History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 131

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

About a month passed, when the June fire came and swept away all that had been accomplished, together with nearly all the stock of goods taken from the storc-ships and the greater amount of surplus building materials that remained after the May fire. Mr. Jessup lost all his earnings and tools, and his employer was a heavy loser, and to help him out his men gave him all the aid in their power, but he had finally to sus- pend; and here Mr. Jessup lost all his wages, only drawing enough to pay expenses, sending but little to his family, and paying fourteen dollars per week for board. The following fall he obtained a job of the late Capt. J. B. R. Cooper to go to Monterey at eight dollars per day, where he worked until the spring of 1852, when he returned to San Francisco and sent for his family, who arrived June 16, 1852, he working on his own account. Many of the buildings erected by him are still standing in San Fran- cisco. After the arrival of his wife and child he engaged with the late B. R. Bucke- lew to build the now defunct California City in Marin County, returning to San Fran- cisco January 1, 1853, where he worked at his trade until November, when he received an appointment from General Allen to take charge of the Folsom Street plank road, which position he held until it was about to be opened to the public, when he left that place, in the latter part of 1857, and took a contract to put up buildings for the Government at the Presidio. All his savings were judiciously invested in land, which was steadily increasing in value, until the spring of 1858, when the excit- ing news of the wonderful discoveries of gold in British Columbia stirred up anew the gold fever, and San Francisco was dead, and Frazer River was the new Dorado. Mr. Jessup, seeing that everything was at a stand-still in California, although not losing confidence in it, thought he could do something in the new field, while things were in this state at home; but his experience was no exception to that of others, resulting in loss of time and money, and suffering untold toil and hardships. He left San Francisco for Victoria in company with his cousin, John Rogers, in June, 1858. arriving in Victoria July Ist, and remaining in that city till the latter part of that month, he formed a party of fifteen to work together in the wonderful gold-fields of the upper Frazer, taking passage for the party on the steamboat Umatilla, on her first trip up the Frazer and through Lake Harrison-the first steamboat that ever dis- turbed the waters of that placid lake. He was present at the dedication of the new town of Port Douglas, located at the head of the lake. Here the party expected to have found canoes in which to transport their supplies up the Lilute, or Harrison, River, but the Indians having left for the lakes and taken their canoes with them, Mr. Jessup was forced to procure an Indian guide to go up the river to the Lilute Lakes to obtain canoes, which was finally accomplished with the greatest difficulty, as the Indians were becoming very much dissatisfied at the invasion of so many whites, and nothing but the lack of fire-arms and ammunition prevented an outbreak. After obtaining five forty-foot canoes, Mr. Jessup started on the return down that terrible river, with Indian guides in three canoes, who by a preconcerted plan ran the canoes close to the shore, when each Indian leaped out and took to the woods, and left the party to their own resources, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Mr. Jessup prevented the party from firing upon the fleeing redskins. The intention of the Indians, evidently, was to leave the guidance of the frail craft to inexperienced hands, who knew nothing of the dangers of the river, and so go over the falls and to inevitable destruction, and as it was, the party reached the cascade in one-fourth the time they expected, and nothing but a miracle saved the entire company from instant death, by running close in shore and leaping to the rocks. Three of the canoes were saved by throwing the tow-line to some friendly Indians on the shore; the other two canoes went over the falls and were dashed to pieces. The passage of near sixty miles was made in the incredible space of two hours and twenty minutes. In the ascent of the river the party endured the greatest hardships, wading in the ice-cold water of the river coming down from the snow-capped mountains, chin-deep, towing their heavily laden canoes after them. At the head of the river (Lilute Lakes) the

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party abandoned the boats, divided the supplies, which amounted to three hundred pounds to the man. This had to be packed across a forty mile portage, by each, with what assistance he could get from an occasional Indian. The mode of doing this was to divide each man's load into three parts, carrying the first forward a quar- ter or half a mile and putting it down, then returning after the second, always leaving one man to guard the pile at each end of the route. Crossing lakes Leaton and Anderson on heavy log rafts, striking the Frazer at the mouth of Bridge River, where arriving, Mr. Jessup learned that the threatened Indian outbreak, on the lower Frazer had occurred, and all communication cut off, and the most startling reports of Indian massacres were received, and the Bridge River Indians were in a high state of excitement, and only the bold stand of the well-armed and sturdy intruders prevented an outbreak. After prospecting the section of the country in strong par- ties, in the immediate vicinity of the camp, and finding no paying mine, and at the end of nearly a month news was received of the suspension of hostilities, and Mr. Jessup sold out his stock of provisions and tools, and with three of his party started on his return home down the Frazer, on the 29th of September, arriving in San Francisco about the middle of October, after passing through the roughest experience of his rough life, and a heavy loser. On his return he started to improve his property, to make good his losses, building tenement-houses In 1863 he engaged in the manu- facture of matches, starting the Eureka Match Factory. At first he met with poor

encouragement from the trade, as the importers of San Francisco were handling the Polac, or Geneva, match, and having a large stock on hand, would not aid him in intro- ducing a home article, but on the contrary put every obstacle in the way of success. Mr. Jessup warned them he would yet have the trade, that Polac could no longer monopolize the match trade on this coast, and that he was bound to succeed or lose $20,000, and that he would supply their customers for one year free of charge if they would not aid him in the introduction of his manufacture, and so keep the money in the country. They laughed at him for presuming to buck against the importers of San Francisco, and Polac, a man who employs six thousand hands. He replied that if Mr. Polac employed six hundred thousand hands, he could no longer sell his matches in this market. Mr. Jessup then took in two partners, Wm. B. Williams and Wm. H. Finch, and putting in new and improved machinery, ran the factory to its full capacity, sent wagons out, scattering their goods broadcast over the country, giving away thousands of gross. This soon began to tell on the trade, and in less than one year there was but little call for the imported match, and inside of three years the importation ceased, and the importers were forced to close out their unsalable stock at ruinous prices. In the mean time the factory prospered under the efficient management of Mr. Jessup until an unfavorable ruling of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, at Washington, forced them to shut down the factory. The unfavorable ruling was to allow the importer to sell imported matches in original cases without stamps, to be stamped by the retailer when offered for sale. The effect of this ruling would be to allow great quantities of matches to pass into the hands of large consumers without stamps. Mr. Jessup sent a long communication to the Commissioner, setting forth the working of the order and the hardship it would work on home industry. On the receipt of this communication, the Commissioner tele- graphed immediately to have all matches stamped. At this time the Eureka factory

was consuming from eight to ten thousand feet of lumber a month, and their stamps were running from five hundred to a thousand dollars a week. This piece of manœu- vering took the last hope from the importer, and Mr. Jessup had the field to himself until the Chinese and unscrupulous white men saw a chance of making money by evading the high stamp duty on matches, procuring children and women to sell their illicit manufactures all over the country, which made the business less profitable. In 1865 Mr. Jessup sold a one-fourth interest in the factory to Elam & Howe, retaining a one-half interest, Mr Finch having withdrawn. In that year the company met with a severe

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loss, in the burning of their factory, with about fifteen thousand gross of matches, not saving a dollar from the ruin. In the winter of that year also Mr. Jessup met with a heavy loss by being flooded out, and his beautiful house and property on the corner of Twelfth and Folsom Streets almost destroyed by the building of a sewer by the city authorities, for the purpose of draining Hayes Valley. Failing to finish the sewer before the wet season, the heavy rains of the following winter swept down over his property carrying everything movable before it. Mr. Jessup brought suit against the city for damages, which was persistently contested on both sides for thirteen years. Mr. Jessup obtaining a judgment, a new trial was granted, and again he received a judg- ment, which was finally affirmed by the Supreme Court. After reconstructing his house and greatly improving it, he again met with a heavy loss in 1870, by fire. Just as his house was completed and being furnished, it was burned, with a large amount of property. The loss was about $23,000, partly insured. As his home was destroyed, Mr. Jessup thought it would be a good time for him to visit his friends at the East; so, after an absence of twenty years, with his wife and eldest daughter, he made a visit to them, remaining eight months. Returning on the 5th of August, 1871, he immediately set to work to reconstruct his house, which was finished the following winter. In 1873 he sold out his entire interest in the match factory (which had been conducted by Mr. Williams) to Elam & Howe, as the business had become less profitable. Mr. Jessup then cast about for some more remunerative business. Find- ing a fine millsite in Lake County, he closed a bargain and bought the Martinez Flouring-mills, of four run of stone, took them down and moved them to the new site, where he erected the finest country mill on the coast, three miles west of Middle- town and near Anders Springs, on the Lakeport road. Mr. Jessup took in a partner, one Russell Stevens, a good mechanic, and excellent mill man, who had no money, but a pocketful of recommendations from business men of San Francisco, giving him a one-half interest, to be paid for out of the profits .. He subsequently bought the Cobb Mountain Saw-mills with sixteen hundred acres of timber land, putting this man Stevens in charge (with a one-half interest in both mills) until he himself could settle up his business in the city and take charge in person. But before this could be accomplished, Stevens had, by conspiring with others, involved the whole business to such an extent that it was impossible to extricate it, coming at a period when money could not be obtained on any security, at the time of the suspension of of the Bank of California. Mr. Jessup commenced an action of injunction against Stevens, demanding an accounting, had him arrested for fraud and contempt of court. He got out of jail on false affidavits and jumped on board the Mexican, then lying at the wharf with steam up, and was off to Mexico, with all the funds of the concern. This proved the most unfortunate speculation of Mr. Jessup's life, losing nearly $25,000 by the transaction, involving him in total ruin. In order to pay off the debts incurred he sold every foot of property he owned, amounting to over twenty thou- sand dollars, which did not yet clear him, leaving him, with but his hands and good health, to start anew with. Undaunted, he was ready to fight over the battle of life, when a still more severe loss befell him, and one that was forever to affect the remainder of his hard and eventful life, in the loss of a beloved and lovely daughter, just budding into womanhood. He no longer desired to make San Francisco his' home, and by the assistance of a good friend he was enabled to procure his present home in this county, encumbered with a debt of $16,500, without a dollar to stock the place with, or to support his family until the next year's crop came in. With a brave heart and determined to win or die, he left his old home that he had occupied for twenty-three years (and in which five children had been born and reared), to seek the peace and retirement of the country, and to adopt horticulture as a profession-a business he always had a taste for, and one that he was eminently fitted for by nature. He immediately took a leading part in the horticulture of the State, is an active member of the State Horticultural Society, a member of Eden

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Grange; he is referred to as authority on horticultural matters. Keeping up an extensive correspondence on horticultural concerns, his correspondence extends from Oregon to Texas. He also has contributed extensively to the press of the Coast. He is a regular contributor to the Pacific Rural Press, and an occasional contributor to the Rural Californian, at Los Angeles, the Oakland Tribune, the San Francisco Bulletin, Haywards Journal, Willamette Farmer, Portland, Oregon; and a good article of his is published in the State Agricultural Report of 1881. Many of his effusions have been republished by other papers in the State, and to his untiring efforts and faith in the future importance of the fruit industry of the coast, is due in a great measure the impetus given to the horticultural interest of this State during the past four years.

JOHN JOHNSON .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in the city of Hamburg, Germany, March 14, 1818, and when an infant had the misfortune of losing his father, mother, brother, and a sister, in the burning of a distillery which his father owned, Mr. Johnson, then in the cradle, being saved by the courage of his elder sister, with whom he dwelt until he attained the age of thirteen years. At this time he commenced a seafaring life. shipping as cabin-boy on board the brig Louise Field, of Hamburg, and made his first voyage to Hull, Eng- land, where he took a cargo of coal for Flensburg. On November 23 1831, he suffered shipwreck in the Skager Rack, the arm of the North Sea, between Denmark and Norway, where all on board were lost save our subject and Fred. Olsen, the latter of whom, clinging to the gallant-mast, and the former to the maintop-gallant-mast, were tossed about in the cold and tempestuous sea for upwards of twelve hours. Being ultimately picked up by a pilot-boat, they were landed at Frederickshaven, whence they begged their way, through some five feet of snow, sometimes being obliged to sleep in it, and occasionally finding the poor shelter of a barn, to the city of Flensburg, where, Olsen dying from cold and exposure, Johnson was taken charge of by his Consul and sent to Hamburg, where he arrived January 20, 1832. He now engaged in the coast trade until March, 1833, when he shipped on a voyage to Green- land, in the O. Roakcol, when six thousand seals, a whale, and one polar bear were captured, on the latter of which our subject whiled away the time by practicing the taxidermist's art. On getting back to Flensburg, he once more shipped in coasters until the whaling season, when, in March, 1834, he made another voyage to the high latitudes, in his former vessel. In September of this year he made a voyage to New- castle, England, for coal, and on March 18, 1835, started in the ship Has. Home on a whaling cruise, when they reached as high as seventy-six degrees north. On this voyage they took a shipwrecked crew off the floe, that had been on the ice for eight days. In October, 1835, he made a trip to the island of St. Thomas, West Indies, loaded with sugar, and returned in February, 1836. In the following month he sailed from Eckenfur, on another whaling voyage, when eight thousand seals and two whales were captured, returning August 12th of the same year. On April 2, 1837, he returned to the island of St. Thomas, was attacked with yellow fever, sent to the hospital, and left behind. On recovering, he shipped in the schooner Iovio, November 9, 1837, and, after leaving port, found he was to take part in the slave trade." Proceeding to the west coast of Africa, they there took on board two hundred and forty negroes, with whom they returned to St. Thomas, the trip occupying six months, and being attended with many dangers. In May, 1838, having taken a cargo of sugar on board, Johnson sailed for New York, and thence proceeded to Valparaiso, and afterwards to the Chincha Islands, where, loading guano, they sailed for New York, and arrived April 5, 1839. His next voyage was to Paraguay, three hundred miles up the Rio de la Plata, where, loading a cargo of native wood, they returned to Montevideo. At this time war was raging between Paraguay and the Argentine Republic, and when on a journey some hundred miles up the river with the ship's boats to procure fresh water, they were attacked by two large launches, and a severe

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fight ensued, Johnson and his party ultimately getting clear without damage. After making some trips to that locality, our subject returned to New York, where he arrived April 12, 1841. In December of that year he shipped in one of the Black Ball line of clippers for Liverpool, and when two days out was struck by a squall that nearly tore the masts out of her; but rigging some gear, however, they returned to New York, where they arrived four days after they had set sail. After repairing, on March 2, 1842, another start was made, and the voyage across the Atlantic success- fully accomplished. After another round trip in this line, Johnson proceeded to Bos- ton, and there shipped in the Prince of Wales, in 1843, bound to Calcutta, East Indies, and thence to London, England. He now went to Liverpool, and on Sep- tember 9, 1844, signed articles for another voyage to Calcutta, on board the Bounty Hall, and arrived February 27, 1845. Our subject kept in the East India trade until 1847, when he proceeded to Russia, and lay four months in the ice at Cronstadt, after- wards returning to Boston, where he arrived in March, 1848, subsequently making trips to St. Malo and Boston. In 1849 he sailed in the ship Louise Field for Cali- fornia, and in 1850 first entered the Golden Gate; and, after working as a stevedore in San Francisco for some time, went across the bay to where the city of Oakland has since sprung up, and there commenced burning charcoal. He thence went to Mount Eden, there took up his residence, and, embarking in salt-making, has since been largely engaged in that occupation. In the winter of 1852 he commenced hunt- ing; and, among exploits too numerous to mention, on one occasion came to close quarters with a grizzly, which, after severely wounding, he finally killed. But it is unnecessary to follow further Mr. Johnson's adventurous life. He has had hair- breadth escapes in every part of the world. When but a youth, we have seen him shipwrecked; in the perilous voyages to the Arctic seas we have followed him; and in the far-away Straits of Malacca he was attacked by Malay pirates. Out of all these "tight places" he has come with credit. He is now quietly ensconced at Mount Eden Grove, where he maintains an unstinted hospitality, living a retired life, and sur- rounded by the comforts he so well deserves. Married, July 4, 1855, Miss Augusta Lorentz, a native of Hanover, and has two children, viz .: August and Sophia.

ANDREW JONES .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Seneca County, New York, October 12, 1837, where he resided, save one year, until he came to California in the month of October, 1869, embarked in farming with his brother, and now owns thirty-five acres of land and leases one hundred and eighty acres more; employs about seventy-five men during picking sea- son. He is engaged in the cultivation and manufacture of pickles. Married, April 27, 1858, Miss Jane C. Greene, and has three surviving children, viz .: Nellie (now Mrs. M. J. Fontana), Edna, and Mary.

EDMOND JONES (deceased) .- This gentleman, the brother of the above-named Andrew Jones, was a Quaker by birth, and born at Janetta, Pennsylvania, in the year 1820. After carrying on a dairy business near Philadelphia, in 1853 he emigrated to California, and on arrival began a draying business, but soon after engaged in the pickle trade with Baker, in San Francisco. In 1856 he came to Alameda County, embarked in farming operations near San Lorenzo, and there resided until 1864, when he removed to the ranch where his brother now resides. He died Decem- ber 31, 1878.

MICHAEL J. KELLER .- Was born in County Cork, Ireland, September 29, 1844,. and there resided and served a regular apprenticeship to the dry goods trade. In April, 1868, he sailed for San Francisco, and arrived in the following month; he then proceeded to Sacramento, where he found employment in a drygoods store for a short time. He subsequently opened a store in Marysville, and there resided eight years. After spending two years in San Francisco, in March, 1878, he came to Oak- land, entered the employ of Miller Brothers, continued with their successors, and in

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

March, 1879, opened his present shirt manufactory and store at No. 1007 Broadway. Is married and has one child, named George M.

CHARLES A. KLINKNER .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in. this work, is the son of John and Catharine (Hermann) Klinkner and was born in Ausen, Germany, June 25, 1852. When our subject was only two years of age his parents emigrated to the United States, and on arrival proceeded to Iowa and located in the town of Cascade. Here his father followed the shoemaker's trade, while Mr. Klink- ner attended school. At the early age of eleven years he entered a mercantile estab- lishment in that place, subsequently removing to Worthington, where he remained three years. For a year previous to his coming to the Pacific Coast he followed farm- ing. August 19, 1872, he started for the Golden State, arriving in San Francisco on the 28th of that month. He first found employment in the auction house of Van Shaack, on Kearny Street, where he remained eleven months, at the expiration of which time he proceeded to Solano County, followed farming for four months, and subse- quently started and continued a huckstering trade throughout the country for two years. In the fall of 1875 he engaged in and laid the foundation of his present pros- perous business, in canvassing for Hollister & Co., and at the end of one year opened a factory at No. 103 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, for the manufacture of rubber stamps. Here he prospered until he found his quarters too limited, when, in 1878, he moved to his present place of business at No. 320 Sansome Street, San Francisco, where he is engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of rubber stamps-a business that with small beginnings has grown into one of vast proportions. Married in Vaca- ville, Solano County, November 23, 1875, Miss Catharine Parke, a native of Alameda County, and has three children, viz .: Charles A., Frederick G., and Herman.

ERNEST F. KOHLER .- Born in Hanover, Germany, January 16, 1842, and there was educated and resided, being with his uncle in a distillery until he attained the age of seventeen years. He then emigrated to the United States, and arrived in New York September 3, 1860, where he resided until coming to California in Decem- ber, 1861, landing in San Francisco on Christmas Day of that year. At the end of a twelvemonth he embarked in agricultural pursuits on Sherman Island, where he remained until June, 1868, when he returned to New York on a visit. In the month of August of the same year he came back to California, and engaged in wine-making in different localities until 1878, when, in September of that year, he purchased his present ranch of three hundred and twenty acres in Contra Costa County, on which he has a vineyard and orchard sixty acres in extent. Mr. Kohler is engaged in the wine and liquor business at No. 1502 Seventh Street, Oakland. Married, in San Francisco, Miss Matilda F. A. Klussmann, a native of Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany, and has: Frederick, Matilda, and Henry.

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 131

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206