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 61
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 61
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As a straw to indicate the extent of this enterprising firm's business, it may be mentioned that they carry eight lines of stand- ard makes of automobile tires. Among these are the famons Goodrich goods. They are agents for the Saxon car, for the Mitchell motor car, and also for the Commerce trucks. The Saxon car is a very popular, low-priced automobile. The Saxon Six, in partienlar, gives thorough satisfaction to their numerous enstom- ers. It is noted for its pulling power, its rapid acceleration, and its economizing qualities. It will give more miles of satisfactory service, for less money, than any other automobile made. The ma- terial used in its mannfacture, and the quality of workmanship, are of the best. The Saxon car finds great favor with women, by reason of the extreme ease with which these cars are handled. They are easy to gnide through the busy traffic of city streets, while their grace and beauty of design are other strong points in their make-up.
In the spring of 1917, Messrs. Tenney & Schmidt took the ageney for the Mitchell car. This automobile is noted for its
HS.Tenney
F. K. Schmidt
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strength of construction, and its ability to run thousands of miles with the minimum of repair expense, and is therefore called the "lifetime car." Many parts are much over size. These include the steering parts. The parts which get a major strain are built of chrome-vanadium steel. This overstrength means freedom from trouble; it means a small up-keep cost, and long life and safety.
Joseph G. Tenney, now the sole proprietor of this firm, was born in San Mateo County, Cal., on. August 10, 1885, and since then has resided in different parts of this state. He started in his business experience in Arcata, Humboldt County, where he ran a bicycle shop; and in 1898 he went into the automobile business in Oakland. As late as 1911 lie first came to Willows, taking employ- ment in Floeckhart's garage, where he remained until he em- barked in business with his partner, in 1914. Mr. Tenney was married to Miss Nellie W. Dickey, of Oakland; and the happy couple have been blessed with one son, named Everett.
Frank R. Schmidt, until recently a member of the firm, was born in Tehama County, on October 20, 1888, and came to Willows with his parents when he was six years old. In course of time he was employed in a garage at Willows; and there he remained until the way was open for him to show what he could do on his own responsibility. Mr. Schmidt is a popular member of the Odd Fel- lows and of the Clampers.
On December 11, 1917, Mr. Tenney purchased his partner's interest in the firm. He is continuing the business under the sanie name, in the Tenney & Schmidt Garage.
JESSE L. BONDURANT
A home-loving man, devoted to both his fireside and his family, and a highly respected citizen who left behind him, bearing his name, those equally esteemed in their community, was Jesse L. Bondurant, a native of Missouri, born near Paris, Monroe County, February 1, 1850, who passed away on December 10, 1916, widely mourned. When eighteen years of age, he came to California with his mother, Nancy Lewis Bondurant. His father had died when he was a small boy; and since his twelfth year he had helped to support his mother, and assisted in the upbringing of the other four children.
On settling in Colusa, now Glenn County, he worked for a time on the Glenn ranch as a farm hand. Afterwards he obtained . government land, still working for wages to make both ends meet.
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Still later, he bought a ranch of a hundred ten acres near German- town, and for many years farmed the same to grain. In 1905, he bought eighty acres near Glenn, and there he lived the rest of his life.
On January 22, 1874, Jesse L. Bondurant was married to Miss Edna Hatton, who was born near Stockton, San Joaquin County, the daughter of Abner and Nancy (Taylor) Hatton, both natives of Missouri, who crossed the plains to California in an early day, settling for a few years on a farm near Stockton, after which they removed to Tehama County, where they were also engaged in farming. Abner Hatton died, and his wife afterwards married W. D. Martin, who was a prominent rancher of the Germantown district. They moved later to Woodland, where they both died. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hatton are: Mrs. Edna Bondurant ; Mrs. Penola Papst, of San Francisco; August and Odon, of Woodland; and Claude, of Idaho. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bondurant: Ella, the wife of George Ramsay; Jesse Lee; and Joseph Odon, who married Kate Baylor, and is the father of Geraldine, Joseph Leonard and Roger Bondurant.
Jesse Bondurant always took a great interest in education, and advanced the interests of the public schools, serving as trustee of his district. Mrs. Bondurant is an active member of the Baptist Church at Glenn, and of the Ladies' Missionary So- ciety. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay are also devoted church workers.
CAPT. THOMAS ALEXANDER SMITH
A pioneer who will be long and pleasantly remembered, and whose good work and influence are still carried on and extended by his accomplished widow, who is daily identifying herself more and more with the history of Willows, was the late Capt. Thomas Alexander Smith, who was born near Burksville, Cumberland County, Ky., December 8, 1837, the eldest child of Stephen and Sally Martin (Pace) Smith. His mother was a great-grand- daughter of Sergeant John Alexander, of Virginia, a Revolution- ary soldier, who served with "Light Horse" Harry Lee; and from this maternal ancestor came Captain Smith's middle name. The Paces also distinguished themselves as soldiers of the Revolu- tionary War. On the paternal side, Captain Smith traced his ancestry to the Smiths and Packwoods of Virginia, sturdy pio- neers in that old commonwealth, who bore their share of the burden in the great struggle for American independence. In 1839, Stephen Smith, with his wife and infant son, moved from .
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Kentucky to Greene County, Ill. Daniel Smith, a brother of Stephen, had a year earlier settled nine miles east of White Hall; and to this place Stephen came, after which the two brothers, who had married sisters, ran a farm together, for a year or so living in the same log cabin. Within a few years, however, Daniel moved to a farm a mile east of Athensville.
Thomas Smith spent his childhood on the farm, attending the school located on the corner of the quarter section which his father owned. He secured a fair education for those days, and even taught a term or two just prior to the Civil War. As time passed on, there were born to Stephen Smith and his wife eight other children, six boys and two girls. Their names were Greenville, Nancy, Edward, James, William, John, George and Mattie.
When the call for the nation's defenders, in 1861, came, Thomas enlisted in Company D, Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry; and at the mustering in of the company he was chosen sergeant. Later, on August 28, 1862, he was promoted to be first lieutenant. His regiment reported at Camp Butler, and went thence to Cairo, and later to Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Bolivar, La Grange and Vicksburg. Following the fall of the latter city, the regiment was at Natchez; and in January, 1864, the regiment reenlisted. After a thirty-day fur- lough, it reported at Decatur, Ga. On October 26, 1864, Lieutenant Smith resigned, and returned to care for his father and mother, two of his brothers by that time having entered the service, thus leaving the home folks with only the younger members of the family. The title of Captain, therefore, was not official, but was given him because he had command of the company for consider- able periods in the latter part of his service. He was first lieutenant for nearly two years prior to his resignation, and was succeeded by Frank M. Walton, of White Hall.
Thomas Alexander Smith was married to Miss Mary Jane Cobb, of Roodhouse, in the fall of 1866, after which they lived on a farm in the neighborhood of his father's for several years, and then moved to Roodhouse, where he was principal of the Rood- house schools for a term or so. He later removed to White Hall, and engaged in teaching at Swamp College School, west of that town. He then entered into partnership with David Culbertson for the manufacture of drain tile, and remained in that business for many years; and at the same time, Mr. Culbertson and he were engaged in the merchandising business. He later sold his inter- ests, and retired from active business life.
In 1903, Captain Smith went to Oklahoma, where he took up a claim of one hundred sixty acres of land. He proved up on this
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in about one year, and then sold it and returned to White Hall. Two years later, on Angust 6, 1906, his wife died. Following her death, her brother, James Cobb, and his wife kept house for Captain Smith, and he gave himself to the care of his property, and to reading and study. On September 11, 1907, he married Miss Maud Errett, of Oklahoma City, Okla. They lived in White Hall until 1912, when they came to California. Here he devoted himself to the improvement of a home in the Sacramento Val- ley, twelve miles to the east of Willows, even while steadily failing health was hastening his life to its close.
Of this period of his residence in White Hall, Ill., the White Hall Republican very truthfully says: "It would be difficult to estimate properly Captain Smith's public services. However, we may briefly enumerate some of his contributions to the public weal. First, the highest service he rendered was four years of devotion to the flag of his country in the War of the Rebellion. It would be expected of a young man who had heard from parents and grandparents the story of sacrifices of Revolutionary days, that he should respond to the call of his country, and this he did; and there are still living in this county members of the old Thirty- second who can testify to the friendship, the companionship, the leadership and devotion, of Captain Smith. One of the first am- bitions when he returned to his home, in the winter of 1864, was to take steps to pay off a mortgage upon the neighborhood church. He encouraged all forms of culture and community advancement. While teaching, he organized a debating society and encouraged its literary gatherings. While a citizen of White Hall he served as a member of the city council for several terms, and he was one of the first directors of the White Hall Soldiers Monument Asso- ciation. Captain Smith was also favorably known in political circles. He was a lifelong member of the Republican party. Fra- ternally, he was a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders, and his devotion can be attested by every member."
Captain Smith came to the Bayliss district, in Glenn County, on May 17, 1912, and bought twenty acres of land. He brought with him a herd of pure-blooded Jersey cows, conducted a dairy, and sold seventeen hundred dollars' worth of grade Jerseys in three years. Mrs. Smith is still conducting a small dairy, and is also branching ont in the poultry business, making a specialty of White Leghorns. Captain Smith was an associate member of the Presbyterian Church of Bayliss.
Mrs. Smith was born in Minnesota, and there received her education. She was a daughter of Thomas L. and Rnth (Wing) Errett. She traces her lineage back to the Holland Dutch on the paternal side, while her ancestors on the maternal side come of
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Scotch and English extraction. Ruth Wing Errett was a daughter of Dr. Orange Wing of Minnesota, of Scotch and English descent. The Wing castle in England joins that of the Shakespeare estate. The progenitor of this family came to America in 1632. One of her ancestors was a "minute man" in the Revolutionary War. Mr. and Mrs. Errett came from Canada, and settled in Minnesota in 1858. This family is now incorporated, and includes more than one hundred thousand members in the United States alone. Mrs. Smith is a cultured woman of superior education. She taught school and did newspaper work in Montana, after she settled there in 1884; and she has been interested in mining and smelter promotion in Oregon, sinee she came to the West. She was connected with club work in Illinois; and she was one of the organizers of the Bayliss Association of Domestic Science-the first association of the kind in Glenn County-serving as chair- man of the by-laws committee.
But it is in another and special field, that Mrs. Smith has ren- dered her greatest service to the community in which she now resides. Very truly may it be said of her that she is the mother of the beautiful new Carnegie Public Library of the district. She was the first to start the movement for its building, and no one worked harder for its success; and naturally, she is a member of the library board.
LESLIE A. NICHOLS
An honored citizen who has been proud to take an active and helpful part in forwarding in every way the irrigation project of his district, is Leslie A. Nichols, who was born in Johnson County, Mo., September 22, 1868, and came to California when he was nineteen years of age. He worked on the L. F. Moulton ranch, near Colusa, for a year, and then put in half a year in Willows, when he assisted in the construction of the old irrigation canal. After that, he returned to Colusa, and worked for a while on a ranch.
For the next thirteen years he was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad, in Sacramento, and in 1912 he was in the East, where he remained for a year. At the end of that time he returned to California, and bought his present ranch in the Codora district, where he owns sixty-five acres of very fine land, and has a dairy with twelve cows, and some forty acres planted to alfalfa. He raises peaches, apples, pears, and plums, and has a quarter of an acre set out to strawberries, of the Gold Dollar and Oregon varieties, from which he has received as high as three
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hundred dollars a year. He has been particularly fortunate with his Elberta peaches, and claims that his trees of this variety, now seven years old, are the largest in the state for their age. These peach trees have made a record for the size of the fruit, nine peaches having given a combined weight of six and three quar- ters pounds.
On April 24, 1895, Mr. Nichols was married to Miss Lena Williams, of Colusa, the daughter of Thomas Williams, whose wife was Elvina E. Kingston before her marriage. Mrs. Williams crossed the plains to California in the early fifties, and traveled, like so many other pioneers, by means of an ox team. At first Mr. Williams mined; and afterwards he had a little farm in Colusa County, where he died. One daughter-Vesta, thirteen years of age-has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nichols, to brighten the home life in one of the happiest of Butte City's homes.
J. OVERHOLTZER
A large factor in the building up and the development of the community in and around Butte City has been J. Overholtzer, who was born in San Joaquin County, Cal., July 20, 1877, the son of Samuel A. Overholtzer, who crossed the plains in 1864, and farmed for a couple of years in Yolo County. For eighteen years, in fact, Mr. Overholtzer was a successful farmer in the San Joaquin Valley; and there he remained until he settled in Los Angeles County.
Growing up on a farm, as a lad young Overholtzer was sent to the public schools at Covina; and afterwards he continued his studies at the College at Lordsburg, where he graduated. Four years later, he was preaching the gospel at Colton; but in April of 1905 he settled in the Codora district of Glenn County, where he bought twenty acres of land. He was one of the first to settle on the Packer tract, and he was also the first to plant an orchard there. He has put out English walnuts, figs and peaches; and today his orchard is in splendid condition, and is producing finely. Having made a special study of horticulture, Mr. Overholtzer obtains the largest and best returns.
Since coming to Glenn County, the Reverend Mr. Overholtzer has organized a federated church-a successful arrangement and a great blessing to the community. This movement is thoroughly evangelistic and orthodox. The federation is founded on the individual basis, denominational affiliation not being renounced, but religious harmony being obtained in the community. Meet-
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ings are held in the auditorium of the new grammar school building. The membership numbers more than fifty, and the attendance is far in excess of that number. The originator of this movement has a strong influence for moral uplift; and the results of his efforts have been, and will be still more, widespread and definite.
A citizen with a high sense of civic duty, Mr. Overholtzer is serving as a trustee of the Union High School of Princeton, and also of the Codora grammar schools. He is a wide-awake business man, and has taken an active part in the operations of the Water Association, serving on the reconstruction work of the Central Water Users Association.
On August 9, 1897, Mr. Overholtzer and Miss Anna M. Ewing were married. Mrs. Overholtzer was born in Canada, but was reared in Michigan from the age of four years. Eight children were born to bless their home. These are Ruth E., Paul M., Esther, Mark, Ada and Arba (twins), Bernice, and Miriam.
JOHN KELLY
The careful and efficient manager of the Mayberry Davis ranch, south of Butte City, John Kelly, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., on January 22, 1859, and received his education in the public schools. Being of an ambitious nature, at the age of seven- teen he decided to seek a broader field of activity, and accord- ingly came to California. For a time he was employed on the Glenn ranch. He became interested in horticulture, in which he is an expert. His first experience in that line was gained when he was employed to set out a large prune orchard for George P. Packer, north of Butte City. This was accomplished in due time, and in such a manner that it won recognition at once, after which his services were in great demand. He went to Sutter County and set out many orchards, among them the T. E. Holmes orchard on the Sutter ranch. As an expert on hop-growing, also, he has few superiors; and for a time he was manager of the Rideout hop ranch at Nicolaus, in Yuba County. For five years he was in the employ of Hon. John A. Boggs, in Colusa County, after which he took charge of the Davis place, where he is now located.
Mr. Kelly is a natural leader of men, and has the happy faculty of getting the best possible out of them, at the same time retaining their good-will. He knows ranching in all its branches, is a born manager and overseer, and among his other talents has unusual mechanical genius. All who are familiar
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with local conditions concede that he has brought the Davis property to a high state of productiveness, thus making it a profitable venture for its owner. He takes especial pride in ac- complishing everything he undertakes ; and his work is character- ized by a thoroughness and understanding that are sure to bring results.
At the time of the county-division movement, Mr. Kelly was favorable to the project, and worked and fought, as it were, for its success. In fact, he was the only man in the Packer outfit who registered in the proposed county in the Jacinto district, and cast his vote in favor of Glenn County. He has given patriotic service to his country. In 1882 he went East and enlisted in the United States Navy. He was assigned to duty on the battle-ship Michigan, Captain Hardy, commanding, and served for three years. At the time of the Spanish-American War, being too old to enlist for duty in the field, he entered the transport service in Manila, and served until the close of the war. Mr. Kelly is a valued member of the Princeton Lodge of Odd Fellows. He is public-spirited and congenial; and wherever he is known, he has a wide circle of friends.
HUBBARD FRANCIS MARSHALL
Another example of a self-made man who arrived in Willows with scarcely any means, and yet is now one of the prosperous and successful ranchers and business men of this section, is Hubbard Francis Marshall, a native of Laclede County, Mo., where he was born on March 11, 1862, the son of Dr. Hubbard Francis and Mary Jane (Switzer) Marshall, both of whom came from Indiana. His father was a graduate of a medical college in Marietta, Ohio, and was a practicing physician in Laclede County, Mo. He was shot down in cold blood during the Civil War. The mother then moved with her three children to Marion County, Ill .; and there Hubbard F. Marshall was educated, growing up on the farm, where he worked until he was twenty-two years of age.
In 1884, Mr. Marshall started out to earn his own living, finding employment in a livery stable in Harlan County, Nebr., and later in a mill, after which he worked on a farm for one year. The winters proving too severe, however, he came to California in 1886, almost immediately settling in Willows, then in Colusa County, but now Glenn County. For ten years he drove teams and was machine man on combined harvesters on the Tom Newsom and the Devenpeck ranches. In 1896, hav-
Eva marshall A. F. Marshall
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ing saved much of his earnings, he rented six hundred acres of land four miles to the northwest of Willows; and for four years he farmed this to grain with much success. His wheat, for example, averaged him fifteen sacks, or better, to the acre.
In 1900, Mr. Marshall bought four hundred six acres of the Kern ranch, on the Fruto road, two miles west of Willows; and here he still makes his home. He has improved the place with fences, houses and farm buildings, and for a decade and a half has here farmed to grain. He sunk a well and installed the first pumping plant west of Willows, also checking land and putting in the first alfalfa. After demonstrating the success of irrigation by that method, he subdivided all but seventy acres of his ranch into small farms, in 1910, which he sold to settlers, who developed them to alfalfa and orchards. On the portion he has retained, he raises alfalfa for his growing herd of cattle. Marshall Villa, as the ranch is named, is also improved with a comfortable residence, farm buildings, and a family orchard.
On September 22, 1895, Mr. Marshall was married near Oskaloosa, Kans., to Miss Eva Hull, born in Jefferson County, Kans., the daughter of James and Rizpah (MeKnight) Hull, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. Her parents came from Kansas to what is now Glenn County in 1886. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall has been blessed by the birth of seven children. Leon is a graduate of Glenn County High School; Dorothy is now a student at Glenn County High School; and Alice, Francis, John, Raymond and Emory are still in the grammar school. Mr. Marshall has always been interested in the cause of education, and is trustee of the Kenawa school district.
JOSEPH EDWIN McVAY
A pioneer family of Colusa County that will be long and pleasantly remembered for its prominent and effective part in the early shaping of civic affairs here, is that of Joseph Edwin McVay, who was born on a ranch in Colusa County, near Butte City, on January 11, 1865, and who passed away on September 27. 1910. His father, Clinton MeVay, was a native of Tennessee; while his mother, Mrs. Ann (Nelson) McVay, was born in Rich- mond, Va. When the great prairies were still unsettled, Clinton McVay crossed the plains and settled on a ranch southeast of what is now Butte City, where he engaged in farming until his death in 1900. At his demise, he left, to mourn his loss, a son, Charles R. McVay; a daughter, Mrs. Jesse Wescott; and another son, Joseph E. MeVay, the subject of our sketch. 37
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Educated in the public schools of the district in which he passed his boyhood, Joseph MeVay was associated with his father on a ranch until, in 1889, he started to farm for himself. He rented his uncle's ranch of eleven hundred acres, and for three years farmed the same to grain. Later, he leased a large tract of land on the plains in the eastern part of the county, and became both an extensive grain farmer and a well-known raiser of cattle and hogs. At one time he was engaged in farming in seven differ- ent places, cultivating simultaneously as high as three thousand acres of land.
In course of time, Joseph McVay bought the four hundred eighty acres on which his widow now resides, one hundred sixty acres of which was known as the Peter MeDaniel ranch, and the balance as the Clinton McVay ranch. This land he devoted to the raising of grain, cattle and hogs, making a specialty of the latter, with the Poland-China strain. For years he was engaged in the raising of hogs in large numbers, selling them in lots of one hundred.
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