USA > California > Glenn County > History of Colusa and Glenn counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 42
USA > California > Colusa County > History of Colusa and Glenn counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 42
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Of the nine children comprising the family circle, Joseph was the fifth in order of birth. He attended the common schools until he was sixteen, and then struck out for himself as a wage earner. At the age of seventeen we find him on his way to California by way of Panama; and almost as soon as he had arrived here, he found employment with R. J. Walsh, a rancher near St. John, Co- lusa County, now in the confines of Glenn County. For fifteen years he worked for this man, thirteen years of the time as fore- man of his ranch of twenty thousand acres. Mr. Walsh died; and for three years thereafter Mr. Billion continued to superintend the
for Billion,
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affairs of the ranch. For three years after the death of the widow, also, he still had the property under his control. Altogether twenty-one years were spent on this one property, a record hard to surpass.
During all this time, Mr. Billiou saved his money. As early as 1860 he became a landowner, purchasing four hundred acres of the Walsh estate. To this he added, from time to time, until he was owner of fifteen hundred acres, which he devoted to raising wheat, barley and stock. His experience as foreman of the Walsh prop- erty had given him an insight into the best methods to pursue to get results; so when he came to operate his own property he was able to harvest bountiful erops each year, his land being consid- ered some of the best in the county. The handsome residence oc- cupied by himself and family for so many years was erected by Mr. Billion in 1868, and was a modern house in its day. It was the scene of many social functions, for the family were very popu- lar and had friends wherever they were known. He died at this home on March 3, 1914, and the landed interests he had accumu- lated are now owned by the five children who were left to mourn his loss.
Mr. Billion was twice married. His first wife was Miss Julia Stack, who was born in Ireland. Four children were born of this union : Annie M., Mrs. John H. Hoever of Willows; Mary, Mrs. Ray MeCune of Oroville; Richard, in San Jose; and Maud, Mrs. Edward Sehorn of Willows. Some time after the death of his first wife, Mr. Billion married Mary Faulkner, born in Oroville; and two children blessed their marriage: Lillian, deceased ; and Joseph, attending the Willows high school. The son Richard was edu- cated at Santa Clara College; and the daughters received their education at Notre Dame College, San Jose. Mr. Billion was a Democrat in politics. The family belong to the Catholic Church.
MRS. JOHN H. HOEVER
Annie M. Billiou, a daughter of the late Joseph Billion, after completing her studies at Notre Dame College, married John H. Hoever, a business man of Willows who had come to California about 1875. He was a native of Germany, and was by trade a jew- eler; and on his arrival in San Francisco he engaged in that busi- ness until 1880. He then came to the new town of Willows to grow up with it, and opened the first jewelry store there. This he conducted until he passed away, on September 27, 1900. The busi- ness he established is being continued by Mrs. Hoever, who has
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demonstrated her ability as a business woman, and has won suc- cess through her own efforts.
Three children were the fruit of this marriage: August, a student at Stanford; Alma, Mrs. Harvey Sparrow of Willows; and Henrietta, a student in Willows high school. Mrs. Hoever is a member of Berryessa Parlor, N. D. G. W., and of the Willows Literary Club, the Woman's Improvement Club, and the local Red Cross. She has a wide circle of friends in her community.
GEORGE W. MARKHAM
A native son of California who has seen Glenn County grow to its present prosperous condition is George W. Markham, who was born at Stony Creek in what is now Glenn County, May 16, 1865. He is a son of David Markham, who was born in Ohio and came with his parents to Utah. David Markham's father died in Utah; and the widow, with her children, finished the journey to California in 1849. The trip from the East to Utah was made with ox teams, and was fraught with many stirring incidents; and from Utah Mrs. Markham came on to this state by the same means of travel and settled in Sacramento. While living there, David Markham was united in marriage with Emeline Conrad, a Pennsylvanian, who also crossed the plains in an ox-team train when her parents made the overland journey to California. After their marriage, they continued to reside in Sacramento for a time. Later Mr. Markham took up land on the grant; but there was trouble over the title, and he gave it up. Afterwards, with two of his brothers, William W. and Warren, he settled in what is now Glenn County, and in partnership with them engaged in the stock business at Newville. After four years the partnership was dissolved, and David Markham then moved to Stony Creek, where he followed the same business alone on his one-thousand- acre ranch. On this ranch he planted an orchard, the first one in that section; and in this orchard there are pear trees now bearing that were set out some fifty-two years ago. He was always closely and harmoniously associated with his brother William W .; and they died within a year of each other at Orland.
Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. David Markham the follow- ing children were born: William Henry, formerly county assessor, who resides in Willows; S. S., of Maricopa, Kern County; George W., of this review; Mary, Mrs. Osborn, of Corning; D. A., residing on the old home ranch; and E. R., of Portland, Ore. David Mark- ham was a public-spirited citizen. He took an active interest in
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the welfare of his community, and served his county as a super- visor. Some four years before his death he suffered the loss of his eyesight. His death occurred in 1902, at the age of sixty-three years. He was a Master Mason, and was buried at the Newville cemetery with Masonic honors. His widow survived until 1916, when she passed away, aged seventy-six years. The home ranch is still in possession of the family. It has been in the Markham name for fifty-two years.
George W. Markham was reared ou the home ranch, and attended the public schools in pursuit of an education. At the age of twenty-two years he began leasing land and farming to stock and grain on his own account. For a short time he was in the employ of his uncle, William W. Markham; and for two years he worked for neighbors on their ranches. He then rented his father's ranch and raised hogs and sheep for two years. He first purchased land two miles from the old home place; and here he also homesteaded one hundred sixty acres, which he improved and farmed for seven years. He then sold the place at a good figure. For the following eleven years he operated his uncle's ranch of five hundred acres. Having made some money, he then bought a tract of seven acres, and improved a home place. With his sons he leased the Brownell ranch; and together they farmed some eleven hundred acres to grain for four years. He then leased the Peter Barceloux ranch, near Willows, where he is raising grain and stock, having about twelve hundred acres of land under culti- vation to barley and wheat. He uses three big teams to put in the crop, and a combined harvester, drawn by thirty mules, to harvest the grain. In 1917 he received a good yield from the six hundred acres sown.
In 1888, at Stony Creek, Mr. Markham and Miss Eva Hayton, a native daughter of Chico, were united in marriage. Mrs. Markham is the daughter of Joseph B. and Josephine (Willard) Hayton, natives of Illinois, who crossed the plains to California with ox teams in 1863, locating near the city of Chico, Butte County, where they became pioneer ranchers, and where they spent their last days. Her maternal grandfather, Volney Willard, was killed in battle during the Civil War; and his widow, America Willard, married Granville C. Thurman and settled on Stony Creek, where they became large stock-raisers. There Mrs. Mark- ham was reared, and received her education in the public schools. There are six children to brighten Mr. and Mrs. Markham's home: Delbert, Roy, Mollie, George E., Louia, and Edna. All are at home; and the sons are working with their father. Mrs. Mark- ham is a member of the Baptist Church; and Mr. Markham has been a liberal supporter of all the churches in the community. He
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served as trustee of the Floyd school district for many years-the same school he attended when a boy, and the same building. In politics, Mr. Markham is a Republican.
TENNENT HARRINGTON
Ever since entering the business world, Tennent Harrington has been identified with the Colusa County Bank, of which he is now cashier. A son of the late W. P. Harrington, he was born in Marysville, July 11, 1864, and was six years old when his parents became residents of Colusa. He attended the Colusa grammar school, and then entered a preparatory school in San Francisco, after which he went to Phillips Academy, at Exeter, N. H. He then entered Harvard, in 1885. At the close of his sophomore year he took an extended trip through Europe, spending nine months. On his return to the United States, in 1888, he came at once to Colusa, and on April 18, of that year, entered the Colusa County Bank as teller. He gradually worked his way to positions of trust and responsibility, and in 1893 was made assistant cashier. In August, 1902, he advanced to the position of cashier, which he now occupies. This bank is the strongest financial institution in Colusa Connty, and ranks with any in the state, of its capitali- zation. In December, 1890, Mr. Harrington was made secretary of the Colusa and Lake Railroad. He also became a director in the Colusa Cured Fruit Association, and a member of the executive council of the California Bankers' Association. Other banking interests also claim his attention. He is a director of the Bank of Willows; and president of the Bank of Princeton, organized in 1913. He is interested in irrigation and reclamation projects and is a member of the Stormer Land Company, which has seven hundred acres of valuable reclaimed land. He is a member of the Colusa Board of Trade, to which he lends his active support.
On July 11, 1893, Tennent Harrington married Miss Minnie Downing, born in Brooklyn, N. Y., a daughter of Captain Downing of that city. They have one daughter, Marie Louise, wife of Commander D. W. Bagley, U. S. N. Mr. Harrington is promi- nent in fraternal and social circles. He is a Mason, a Forester, and an Elk. He is a Native Son; a member of the Harvard Club, of San Francisco; a member of the California Society, of New York; a member and former secretary of the Colusa Shooting Club; a member of the Bohemian Club, and of the Family Club, of San Francisco. Politically, Mr. Harrington is a stanch Repub- lican. He enjoys the utmost confidence of his associates and friends, and is a worker for Colusa's best interests at all times.
I P. Kirkpatrick
Kargut ashurst Kirkpatrick
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THOMAS JEFFERSON KIRKPATRICK
When, on September 30, 1912, Mr. Kirkpatrick's earthly career came to its close, the Sacramento Valley, and Glenn County in particular, lost a very prominent agricultural upbuilder. To those near and dear to him he left an untarnished name, more highly cherished than the thousand or more acres of valuable farming land in his estate. For more than fifty-five years he had been identified with this section of California; and no movement was ever promoted, having for its object the development of the country or the moral uplift of the people, that failed of his hearty cooperation, and many times he launched projects of this char- acter in person.
A native of Illinois, Thomas Jefferson Kirkpatrick was born in Sangamon County, near the city of Springfield, the home of the illustrious Lincoln, on December 29, 1832. His grandfather, Hugh Kirkpatrick, emigrated from Scotland to the United States before the War of the Revolution, in which conflict he gave valiant serv- ice for his adopted country. He became a planter and slave owner in the Blue Grass State; and when he removed to Montgomery County, Ill., and settled on Shoal Creek, he brought some of his slaves with him. One year later he moved to Sangamon County, where he developed a farm; and there he passed to his reward.
While Hugh Kirkpatrick and his wife were living in Ken- tucky, a son, Thomas, was born near Lexington, March 3, 1803. When the family moved to Illinois he accompanied them, living in Montgomery County for a time, and then settled in Sangamon County, near what is now the capital city, which he was active in locating, and of which he was one of the first commissioners. A well-known farmer there, he was perhaps better known as a mill- wright, for he erected thirty-three mills along the Sangamon River in that vicinity. As owner of a sawmill on that stream he did a flourishing business, which called into use many flatboats. No less a personage than Abraham Lincoln patronized his mill, and the acquaintance that had started in a business way ripened into a friendship which was only severed by death. During the Black Hawk War, Mr. Kirkpatrick participated in subduing the Indians.
In 1853 he set out for Oregon, but stopped one year in Mis- souri, where he harvested a crop and collected abont six hundred head of cattle. He then resnmed his journey westward, reaching Eugene, Ore., in due time. He bought a quarter section of land which included a mill site, built a mill, and carried on business 25
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until 1856, when he sold out and, with six hundred head of cattle, came down into California. He lived on a ranch near Wheatland, Ynba County, farming and raising stock until 1877, when he went to Modoc County and located a stock ranch on Goose Lake. There he died at the age of ninety-fonr. His wife died in 1887, when in her seventy-eighth year. She was Malinda Braden before her marriage, and was born in Kentucky, March 23, 1810. Fourteen children blessed their union, eight of whom grew to maturity.
The second child of this family, Thomas J. Kirkpatrick, re- ceived a good common school education, and as was customary assisted with the farm work as he was able. He finished his edn- cation in an academy in Springfield, and in 1854 accompanied his parents to Oregon. When he arrived in California, he started out independently and bought twenty-three hundred acres of land, upon which he thereafter made his home until his death. He de- veloped this ranch, and raised abundant harvests of grain, besides giving a great deal of attention to raising horses, mnles, cattle, hogs and sheep. He enjoyed every necessity of life and many of its Inxnries. He ran a dairy of forty cows and raised sufficient alfalfa to feed his stock. In his later years he sold off all but one thousand acres, upon which he lived in quiet and contentment. In the early days of his settlement here, Jacinto was the nearest post office, while he had to market his produce and buy supplies in Tehama and Red Bluff. Later, a postoffice was established at Orland. At the time of the county division, his land was included in Glenn County. When they first located on the ranch, Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick would ride horseback to church, twenty-three miles away.
In 1890 he helped organize the Stony Creek Irrigation Ditch, and served as president of the company until it was sold to the United States government. He it was who turned the first water into what is now the government ditch, sending the water on to Orland. He was a Republican, and as such was twice elected jus- tice of the peace of his township, serving eight years. He was a member of Laurel Lodge, F. & A. M., and of the Eastern Star. Mr. Kirkpatrick was an ordained minister in the Baptist Church; and at one time he filled the pulpits, as long as he was able, at the Paskenta, Newville and Butte Mountain churches. Mr. Kirkpat- rick was one of the organizers of the Orland high school, and served as a trustee for years. He was also one of the organizers of the Black Butte school district, donated the acre of ground for the site, helped build the schoolhouse, and, with Mr. Graves, boarded the teacher and his family while he was holding school. For fifty years he served as a trustee of the district.
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On September 9, 1859, on Stony Creek, Mr. Kirkpatrick mar- ried Margaret Ashurst, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Bates) Ashurst, natives of Kentucky and West Virginia respectively. The former was born on March 3, 1810, and died in Tehama County, Cal., in 1866, aged fifty-six years. The latter died at the home of her daughter in Glenn County, in 1881, aged seventy- three. The great-grandfather on the maternal side, Israel Light, was a surgeon in the Revolutionary War. John Bates, grand- father of Mrs. Kirkpatrick, was killed in the War of 1812. On the paternal side she comes of equally illustrious lineage; for her great-grandfather, Jesse Richardson, was a general in the Revolu- tionary War. Her nephew, Henry Fountain Ashurst, son of her youngest brother, is United States Senator from Arizona, now serving his second term. The advent of the family in California dates back to 1857, when they settled on Stony Creek in Tehama County. Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born in Hannibal, Mo., July 31, 1838, and crossed the plains the year of the Mountain Meadow massacre. The Indians killed many cattle that were being brought by the company, which consisted of twenty wagons under Captain Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick became the parents of eight children. Francis Marion married Jessie Cameron; and they have two sons, Thomas J. and Robert Lee. Edward Campbell first married Lillian. Webb, by whom he had two children, Pearl and Raymond. His second wife was Lora Wilder; and they have four children: Matthew, Elizabeth J., William Edward, and Grace. Elizabeth M. is the widow of Matthew H. Lothrop. Four children blessed her home: Mary, Hale H., Ruby, and Elizabeth. Pearl became the wife of Elisha T. Lothrop, of Petaluma; and they have four children: Albert, Nevada Pearl, Lloyd, and Wal- lace W. Amy Josephine married George Dowding. She died, leaving an adopted son, Leslie Dowding. Daniel Augustus is also deceased. Joseph Laban married Alice Steele, who has borne him four children: Margaret, Theodore, Ethelyn, and Genevieve. Garfield Stanley married Ruddicil Wacaser; and they have one son, Hartford.
Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Kirkpatrick continues the dairy business, aided by an assistant, who has been on the ranch for twelve years. She has given each of her boys land enough for a home place, still retaining some three hundred acres which she intends settling on her two daughters. On the ranch is an enormous walnut tree, planted in 1880, the year her son Gar- field was born, which is one of the landmarks of the county.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick is a consistent member of the Baptist Church. She is public-spirited and generous to a marked degree, and is never so happy as when doing good for others. In the
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evening of her days, surrounded by her children, twenty-one grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren, besides a host of friends, she is rounding out a well-spent and noble life.
DANIEL SHELLOOE
A highly respected citizen of Glenn County who lived a long and useful life was the late Daniel Shellooe, who passed from earth on June 7, 1908, mourned by a large circle of friends, besides his immediate family. He was born in Queens County, Ireland, in 1824, a son of Jeremiah Shellooe, a farmer of Queens County, and Bridget Brophie Shellooe, who gave birth to eleven children, nine of them being boys, of whom Daniel was next to the youngest. He was educated in the subscription schools of his home section, after which he found employment with the stockmen of his county, remaining in Ireland until 1844, when he immigrated to New York City. He worked his way towards the South, locating in Georgia in 1847, and in Savannah was engaged in storing cotton, being very successful and acquiring considerable means. In 1852 he got the California fever, and came by way of Panama to investigate the possibilities of the great Western state ..
His first business after his arrival was the killing of cattle and packing to the mines from Folsom; and at the same time he was engaged in promoting mining interests in the northern mines, where he became well and widely known. In 1869 he came to what is now Glenn County; and from that date until his death he was interested in every movement for the upbuilding of the section he had chosen for his home. He began buying land and improving it, adding to his property from time to time until he owned some five hundred acres of as fine land as was to be found in the county. This he made into a very attractive ranch, upon which he engaged in raising grain and live stock with very good success. In his later years he had the assistance of his sons, who, like their father, have become responsible and well-to-do men, equally alive to the needs of the growing country.
Daniel Shellooe was married in Philadelphia to Ann Sciving- ton, like himself a native of Ireland, and who became the mother of his seven children, of whom five are living. These, in order of birth, are: Miss Kate Shellooe, of Helmville, Mont .; James, living in Germantown, Cal .; Mrs. William Deveney, of Woodland; Daniel Augustine, of Glenn County; and Mrs. Virgil Harper, of Helmville. Jeremiah and Mrs. Frank Forrest are both deceased. Mr. Shellooe was a Democrat, and served as a trustee of the
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school in his district for many years. He was progressive and public-spirited, and was always ready to lend a helping hand to the needy. When he died, the county lost one of her substantial citizens, and one who had helped to bring Glenn County to her present high place among the counties of the state.
DANIEL AUGUSTINE SHELLOOE
The interests with which Daniel A. Shellooe is identified are of a varied nature, and indicate his adaptability to different enter- prises and the resourcefulness of his mind. The name which he bears has been long and honorably associated with the history of California. Perhaps there is no resident of Glenn County more familiar with its resources than Mr. Shellooe, who, having spent almost his entire life within its boundaries, is well qualified to judge concerning its prospects, its needs, and its advantages ; and as might be expected of a partiotic son of the Golden State, he ardently champions all measures looking towards the develop- ment of the commonwealth. He was born in Sacramento County, June 10, 1867, the fifth child in order of birth of the seven children born to Daniel and Ann Shellooe. He attended the public schools in the vicinity of his father's ranch; and, when he was old enough, he began working with him on the home place. He profited much by the early training he received from his sire, and in due time became able to assume responsibilities of his own, as well as to wield a powerful influence for good.
In 1900 Mr. Shellooe bought seven hundred eighty-six acres of the old Glenn estate, located three miles north of Glenn, and began making the necessary improvements to make of it a com- fortable and convenient home. He planted grain, and in time leased considerable outside land, becoming one of the large grain- raisers of the county, and winning his own way to independence by personal application to his work. In carrying on his large ranching operations, Mr. Shellooe looks after every detail in per- son, introducing modern machinery, implements and tools to facilitate the labor on the ranch. At Sidd's Landing he has installed the largest, as well as the best, private pumping plant in the Sacramento Valley, capable of irrigating his entire acreage. He puts about thirty-five acres under irrigation each year, now having some one hundred acres in alfalfa; and he maintains a dairy of about thirty-five cows, mostly Holsteins, which adds materially to his annual income.
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With all his personal affairs to engross his attention, Mr. Shellooe nevertheless finds time to interest himself in every movement that has for its aim the upbuilding of Glenn County, the bringing in of new settlers, and the encouraging of them to make a success and become contented citizens. For years he has been working in the interest of reclamation projects, having spent years in trying to have them carried to consummation. He was the originator of the Orland project, which has added so much to the wealth of the county; and to make the matter an assured success, he was the first one to sign up his land, and induced many others to do likewise. He was sent to Sacramento as a delegation of one, to have a man sent to Washington, D. C., to work for the project. He was given scant encouragement at first ; but on his own responsibility he had W. S. Beard, of Sacramento, try to secure an appropriation to start the important work. After having been at the nation's capital some five months, Mr. Beard wired Mr. Shellooe that a fund had been set aside for the purpose. This fund was made possible by trimming from some other projects already outlined. From this beginning, made at the instigation of one public-spirited man, the rapid growth of this section has sprung.
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