USA > California > El Dorado County > Historical souvenir of El Dorado County, California : with illustrations and biographical setches of its prominent men & pioneers > Part 47
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WILLIAM HENRY NEWELL
Was born in the town of Farmington, in Hartford county, Conn., March 13th, 1831: he was the third Son and seventh child of Roger Shelden and Naomi
Newell, nee Hawley. His grandfather, Simeon New- ell, was an enlisting officer in the Revolutionary war, and they are all lineal descendants of one Thomas Newell, who settled in the town of Southington, came in very early times. His mother was a daughter of Asa Hawley, and born in Farmington also.
William H. spent his minority in securing an edu- cation and at various kinds of labor in New England.
In November, 185t, he sailed from New York via the Panama route to San Francisco, where he ar- rived about January ist, 1852, and proceeded at once to Coloma and from there to Columbia Flat and engaged in mining. During the years 1856-7 he had charge of the ditch from Georgetown to the head waters. In 1859 he went north to the head waters of Trinity river, returning from there he sailed for the Atlantic States in May, 1860. At the break- ing out of the war he enlisted in a Hartford rifle company, but on account of ill health was discharged and returned to California in 1861. From this time on he was active in the developing of mines in his district; he located what was known as the Newell Ledge, on which he erected a 20-stamp mill. He and Robert Doran located the famous St. Lawrence, on which they sunk a shaft and run a tunnel 400 feet before selling it to Isaac Bateman, Esq., who after- wards disposed of it to an English company for one half million dollars. In 1870 he visited the East, and again returned to the Pacific coast in 1872, and engaged in mining, running quartz mills, etc. He finally concluded to provide a more permanent home for declining years and purchased from David Martin the farm he now owns, one of the oldest settled in the county, and on which there is a valuable mine, in connection with good agricultural and fruit growing lands. He has been a permanent resident of Col- umbia Flat since 1872 and a greater part of the time has acted as mining recorder for his district, and for some time was Master of the Grange at Garden val- ley. He was married January 31st, 1875, to Celia Richardson Cole, a daughter of William and Fannie Frink Richardson; she was born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York ; she was educated in Blooming- ton, Illinois, and came to California in June, 1871. Her father was a native of Massachusetts, where he was born on the 30th of May, 1786, and her mother February 3d, 1795. They reared a family of eight chil- dren to years of maturity. Her father served in the war of 1812 ; he died January 27th, 1871, and her mother died October 28th, 1874, at Georgetown, California. Her brothers George, John and James, were old Californians, and mined in El Dorado county early in the fifties. John is now one of the influential and wealthy men of Sacramento.
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
The Indian name of Columbia Flat, where Mr. and Mrs. Newell reside, was Po-no-chitta-toma, meaning moon flat, and the name of the post office is St. Lawrence. Mr. Newell has acted as Justice of the Peace for several years.
WM. D. OTHICK,
One of the early settlers in El Dorado county, was born in the town of Wolcottville, Litchfield county, Conn., February 15, 1820. Is a son of John and Harriett (nee Platt) Othick. On his mother's side his ancestors were of English origin, and Revolutionary stock. His father was a woolen manufacturer, and W. D., the subject of our sketch, worked in the factory un- til he was 20 years of age, when he learned carriage making.
In 1851 he removed to California, coming via the Isthmus. He located at Kelsey the same year and engaged in mining, in 1852 he moved to Coloma, and for a number of years has been engaged in mining ; has taken out as much as $1,500 in one day and from $15,000 to $30,000 per annum for three years.
In 1856 he settled on his present home and began improving slowly. Has now about 400 apple, 700 peach, 50 pear and 200 plum trees, together with about 11,000 vines, and he makes from 5 to 10 thou- sand gallons of wine annually; has 92 acres of land in his farm. In 1852 he kept a store in Coloma, and in 1854 had a stage line between Coloma and Auburn, charging $6,00 fare for each passenger, while in the store he sold flour as high as $45.00 per hundred pounds ..
Was married in 1858 to Mary Quinn, daughter of John and Mary Quinn. Mrs. Othick was born in the county Down, Ireland, December 23, 1833.
There have been born ,to them six children, viz: Mary E., born in San Francisco, and died when about six weeks old; Gertrude, born Aug. 9, 1861; Geor- giana, born January 29, 1862, died July 18, 1879; Leonora, born Nov. 22, 1862; Harriett, born Sept. 31, 1865, and William D., born January 16, 1871. Mr. Othick is a member of " Acacia Lodge, No. 92, F. and A. M., at Coloma."
JOHN PRICE.
John Price, of Coloma, was born in Burlington, Ver- mont, in 1831. He came to California via the Panama route in 1850, and went to the mines in Stanislaus county. After a short time he returned to San Francisco and again to the mines. During the years '52 and a portion of '53, he was clerking in a grocery store in Sacramento. In July, 1853, he went to Coloma, and mining a short time, engaged in clerk- ing for Robert Bell in 1868. He purchased the business and has since been engaged in general merchandis-
ing, a trade that he has been trained to from boyhood. He is now Postmaster at Colomna. Mr. Price is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Coloma, of which he has been Secretary for many years. Was married to a daughter of John Teuscher, an old time Cali- fornian.
WILLIAM. E. RIEBSAM,
Of the firm of Riebsam and Adams, of Latrobe, came to California in 1852, from the town of Muncy, in the beautiful Susquehanna Valley of Lycoming county, Penn.
Phillip Riebsam, his father, was a native of Ger- many, and came to Muncy in an early day and was engaged in merchandising. His mother was Sarah Riebsam, and born in the State of New Jersey. William was born in Lycoming county in 1829. When he had arrived at years of maturity he engaged as his father's successor in the mercantile husiness in Muncy. In 1852 he closed up his business there and crossed the plains to California. After following the mines for about two years, he engaged in selling goods at Spanish Camp in company with James H. Miller. In 1864 he removed to Latrobe, and en- gaged in business with A. J. Adams; the firms are still in business, carrying a large and varied stock of merchandise. Previous to the year 1866, he was en- gaged in the stock business with J. H. Miller. He served one term as Supervisor of the county, is a member of Latrobe Lodge, No. 189, of which he is a Past Master. Married in 1859 to Sarah Hitchcock, a native of Ohio, to them have been born six children, Eurena and Ella, who were twins; Henrietta E., Charles H., Mary Elizabeth and Ada V. The first three were born in Spanish Camp and the others at Latrobe. Mr. Riebsam is a thorough business man, and as such has been successful.
LEWIS T. STROUP.
The subject of this brief notice was a son of Uriah and Sarah Stroup. The former was born in the State of Delaware and the latter in Pennsylvania. Lewis first saw the light of day at Newcastle, on the banks of the proud old Delaware, July 16th, 1812. His boyhood days were spent in attending public school and at work on his father's farm. On the 17th day of November, 1853, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Dixon, who was also a native of Delaware, and a daughter of Thomas D. and Margaret (nee Ocheltree.) They resided at Christianna, Delaware, until 1856, when they sailed via Panama to Cali- fornia. After a few months spent in San Francisco, Mr. Stroup located his family at Sacramento, and he began mining at Red Bank on the South Fork of the American river ; after accumulating some funds, he
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BIOGRAPHY.
purchased the place where his family now resides, and began laying the foundation for a future home. The residence had been erected by Mr. Jenkins in 1854, but was in an entirely unfinished condition. Very little was to be seen about the place attesting the labor of the husbandman. A small vineyard was soon planted by Mr. Stroup, shade trees provided, and from time to time, as circumstances would per- mit, improvements were made, and it is now one of the most cheerful and pleasant homes in Salmon Falls township. There are from 50 to 60 acres of land, about 30 of which is in vineyard.
The family consists of five children, Harry, born May 13th, 1855, in Christiana, Delaware, and is in business at Plainfield, California. Katie was born August 24th, 1857, at Red Bank, California ; Uriah was born March 5th, 1864; Thomas D., born Feb- ruary 14th, 1866 ; and Fannie E., born March 17th, 1870. Mr. Stroup died September 21st, 1881, having attained his three score years and ten ; was an Odd Fellow, and a man much esteemed as a generous, good man, a fond parent and kind husband, a friend to all and respected by all.
HIRAM STODDARD
Was the first son and second child of Avery and Lucy Stoddard, who were natives of Maine, where Hiram was born, on May 12th, 1830. When 7 years old his parents died and he was left to battle for himself. As soon as old enough he went to learn the shoemaking trade; this done he learned to be a moulder in a foundry; he spent two years at each trade. On the 5th of March, 1852, he sailed by way of Cape Horn to California, where he arrived on July, 25th. He moved on to Murderer's Bar and began river mining. In 1853 followed the same at Oregon Bar, and in 1854 he again mined on the river, having farmed in 1853, In 1856 he farmed on land owned by Mr. Harris. In 1857, in company with John Simington, located his present home. He soon bought his partner out and owned and worked the farm alone. He was married April 4, 1867, to Mrs. Margaret F. Hughes. They have two sons, Hewny N., born Oct. 27, 1868 and Avery P., born Nov. 8, 1872. Mrs. Stoddard had two sons by first marriage, viz .: Frank E., born at Williamsburg, Maine, Oct. 15, 1852; Charles W., born on Manhattan Creek, Cal., August 23, 1854, both married.
A sad accident with some farming machinery in midsummer, 1883, ended the life of Hiram Stoddard. mourned by his many friends and relatives.
JOSIAH HAMILTON LANGDON TUCK.
The subject of this brief mention was one of the first to reach the Pacific Coast, after the discovery of
gold had been announced to the world. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama and arrived in San Francisco in January, 1849, and was at Auburn, in Placer county, in February of the same year. He was born in the State of New Hampshire in 1825. Was educated at Hanover and graduated as a geologist. Except one year engaged in the wool trade, he has been very ac- tively engaged in developing and selling mines. Has made 49 trips across the continent in the interest of mining corporations and effected the sale of 39 differ- ent mines. He has erected 10 different quartz mills and is now, in company with his son Fred, operating Orofino gold quartz mine, on which he has the most complete mill in the county, fully equipped with the air compresser, power drills, eight batteries, seven con- centrators, White's revolving furnace pans and settlers, together with a complete assaying and smelting outfit, all located on a 40 foot ledge, on which there is a double compartment shaft and all run by water power, with 360 feet pressure.
Mr. Tuck was married in 1835 to Lucy A. Cutler, a native of Vermont. To them have been born 8 children, 5 of whom are yet living. Frank H. is Supt. of mines, Mary E., now Mrs. Charles Miller, of Saint Charles, Ills., Clanon T., a boot and shoe man- ufacturer in N. H., Fred B., Supt. of Orofino mines, and Kittie, now Mrs. Dr. G. H. Beach, of Los An- geles. In addition to his various mining interests he has one of the finest almond orchards in California, located near San Jose.
His father was Col. Edward Tuck, who commanded the Fourth Regiment of New Hampshire troops in the war of 1812, and his mother was Mary Warren, a rel- ative of General Warren, who fell in the battle of Bunker Hill.
WILLIAM H. VALENTINE,
of Coloma Valley, was born in Queen's county, New York, December 19, 1830. His father was Obadiah Valentine.
William's boyhood days were devoted to obtaining what he could of an education in the common schools of that day, and in learning the machinist's trade. In 1849 he, in company with others, built a ship and sailed via Cape Horn from New York to San Francisco, leaving the former in August, 1849, and arriving in San Francisco in January, 1850. He went to Nevada City, then a village of but three houses, and engaged in mining. In 1851 he came to El Dorado county and was one of a company to build the first ditch in the county, called " Uniontown and Michigan flat ditch. In 1850 he had assisted in the erection of one in Placer county.
For a number of years he was engaged in mining and
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ditching. In 1857 he located in his present home, and in 1859 began improving it ; there is now about 4,000 fruit trees on the place and 4,000 grape vines. In 1856 he was married to Laura J. Cromwell. There are three children living and one deceased, Layton W., Louis H. and Carlton O., are living and Jennie A. died when four years old.
GERGET MENSEN WUBBENA
Was born in Hanover, Germany, on the 3d day of November, 1823. He is a son of Nicholas Wubke, (nee Remmens) who were also Hanoverians from the Province of Friesland, a proud people, who fought long and valiantly for their country's freedom.
When 14 years, the sea had its charms for young Wubbena, and he went as a sailor boy. He followed the water for 13 years. In 1850 he was on a Holland ship in the East Indies, and decided to come to California. For five years he was engaged in various pursuits, a short time on the ship Persia, then in the mines. and after a season of stage driving, bought the squatter's title to his present home, in 1853, and began improving it. It has been changed in a few years from a brushy waste to a fertile farm, on which there grows about 15,000 grape vines, and over 300 fruit trees. The farm was taken up in 18'50 by McDowell, and was and is yet, known as McDowell Hill. On the 14th day of May, 1854, he was married to Miss Christiana Fritz, a native of Wurtemburg. They have had seven children, Charles W., Nicholas G., William F., Rosa K., Lena W., Emma F. and Henry, who died in infancy. Mr. Wubbena has about 700 acres of land, and in addition to making wine and brandy raises cattle and horses.
ANDREW JACKSON ADAMS,
The business partner of Mr. Riebsam, is a son of Henry and Sarah (nee Mills) Adams, of Bedford coun- ty, Pennsylvania, where he was born on the 8th day of December, 1830. His father was a contractor and builder, and also owned a farm on which Andrew was engaged until in 1852 he crossed the plains to Cali- fornia. From the time of his coming to California in 1852 to 1864, he was engaged in mining. In 1864, he bought into the business at Latrobe. Was married July 4, 1865, to Miss Dennis, a daughter of James Dennis, of Sutter Creek. The union is blessed with three children, viz: Laura E., Charles Francis, and Claude M., all born at Latrobe. At an early day his parents removed to Ohio, and in 1846 to Wisconsin, where his father served in both houses of the State Legisla- ture and was one of the presidential electors.
THOMAS ALLEN
Is a son of John and Ann Allen, and was born in
Cork, Ireland, June 2, 1812. After receiving his ed- ucation he went to learn the carpentering and boat- building trades, which he followed for many years. In 1833 -- 4, he removed from his native country with his parents, who settled in Canada. In 1849 Thos. be- gan boating on the Erie Canal. In 1853 he gave that up, and sailed via the Isthmus of Panama to Cali- fornia in 1854. He settled at Kelsey, and engaged in mining until 1859. During this year he returned to the East intending to remain, but was taken ill and had to return to California's healthful, life giving climate. He then took up his permanent abode at Kelsey, where he yet resides.
He was married in 1842, lost his wife in 1853, and has ever since remained a widower. Is now engaged in business at Kelsey, is widely known in the county, and always the same genial, courteous gentleman.
JAMES ASKEW
Was born on June 23, 1831, near Wakefield, York- shire, England. His parents were Christian, and Ann Askew. Here young James had to attend school until he was 12 years of age, when his father required his help on the tow path on the canals, where he worked faithfully for the nxet five years. But when about 17 years old he quitted this kind of work and for four years he went as a mate on a canal boat. The desire to see other countries drew him away from home; on the first of January, 1853, he left his native town to go to America, taking passage on board the ship Ellen Maria, from Liverpool to New Orleans, where he arrived on March 7th, and after a short stay of two days concluded to go to St. Louis, where he was married on the 3d of April, same year, to Jane Lodge. There was no stop at St. Louis for the young married pair however; with a view to go to California they took up the travel again by the way of Keokuk to Kanesville, where they attached themselves to a party of 40 wagons to go across the plains. A heavy snow storm, which was encountered after passing the South Pass, brought great loss to the party, so that they reached Salt Lake City, on October 9th, quite destitute and nearly starved. The advanced season did not allow them to continue with the journey and they concluded to stop here till the next spring. For James Askew, however, this expected next spring did not comebefore the yearof 1857, when he became able to start with his family for California, on March 20th. Being the first train which crossed the Sierra Nevada mountains that season, they had to shovel their way through the snow on the summit, but reached Mud Spring (El Dorado) on the 4th of June. From here Askew went on to Latrobe, where he first engaged in mining together with one called 'Uncle John,' but not
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BIOGRAPHY.
finding the fortune he had expected, returned to El Dorado, where he engaged alternately in teaming for the mines and mining for himself until 1861, when he bought a ranch one mile from El Dorado, the same he is residing on still. He made this a dairy ranch, sup- plying the town people with milk, but kept on mining and teaming. Not quite satisfied with his location he traveled in 1865 and '66 over the greater part of the State, with the purpose to hunt up a better place to settle on, but always returned home convinced that he could not find anything better, and commenced to improve what he had got. He first directed his at- tention to his stock, which had to be improved for dairying purposes, and he bought a bull calf, Gen- Grant, and three heifers, all of the best Jersey breed, from direct imported stock. These were the first Jerseys brought in the county and he took all the premiums for Jerseys at the County Fair, and one premium at the State Fair, in 1870, and in 1871 took three more premiums at the State and County Fairs on the same stock. He also took the first premiums for best roll and firkin butter at the County Fair since 1878, as well as at the State Fair since 1879. He introduced the first carp in the county, keeping them for breeding; for which purpose he has two large ponds covering about one acre of ground. Mr. Askew's marriage was blessed with seven children, two girls and five sons, viz: Emily Jane, born August 7, 1855, at Salt Lake City, died; James Henry, born at Ogden, November 11, 1856; John Edward, born at Mud Springs, September 29, 1858; Walter Lodge, born August r, 1860, drowned in a mining ditch August 2, 1862; George William, born January 23, 1863; Her- bert, born August 26, 1866, died; and Nettie Louvina, born April 6, 1871.
PROVOST D. BROWN
Was the first son and second child of a family of eight sons and daughters born to Abraham J. and Mary, (Provost) Brown, of the State of New Jersey, where in the town of Brownsville, Middlesex county, the subject of our notice first saw life on the first day of September, 1824. His ancestors settled in New York early in the seventeenth century. The first 24 years of his life he spent, as was the custom at that time, in attendance on the district school in winters and working on the farm in summers.
During the summer of 1848 the news of Marshall's discovery of gold at Coloma, reached his native town. He at once joined in a company of 38 persons who purchased a schooner and sailed via the Straits of Magellan to San Francisco, where they arrived in June, 1849. The party proceeded at once to Sacramento, and disposed of their boat and all
save six months' rations of their cargo. This was per- haps the first auction sale of goods held in Sacramen- to. They then bought lots, intending to go to mer- chandising; sickness prevented this attempt and they opened the restaurant, known as the Knickerbocker Restaurant. This was first destroyed by the flood and secondly by fire. He then went to teaming to Long Bar, on the Yuba, where he also bought an eating house and an interest in two mining claims, to which they dug ditches at a very heavy expenditure and realized nothing, the floods of 1852 destroyed their dams, etc. He then engag ed inmining bank diggings, and was quite successful, in taking out about $17,000. A portion of this money he loaned to a friend who on term bought what was known as the Tennessee ranch, in El Dorado county, which Mr. Brown was obliged to take in order to save his money. He then called it the Knickerbocker ranch, here he expended large sums of money and misfortune again befell him. He then took to the mines in the Meadow. Lake dis- trict, where they were compelled to carry material for building mills into the mines on mules. The ores were rebellious, and a snow slide swept the mill into the lake. This closed out his mining interest for a time and he again turned his attention to farming. He has 320 acres of valuable land, on which there is the best orchard in the township, consisting of 1,500 trees and 6,000 vines.
He was married in 1856, by this union there was two sons born, viz: Charles C., born June 31, 1857, and Albert E., who was born April 21, 1859, his wife died and he was married a second time and she also died, and on the 7th day of December, 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Nellie S. Bancroft, a daughter of William Bancroft, of Clipper Gap. There has been born to them two children, Philip D., on October 2, 1879, and Effie N., February 19, 1882. Mr. Brown is a very industrious and enterprising citizen. He is an active member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and was the first master of a Grange in the State of California. Is a member of the Horticul- tural Commission, and has been a member of the Re- publican Central Committee. He is a practical and successful farmer, and owns a very productive tract of land, well fenced and watered, and is engaged in raising stock as well as grain and fruit.
GEORGE BEATTIE
Was born at Edinburg, Scotland, June 24th, 1827; was an apprentice at stone cutting. Came to Cali- fornia 1849, via Cape Horn, in the ship Audly Clark; arrived September Ist. First mined in Tuolomne county February, 1850, on Canyon creek, Oregon canyon and Georgia slide, in company with his
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
brothers Daniel and John ; in 1852 discovered what is now known as the "Beattie claim," at Georgia slide, probably the finest seam diggings worked in the State. The development of this mine and those of similar character surrounding, and the early applica- tion of hydraulic methods adopted, opened up an entirely new field in mining operations, which have proved of more permanent character than any other class of mining, and is to-day more successfully pur- sued on this divide than in any other portion of the State. Mr. Beattie has not held a public office, but takes an active interest in the welfare and good gov- ernment of the community in which he lives.
G. BASSI
Was born in Valle, Switzerland, on May 18th, 1840 ; a son of Antonio and Orsula Bassi, who were only possessed of a moderate income, and could not afford their son many advantages in obtaining an education or livelihood. In youth he herded cattle on the hill- sides of his native land. When a little past eighteen years old he decided to seek a more promising field in which to gather a fortune, and to more surely and speedily fill his sack, he came to California. He ar- rived in San Francisco on the 29th day of January, 1859; for five years he spent his time in working in mines and dairy ranches at Garden valley, Forest Hill, Dutch Flat and in a store at Greenwood. Early in 1864 he went over the mountains and after travel- ing over most of Nevada returned in the fall and purchased an interest in the dairy at Rock bridge. In 1870 he bought the remaining interest and is now sole owner of a fine ranch on the banks of the South Fork of the American river, on which he keeps about eighty cows in the winter season, and spends the summers on big Silver creek in the high altitudes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. He was married to Miss Virginia Forni, a daughter of Samuel Forni, of Georgetown, on the 6th of January, 1878. Their son, Daniel M., was born January 2d, 1879; Jose- phine V., was born August 19th, 1880, and Kitty Angelina, born March 9th, 1882. Mr. Bassi is a member of Sutter's mill Grange, also of the Masonic fraternity in which he is a chapter mason, and has held offices in both his lodge and chapter.
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