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 52
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 52
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On November 1, 1878, Mr. Masterson was married, at Red Bluff, in Tehama County, to Miss Hannah Quinn, a native of Be- nicia, Solano County, although she was reared in Mendocino County; and of this union five children were born. Mary is a teacher in Orland; Edward H., who married Miss Kate Carrico, is under sheriff of Glenn County; Louisa is at home; Anna is deputy county recorder of Glenn County; and Marcus Q., who married Miss Alma Carrico, and has one son, James Joseph, is employed in the Farmers' Cash Store at Orland. Mr. Masterson helped estab- lish the Orland grammar school, of which he was a trustee for twelve years. He is a conservative Democrat in national affairs; locally he is non-partisan, favoring good government at all times.
COLUSA COUNTY BANK
The pioneer financial institution in Colusa County is the Colusa County Bank, established September 15, 1870, by George Hagar, John Boggs, W. F. Goad, Edgar Mills, D. O. Mills, Henry Miller, Calvin Paige, A. C. Whitcomb, Peter Decker, John H. Jew- ett, Jerome Lincoln, and William P. Harrington, all "forty-nin- ers" in California. The capital stock originally paid in was $95,- 000, which has been increased by earnings to $500,000, with sur- plus and undivided profits of $360,000.
The first president was W. F. Goad; and the first cashier, W. P. Harrington. In 1882 George Hagar succeeded to the presi- dency; and he in turn was succeeded in 1902 by W. P. Harrington. Upon the death of the latter, in 1903, B. H. Burton became presi- dent; and he holds that position at the present time. Tennent Harrington, formerly assistant cashier, became cashier in 1902, and still holds that position.
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When the bank was founded, there were but twelve stockhold- ers; in 1917 there were ninety. The original founders are all dead, but a large part of their stock in the bank is held by their heirs. The present directors are B. H. Burton, Alfred S. Tubbs, of San Francisco, M. J. Boggs, Elliott McAllister, and Tennent Harrington. The growth of the bank has been phenomenal; and to render it more convenient for depositors in various parts of the county, branches were established-one at Maxwell in 1911, and one at Grimes in 1914. On March 5, 1917, the bank report showed individual deposits subject to check, $1,194,873.35; demand certifi- cates of deposit, $24,307.43; time certificates of deposit, $733,042 .- 23; and state, county and municipal deposits, $25,000.
JOSEPH S. SALE
The first emigration of the Sale family after its establishment in Virginia was made by William G. Sale, M. D., a native of that state, who removed to Missouri in 1850 and settled in St. Louis County, where he followed the practice of his profession. He made his home in the vicinity of Fenton until his death, in 1862. His wife, Emily Anderson, also a Virginian, survived her husband and came to California in 1870, where she married James Wil- liams, a pioneer of Elk Creek. They lived on a farm until the time of their death.
Joseph S. Sale, the only son and oldest child in a family of three children, was born at Fenton, St. Louis County, Mo., Febru- ary 2, 1858. His preliminary education was received in the com- mon schools of Missouri and California, after which, in 1880, he returned to Missouri and attended the Christian Brothers College at St. Louis, taking a commercial course. He returned to Califor- nia in 1881 and finished his education at Pierce Christian College, at College City. Some time later, he settled at Elk Creek.
On his return from college, Mr. Sale engaged in ranching at Winslow on three hundred sixty acres of land, raising grain and stock. In 1906 he sold his farm and bought the Laraway general store at Winslow. He increased the stock and enlarged the build- ing, and for six years was engaged in the general merchandise business, serving also as postmaster. He continued the business successfully till his election, in 1912, to the county board of super- visors from the third district, when he sold out, feeling that as a public official he did not wish to have his time taken up by indi- vidnal business, when he should give it without distraction to his official duty. He assumed the office in January, 1913, and served
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his constituents with fidelity, looking well to their interests. So highly was his work appreciated, that he was reelected in 1916 over two opponents.
In the vicinity of Winslow, Mr. Sale was united in marriage with Mary Gillaspy, a native daughter, born near Cordelia, Solano County. Her parents were Jeremiah C. and Harriet Gillaspy, California pioneers and early farmers of the Elk Creek country. Mr. and Mrs. Sale are parents of four children. Edna is the wife of G. D. Baker of Sacramento; Leland married Rena Hull of Elk Creek, and they have two sons, Marvin and Lyle; Nellie became the wife of W. L. Steele of Willows; and William married Etta Troxel and resides at Winslow.
Mr. Sale is a charter member of the Christian Church of Elk Creek, and has been a member of the board of trustees since its organization. Politically he is active in the counsels of the Demo- cratic party, in the interests of which he has served on various committees. For two years he served as deputy assessor, and for twenty years he served as superintendent of roads, having ac- cepted the position when this entire section was known as Colusa County. He still makes his residence at Winslow, where he owns a comfortable home and a small country place, though he has also built a residence in Willows, which is occupied by his daughter.
THOMAS FRANKLIN RAWLINS
Among the sturdiest pioneers in every section of the United States, who have builded better than they knew, are those minis- ters of the gospel who, like the late Rev. Thomas F. Rawlins, while they sowed the seed of eternal truth, were also busily en- gaged in tilling the soil of Mother Earth. Born in Henry County, Iowa, June 21, 1844, Thomas Franklin Rawlins went with his father, William Rawlins, when a child, to Mount Pleasant, in the same county. There the elder Rawlins was a pioneer; and there he built the first house erected in that section. In 1846 the family removed to Dallas County, Texas; and there Mr. Rawlins erected the first flouring mill, which was run by water power.
Thomas F. Rawlins was reared and educated in the Lone Star State. He was ordained a minister of the Christian Church, and began his ministerial work in the neighborhood. At the same time he conducted a general store for about ten years, meanwhile serv- ing as postmaster. During this period he preached the gospel every Sunday at some schoolhouse or church in the country round about, doing real pioneer work. About this time a destructive fire 31
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destroyed his place of business, entailing a heavy loss; and he then accepted a position in Nashville, Tenn. He also edited and puh- lished The Christian Student, a church paper of wide circulation. In Nashville he preached the gospel, and with his versatile pen contributed to the Gospel Advocate, a church paper of that city. He then spent four years in the mercantile business at Denton, Texas, after which he came to California in 1886. His first post in this state was in Fresno County, where he preached for one year, after which he spent three years as pastor of the Christian Church at Butte City, in Glenn County. For the following fifteen years he farmed and preached at Elk Creek, and then returned to the pul- pit at Butte City for two years. About six years, also, were spent in preaching the gospel in Oregon. He finally took up his resi- denee in Elk Creek, where he became pastor of the Elk Creek Church, which position he held until his death. On October 1, 1915, Rev. Rawlins was honored with the appointment as sealer of weights and measures for Glenn County, being the first incumbent to hold that position in this district. In his official capacity he gave close attention to details, and fulfilled the duties of his posi- tion with satisfaction to all concerned.
On December 17, 1864, Thomas Franklin Rawlins was united in marriage with Miss Naomi Ham, born in Illinois, a daughter of William and Naomi (Burton) Ham. The former came across the plains in 1850, engaged in mining at Sonora, and died there in 1854. His wife had died in 1850, at Galena, Ill. She was the mother of six children, of whom Mrs. Rawlins is the only survivor. To Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins ten children were born. The eldest is Mrs. Attie V. Clark, of Iowa City, Texas; William F., the second in order of birth, is a member of the staff of the Sacramento Bee; Mrs. Mattie Gatliff is the wife of Dr. W. W. Gatliff, of Butte City; Henry Grove lives in Willows, and is mentioned on another page of this work; George Edgar is a dentist at Orland; Herbert H. re- sides in Butte City; Dollie married I. N. MeVay, and lives in Co- lusa County ; Cline T. resides at Elk Creek; Grace became the wife of W. N. McVay, of Colusa County ; and Ricardo P. is a teacher at Folsom, Cal.
On September 10, 1917, Rev. Thomas Franklin Rawlins passed away at his home in Elk Creek. "His death was very sudden. He suffered no pain, and lived only a few minutes after he was stricken." He was a man universally respected wherever he was known, and in his ministrations as a pastor, and his literary labors as a Christian editor, he was instrumental in the accomplishment of much good in the various communities in which he lived.
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JOHN BEECK
Another Holsteiner who has amassed a comfortable compe- tence, and who, at the same time, has earned and now enjoys the respect and good-will of his fellow citizens, is John Beeck, one of the heads of the prosperous Rochdale Store of Germantown. Born in Holstein, Germany, May 5, 1858, he is the son of Paul and Anna (Soeth) Beeck. The father died when John was a little boy. The mother married again; and John Beeck was reared by his stepfather, Peter Martens, who had a grist-mill of the old Hol- land type common in his country in those days. John Beeck at- tended the grammar schools, from which he graduated at the age of sixteen. He then learned the trade of a miller, working early and late in the mill until 1881. In that year he came with friends to the United States, and almost immediately went to Germantown and set to work as a farm hand on the Butte ranch, driving mules. In Germantown he engaged for a time in the liquor business, in the middle eighties. Selling out the liquor business, he rented the Henry Kartenburg place of six hundred forty acres for two years, and then leased four hundred eighty acres of land two miles north- west of Germantown, on the old Henning ranch, which he planted to grain. From 1884 to 1886, Mr. Beeck and Fred Kettels farmed a section of land near Germantown, known as the Dr. Watts place, after which Mr. Beeck sold his interest to his partner. In 1886 he bought eighty acres of land near Willows, adjoining eighty acres owned by his wife; and for a while he industriously farmed his acquisition. Later he rented out the tract, and still later sold it to William Shillings. In course of time, Mr. Beeck became vice- president of the Rochdale Store, of which he was also one of the charter members. In 1890, before the county division, he was elected constable of Germantown, resigning the office the following year. He also served as school trustee.
In 1886, John Beeck was married to Mrs. Anna Hinrechsen, whose maiden name was Henning. She had come to Colusa County in 1874, from Germany, accompanied by her parents, Hans Henning and wife, to join her two brothers, August and Henry, who were in California. Later she was married to Mr. Hinrech- sen, by whom she had two sons, Henry and Hans Hinrechsen. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Beeck: Two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Golden and Mrs. Adele Masterson, who re- side in Germantown; and a son, Otto Beeck. All three of the boys are in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railway. There are five grandchildren in the family. In 1907, Mr. Beeck bought his pres-
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ent attractive place of six acres in Germantown, where he now has his residence. He became a citizen of the United States in Colnsa County, in 1887. He is a Democrat in politics and for some years was active in the party, serving as a delegate to county conven- tions. As far back as 1887, Mr. Beeck joined Monroe Lodge, No. 289, I. O. O. F., at Willows, in which he is still a highly respected member.
CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH SCHMIDT
The late Christian Friedrich Schmidt was born in Scherrebick, Schleswig, Germany, on February 16, 1861. When sixteen years of age he came to the United States, arriving in New York in Sep- tember, 1877. From there he came to California, to the home of an aunt who lived at Rio Vista. There he attended the public school for a year, and then learned the trade of the harness-maker, which he followed for three years. He then went to Visalia, in Tulare County, but at the end of a year, in 1882, came back to Rio Vista, where he had a harness shop of his own. On November 22, 1886, he removed to Orland, and bought out the Connelley Harness Shop; and there he continued in business, on the same spot, for over twenty-nine years. He started in a small, nnpretentions frame building; but as his business steadily grew, he increased his stock, and later he built there a new and thoroughly modern build- ing. He became one of the first harness-makers in Orland, both in respect to time and as to the quality of his work. Not long after he had settled here, Mr. Schmidt bought a ranch of three hundred twenty acres, five miles to the southeast of Orland, paying twelve and one-half dollars per acre. He farmed the ranch to grain for a year; and since that time the place has been rented to others.
On October 30, 1889, Christian Friedrich Schmidt was mar- ried to Miss Catharina Jasper, a native of Sacramento, and the daughter of Christian and Rebecca (Ahrens) Jasper, both of whom were natives of the famous old city of Hanover, in Ger- many. Christian Jasper was a miller. When a young man of ยท twenty-one years, he left his native land and went to Australia, where he mined for seven years. Then he sailed for San Fran- cisco, and in that city met his sweetheart, who had come from Ger- many to join him; and there they were married. They settled in Sacramento; and Mr. Jasper worked for three years in the Phoe- nix Flour Mills. Early in the seventies, Mr. Jasper took up a gov- ernment claim, five miles to the sontheast of Orland, and began farming to grain. Later, he bought varions tracts of land; and at one time he owned a whole section. In 1905, he sold the ranch,
Timothy Reidy
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which he had greatly improved, erecting a ranch house and the nsnal barns, setting ont orchards, and laying out gardens. Then he bought a quarter section near the old home place; and there he lived and farmed for five years. He was a good farmer, and among other features of his well-cultivated ranch was a fine black- berry patch-one of the finest in that district-from which he re- ceived a yearly income of nine hundred dollars. Mr. Jasper was one of the founders, and remained a member, of the Lutheran Church at Germantown. In 1900, Mrs. Jasper died; and on Sep- tember 14, 1916, her husband also passed away. Besides Mrs. Catharina Schmidt, this worthy pioneer couple left two children: Charles Jasper, of San Francisco, and Edward Jasper, a rancher near Orland. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt four chil- dren were born. Anita, the eldest, died at the age of six years; Edna is a graduate of the San Francisco Normal School; Everett assists his mother in the conduct of the harness shop; and Alta is a pupil at the Orland high school. Mr. Schmidt was admitted to citizenship on July 30, 1884, at Fairfield, in Solano County. He was elected a trustee of the town of Orland, an office he held at the time of his death, which occurred on January 13, 1916. He was a man of sterling character, a member of the Lutheran Church at Germantown; and there, as elsewhere, he exercised a powerful in- fluence for good.
TIMOTHY REIDY
Not every man has seen as much of the wide world as did the late Timothy Reidy, the highly esteemed pioneer blacksmith and wagon maker of Willows. An Irishman by birth, he first saw the light in County Kerry, in 1830. He came to the United States and to California, by way of the Isthmus, when he was only eighteen years of age, and worked at his trade as a blacksmith at Sacra- mento, Folsom, Nevada City and Carson. From all reports he held his own in each place as a man who knew his trade in the good old-fashioned way.
Returning east, he traveled all over the world. He visited Australia and the South Sea Islands, and toured much of civilized Enrope. Again crossing the ocean, he made his way to Chicago, and from there went to Montreal and Quebec. In each of these places he worked again at the blacksmith's forge, and having ac- cumulated some means, he made a second trip, in 1860, to Califor- nia. In San Francisco, he worked at his trade for a time, and then packed his valise and was off again.
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On his return east in 1869, Mr. Reidy was married at Louis- ville, Ky., to Mrs. Kate (Breek) Kinman, a fair daughter of that state; and three years later, in 1872, he made his third trip to the Coast. While in England, he had learned the shipbuilder's trade, and had learned it well; and now, instead of blacksmithing, he worked as a ship's carpenter and builder on the docks at San Francisco, and assisted in the construction of many of the large ships of early days. It did not take long for foremen to see that he was an expert in his line, and consequently his services were in great demand. Leaving the shipyards, he went to Nord and Chico, where he was employed at the anvil; and in 1876 he settled in Willows, when the town was just starting. Here he continued at the blacksmith's trade, and soon owned the corner of Butte and Sycamore Streets, where the Glenn County Savings Bank now stands. Here, for many years, he had his picturesque shop, a meeting place where neighbors and friends often stopped to chat with the genial, wrinkled veteran.
Mr. Reidy retired from active life in 1902; and thereafter he passed his days in the society of his three children-William J., Joseph M., and Miss Sadie F. Reidy, now a teacher in the Willows grammar school, who received her early education here, and grad- uated from the Willows high school and from the Chico State Nor- mal. There were three children who died. Two of these, Nellie and Ida May, died at fourteen years and five years of age respec- tively; while the third, Harry, was in business with his brother until his death in 1909. Besides these Mr. Reidy had a son, Tim- othy, by a former marriage, who resides in Sacramento.
On May 2, 1916, this worthy citizen and pioneer passed away, and was buried according to the rites of the Catholic Church, of which he was a devout member. Mr. Reidy possessed good pow- ers of observation; and retaining until the last a wonderful mem- ory, he liked to talk about his travels over the world and through- out the States, and to tell of his many and interesting experiences.
GEORGE E. WRIGHT
A man of wide travels, who, after seeing the charm and ad- vantages of many sections of the Western Continent, was still most attracted by California, is George E. Wright, blacksmith and wagon-maker in the wide-awake and promising town of Orland. George E. Wright was born at Dubuque, Iowa, on October 23, 1865. When he was five years old, his family took him to London, Ontario; and there he was educated. There, also, he learned and
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began working at his trade. Just when he was getting nicely es- tablished, however, he decided to travel and see something of the world. In 1885 he came to California, landing in Los Angeles with just twenty dollars in his pocket. His first employment was in shoeing fast race-horses for Lucky Baldwin, at the Santa Anita ranch; and after fulfilling his engagement there, he worked for Helen Bros., at Pasadena. Traveling on to San Francisco, he re- mained in that city for a short time, and then started for Sonth America, taking with him some fifteen hundred dollars which he had saved from his hard labor. He visited Panama on his way, and while in South America stopped at Valparaiso and other ports. Returning to California, he worked for a while at Ala- meda, and in 1892 came to Glenn County, where he opened a black- smith shop at Elk Creek. In time he sold this; and then he worked for a summer at Newville. Wherever he set up his forge, the thoroughness and honesty of his work were soon apparent.
In 1893, Mr. Wright removed to Orland, and here he has since lived, participating in all the active movements of the town, and reaping with others the benefits of citizenship in a developing and thriving community. He formed a partnership with Del Harelson, under the firm name of Harelson & Wright, and together the part- ners opened a shop on Walker Street. Jolm Lake bought out Har- elson's interest, and then the firm became Wright & Lake. Later still, Mr. Wright bought ont his partner, and became, as he is now, the sole owner. Attracted to certain lots on Fourth and Fifth Streets, he erected a shop and sales room there, and established an agency for Studebaker wagons and buggies, Oliver plows, and Simpson tractors. Ever since then he has done a large business, and is now rated as one of the solid men of the town. He also owns a business block on Fourth Street, near Colusa, which he erected. Upon the incorporation of the city, Mr. Wright was elected its first mayor.
In 1891, George E. Wright was united in marriage with Miss Carrie H. Martin, a native daughter, and now one of the popular members of the Rebekahs and of the Eastern Star. Three chil- dren have blessed their happy union. John assists his father in business, and is himself agent for the Maxwell auto, a fully equipped car, with an electric starter, which is proving more and more popular. Ethel is a student in the Art School at Berkeley, while Florence is one of the bright pupils at the school in Orland. Mr. Wright is an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Rebekahs; and is also a Past Master of the Masons, and a Past Patron of the Eastern Star.
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THOMAS DAVID GRIFFIN
One of the prominent pioneer citizens, farmers, and stock- raisers of the Sacramento Valley is the man whose name heads this article, who has been a resident of this section of the state since October 19, 1857. Mr. Griffin was born near New London, Ralls County, Mo., on July 27, 1845, and came with his father to this state when he was a lad of twelve. He received a good educa- tion in the common and private schools at Knight's Landing, Yolo County, and was engaged in farming on the home place with his father until he was twenty-five years old. In 1870 he began stock- raising on Cache Creek, near Yolo, where he raised hogs. His first trip through what is now the Williams section, in Colusa County, was made about 1865; but the land seemed barren, and the plains were not an encouraging sight. In 1872 he began rais- ing grain near Williams; and in 1880 he bought three hundred twenty acres five miles southwest of what is now the town of Wil- liams. He sowed his land to grain, principally wheat and barley, and also raised cattle, sheep and hogs. As he succeeded, he bought land at different times; and he now owns eight hundred acres in the foothills of the county, and one hundred forty acres in the mountains, on which there is a fine sulphur mineral spring with wonderful eurative powers for stomach trouble. These aeres are in addition to his original home place. As he increased his hold- ings, he began to raise horses and mules, in addition to his other stock interests. All in all, he has met with very good success. His highest yield of wheat was twenty-six sacks to the acre, and of barley, twenty-three sacks. At one time he had as many as three thousand hogs, mostly of the Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey breeds, mixed. Mr. Griffin may well feel proud of his record as a rancher; for since first putting a plow in the ground on his fa- ther's ranch, in 1857, he has planted and harvested crops for sixty years without intermission-a record hard to beat.
It is proper that mention should be made of the pioneer father, Joseph Griffin, a Virginian who moved first to Kentucky, and then in succession to Indiana, Ohio and Missouri, where he settled long enough to improve a farm and partly raise his family. In 1850 he made his first trip across the plains to California, where he mined until 1851. He then returned to Missouri, and remained there until in May, 1857, when he packed into wagons his provisions and such supplies as might be needed for the long journey, and with his family started across the plains to Califor- nia behind slow-going oxen. It was the same year as the Moun-
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