of which she is the real founder and the honored head, was first opened for pupils in 1875, by Mrs. E. E. Pollok, who started in a very modest way, with only two boarding pupils and a few day pupils, making twelve in all the first term. Mrs. Pollok struggled along under very trying circumstances a few months when her health broke down, and in August, 1876, Miss Chase came at her solicitation to be assistant in the school work. In December of that year Mrs. Pollok died, and the entire burden of the responsi- bility of continuing and building up a prosper- ous institution of learning devolved upon Miss Chase. She assumed the task with that will, energy and ability which insure success. Under her efficient instructions and management the school's growth in popularity and attendance soon made it necessary to secure larger and bet- ter quarters. In June, 1877, she moved to the
present location of the seminary on the corner of College avenue and Beaver street. That year her sister Ada, a graduate of Mount Holyoke Seminary, became associated with her, and continued associate principal until 1883; and in 1878 Mrs. C. II. Dane, another sister, joined them and remained about five years. In 1880 the Misses Chase bought an adjoining lot and erected a new building at a cost of $1,700, which has since been enlarged. In 1886 Miss Chase purchased the corner property and ex- pended $2,300 in enlarging and repairing the building. The buildings now have a capacity for fifty-five to sixty pupils, are commodious and pleasantly arranged, and appropriately fur- nished. The grounds about them are decorated with trees, shrubs, and flowering plants, and the whole premises are beautiful and homelike. The curriculum of study embraces a complete seminary course, including the Latin, French, and German languages, the sciences, and thorough instruction in music, together with special training in deportment and morals. The academic course embraces four years. Chris- tianity is made a feature of the school-room, the aim being to educate both head and heart, and develop a fully rounded character. Pupils are instructed in the primary branches also, being received either as boarding or day pupils. The department of music is in charge of Miss Chase, who is a very accomplished musician and profi- cient teacher, giving pupils superior advantages in this branch of learning. Her assistant prin- cipal, Miss Alice E. Pratt, graduated from the State University of California in 1881. Two years later she was employed as teacher in Santa Rosa Seminary, and has proved herself an in- structor of marked ability. The primary de- partment has been in charge of most efficient teachers, among them Miss L. B. Cahoon, Miss J. E. Thomas, and Miss Rachel Holmes. There are five resident teachers in the institution, not ineluding the teachers in French and German, who reside outside the school . With this divi- sion of labor, and classes of convenient size, special opportunities are afforded pupils for
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thorougliness in every branch of study. The pure, moral atmosphere and wholesome home life of this flourishing school are among the most valuable of its numerous advantages in moulding characters for usefulness and honor in after life. The Santa Rosa Seminary is an cdu- cational blessing to the city and community. and an honor to its cultured and enterprising founder and principal.
AVID WALLS was born in Lincolnshire, Scotland, December 15, 1840, son of William and Grace (Hoyte) Walls. In 1843 the family emigrated to the United States, and settled in Oakland County, Michigan, where the head of the family took up eighty acres of government land. and made that his home until his death in 1872. His wife died in 1880, and was the mother of thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters, of whom all but one son lived to be grown. David Walls is the only member of the family residing in this State. He lived on the home place in Oakland County, near the town of Pontiac until 1860, when ho proceeded to New York and sailed from that city December 20th, for California, and arrived in San Francisco January 20th of the following year. He immediately went up into the moun- tains in Nevada County and engaged in Placer mining, meeting with good success on the whole, but like the most of miners, luck varied at different intervals although some days he took out as high as $60 and $70, remaining in that locality until 1866. In that year he went back to Michigan, leaving San Francisco in March and arriving at his destination the fol- lowing month. In August of the same year he again started for this State and landed in San Francisco on the 12th of September. He re- turned to the mountains in Nevada County, and remained there until February, 1867, when he went to San Francisco, and on the 18th day of March hired out to the Contra Costa Steam Navigation Company, stationed at the com-
pany's wharf at Ilaystack, just below l'etaluma, on the creek. He remained there in their em- ploy about four years, when he quit this posi- tion and bought out the livery stable of II. B. Hasbrouck, which business he conducted about six months, then selling it back to Mr. Has- brouck. He next went to Donahue, and for six months had charge of the railroad company's wharf at that point. From there he returned to Hay-stack and took charge of the steam boat com- pany's ranch and acted as their agent, which position, although the business since then has had several changes in owners, he has held without intermission up to the present time. In 1883 he bought the Ilaystack ranch, consisting of 156 acres of upland and about eighty acres of marsh land. There is a fine orchard on the place, which was set out fifteen years ago, and consists of pears, apples, plunis, etc. In 1886 there were four and a half acres set out to Bart- lett pears which, when they come into bearing, will make a valuable acquisition to the place. Mr. Walls is largely engaged in dairying and stock-raising, his market being principally San Francisco, where he receives the highest cash prices for his produce. He is a member of no less than seven different societies, all of Peta- luma. The first order that he joined, however, was the Odd Fellows, in Grass Valley, in 1865. Mr. Walls was married in 1873 to Mary Don- nelly, a l'etaluma girl, daughter of Thomas Donnelly. She died in February, 1857, leaving three children: Grace, Charles B. and James A. He was again united in marriage January 30, 1988, to Mrs. Alma R. Hyres, daughter of Freman Parker, an old settler of this county.
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