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 46
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 46
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Mr. Peterson is a lover of clean sport, in which he takes an active interest as local manager of the Arbuckle baseball club. Fraternally, he is a member of the Foresters, in Stockton; the Modern Woodmen of America; and the Eagles, in Woodland.
HENRY KUHLMEY
By his judicions investments in Colusa, Mr. Kuhlmey has shown his faith in the future of that town. He is the owner of the building on the east side of Fifth Street. It is a two-story brick building, with basement, forty-five by sixty feet. Part of the building was put up in 1892, and the balance in 1912. The first floor is occupied by the Home Bakery and the Rexall Drug Store, while the second floor is fitted up as up-to-date flats, one of them being occupied by Mr. Kuhlmey and his family.
Henry Kuhlmey was born near Berlin, Germany, on June 5, 1860, and attended the common schools until he was fourteen, when he was confirmed in the Lutheran Church. He then served an apprenticeship to learn the trade of the baker; and after its completion, in 1878, he worked as a journeyman in Berlin, Meck- lenburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Hearing of the opportunities offered in San Francisco, he determined to try his fortunes there. Sailing from Hamburg, April 14, 1885, on the Australia, of the Morris Company line, he arrived in New York nineteen days later, and in San Francisco on May 14. Being a thorough master of his
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trade, he secured a position in Buck's Bakery on Folsom Street, and was kept unusually busy for several years. In the meantime he was learning the ways of doing business in this country, and was acquiring an acquaintance with the English language. He saved his money, and in 1891 had enough to start in for himself. While looking about to find a good locality in which to cast in his lot and build up with a town, he came to Colusa. Here he bought the old Colusa Bakery, and soon afterwards bought the present lot and built a new and modern bakery. In his new quarters he went to work with renewed energy to build up a trade, in which he succeeded. In 1912 he sold the bakery to McPherson Mont- gomery ; and the business is now being carried on under the name of the Home Bakery.
In January, 1891, Henry Kuhlmey was united in marriage, in Woodland, with Tillie Ortner, a native of Pennsylvania. They have one child, a daughter, Marie, who is a graduate of the San Francisco State Normal School. While in San Francisco Mr. Kuhlmey applied for citizenship papers, which were perfected in 1894. In all matters that pertain to the upbuilding of Colusa and the moral uplift of the citizens, Mr. Kuhlmey is always found ready to aid with his time and his means. He became a resident of the county in 1891; and during his residence here he has held the confidence and respect of a wide circle of friends and business associates.
MICHAEL GOLDEN
A public official whose repeated selection by the people for a high and responsible office must be accepted as undeniable evidence of their appreciation of his past services and their confidence in his character and experience, Michael Golden, the genial auditor and recorder of Glenn County, was born at Sandusky, Ohio, Feb- ruary 2, 1848. He is the son of Michael and Margaret (Gallagher) Golden. Michael Golden, the father, was a contractor.
Young Golden was educated in the public schools in Erie County until he was twelve years old. He then began "paddling his own canoe," and soon afterwards had his first business experi- ence as a clerk in a store at Plasterbed, Ohio, where his alertness and fidelity to duty early attracted attention, so that before long he had full charge of the store. In 1865 he moved further west to Alabaster, Iosco County, Mich., where he clerked in a store under the proprietorship of George B. Smith, who was also proprietor of the store in which he had formerly been employed; and here he was given the management of the business. Soon after the death
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of his benefactor, Mr. Smith, young Golden decided he would come west to California, where he arrived in 1877. In January of the following year he secured a position with Eppinger & Co., in their general merchandise establishment in Germantown, Glenn County; and later he became manager and part owner of Hochheimer & Co., a general merchandise concern in the same city. Mr. Golden resided in Germantown for twenty-nine years, while actively en- gaged in business.
In 1906 he gave up his mercantile pursuits to enter the polit- ical arena; and armed with the Democratic nomination for the office of county anditor and recorder, he was elected after a hard fight. In 1910, he ran for reelection, defeating his opponent at the primaries five to one, thus giving him the election. At the pri- maries he received a most complimentary vote from his fellow citi- zens at Germantown, where every Republican and every Demo- crat, but one, expressed their approval of him, a tribute of which he is justly proud. In the fall of 1914, Mr. Golden was again a candidate to succeed himself, and had no opposition. He is now serving his third term in office.
In 1870, Mr. Golden was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Bidwell, a native of Buffalo, N. Y., whose companionship he en- joyed for a decade, but of whom he was bereaved in 1880. Three children were born of this union: Edward J., manager of the Rochdale Store at Germantown; Emma C., Mrs. D. A. Shellooe, of Glenn, who has five sons and two daughters; and Ida O., who be- came Mrs. W. C. Harding, and died, leaving one daughter, Sarah Ida Marie.
DAVID PRINE
The family from which David Prine is descended represents the mingling of French and English blood on the paternal side, and of Irish and German blood on the maternal side. David Prine was born in Jackson County, Mo., on December 1, 1834. His father was William Martin Prine, born in Ohio, on March 14, 1812, a son of a French patriot who fought in the War of 1812. William Mar- tin Prine married M. Panla Daily, a native of Ohio, whose father was an Irishman, and whose mother was German-born. In 1850, with his wife and eight choldren, and some others, Mr. Prine crossed the plains to Oregon. Their party was small but well managed, and no untoward trouble with the Indians befell them. The little party was saddened, however, by the death en route of two of the daughters of the family, and a brother and sister of Mrs. Prine. They died of cholera, and were buried on the plains.
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On their arrival in Oregon, Mr. Prine and his family settled in Linn County, at the forks of the Santiam River, where the father farmed until coming to California in 1868. Arriving in this state, he settled near Maxwell, where he bought a quarter section of land. Here he raised grain until 1872, when he returned to Oregon. There he farmed until his death. William Prine was a man of great public spirit, always in favor of expansion and de- velopment wherever he lived.
David Prine was educated in the rural schools of his day in Missouri and Oregon, and remained with his father nntil he was twenty-three years of age. He then struck ont for himself, leasing land for four years and engaging in general farming. Meeting with success, he decided to become a landowner and bought two hundred acres, which he improved; and here he continued in his chosen calling until 1868, when he came with his father to this state. Upon his arrival here, Mr. Prine took up a government claim of one hundred sixty acres, four miles southwest of Maxwell. He bought another quarter section, adjoining on the east, and still another quarter section two miles southeast of his place. He be- gan raising grain the year of his arrival, and has harvested an annual erop every year since. Every building, tree, shrub, vine, fence and well on the property has been placed there by its owner; and he has labored with patience until he has developed a fine country estate. A few years ago Mr. Prine and his son David F. bought two hundred acres of land adjoining the old home on the north, where he is now living with his son, who has a fine dairy of seventeen cows, and raises alfalfa and hogs. A new pumping plant has been installed, which furnishes ample water for irri- gation.
Mr. Prine married Emma Sylvester, a native of England, who died on December 9, 1911, leaving, besides her husband, three chil- dren to mourn her loss. Enoch married Miss Jameson; and they have five children. Isabelle first married Al Baker, who died, leav- ing one child. She later married C. A. Booher, and three children bless their union. David F. married Zenada Carlos Brice, by whom he has two children. There were three other daughters, who married and are deceased : Margaret A., Vina, and Paula M. Mr. Prine has eighteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is a man who makes friends easily, and retains their friend- ship. In religious belief he is a Baptist. No man now living in the county can say more truthfully that he has done his duty as he has seen it than Mr. Prine of the Maxwell district.
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JOHN SITES
The pioneer of Antelope Valley, John Sites, was born in Hesse, Germany, October 4, 1832, and came to the United States in 1834, with his father, Henry Sites, who settled in St. Charles County, Mo., and followed farming there. On April 16, 1850, John Sites started across the plains with a Mr. Fisher, agreeing to work for him nine months after their arrival in California. They ar- rived in Placerville on August 4 of that same year, and young Sites began his nine months of service to fulfil his contract with Mr. Fisher. They all suffered from mountain fever; so he and the Fishers moved to Yolo County and settled on Cache Creek, where they engaged in cattle-raising. In 1853 Mr. Sites sold out and moved to Antelope Valley, Colusa County, bringing his stock with him. He bought a small ranch and began making improvements, adding to the land first purchased until he had some seven thon- sand acres in the valley. Here Mr. Sites continued farming and stock-raising. Liberal to a fault, and branching out too freely, when the panic came it caught him and he met with some reverses. He gave one half of the site of the town of Sites to the Colusa and Lake County Railroad Co., which company laid out the town and named it in his honor. He was also a large stockholder in the company, and one of the original directors. He died April 30, 1914. In the early days of his residence in this section he was a hunter of note, bringing down grizzly bears and other bears, as well as antelope and elk. He was a likable man, and was much esteemed by every one. He was liberal towards all worthy pro- jects, and particularly active in the cause of education, serving as a member of the school board and assisting to establish the first school in Antelope Valley. He was a member of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Sites' first marriage united him with Laura E. Aycoke, a native of Missouri. She became the mother of three children : Jolin II., residing in Missouri; Mattie L., Mrs. Halloway, of Fair- view; and Nora, Mrs. J. W. Pryor, of Riverside. Mrs. Laura Sites passed away at their home in Sites. The second marriage of Mr. Sites was celebrated in Antelope Valley, where he was united with Mrs. Alferetta (Shearin) Wright, also a native of Mis- souri, who came to California with her parents in 1862, by way of Panama, when she was a child of four years. The family located in Antelope Valley. Her father, Joseph Shearin, was a farmer. He is now deceased. Her mother, Octavia (Cobb) Shearin, is still living at the old home, at an advanced age. Mrs. Sites had one
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child by her first marriage, Henry Wright, now a rancher near the town of Princeton. Of her second marriage five children were born : Pearl, Mrs. Bell, of Fairview; William K., a farmer in An- telope Valley; and Floyd Lee, Jennings Bryan, and George W., who are at home. Floyd and Jennings are assisting their mother with her farming operations, and are highly respected in their community.
Mr. Sites was a Democrat in his political convictions. Frater- nally, he was a member of Snow Mountain Lodge of Masons, at Stonyford; and he was buried with all the honors of that order. He was acknowledged as one of God's noblemen by all who knew him. Kind and considerate of others, liberal as far as his means would permit, he was always helping others less fortunate than himself. No instance can be called to mind when his heart and purse refused to respond to an appeal from the needy and dis- tressed. j
BENJAMIN HINE
As a successful and enterprising rancher of the Grimes dis- triet, in Colusa County, "Ben" Hine, as he is familiarly called, has been closely identified with the agricultural interests of this section since he began his independent career. He was born on June 26, 1883, a son of the late Samuel Henry Hine, who was born in Sharpsburg, Washington County, Md., on July 2, 1849. Grandfather John Hine was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died when he was sixty-nine, at which time his son was a lad of but eight years of age. Samuel Hine went to the public schools until he was twelve, and then began working as a tow-boy on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, later becoming a steersman. In 1876 he went to Illinois for a short time, working as a farm hand in Ogle County; and in 1877 he arrived in California-financially "broke," but abundantly supplied with courage and determination, and favored with a strong constitution. He worked three years in Sutter County, and then, in 1880, came over into Colusa County, where he found work near Arbuckle for a short time. By this time he had saved enough to make a start for himself; and accordingly he bought an outfit and leased some land near Colusa, and for the following sixteen years engaged in farming, with profit to himself nearly every year. In 1898 he settled on Grand Island, and later bought two hundred fifty acres near Grimes, and he also owned four hundred acres of tule land. He was a stockholder in the Grimes Rochdale Store during its lifetime. Fraternally, he was an Odd Fellow; and in politics he was a Re-
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publican. Samuel Hine married Susan Kretzer, also a native of Maryland; and three sons were born to them: Benjamin, Samuel, and Leslie. He passed away in 1913; and his widow lives on one of her ranches, with her youngest son.
The oldest son of the family, Benjamin Hine grew up on the ranch and went to the public schools, and also took a course in the Stockton Business College. He began ranching at an early age, forming a partnership with his brother, Samuel. They pur- chased an outfit, and leased some twenty-two hundred acres of land five miles from Colusa, which they farm to grain. Modern methods are employed to plant and harvest the crops. They use a Holt combined harvester, with a 110-horse-power oil-burning steam tractor, and other modern appliances to lighten labor. The crop for 1917 proved a bumper one, and brought good prices.
In 1908, Benjamin Hine married Miss Zella Kilgore, daughter of W. W. Kilgore; and they have two children, twins, Lloyd and Earl. Mr. Hine is a stockholder in the Colusa County Bank, and in the Farmers' Transportation Company. He joined the Odd Fellows when he was twenty-one, and is a Past Grand of the Grimes Lodge. He lives in Grimes, where he is well and favor- ably known.
WILLIAM TOLLES WRIGHT
Like his father, the late William Wright, this rancher of Co- lusa County has made his own way in the world and attained to an enviable degree of prominence in his locality. He is the only son of his parents now living. His father was a native of England, born at Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, April 14, 1832, the son of Wil- liam and Mary (Measures) Wright, both born in England. He re- ceived but a limited education, and at the age of fourteen, in 1847, embarked on a sailing vessel for New Orleans, taking seventy- three days to make the trip. From New Orleans he went by boat up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Evansville, Ind., where he was employed until 1852 at any work he could find to do. In that year, with others, he chartered a boat, and on April 14 started for St. Joseph, Mo., where they outfitted with provisions, and started overland with ox teams and the old prairie schooners, for the toilsome journey across the plains to California, under the leadership of Captain Onyett. They left St. Joseph on May 5, and on September 1 arrived at Bidwell's Bar, after a long and dangerous trip in which they had several battles with In- dians, who ran off some of their stock and killed one of their men. On his arrival, Mr. Wright went to work in the mines at
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five dollars a day. He was "flat broke" when he arrived, hav- ing only seven dollars and a half left; and he had to spend that for a pair of shoes. So he was glad of any work that would give him a little money. He could not stand working in the water, how- ever; so he kept his job only eight days, and then walked to Ne- vada City, and began mining for himself at Red Dog. In 1863 he came to Colusa County and bought some land south of Sycamore, so that if he should lose all his money in the mining game he would still have some land; and in 1869 he moved to his ranch. He took his house to pieces at Red Dog and moved it in sections to his place, where he put it together again. To protect his ranch from the inroads of the river, he built a levee. Here he engaged in raising grain and stock until 1892, when he retired. He died on June 17, 1907. In 1864, in Red Dog, Nevada County, he married Mrs. Harriet Christina (Sanger) Green, the widow of Jeremiah Green, by whom she had three children: Mrs. Lillian F. Dunlap, Henry S. Green, and Frank C. Green. She was born in Clinton, N. Y., October 10, 1827, and came to California with relatives, via Panama, in the early fifties. Her marriage to Mr. Green occurred in 1854. By her marriage with Mr. Wright she had two sons, Wil- liam T. and George M. The latter died on July 30, 1912, aged forty-four years. Mrs. Wright died on September 22, 1910, aged nearly eighty-three years. Mr. Wright was a Republican. Fra- ternally, he was a member of the Odd Fellows. Both he and his wife were members of the Christian Church.
William T. Wright was born at Red Dog, Nevada County, on February 4, 1865, and was reared in Colusa County, in the Dry Slough district, where he attended the public schools. He has a faint recollection of the trip over the mountains from Nevada County with his parents, and of the early conditions that con- fronted them upon settling in their new home. He learned to plow as soon as he could reach the plow handles; and ever since he has been following the occupation of a farmer. After their father re- tired from active work, in 1892, William T. Wright and his brother George worked the place, part of the time together, and at other times each for himself. William T. Wright now owns the place of four hundred acres, and still lives on the property, which he leases to tenants. Farming has not claimed all of Mr. Wright's time and attention. He is interested in other lines of business endeavor, in- cluding mercantile and banking interests, and in projects for the upbuilding and improvement of the valley, and for increasing its transportation facilities. He believes in living and letting live, and has always been willing to lend a helping hand to those who have been less fortunate than himself. He is enterprising and publie-spirited, and like his father before him he is ever ready to
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give of his time and means to enhance the comfort of the people and advance the interests of the county, in which he has spent practically his whole life. He is a member of Lodge No. 266, I. O. O. F., at Grimes. In polities he is a Democrat, and a member of the County Central Committee.
THOMAS HELM HARLAN
The story of the life of Thomas Helm Harlan, one of the pioneers of California, is a story of deep interest; and were he alive to narrate it, the scenes that he witnessed during his active career in the Golden State, the hardships that he endured, and the obstacles that he surmounted would make a large volume. His biography dates from November 17, 1834, when he was born in Kentucky, to the year 1910, when he died at his home in Wil- lows. His parents were George W. and Johanna (Helm) Harlan, the latter born in Missouri.
Thomas H. Harlan received a common school education in his native state, and grew to young manhood on farms in his home locality. In 1853, he was taken with the gold fever, and, in company with his brother Joseph, crossed the plains with ox teams, in dne time arriving in Grass Valley, Cal., where he began mining. Thereafter he was in Yuba County until 1856, when he located in Grand Island, Colusa County, and there began raising stock. Meeting with considerable success, he later went to Bear Valley and there confined his efforts to raising sheep and hogs, and to general farm pursuits. He sold this property and came down to Colnsa County once more, and purchased a full section of land abont ten miles west from Williams. Here he improved a good ranch and farmed with snecess for many years, in time becoming a large stock-raiser. He it was who introduced the breeding of Angora goats in his section of the county; and he became well known in that particular branch of the stock business. He was very successful, and was engaged in active pursuits until he finally retired to a life of quiet at a home in Willows.
Thomas Helm Harlan was united in marriage with Jane Haynes ; and they had seven children born to them : Helm Harden, Thomas William, Mattie Johanna (deceased), Joseph, Christian Madison, George B., and Susan. Mr. Harlan was a man of happy, friendly disposition, with a smile for everybody. Naturally he made many friends and few, if any, enemies; and he became one of the best-known and best-liked men in the Sacramento Valley. He was a Democrat in politics, of much influence in the party,
J. H. Harlan
T.W. Harlan
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and a fine speaker. For recreation he wrote poetry of consider- able merit, and much prose. He ranked high as a Mason. After a well-spent and prosperous life, he passed away at his home, leaving five sons to mourn his passing.
T. H. Harlan lived to do as much good as he could, to as many as he could, as he passed through life. It did not matter to him what their creed, nationality, color, or social position might be; for he stood ready to aid all on their journey through life, so long as the path they followed did not lead to evil or evil influences. He was known to have dismounted from his horse to give it to a stranger, and then to have walked joyously home with the feeling that he had helped a fellow man. He was very hospit- able; and he made it his object in life to be good and do good; to scatter precious seeds of kindness, so that the lives of others might be brightened a little for having met him. His was not a selfish life; and hence he did not look for great worldly returns. His sentiments are well expressed in the following lines :
"Love, honor and obey, The things that are pure and right ; And never on your pathway, night or day, Let these sentiments stray from your sight.
"Cherish them in your childhood; Cherish them in your prime; Cherish them in your manhood; Cherish them all the time."
Following is a unique notice of the location of a mining claim filed by Mr. Harlan :
NOTICE
"Notice is hereby given, that this mine I do locate In accordance with the statute of these United States. It is only Chapter Six, and Title Thirty-two, A plain little reference that tells me what to do.
"I surely am a citizen; in Kentucky I was born, Close by a cotton field, and sugar cane and corn. I guess that I am old enough, this mineral claim to lay ; For my hair, once so black, has turned to silvery gray.
"Fifteen hundred feet I claim, o'er this mountain glide Rich in silver and in gold, with diamonds on the side. The sides I claim three hundred feet, running parallel, Timber, water-yes, mill site, and this lovely dell.
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"On southeast side of Preston Peak, there you can find A prospect shaft, drill, and pick to mark this rich mine. Southwest from this gulch-ore mountain high you bet- Between claims owned by Williams and Green Bartlett.
"State of California, and County of Siskiyou, The fifth of September, eighteen hundred and ninety-two. Although this claim to you may not be worth a farthing- Then let it alone. Respectfully, Yours, T. H. Harlan."
THOMAS WILLIAM HARLAN
A native son of Colusa County, and one whose name now ranks high in agricultural circles in the Sacramento Valley, is T. W. Harlan of Willows. He was born on April 5, 1874, a son of the late Thomas Helm and Jane (Haynes) Harlan, of whom more extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume, in a sketch of the life of T. H. Harlan.
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