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 57
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 57
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On February 18, 1866, in Missouri, John C. Ward and Mary E. Weaver were united in marriage; and they have seven chil- dren: William, a stockman of Arbuckle; Susan, who married R. Griffin, of Esparto; Lucy, the wife of E. H. Peake, manager of the warehouse at Hershey siding; Nellie, the first child born in Ar- buckle, who became the wife of J. D. Bradford, and lives in Sacra- mento; Lelah, Mrs. R. Moore, of Stockton; Charles, with the Southern Pacific Railroad at Marysville; and Mrs. Eva Lansten, of Maxwell. This worthy couple have ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. On February 18, 1917, the fifty-first anniver- sary of their marriage was celebrated in an appropriate manner
frence Butter
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at their home, where they received the congratulations of their many friends and relatives, all of whom wish them many more years of life. Mrs. Ward was born in Booneville, Ky. She is a woman of kindly and charitable nature, always responding to a call for aid from the sick and afflicted, amongst whom she nursed for many years, encouraging and cheering them by her kind min- istrations. She is a devout member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Arbuckle, and is loved by every one.
EUGENE THOMPSON BUTLER
It is interesting to chronicle the life history of the pioneers who braved frontier dangers and hardships. Such a man is Eugene T. Butler, born in De Witt, Clinton County, Iowa, January 22, 1855. His father, John P. Butler, was born in Indiana. He was a millwright by trade, and settled in Clinton County, Iowa, where he married and was engaged in farming. On the breaking out of the Civil War he volunteered his services, enlisting in Com- pany H, Twenty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served with his regiment until he was taken ill at the siege of Vicksburg, from which illness he died in 1863. The mother, Mary Shields before her marriage, was born in Indiana. Her half brother, Major John Lynch, was major of the Sixth Illinois Cavalry; and six of her nephews served under him in the same regiment during the Civil War. Some years after the death of John P. Butler his widow was married again, to William Gibbs, who died in Iowa. By the first union she had four children; and by the second, two. She passed away in Elk Creek, Cal.
Eugene Thompson Butler was the fourth child of his mother's first marriage, and was reared in Iowa until fifteen years of age. His education necessarily was limited, since he and his brothers, after his father's death, during the Civil War, were compelled to go to work when they were mere lads, and were kept busy in the fields. At thirteen years of age he bound his station in the grain fields of Iowa, with the other men.
On reaching fifteen years, Eugene Butler emigrated to Cali- fornia, arriving on October 24, 1870; and here he worked at the old John Williams sawmill, above Elk Creek. Later, he worked with his brother-in-law, Hugh Nelson, who was in the sheep busi- ness; and in 1883 he went to Washington, driving a band of sheep through for Warren Green. He remained in Yakima County, Wash., farming and logging, and was married there, in August, 1884, to Miss Annie O'Neal, a native of that state, born in 34
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Olympia. She was a daughter of Abija and Minerva (Under- wood) O'Neal, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively, and pioneers of Washington, who crossed the plains with ox teams in 1852. Five children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Butler: Charles, a merchant in Elk Creek; Hugh; Alma, Mrs. Warmack, of Willows; Bessie, Mrs. Jess Haskell, of Fruto; and Etta, who lives with her parents.
In 1887, Mr. Butler, with his wife, returned to Elk Creek and engaged in the sheep business there with Warren Green, and later in the cattle business, the partnership lasting until the death of Mr. Green. After the death of Mr. Green the partnership was con- tinned with his heirs, a period of twenty-five years in all. In 1915, Mr. Butler sold out his interests. He now lives on his ranch of one hundred twenty acres, in the Oakdale district, retired from active cares, and enjoying the fruits of his years of industry, and the reward of the hardships endured during early life.
In national politics Mr. Butler is a Republican; locally he supports those men he finds best fitted for their respective offices. He has served on the county grand jury, and also as school trustee in Strong and Oakdale districts; and he has always been actively interested in all movements for the progress and npbuild- ing of his section.
GEORGE B. PENCE
As supervisor from the fourth district, George B. Pence, of Maxwell, is holding a position of importance among the public offi- cials of Colusa County, with credit to himself, and with satisfac- tion to his constituents. He is a man of marked business ability, good judgment, and upright principles, and enjoys to a high de- gree the esteem and respect of the community. Of honored pio- neer stock, he was born near Staunton, Macoupin County, Ill., October 25, 1865, a son of Samuel and Eliza (Griswold) Pence, natives of Pennsylvania and Vermont respectively. The father crossed the plains with ox teams, from Illinois to California, in 1854, mined in the Sierras near Forbestown for a time, and then returned home by way of Cape Horn and continued farming in Illinois. In 1872 he came back to California to find a location that suited him, intending to go back later for his family. In 1876 he brought his family and settled in the Antelope Valley, Colusa County. He leased land from Jolin Sites, and for four years farmed to grain on a large scale, meeting with very good returns. He then took up a government claim in Letts Valley, on the south side of Snow Mountain, proved up on it, and for four years was
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engaged in raising horses and cattle. One year was spent on the Cleghorn ranch in Grapevine Valley, after which, in 1884, he settled in Maxwell and built the Maxwell Hotel, where for twenty- five years he was "mine host" to the traveling public, among whom he became widely and favorably known. In 1909 he moved to the state of Washington, where he died. He was a member of Maxwell Lodge, No. 288, F. & A. M. His three sons are living: James S. and Charles, both in Washington; and George B., of this review.
George B. Pence finished his education in Colusa County, af- ter which he assisted his father on the ranches, and then became his partner in the Maxwell Hotel, from 1884 till 1896. From 1896 to 1898 he farmed in Washington. On his return to California he spent one year in Indian Valley and four years on the Morris Dooling ranch, in Antelope Valley, raising grain and stock, after which he was engaged in the same enterprise on the Laugenour ranch of two thousand seven hundred forty acres in the same val- ley. In August, 1914, he bought fifty-two and one half acres near Maxwell; and he is now devoting his time and energies to devel- oping it into a modern dairy, alfalfa and fruit ranch. He has his own water system, with fine wells and pumping plant to supply his needs for domestic and irrigating purposes. In four years his place has become one of the show places in the county. Mr. Pence is still operating the Laugenour place. In 1913 he took into part- nership with himself his son Marvin Earl Pence, who resides on the ranch. Some six hundred acres a year is planted to grain; and the balance is devoted to raising cattle, horses, mules and hogs. The place is operated with the latest improved machinery.
Mr. Pence was united in marriage at College City, August 13, 1891, with Irene Estelle Suggett, who was born in Missouri. She is a daughter of George H. Suggett, a veteran of the Civil War, who served in a Missouri regiment in the Federal army. Mr. Sug- gett became a pioneer of College City, and is now living retired in Sacramento, enjoying a well-earned rest. Of this marriage four children have been born: Marvin Earl, George Howard, Buford Eugene, and Mattie Irene. Mr. Pence is giving his children a good education, and is fitting them well for positions in life. In politics he is a Democrat; and he has always been active in the councils of the party. For eight years in succession he was con- stable of Maxwell; and so well did he discharge the duties of the office that he was favorably considered for supervisor, and was in- duced to become a candidate for the office from the fourth district of Colusa County in 1912. He made the race for the office, and won by a handsome majority over his opponent. He gave his time unsparingly to the duties of the position, and worked hard for his
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district, always striving to do the most good for the greatest num- ber of people. At the expiration of his term he was a candidate for reelection in 1916, and was again chosen to the office. Mr. Pence is a member of Maxwell Lodge, No. 288, F. & A. M., and of Maxwell Lodge, No. 361, I. O. O. F. He has a wide acquaintance, and many friends, in the northern part of California, and espe- cially in the Sacramento Valley.
ROBERT YARBROUGH
A pioneer business man of Maxwell, Colusa County, Robert Yarbrough has been a factor in the growth of the town and dis- trict, and has aided materially in their development. A South- erner by birth, like so many of the pioneers of the Sacramento Valley, he was born in Hopkins County, Ky., November 2, 1857, and was raised on a farm there until twenty-one years of age. Being an ambitious young man, on reaching his majority he de- sired to broaden his horizon, and went to Colorado, where he worked in the mines for a year and a half. He then moved fur- ther west, arriving in the Golden State in 1880. He first came to Fresno, but located in Madera, where he remained for two years.
In the year 1882, Mr. Yarbrough came to Colusa County and engaged in farm work on ranches on Grand Island. He later rented a part of the Joe Evans ranch and farmed it to grain for four years, when he became manager of the Joe Evans Stock Ranch on Madeline Plains, in Lassen County. He proved to be a most capable manager, and met with success; but wishing to em- ploy his capacities directly in his own behalf, in 1893 he settled in Maxwell, Colusa County. Here Mr. Yarbrough established a butcher business, which he personally conducted for seventeen years. At the same time he bought a four-hundred-thirty-acre ranch west of town, his present home place, planting some of the acreage to grain and using the balance for pasture land and stock- raising. A lover of fine horses, Mr. Yarbrough has raised some splendid specimens of saddle and work horses, and has gained rec- ognition throughout this section as a breeder of fine horses. Be- sides his ranch property he owns several lots in Maxwell. Like many other progressive ranchers in this section, he is devoting a considerable acreage to rice-culture, which is proving an impor- tant industry in the valley. This year (1917) he is planting one hundred acres of his ranch to rice.
With these multiplied business interests, Mr. Yarbrough has found time to help in the upbuilding of his district, especially
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along educational lines. He is a school trustee, and has been on the school board for eighteen years; and during that time he has been unsparing in his efforts to bring about better educational fa- cilities for the community. He was the chief promoter of the new Maxwell grammar school, one of the best school buildings in the county. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, Mission style, with fine interior finish. It has its own heating and water system, and is modern in every way.
Mr. Yarbrough was united in marriage at Grimes, on Novem- ber 12, 1889, with Rebecca Vann, a native of Potter Valley, Men- docino County, Cal., and a daughter of William H. and Angeline (Cates) Vann, born in Tennessee and Missouri respectively. Her people were one of the pioneer families of the state, having crossed the plains with ox teams about 1854. Mrs. Yarbrough was reared and educated in Los Angeles. Five children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Yarbrough: William R., proprietor of the Maxwell meat market; Burr, a farmer; Vann, attending high school; and John and Henry, students in the grammar school.
JOHN H. LOVELACE
The genial and popular Justice of the Peace of Maxwell, Co- lusa County, Jolin H. Lovelace, has brought to his office those qualities of diplomacy and fair dealing for which the South is noted. A native of Missouri, he was born in Montgomery County, February 10, 1865, a son of John and Ann (Shearin) Lovelace, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter a native of North Caro- lina. He is therefore a Southerner "through and through." His parents became pioneers of California ; and a résumé of their ac- tivities will be found in the sketch of his brother, Charles W. Lovelace.
John H. Lovelace was two years old when the family settled in Bear Valley, Cal. They came to Colusa County, in 1867, and he received his education in the schools of that county. His first em- ployment was on the Stewart Harris ranch. Later he rented land in the Grapevine, Cheney Slough, and Maxwell districts, and farmed several thousand acres of land to grain, meeting with suc- cess in the venture. During his farming activities he worked at intervals at the carpenter's trade; and in 1906, in partnership with two of his brothers, Stewart and Walter, he engaged in contract- ing and building, erecting many of the fine homes in Maxwell, as well as many residences and barns on ranches in the district. He was one of the carpenters that helped build the town hall in Max-
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well. The year following the San Francisco fire, 1906-1907, Mr. Lovelace worked on many of the new buildings which went up in those strenuous times, and helped to build up the new San Fran- cisco. He also did carpenter work on Angel Island, in the San Francisco harbor. Judge Lovelace has a place of twenty-five acres, located one half mile south of Maxwell on the state high- way. Here he built his bungalow home, and has made other im- provements.
Judge Lovelace's marriage united him with Melvina Prine, a native of Colusa County, who died in May, 1904, leaving fonr chil- dren: Mrs. Emma Schoener, Gertrude, Desrosier, and Marion. In 1914, Mr. Lovelace was elected Justice of the Peace of Max- well Township, and took office on January 1, 1915. He has ably and conscientiously fulfilled the duties of his office, and has won a place for himself in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
OSCAR WAUGH
A representative of a prominent old Southern family, Oscar Waugh was born at Gonzales, Texas, August 8, 1864. His father, James H. Waugh, was born in Amherst County, Va .; while his grandfather, Roderick Waugh, who was of Scotch descent, was a planter in the Old Dominion and served in the War of 1812. James H. Wangh, as a young man, migrated West to Texas, and there was married to Miss Sarah Houston, a native of Texas and a daughter of General Sam Houston, ex-Governor of Texas, who was at the head of the forces that accomplished the independence of Texas. Returning to Virginia, where he owned a plantation, James H. Waugh, on the breaking ont of the Civil War, enlisted in the Second Virginia Regiment, serving in the Confederate army until the close of the war. During the war his wife had returned to Texas, where she died soon after the birth of their son, Oscar. After the war, the father resided on his plantation in Amherst County ; however, he suffered from wounds received during the war, and died in 1867.
After his father's death, Oscar Waugh lived with an uncle un- til eleven years of age; but not finding his surroundings congenial, he ran away, and went to Kansas City, Mo. Arriving there, he had but two dollars and ten cents left; but through the aid of rel- atives in Texas, he attended school two years, and then, on one of his uncle Bob Houston's trips to Kansas City, returned to Texas with him, where he attended school until he returned to Virginia. There he entered Roanoke College. After completing his college
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course, he came back to Texas and rode the range for his uncle un- til 1881, and then rode over the trail to Montana and rode the range in that state until the fall of 1885, at which time he became such a sufferer from inflammatory rheumatism that, following the advice of a physician, he took a sea voyage to Alaska and return, only to find that it did not have the desired effect. On his return he took a course of mud baths at Steamboat Springs, Nev., which relieved him of the malady.
Coming to the Sacramento Valley, on May 15, 1886, Mr. Waugh entered the employ of J. S. Garnett, and continued in his employ during his life; and he has remained in the employ of the J. S. Garnett Company since his death. Having had years of ex- perience with cattle and horses, he was soon placed in charge of this branch of the work, a position he has held ever since. He also owns some cattle and horses himself; but his time and attention are given to the J. S. Garnett ranch.
Mr. Waugh's marriage, in 1896, united him with Miss Edna Minton, a native of Kansas; she died in 1898, leaving one child, Ada Virginia, who passed away on March 13, 1915, in her eight- eenth year. Mr. Waugh owns a residence on North Shasta Street, Willows. Fraternally, he was made a Mason in Laurel Lodge, No. 245, F. & A. M., at Willows. He has the true hospitality of the Southern gentleman, is well posted on general topics of the day, and is an interesting conversationalist.
CHARLES E. PEARSON
Charles E. Pearson was born in Moniteau County, Mo., March 1, 1852, a son of Charles and Sarah Pearson, natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively, and of Scotch descent. The father brought the family across the plains in 1863, when Charles was two years of age. He was reared on a ranch near Dixon, receiv- ing his education in the public schools, with two years at the Uni- versity of California. He spent ten years on the Stock Exchange in San Francisco. From 1881 till 1885 he was in Texas, after which he returned to California, at the time of his father's death, and assumed the responsibilities of administrator of the estate. After spending a year at mining in Trinity County, he went to Elko County, Nev., in 1886, and began in cattle-raising, locating his ranch on Bruno River. He was among the very first settlers in that region. His place was known as Warm Springs; and he adopted the familiar 17 as his cattle brand. During the twenty- five years of his residence there, lie did what he could to build up
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the country and advance the cause of education, serving as school trustee. He was a candidate on the Republican ticket for the state assembly ; but it was at the time of the free-silver wave in Nevada, and of course he failed of election. Having sold his ranch in Ne- vada he located at Willows, Glenn County, Cal., in 1911, where he purchased a ranch of four hundred twelve acres, three miles south- west of the town. This he subdivided into forty-acre and twenty- acre tracts, and sold. - Two places he improved with wells and pumping plants, and planted alfalfa, demonstrating it a success. He sold all but sixty acres. In 1912, having traded for a ranch of two hundred sixty-one acres adjoining Stonyford, he moved on the place, where he is now devoting his time to raising, buying, and feeding cattle. He is raising an abundance of hay, having one hundred acres in alfalfa. He has a ditch from Stony Creek, which supplies an abundance of water for irrigation.
Mr. Pearson was married in San Francisco to Miss Emily Johnson, who was born in that city. She died in Elko County, Nev., in 1890, leaving three children: Florence, Mrs. Parkinson; Violet, Mrs. Ross; and Everett, a mining man, all of whom live in Nevada. Mr. Pearson is enterprising and successful, and at the same time liberal and kind-hearted, ever ready to aid those who have been less fortunate; and he is sociable and hospitable to a marked degree.
ELLSWORTH C. HARELSON
The distinction of being the youngest county assessor in Cali- fornia at the present time belongs to Ellsworth C. Harelson, who was elected to this ofice in 1914, at the age of thirty years, taking office in January, 1915. Mr. Harelson was elected at the pri- maries, which is sufficient of itself to show his popular standing in the county. He is the son of Adelbert J. and Ida (Thruston) Har- elson, the former a native of Wisconsin, and the latter, of Mis- souri. Ellsworth C. Harelson was born in Orland, Glenn County, September 4, 1884, and was educated in the public schools of his native town, which possesses a fine high school. After graduating from the high school he took a course in the Polytechnic Business College of Oakland, and immediately entered the employ of the Wells-Fargo Company in San Francisco, becoming secretary to the general agent. Later he entered the employ of the West Coast Construction Company of the same city. He was traveling sales- man for the Edwards Dental Supply Company of the bay city un- til, with a fine business experience acquired in meeting and deal-
IH Chanson
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ing with men, he returned to Orland and entered into partnership with his father in the general contracting and building business. This line of work he followed until 1911. From 1912 to 1913 he served as deputy county assessor, and in 1914 was the popular nominee for assessor, as already stated.
In February, 1916, Ellsworth C. Harelson married Miss Lola Neel, a charming young native daughter of Willows. Mr. and Mrs. Harelson are highly esteemed in their community, where Mr. Harelson is recognized as a rising business man.
THOMAS H. NEWSOM
A pioneer of 1876, in Colusa County, and likewise a veteran of the Civil War, Thomas H. Newsom was born in Bartholomew County, Ind., April 15, 1842. He came from a prominent family of Quakers in Indiana, of. Irish ancestry. He had but a limited school education; for his father, William Newsom, died when his son was but three years old, and after his mother, Elizabeth Sei- bert Newsom, married again, his stepfather required his services at an age when other lads were going to school. However, he was a close student of current literature, and through wide read- ing and his travels he became a well-informed man. In 1857, when Thomas was fifteen years old, the family moved over into Illinois. He worked at farming until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he decided to join the colors and enlisted, on July 8, 1862, in Com- pany A, Twelfth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. As a private sol- dier he did his duty honorably, taking part in many engagements. Among the more important of these were the siege of Vicksburg and the battles of Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Knox- ville, Atlanta, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattanooga, and Bridgeport. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and took part in the battles at Richmond (Ky.), Iuka, Corinth, and Nashville. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Richmond, Ky. At the close of the war he was discharged with rank of corporal. His regi- ment, the Twelfth Indiana, had the honor of leading Sherman's Army in the Grand Review at Washington, at the close of the war. He was a member of New Monitor Post, No. 144, G. A. R.
Returning once more to civil pursuits, Mr. Newsom went to Springfield, Mo., and for ten years was engaged in buying and selling live stock. Thinking to see more of the country and investi- gate the opportunities on the Pacific Coast, in 1876 he came to California, where he was employed on the Devenpeck ranch, in Co- lusa County, for five years. He then purchased two hundred forty
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acres of land located three and one half miles west of Willows, and engaged in raising grain for the next ten years. Soon after the death of his first wife, he sold his Glenn County ranch and moved to Butte County. A few years were spent in that county very profitably. From 1897 to 1900 he was in Redding, Tehama County, dealing in live stock; and it is safe to say that no one was better posted on values than was he. He came back to the scenes of his first efforts, and farmed on three hundred twenty acres west of Willows until he moved to the vicinity of Glenn, where, in 1910, he bought one hundred thirteen and one half acres. This property he improved, clearing the land and making of the place a comfort- able home and a model ranch, where he profitably carried on gen- eral farming. During his long residence in this part of the Sacra- mento Valley, Mr. Newsom witnessed many changes in the coun- try; and as he was able, he helped along many worthy projects for the uplifting of the people and the establishment of good govern- ment. A loyal Republican, but never an aspirant for office, he met in the councils of the party, where he cast his influence for good.
On August 28, 1893, Mr. Newsom was united in marriage with Mrs. Lillian (Hanson) Miller, who was born in Sutter City, Octo- ber 23, 1855, a daughter of Wm. Patton Hanson, mention of whom is made in the sketch of N. P. Hanson. Althongh Mr. Newsom had no children, he took great pleasure in the company of young peo- ple; and he was highly regarded as one who showed public spirit on every occasion. He always favored and supported good schools, good roads, and good government. After a lingering ill- ness from heart failure and kidney trouble, he passed to his re- ward on September 2, 1917, mourned by his widow and a large circle of friends.
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