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 71
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 71
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WILLIAM F. KLEWE
It would be difficult to find a man better fitted to judge of the resources and opportunities of Colnsa County than William F. Klewe. Born and raised in the county, and a resident in it almost continuously since his birth, he has been closely identified with its ranching interests, and has become a factor for progress in the valley. A son of Henry and Rosa (Miller) Klewe, he was born in Colusa, January 18, 1878. His father was a native of Germany, where he lived until well along in his teens. He then came to America, and making his way to California, located in Colusa, where he learned the butcher's trade. When his means permitted, he started in business for himself, opening a meat market on Fifth Street, near Market, where he later erected the Klewe Building. He enlarged his business, gradually branched out as a dealer in stock, buying and selling cattle on a large scale, and became well and favorably known in this section of the state. He was also interested in ranching, and became the owner of several ranches. Retiring from the butcher business and his stock-dealing enter- prises, he made his home in Colusa, looking after his varied inter- ests until his death, in 1915. His wife was a native of Sacra- mento, and the daughter of a pioneer. She died in 1888, leaving two children: William F .; and Lillie, Mrs. O. H. Miller, of Sac- ramento.
William F. Klewe was brought up in Colusa, receiving his education in the public schools here and at Sacramento. On account of ill health, he went to Snow Mountain, near Fouts Springs, where he remained about two years. The outdoor life
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there proved very beneficial, and on his return to Colusa he went into Jolinsen's butcher shop and learned every department of the butcher business, continuing there six years. He then entered the employ of Showler's meat market, for a period of seven years.
During these years, Mr. Klewe had been thrifty with his earnings and had accumulated a snug sum; and in the meantime, also, he had engaged in the stock business, raising, buying and sell- ing cattle, in which he was very successful; so he finally left the employ of the market, to look after his ranching interests. With his sister, he owns seven hundred acres of rich bottom land, eight miles north of Colusa, on the east side of the river. It is a splendid ranch, with one hundred fifty acres under irrigation and raising alfalfa, while the river bend is devoted to raising beans and corn, yielding large crops each season. A part of the ranch is leased and used for dairy purposes. Mr. Klewe and his sister also jointly own four hundred twenty acres just west of Colusa, now devoted to rice-growing; and he owns, individually, an eighty- acre ranch east of Colusa, and is engaged in the stock business, buying and feeding cattle for market.
With all these interests to demand his time and attention, Mr. Klewe has nevertheless found time to do his share toward pro- moting the general welfare of his native county; and he is known throughout the district as a man who takes an active interest in the development and upbuilding of this part of the state. He is a stockholder and vice-president of the Cheney Slough Water Com- pany, which furnishes water, by means of pumping plants, to the rice lands west of Colusa. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Colusa, and owns valuable residence property in town.
The marriage of Mr. Klewe, which occurred in Sacramento, united him with Miss Ethel Cromer, also a native of Colusa, and a daughter of Chris Cromer, a pioneer farmer of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Klewe are the parents of two sturdy sons, Henry and Harold. Fraternally, Mr. Klewe is a member of Marysville Lodge, No. 783, B. P. O. Elks, and of the Antlers Club of Colusa.
W. T. BELIEU
That much of civic righteousness depends upon the integrity and the intellectuality of the Bar, is exemplified by W. T. Belien, the prominent attorney at Willows, in the daily practice of .his profession. Born in Brownsville, Lynn County, Ore., on November 30, 1882, he came to Willows when he was seven years of age, and here grew up. He attended the public grammar school of the
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town, than which perhaps there is none better in the county, and in 1902 graduated with honors from the Willows high school.
In the well-equipped offices of Judge Oval Pirkey, young Mr. Belieu was first introduced to the study of law. After assiduous application, he was admitted to the California Bar in 1904, and soon afterwards began the practice of law at San Diego. While in the Southland, he was elected city attorney at Oceanside.
In 1907, Mr. Belieu returned to Willows, welcomed by all who already knew him, and assured quite generally of patronage and place; and here he has remained ever since, an earnest worker for law and order, and for the general upbuilding of the town. He has become the attorney for a number of corporations, and has more than made good in his chosen profession.
Besides practicing law with regularity and vigor, Mr. Belieu has become identified with large real estate developments in Willows, his counsel and experience, as well as his reputation for character and principle, counting for much, both with his col- leagues and with would-be investors. Fraternally, he is popular as a Mason, belonging to Laurel Lodge, No. 245, F. & A. M.
JACOB HASSIG
A contracting painter and paper-hanger who has had a large experience in the world, and has brought to his work both the inherited taste characteristic of life across the ocean and the vigor and enterprise marking American ways and means, is Jacob Hassig, who was born in Helvetia, W. Va., March 19, 1886, the son of parents who were natives of Germany. He was reared and educated near Pittsburg, and when thirteen years of age started to work with his father, who was a painter and paper- hanger. When his father retired to a farm, Jacob carried on the business alone; and as he arose early and went to bed late, and was unremitting in his attention to his patrons, he easily built up a prosperous trade.
On November 1, 1907, he set out for the Pacific Coast, and arriving in San Francisco went to work on various residences and notable buildings in the newly created city. Everywhere the high standard of his workmanship was recognized, and he was always assigned to portions of the day's labor requiring skill and taste. He helped decorate the Palace Hotel, for example, and gave the finishing touches to some of the finest residences in the Presidio.
By the end of the first week in April, 1910, he had established himself at Willows, and has since been busily engaged at his trade
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there. His first work in Willows was on the Sacramento Valley Irrigation Company's cottages. Still later, he was a partner in the firm of Lightner & Hassig, of Willows; and when, after a year and a half, the firm was dissolved by mutual consent of the partners, he assumed the proprietorship and conducted the busi- ness himself. One of the largest undertakings of this very depend- able artisan has been the decoration of the department store of Hochheimer & Co. It is hardly too much to say that Mr. Hassig has worked on over half of the painting contracts in the town.
On March 19, 1911, Jacob Hassig was married to Mrs. Letia M. (Simpson) Miller, a native of Maxwell, Colusa County, and the daughter of California pioneers. Her mother crossed the plains to California in early days, and her father long had a blacksmith shop in Maxwell. Three children have blessed their union. The oldest died, aged twenty days; the others are John Jacob, Jr., and Letia Martell. In fraternal circles, Mr. Hassig finds social diversion as an Odd Fellow.
ROBERT L. TENNANT
Among the prominent, wide-awake and successful ranchers of Colusa County, is Robert L. Tennant, a descendant of pioneer stock in California. His parents, Robert James, and Hannah (Waring) Tennant, were among the early pioneer ranchers on the east side of the Sacramento River, north of Colusa. William ("Billy") Tennant, millionaire and financial genius, for whom Tennant Station, in Santa Clara County, was named, was an uncle. Richard Waring, another of the old pioneers, was his maternal grandfather. These and other relatives connect him with the early history of our state. Mrs. Tennant comes from people of no less note, being an own sister of the late Edward W. Jones, once sheriff of Colusa County, and a daughter of the late James Winslow and Hannah (Heathcote) Jones, natives of England, and California pioneers of the gold-mining days of 1850. She is also a niece of Edward Heathcote, now past ninety, and resid- ing in Colusa County on his ranch.
Robert L. Tennant was born in San Francisco, July 17, 1866, and when nine years of age moved with his parents to Colusa County, where he grew to manhood on his father's ranch, north- east of Colusa. He attended the public schools and assisted his father on the ranch. Wishing to be independent, he secured per- mission from his father to go out to work for wages; and this he did for several years. With the experience thus gained, young
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Tennant felt that he was able to make a success of ranching on his own account; and leasing land in the Butte Creek district, he farmed for himself during ten years, meeting with success, though not without a struggle. He met with reverses, but kept up his spirits, paid his own way, and forged ahead until he had won success and fortune, and an honored place in his native county.
Mr. Tennant bought his present ranch of three hundred thirty-nine acres from Dr. Ford, and in 1910 erected his modern bungalow. He has two splendid stock barns, models of conve- nience for feeding and housing stock. His place is situated in Newland precinct, on the Princeton road, and is considered one of the finest ranches in Colusa County. He has two hundred acres in barley and thirty-two acres in rice; and he has set out a family orchard. Mr. Tennant owns fifty shares of stock in the Cheney Slough Irrigation Company; and one half of his ranch is under irrigation. Besides these interests, he has a dairy of seventeen cows.
In Butte Creek District, on February 14, 1900, Mr. Tennant was united in marriage with Miss Francis H. Jones. Mrs. Tennant is the daughter of an old pioneer, who came to California in 1850, and here acquired mining interests and farm lands, and engaged as a speculator in various enterprises. He died in 1869, and his wife passed away in 1903. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Tennant six promising children have been born: Robert J., Harold W., Alfred E., Florence H., Theodore W., and Louis F.
CYPRIEN BRYS
A gentleman well liked and highly respected, Cyprien Brys was born at Maille, Vendée, France, May 11, 1847, the son of Joseph Brys, who for many years, and up to the time of his death, was foreman of construction on the roads in his district. The father passed away in 1885. The mother of Cyprien was in maid- enhood Marie Garraud, who died one year after her husband, in 1886. Of the five children born to this worthy French couple, Cyprien was the youngest; and he is the only one of the family in California.
Cyprien Brys was brought up in France, where he learned the barber's trade and also the weaver's trade, and worked at each alternately until he decided to migrate to the land of gold and sun- shine. Sailing from Havre on the steamship La Bourgogne, he landed in New York City, and then crossed the continent for Cali-
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fornia, arriving at Vina on December 10, 1887. Here he was em- ployed for a time in the Stanford vineyards. He then opened a barber shop in Vina, but after two years removed to Willows, where he engaged in barbering until August, 1896, when he re- turned to France, remaining thirteen months. The call of the great West he had learned to love became so strong that he fol- lowed his inclination and again returned to Willows.
Mr. Brys served as janitor of the Willows high school, the Bank of Willows, and the First National Bank until he found car- ing for the three places too arduous. He then discontinued his work as janitor of the Bank of Willows and the high school, and is now janitor of the First National Bank alone. Aside from his duties as janitor, he is engaged in viticulture. He owns an acre of land in East Willows, and leases an adjoining vineyard, where he is growing the wine grape. He is also engaged in the manufacture of wine, and in the raising of poultry.
The marriage of Cyprien Brys occurred in France, where he was united with Madeleine Turnier, also a native of that country. Of this union three children were born: Irma, Mrs. Pouvrane; Natalie, Mrs. Coullaud; and Damas-all residing in France. Per- sonally, Mr. Brys is a very affable gentleman; and his liberality and kind-heartedness have made him hosts of friends in Glenn County.
WILLIAM J. LOVELADY
Among the old settlers and highly esteemed citizens of west- ern Colusa County, we find William J. Lovelady, who was born in Greene County, Ark., August 27, 1855. Tradition tells us that three Lovelady brothers came to America and settled in Tennessee, whence the family has scattered throughout the country. Grand- father John Lovelady served in the War of 1812, and became a farmer in Alabama. The father of William J. Lovelady was Joshua West Lovelady, a native of Alabama, where he resided until eighteen years of age. He migrated to Arkansas, and there married Miss Nancy Magaha, a native of Tennessee, of Scotch- Irish descent. In 1857, with his wife and only child, William J., he crossed the plains with ox teams. After leaving Salt Lake, the train came to the forks of the road. Joshua Lovelady and several in the train were in a hurry; and wishing to push forward, they proceeded on the straight route. The others went on to Mountain Meadows, and while resting their stock there at leisure, became the victims of the fatal Mountain Meadow Massacre. Joshua Lovelady came on to Nevada County, Cal., where he engaged in mining and milling. In 1864 he made a trip to the Owens River
M. S. Lovelady
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country; but the Indians were so hostile that he returned to Ne- vada County. In 1868 he located in Colusa County, settling in In- dian Valley. The nearest post office then was Colusa, forty miles away. `He improved the old homestead, where he farmed until his death in 1886, aged sixty-seven. The mother died at seventy-seven years of age. Of their eleven children eight are living: William J., of this review ; Lizzie, Mrs. Johns, of Ukiah; Mrs. Edna Green, of Colusa; Rachael, Mrs. Totman, of Lodoga; Thomas, a partner of William J .; Henry and John A., who reside at Lodoga; and Ann, Mrs. Sites, of Leesville.
William J. Lovelady was brought to California in 1857, by the old-fashioned mode of travel by ox teams and wagons. He lived in Nevada County until 1868, when he came to Indian Valley, Co- lusa County. He received a good education in the public schools, and from a lad made himself generally useful on the home place, where he learned farming and stock-raising. At the age of four- teen we find him driving the big teams in the grain fields; and when twenty-one, he began farming for himself on rented land. About 1889, with his brother Thomas as a partner, he leased the Bank ranch of one thousand acres, and was there engaged in grain- and stock-raising for twenty years, after which they pur- chased the place and continued operating it till they sold it, four years later, at a good profit. Some years before this, they had purchased three hundred twenty acres, the nucleus of their present ranch. They moved on this in 1913, and have added to their hold- ings until they now own one thonsand one hundred sixty acres in a body, besides six hundred forty acres in the hills, used for rang- ing stock. The ranch is watered by the Little Stony, from which they have taken out a ditch used in irrigating their seventy acres of alfalfa. Although engaged in general farming, they make a . specialty of cattle-growing, and have from one hundred to one hundred seventy-five head of cattle. The place is conveniently and well improved with water, which is piped three quarters of a mile from a mountain spring and used both for domestic purposes and to irrigate the gardens and orchards .. Mr. Lovelady's brother and partner, Thomas Lovelady, was born in Nevada County, Cal., and became associated with William J. after finishing his school days. Thomas Lovelady was married to Mrs. Annie (Newton) Evans and has served as school trustee in his community.
Mr. Lovelady is very prominent as a Mason. He was made a Mason in Snow Mountain Lodge, No. 271, F. & A. M., at Stony- ford, and served as its Master for fifteen or sixteen years. As a Democrat, he has given valuable service to his party, as a member of the County Central Committee. He is well and favorably known throughout Colusa County. 43
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HENRY EDWARD REHSE
How much of the wonderful transformation wrought in the development of California is due to those pioneers who left home and country beyond the ocean and cast their lot upon the western shores of the United States, is seen in such a life-story as that of Eller Rehse, the father of Henry Edward Rehse, the popular constable of Germantown. Born in Holstein, Germany, December 22, 1847, and brought up to learn the miller's trade, he came to the United States in 1868, having sailed from Hamburg on Novem- ber 1. After a very stormy passage, during which the vessel was nearly shipwrecked, he arrived in New York, on Christmas Day. During the passage, there were eleven deaths and three births on board the ship. Almost directly young Rehse made for Cali- fornia, by way of Panama; and on arriving at San Francisco, he went to Dixon, where he had some friends, and began his first work in America on a California ranch.
Later, he rented a hundred sixty acres, and farmed the same until he removed to Germantown, in 1871. Then he took up a hun- dred sixty acres of government land, and there tilled the soil for many years. For a while he was in partnership with his two broth- ers, Claus and Hans, planting their farm land to grain; but fancy- ing that he could do better by himself, he sold out his interests to his partners.
His next venture was a ranch of three hundred twenty acres, nine miles northwest of Germantown, which afforded him excel- lent grazing land near the foothills. Little by little he accumulated more and more stock, and added to his knowledge of their care; but a peculiar local problem presented itself, and one which today is not without its romantic side. Wild cattle were very numerous in those days, and often came down from the mountains in considerable numbers; and the ranchman was obliged to stand watch nightly over his more domesticated cattle, to keep the wild ones from starting a disastrous stampede.
After fourteen years, Mr. Rehse sold this upland ranch, and in 1892 came to Germantown to live. Here he engaged in the butcher business, and here he also worked in a warehouse. Of a religions nature, he attended the Lutheran Church, and in his later years found pleasure in quiet hours among his many friends.
After getting nicely established in life, Ehler Rehse married Anna Hinrichs, a native of Germany, who came to the United States in 1884, when she was eleven years of age. She was the
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daughter of Peter and Elsabe (Busch) Hinrichs. From her mother she inherited many of her amiable traits. Of this mar- riage were born two children: a son, Henry Edward; and a daughter, now Mrs. Augusta Moelk, one of the founders of Ger- mantown, who herself has a daughter named Loraine.
Henry Edward Rehse was born on his father's ranch at Ger- mantown, July 24, 1877, and when only sixteen started to earn his own living. He went to San Francisco and worked for the Western Meat Company; and after that he was with the Pinole Powder Works. When he returned to Germantown, he took up the butcher business, in which he was engaged for several years. In 1913, Henry Rehse was elected constable of the district; and in that office he has continued ever since, each year and month adding to his creditable record. Henry Edward Rehse married Agnese Peterich, a native of Germantown and a daughter of J. H. Peterich. Mr. and Mrs. Rehse have been blessed with one child, Lorna. Fraternally, Mr. Rehse is popular among the Red Men and the Woodmen of the World. He is a charter member of the latter organization.
HENRY W. BLICHFELDT
Men possessing the fundamental characteristics of which Henry W. Blichfeldt is heir have ever been regarded as the bul- warks of the communities in which they have lived. He was born at Fargo, N. D., November 17, 1884, the eldest son of John O. and Henrietta (Lequam) Blichfeldt, whose sketch is given on another page of this work. He attended schools at Grand Forks, and then went to the University of North Dakota. Coming to Los Angeles in 1904, with his parents, he took a special course at the University of California, after which he was employed in the auditor's office of the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Francisco.
In the winter of 1905-1906, Mr. Blichfeldt returned to North Dakota and entered upon the study of the law at the State Uni- versity. After finishing the course, he was admitted to the bar, and began his practice near Minot, N. D. While living there he became prominently identified with public affairs, and served for several years as president of the town board of trustees. He was a candidate for county judge, but lost by a few votes. He was persuaded to accept the nomination for a seat in Congress, and was placed on the Progressive Republican ticket. When in a fair way to election, however, he received an urgent request from his father, who was in Orland, to come out here and assist him with his colonization business, which had assumed large propor-
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tions. So he withdrew from politics and came West. He was admitted to practice in all the courts in California, and opened an office in 1914, at the same time aiding his father. Since his advent in Glenn County, he has taken his place with the lead- ing attorneys of the state. He conduets a general practice, handles loans, writes insurance, and manages the Blichfeldt Land Co.
In Minneapolis, in 1910, Henry W. Blichfeldt married Miss Louise Johannessen, who was born in Norway. They have two children: A daughter, Dagny, born in Minot, N. D .; and a son, John Martin, born in Orland. Mr. Blichfeldt is a member of Orland Lodge, No. 218, I. O. O. F .; and also of the Woodmen of the World, and the Modern Woodmen of America.
JOHN O. BLICHFELDT
The interests with which John O. Blichfeldt has been identified are of a varied nature and indicate his adaptability to different enterprises and the resourcefulness of his mind. He was born in Norway and educated in London, England, and having given himself particularly to the study of languages, became a corre- spondence clerk to the German Consul in London. When he migrated to the United States it was to become foreign corre- spondent for the Columbia National Bank in Minneapolis. Leav- ing this position he settled in Fargo, N. D., in 1880, and became affiliated with the Fargo Loan Agency, still later establishing a bank at Milton, in that state.
It was in 1901 that John O. Blichfeldt made his first trip to California as a tonrist; and so well pleased was he with what he saw that he made up his mind he would locate here. Accordingly, in 1904 he brought his family, consisting of his wife, whose maiden name was Henrietta Lequam, and their sons, Henry W. and Fredrik E., and located in Los Angeles, principally on account of his wife's health. She died in 1904, in the southern city, and Mr. Blichfeldt and his two sons, Henry W. and Fredrik E., then came to San Francisco, where the sons remained, while the father returned to his home in the Middle West to settle his business affairs. The next year he came back to California, and, locating in Oakdale, Stanislaus County, was engaged in the colonization business for four years. He then transferred the scene of his ac- tivities to Anderson, Shasta County. While living in the latter place, he organized the Shasta Land Company, and colonized Happy Valley. He remained in the northern city until in 1913, when he settled in Orland.
O Ar Mary's. Susan a morris
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His advent in this county was hailed with delight by many ranchers, for he stood behind them, loaning them money during the hard times, and enabling them to continue with their develop- ment work, which was the means of really putting Orland on the map. For more than twenty-five years, he has represented the George W. Foreman Loan Company, of Chicago, and in eight months loaned to the farmers over one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, relieving a great need for resources at this time. He acquired valuable holdings in both Shasta and Glenn Counties, and is now living retired in Oakland, in the enjoyment of a well-earned rest, after an unusually busy career. His young- est son is a composer of classical music, with a studio in San Francisco, and Henry W. is mentioned on another page in this work.
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