History of Humboldt County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 135

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 135

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the store building and goods. All these years he engaged in farming and stock raising as well as butchering. He built the Briceland Hotel and the town was named for him. He became the owner of fourteen hundred acres of land, portions of which he sold from time to time, and he now has about seven hundred acres. His last years were devoted to stock raising. He died on his ranch. He was a prominent and active Democrat and for many years was member of the board of school trustees. By his first wife, a native daughter of California, he had three children, as follows: Lucy, Mrs. Jack Wood, of Briceland; and Lizzie and George, both deceased. His second marriage was to Fannie White, also born in California, who died March 3, 1912. She was the mother of nine children, seven of whom grew up, as follows: William, who died when seventeen years old; Maude, who died at fourteen ; Laura, Mrs. Fearrien, who died here; Mary, who died at thirteen years ; and Walter, John and Carl, all of Briceland.

Walter Briceland, who now leases and operates the old Briceland ranch, was born at Briceland December 12, 1887. He was brought up on the home farm, attending the public schools in the vicinity, and ultimately learned the stock business thoroughly. He remained on the home farm until his father died, when he was employed on other ranches and in the bark woods. In 1913 he leased the Briceland ranch of over six hundred acres, which he is now operating, being engaged in raising cattle. The old Briceland ranch comprises nearly seven hundred acres located on Redwood creek, and on ac- count of being well watered is an excellent stock ranch.

Walter Briceland was married March 3, 1914, the ceremony being per- formed in Briceland, where he was united with Cora Milburn, a native of Fortuna, the daughter of Frank and Eva Gray Milburn, old settlers of Hum- boldt county.

WILLIAM M. GRAHAM has been a resident of Humboldt county since 1880 and has been connected with the lumber industry all this time, the last twelve years as foreman for the Northern Redwood Lumber Company. He was born on the St. John river at Magaguadavic, York county, New Bruns- wick, June 14, 1860, the son of James Graham, who was a farmer there until his death.

Mr. Graham was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools. When fourteen years of age he worked as cook in the woods of New Bruns- wick for two years, then worked tending sled during winters and on the farm summers. In 1878 he arrived in Minneapolis, Minn. There he followed tending sled and driving on the upper Mississippi river until 1880, when he came to Humboldt county, Cal. Two of his brothers, Frank and Alexander, had come to California, and their reports were so favorable that he determined to join them. On his arrival he went to work for his brother Alexander in the woods at Freshwater, continuing with him for two years, then was in the employ of his brother Frank at Bayside as chain tender during summers and chopper in winters; later became foreman. Since then he has con- tinued in the employ of his brother Frank or in the employ of companies ir which he is interested. For the past twelve years he has been woods fore- man for the Northern Redwood Lumber Company, and his many years' experience qualifies him for the position. Ile makes his home in Eureka. At

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one time he owned the property at the corner of Huntoon and C streets, which he sold to Mr. Ward in November, 1913. He now resides on A street, near Hawthorn.

William M. Graham was married in Eureka to Mrs. Frances E. (Mc- Conaghy) Pass, born at Prince William, York county, New Brunswick. Fra- ternally he is a member of Anniversary Lodge No. 85, I. O. O. F., at Arcata, also a member of the Odd Fellows Veteran Association in Eureka, a member of the Woodmen of the World in Eureka, and Mrs. Graham is a member of the Women of Woodcraft.

ELVIZIO REZZONICO was born at Torricella, Tavarni, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, October 16, 1886, the son of Giuseppe and Margerita (Frigeri). The father, who was in the employ of a railroad company as foreman, died in 1908. The mother is still living. Elvizio, after completing the public schools, entered the employ of the railroad company under his father and continued in that occupation until he came to California. He was married in Ticino September 21, 1907, being united with Miss Rose Crivelli, also a native of Torricella. On June 1, 1910, Mr. Rezzonico came to Humboldt county, where for four months he was in the employ of the railroad at Bay- side, then for his brother-in-law, Charles Crivelli, at Loleta, for four months, and afterwards worked for Charles E. Sacchi, a dairyman at Arcata, for eighteen months. His wife and little daughter joined him in 1912. In Sep- tember, 1913, he leased his present place of thirty acres of bottom land which he devotes to dairying, milking sixteen cows, nearly all Jerseys, and is meet- ing with deserved success. To Mr. and Mrs. Rezzonico have been born three children, Modesta, Joseph and Lidio. Mr. Rezzonico is ambitious and ap- preciates the opportunities to be had in California. Politically he believes in the principles of the Republican party.

LOUIS BARLOGGI was born at Lauertetz, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, January 26, 1881, the son of Michael and Rosa (Martini) Barloggi, who reside on their farm on the Valverzsca river. Of their twelve children, nine of whom are living, Louis, the oldest, received his education in the public schools. From a lad he learned farming and dairying as it is done in his native country. However, he had become interested in the Pacific coast country and deter- mined to try his fortune where opportunities were more favorable than in his native land. Leaving home in December, 1903, he arrived in Solano county, Cal., in January, 1904. He found employment on a dairy farm in the Suisun basin, and continued at that occupation until 1909, when he came to Humboldt county and for four months was employed in the Pacific Lumber Company's sawmill at Scotia. He then came to Capetown, where he worked for James Biasca for a period of two years, after which he leased the Myrtle Grove dairy ranch of six hundred acres on the coast at Capetown, owned by Harry Blum of Ferndale. IIere he engaged in dairying on his own account and is making a success of the enterprise. He is milking fifty cows in his dairy and is using a steam engine to do the separating and churning, the product being shipped to the San Francisco market.

Mr. Barloggi is an industrious and energetic young man, who attends strictly to his work, and by his close application is making a success of dairying.

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JAMES W. TIMMONS .- A representative of an old and prominent family in Humboldt county and himself well and favorably known, James W. Timmons is a native son of the county, born in Eureka December 8, 1857. His father, M. Timmons, was a native of Ireland and came when a young man to Boston, Mass., where he worked his way from the bottom to foreman of a lumber yard. While in Boston he married Hester Callahan. Leaving Boston in 1850 he and his wife came to California, first locating in San Fran- cisco, where Mr. Timmons entered the employ of Ryan & Duff, lumber men in that city, working his way up until he was made foreman of the yard. It was in 1852 that he made his first trip to Humboldt county, but subsequently he returned to San Francisco and resumed his old position with Ryan & Duff. In 1856, with his family, he located in Eureka and for a short time was fore- man for Ryan & Duff, after which he became associated with Dolbeer-Carson Lumber Company as foreman of the yards, a position he filled for many years. About fifteen years before he died he returned, residing at his home on Fourth and M streets until his demise in 1903. His widow still resides at the old home, looking after the property Mr. Timmons left her.

Of the seven children born to this union James W. Timmons is the second oldest and was reared and educated in the public schools of his native place. After completing the schools he entered the employ of Mckay & Co. at the Occidental Mill as tally man, continuing there for a period of three years. Next we find him at' Kibesillah, or Newport, Mendocino county, at Hunter & Stewart's Mill as tally man and later as planerman for two years, when he moved to Cleone, the same county, and became mill foreman for the Little Valley Lumber Company, continuing there for a year. He then spent a year in San Francisco as tally man, thence going to Puget Sound. After spending four months there he returned to Humboldt county and entered the employ of John Vance, continuing with him off and on for many years. Then for a period of seventeen years he was with Flanagan & Brosson, now the Bayside Mill, where he became mill foreman, a position he filled acceptably and well, using the years of experience in the lumber industry to advantage. After this he was with the Hammond Lumber Company at Samoa until 1909, when he came to Bulwinkle as yard foreman for the Little River Red- wood Company, having continued uninterruptedly in the position ever since.

With his wife and daughter, Neva, Mr. Timmons makes his home at his residence, 236 Long street, Eureka. Mrs. Timmons was in maidenhood Ida Davis, a native of Ohio, and they were married in Eureka. Fraternally Mr. Timmons is a member of Eureka Aerie No. 130, F. O. E., and Eureka Lodge No. 652, B. P. O. E. Mr. Timmons is well and favorably known throughout Humboldt county, is well read, and having a retentive memory is an interesting conversationalist. He has a host of friends who admire him for his integrity and worth.

FREDERICK JOHN MOORE is a native son of Humboldt county, born in Arcata October 25, 1886, the son of John Addison and Hattie C. (Sheets) Moore, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. They were married in the latter state and about 1879 emigrated to Humboldt county, Cal. The father was engaged in farming in the Maple creek section at one time, and afterward followed the woods with E. B. Jackson. He was elected and served as supervisor of District No. 3, Humboldt county, after which

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he again followed lumbering and timber cruising for a time, or until he engaged in the real estate business, which he is following at the present time in Eureka.

Of the marriage of John A. and Hattie C. Moore five children were born, Fred J. being the third oldest. He received his education in the schools of Blue Lake, and then for eighteen months he was a clerk in J. C. Worthing- ton's store in the same town. He continued in the latter position until Sep- tember 7, 1903, when he entered the employ of the Northern Redwood Lumber Company at Korbel as postal clerk, then as train dispatcher, later became assistant bookkeeper in the office and assistant shipping clerk in the lumber office. Afterward he was promoted to head shipping clerk in charge of the lumber department, which position he has held since 1906.

Mr. Moore was married at Blue Lake October 25, 1909, being united with Miss Bertha Fulmor, a native of Michigan, and they have three sons, Frederick John, Jr. ; Francis Lee, and Herbert Louis. Fraternally Mr. Moore was made a Mason in Arcata Lodge No. 106, F. & A. M., and with his wife is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Moore is also a member of the Rebekahs. Mr. Moore is also a member of Court Korbel No. 8022, A. O. F., at Blue Lake, of which he is past chief ranger, and also a member of the Hoo Hoos, a lumber organization. Mr. and Mrs. Moore attend the Presbyterian Church at Blue Lake, he being a member of the board of trustees. In his political principles he is a stanch Republican.

EMIL B. ECKART, head filer at the Bulwinkle mill for the Little River Redwood Company, was born near Nordhausen, Province of Saxony, Ger- many, June 9, 1884, son of Lorenz and Anna (Faulbier) Eckart. The father was a farmer and merchant and man of affairs until his death. The mother is still living at the old home. Emil was raised on the farm, where he learned to work faithfully and well. He was educated in public schools. When his schooling was completed he worked for the government in the bookkeep- ing and civil engineering departments for three years. He then concluded to try his fortune in America and in the fall of 1900 we find him in Milwaukee, Wis., where he was in the employ of his uncle, Mike Seeboth, in a foundry for two years. From there he went to Battle Creek, Mich., in the employ of the Grand Trunk Railway as a machinist and later as a fireman. After eighteen months he returned to Milwaukee, where he spent three years with the Milwaukee Street Car Company, working his way from the bottom to assistant engineer of the system. Hearing good reports from the Pacific coast he resigned his position in the spring of 1907 and made his way to Humboldt county, Cal. He worked in the Eureka Boiler Works for a short time and the same summer came to Bulwinkle, where he entered the employ of the Little River Redwood Company as engineer of the old mill for fourteen months and afterward as engineer of the new mill. In 1911 he entered the filing room as assistant filer and in February, 1914, he was made head filer, a position he has filled satisfactorily and well ever since.

Mr. Eckart was married in Oakland, Cal., September 11, 1913, to Miss Annie Wiirre, born in Helsingfors, Finland. He owns a residence on Buhne and California streets, Eureka, where he makes his home. Politically he believes firmly in the principles of the Republican party.

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FRED YANCY AYER was born in Bodega, Sonoma county, Cal., June 22, 1882. His father, John Ayer, a carpenter by trade, was born in the province of Quebec, Canada. He came from Boston, Mass., to San Francisco, via the Isthmus of Panama, in 1854. He engaged in dairying at Bodega, Sonoma county, and later followed the carpenter's trade. He was married at Bodega to Vesta Nichols, a native of Tennessee. In 1895 they removed to San Jose and in 1898 to Blue Lake. He followed his trade of carpenter until he died, in 1907, at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother now resides in Berkeley.

Of the five children in the parental family our subject is the third oldest. He was educated in the public schools and early in life began to make his own way. His first work was in San Jose, where he was employed as a messenger boy, besides which he sold papers. In 1898 he came to Blue Lake and worked at the carpenter's trade with his father, then in shingle mills as shingle weaver, here and in Samoa for three years. He gave this up to take a business course and entered the Eureka Business College, from which he graduated in 1906. After a short time with the Hammond Lumber Company he came to Korbel and since October of that year has been in the employ of the Northern Redwood Lumber Company. He first acted as train dispatcher for the Arcata and Mad River Railroad about four and one- half years, then was in the office of the lumber company as lumber shipping clerk. Promotion came to him in April, 1915, when he was made foreman of the Riverside mill for the Northern Redwood Lumber Company at River- side, on the north fork of the Mad river.

Mr. Ayer was married at Dow's Prairie to Miss Eva Elizabeth Lee, born in Nicolaus, Sutter county, Cal., the daughter of Walter C. Lee, who came to California across the plains from Illinois with ox teams in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Ayer have two children, Sidney Lee and Evelyn Ethel.

GEORGE SAMS .- One of the old-timers connected with the lumber industry in Humboldt county is George Sams, who was born in Warren county, twenty-one miles east of Des Moines, Iowa, October 7, 1862. He was the son of George and Hannah C. (Edwards) Sams, farmers in Iowa. During the Civil war the father served in an Iowa regiment, and during his enlistment received serious injuries from which he died in St. Louis, Mo. The mother was married a second time to John Wright, and in 1872 they all came to Humboldt county, Cal., where the mother died.

George Sams, the only child of his mother's first marriage, spent the first ten years of his life in Iowa, when he accompanied his mother and stepfather to Rohnerville, Cal. Here he lived on a farm and received a good education in the public schools. He then worked as a shingle packer until he made enough money to take a course at Heald's Business College, San Francisco, graduating therefrom in 1883. On his return to Humboldt county he went back to the shingle mill at Fortuna as a packer for a year and then followed the same line of work for a year at Scotia. In partnership with the Rowley brothers he built a shingle mill near Fortuna, but a year later sold his interest in the mill and returned to the employ of the Pacific Lumber Company at -Scotia, continuing for a period of twelve years in the shingle mill as a sawyer. Subsequently he became an expert filer. In 1900 he came to the Riverside

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mill under H. W. Jackson and has continued with the same people ever since as filer. However, in 1907 he was transferred to the Korbel plant of the Northern Redwood Lumber Company and since that time has had charge of filing the resaws and shingle saws, to which he devotes his entire time, filling the position with entire satisfaction.

Mr. Sams was married in Fortuna, being united with Miss Hattie M. Rowley, born in Colorado. She died in 1893, leaving four children : Myrtle, Mrs. Henry Burg, of Fortuna; Nellie, Mrs. William Florent, of Portland, Ore .; William, who is serving in the United States army, being stationed in the Philippines; and Frances, a graduate of the San Jose state normal and formerly a teacher. She is now Mrs. William Brown, of Trinidad. Fraternally Mr. Sams is a member of Blue Lake Lodge No. 347, I. O. O. F., of which he is past grand and past district deputy ; is a member of Mad River Lodge No. 185, K. of P., at Blue Lake, of which he is past chancellor.

ALEXANDER ROSS SUTHERLAND, holding the position of head filer for the Northern Redwood Lumber Company at Korbel, was born at West River, Pictou county, Nova Scotia, March 7, 1869, the son of William and Isabella (Ross) Sutherland, also natives of Pictou county, of Scotch parents on both sides. The father being a farmer, Alexander was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools. He remained with his parents, aiding with the duties of the farm until he was twenty-one, when he came to the Pacific coast in 1890 and at Port Blakeley he entered the machine shop of the Renton & Holmes Lumber Company and there learned the machinist's trade. In 1893 he came to Greenwood, Cal., as machinist with the L. E. White Lumber Company, and continued with them for seven years and during which time he learned filing. He then came to Usal, Mendo- cino county, in March of 1900, securing the position of head filer for the Usal Lumber Company. However, six weeks later he was offered the position of head filer at the Riverside mill of the Northern Redwood Lumber Company, under H. W. Jackson, and he has continued with the management ever since. After seven years at the Riverside mill he was transferred to the Korbel mill as head filer, a position he has filled ever since. Mr. Sutherland was married at Greenwood, being united with Miss Lottie Main, a native daughter born at Noyo, Mendocino county, and two children have been born of the union, Ross and Stella. For six years Mr. Sutherland served as trustee of the North Fork school district and was clerk of the board for five years of the time. He was deeply interested in having good schools, and it was during this time that the new school house was built in Korbel. Fraternally he is a member of Blue Lake Lodge No. 347, I. O. O. F., of which he is past grand and past district deputy, and with his wife is a member of the Rebekahs. He is a member of Mad River Lodge, K. P., of which he is past chancellor. Politically he espouses the principles of the Republican party.

HENRY BRAVO, who is engaged in dairying at Metropolitan, was born in Cugnasco, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, May 20, 1879, the son of Bartol and Josephine (Pellisconi) Bravo, farmers. The mother died in March, 1910, and the father is still in business in Switzerland. Of their six children four are living, Henry being the third oldest. He received a good education in the public schools and learned farming from a lad. He continued helping his father until he was twenty-one years of age. His brother Paul, who had

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come to California in 1893 and was residing in Humboldt county, sent back good reports to the old home of better opportunities in the west and the younger brother determined to try his fortune on the Pacific coast. In March, 1900, he arrived in Eureka, Cal. He was employed on a dairy at Loleta for one year, then was engaged in the same line near Ferndale for three years. Later he worked for the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia a year and next was with the Metropolitan Lumber Company another year. After working one year on a farm at Rio Dell he concluded to start in dairying for himself, and for the purpose rented his present place of one hundred acres at Metro- politan in 1906. Here he has followed dairying ever since. Ile has built up a herd of high grade Jerseys and is milking forty-five cows. In connection he is also engaged in raising hogs, breeding the Ohio Improved Chester White, of which he turns off about fifty head a year. The ranch is all rich bottom land, growing not only good pasturage, but on it he raises ample hay and green feed for his cattle and hogs. He has reason to be pleased with his success in California and he has established a record in the vicinity for being industrious, persevering and energetic, and also for being honest and upright in all his dealings.

Mr. Bravo was married at Ferndale December 22, 1910, being united with Severina Giulieri, also born in Cugnasco, Switzerland, and they have three children, as follows: Rena, Rose and Fred. Politically he believes in the principles of the Republican party.

ZACCHEUS MAHLON HARRIS .- The millwright at the Bulwinkle plant of the Little River Redwood Company was born at Frankfort, Mower county, Minn., April 18, 1875, the son of Frank and Amelia '(Story) Harris, born in New York and Wisconsin, respectively. The father was a soldier in Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the Civil war and was wounded while in the service. After the war he removed to Mower county, Minn., where he was a farmer. In 1877 he brought his family to Napa county, Cal., where they are now engaged in farming. Zach, as he is familiarly called, was two years of age when he came with the family to California. He received a good education, after which he assisted his parents on the farm until he was eighteen years old. He then worked at the carpenter's trade in Napa county about two years. In 1895 he came to the redwoods in Humboldt county, where he found employment with the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia as a millwright and during the years he was with them he helped build the old mills and the new mills also. He was away for a while, during which time he was a millwright in San Francisco and in Solano county. He then returned to Scotia, resuming his old place, and continued there until 1910, when he removed to Samoa in the employ of the Hammond Lumber Com- pany as millwright. Resigning the latter position he became foreman of construction work for the government on the South Jetty, Humboldt Bay, a position which he filled for about one year.

In 1912 Mr. Harris came to Bulwinkle as millwright and since then has performed the duties connected with the position in an able manner. He is successful in his line of work and has a good record with the different com- panies he has served. He was married in Napa to Miss Ida Raddlefinger, a native daughter of Arcata, the daughter of Samuel Raddlefinger, a prominent pioneer of Humboldt county and a man well posted on the history of the

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carly days. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have two children, Mahlon and Delpha. Fraternally he is a member of Napa Lodge No. 18, I. O. O. F., also a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, at Napa. He is interested in the cause of education and is serving as a member of the board of trustees of Little River school district, being president of the board.

JOHN P. ANDERSON .- Since 1877 Mr. Anderson has been a resident of Humboldt county, coming here from Warren county, Pa. He was born on the Island of Bornholm, Denmark, February 6, 1852, the son of John and Caroline (Lund) Anderson, farming people there. Reared on the farm in Denmark, he received a good education in the public schools. When six- teen years of age he began earning his own livelihood by working on neigh- borhood farms. In the spring of 1870 he came to the United States and located in Warren county, Pa., where he was employed in a tannery for three years, and later was engaged in railroad construction work. His brother, James P., had already come to Humboldt county, and through him John became interested in the west and decided to join his brother. In March, 1877, he came to San Francisco and then on the old steamer Humboldt came to Eureka. He immediately went to work for his brother on the Angels ranch, continuing with him until 1886, when he bought the old Rich ranch on Canyon creek, his present place. This lies about five miles above Korbel, and is devoted principally to raising sheep, usually running three hundred to four hundred head.

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History of Humboldt County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 135

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328