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 137

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

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They had a family of six children, of whom Jasper N. was the eldest. Being a Methodist minister's son he was reared in the different places on the circuit in Central California, receiving a good education in the public school and at Alexander Academy at Healdsburg. Later he entered Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa, where he was graduated in 1877 with the degree of A. B. While in college he worked during vacations on farms or taught school, thus helping to defray his expenses. After graduating he taught in Sonoma and Mendocino counties until 1879 and then came to Humboldt county. He taught the Janes school near Arcata and later became principal of the school. In 1883 he gave up teaching for the time being to become bookkeeper for A. Brizard in Arcata. In 1885 he was appointed postmaster of Arcata under

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Cleveland. It was then a fourth-class office, but in 1887 it was made a third- class office and he was then appointed by Cleveland to the same position, serving four years or until 1891, when he retired from the office on account of change of administration.

In 1891 Mr. Davies resumed teaching, becoming principal of the Janes school, a position which he resigned seven years afterward in order to devote his attention to the improvement of his homestead, located near Orick. While there he taught the Orick and afterwards the Stone Lagoon school until 1900, when he obtained the principalship of the Hydesville schools, holding it untif January, 1903. In that year he came to Eureka as principal of the Washington school, holding this position from its opening for five and one-half years, after which he became principal of the Lafayette school for two years. He was then transferred to be principal of the Lincoln school when it was opened and held it for five years. In the fall of 1915, on the establishment of the first intermediate school in Humboldt county, and among the first in the state, he was chosen its principal, a position he is now filling admirably.

Mr. Davies was married in Arcata, June 16, 1885, being united with Mrs. Catherine (Lothian) Hanna. She is a native daughter of Arcata and her father, Peter Lothian, was the first sheriff of the county and a very prominent man. They have three children. Jasper Alexander, a graduate of West Point in 1910, spent four years in the Philippines as a member of the Thirteenth United States Infantry and is now second lieutenant of the Seven- teenth United States Infantry stationed at Eagle Pass, Texas. The other two, Mary Annette, and Wesley L., make their home with their parents. By her first marriage Mrs. Davies had three daughters: Olive E., a trained nurse ; Clarissa S., Mrs. L. P. Dorais, and Catherine L., Mrs. Rudolph. All are living in Eureka except Mrs. Rudolph, who resides in Marshfield, Ore. At different times Mr. Davies has been a member of the county board of education, in 1884 and 1897. While in Arcata he was a member of the board of trustees for three years and was also president of the board during this time. He was made a Mason in Arcata Lodge No. 106 in 1881 and is senior past- master, serving in 1884-86-89. Hle is a member of Humboldt Chapter No. 52, R. A. M., which he served three years as high priest and is also a member of Oakland Lodge of Perfection No. 2, as A. A. S. R. He is very prominent in the fire department, being secretary and a member of California Hose Company No. 5 from the time of its organization in 1904. He is secretary of the Eureka Volunteer fire department and of the Eureka fire police. In national principles he has always been a Democrat, while in the line of his profession he is a member of the Teachers' Club and has also been a member of the National Educational Association.

OREL BRAY FRENCH .- The automobile business of Ferndale has been vastly improved since the advent of Mr. French, and the county roads have been made very convenient and safe for the traveler through the sign posts and danger warnings that he has installed along the main traveled roads, a thing no one had attempted before he undertook the work. Mr. French is a Yankee of sturdy, thrifty stock, and was born in Solon, Somerset county, Me., on January 23, 1872, the son of Oliver B. and Elenor (Black) French, both natives of Maine. The father was a harness maker and saddler

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in Solon, where he died, and the mother now makes her home with her son, Orel B. His parental grandfather, Rev. Luther P. French, served as chaplain of the First Maine Volunteer Infantry in the Civil war, and was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and for many years presiding elder in the East Maine Conference. Orel B., the descendant of this worthy ancestor, was graduated from the elementary schools of his home state, then entering the high school and later the Somerset Academy and the University of Maine at Orono, where he remained a year and a half, taking the mechanical en- gineer's course to perfect himself in the profession he had chosen as his life's work. He then moved to Boston, Mass., where he obtained employment in the shops of the Eyelet Tool Company, remaining with that company two years, then securing employment with the National Machine Tool Company in South Boston, a position which he held for a year and a half. He next became connected with the Navy Yard at Charlestown for six months, but left there for East Liverpool, Ohio, where he opened and had charge of a garage, in 1908 removing to San Francisco, Cal. Here he was again engaged in the automobile machine business, having charge of the White Company's shops until 1913, when he came to Ferndale, Humboldt county, and opened a fine garage. He erected his own building, a small one at first, but as the business increased he enlarged the shop until now he has one of the finest in the county, built of corrugated iron and cement, 76x100 feet in dimensions, and located on Ocean avenue. Here he has installed modern, up-to-date ma- chinery run by an electric motor, and has a vulcanizing department in con- nection with the garage, as well as doing storage battery recharging. To him has fallen the honor of having made the county roads convenient and safe for travelers, he having installed his signs at all important crossings, as well as signals at all the most dangerous points along the main road. He has met with unusual success since coming to California, and is a trust- worthy, industrious man and a thorough mechanic, his success being due to his own unaided and unceasing labors. Mr. French was married in San Francisco to Miss Elizabeth MeKenna, a native daughter of California, she having been born at Cloverdale, Sonoma county.

PETER E. PETERSEN .- The population of California is cosmopolitan in its nature, and through Humboldt county in particular will be found great numbers of families of foreign birth. Among the German people of that vicinity Peter E. Petersen has been a leading citizen. He was born near Apenrade, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, June 7, 1874, where he attended school and assisted on the home farm until coming to California on January 7, 1892. He came direct to Humboldt county, and his first employment was for his uncle, T. O. Petersen, who lived on Eel River island, and it was on this ranch that he gained his first experience in dairying. His parents were Andrew E. and Maud (Eskeldsen) Petersen, farmers near Apenrade, and they sold their place in Germany, joining their son in California in 1894. In that year Mr. Petersen rented a ranch on Coffee creek, where he engaged in dairying that year. His father then purchased this same ranch, which consisted of seventy aeres of partially improved land, and father and son engaged in business together. At first most of their time was consumed in elearing the land, and for six years, or until 1900, they successfully carried on dairying and the work of attending the ranch, at which place the parents

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still reside. Mr. Petersen was married in 1900 and moved over on the Eel River island, where he rented eighty acres of land from S. Fulmor, and for two years followed dairying and farming at the new location. From there he removed to Bear River Ridge, renting the Nat Hurlbutt ranch of two thousand acres and entering into stock raising. Later he purchased the Doc Stevens ranch on Bear river, and followed farming and dairying there, the place consisting of four hundred forty acres of grazing land, which for six years he devoted successfully to dairying. At the end of that time he leased it to other parties as a dairy and returned to Ferndale, accepting a position with the Central Creameries Company, in charge of the boilers in their Fern- dale plant. After eighteen months Mr. Petersen purchased his brother's lease of J. A. Shaw's ranch at Centerville in 1910 and moved onto this property, where he has operated a dairy ever since. The ranch comprises one hundred sixty acres of land on which he has a dairy of seventy-five cows of the Holstein breed. For some years he was president of the Ferndale Creamery and since the spring of 1915 has acted as its manager. Five years to the day after coming to the United States he received his citizenship papers and is indeed a model and worthy citizen.

The marriage of Mr. Petersen on January 18, 1900, united him with Sophia O. Quist, a native of Helsingfors, Finland, the daughter of Jacob and Sophia (Berglin) Quist. Her father was a descendant of the Kronhjelm family, one of the oldest and most prominent among the nobility of Sweden and Finland. He was an officer in the government employ for many years, and spent his last days in Humboldt county with Mrs. Petersen, who was educated in the high school of her native city, where her mother's death took place. The daughter came to California in 1891, locating with relatives in San Francisco, and afterwards entered the St. Helena Hospital Training School for Nurses, from which she was graduated May 29, 1898, following her profession thereafter in San Francisco until her marriage with Mr. Petersen. Of their union there are six children, namely : Harold E., Eleanor C., Helen H., Kermit Dale, Rosemary and Vesta A., all fine, sturdy children. Mr. Petersen is a member of the Ferndale Dairymen's Association and the Ferndale Cow Testing Association, and is a very successful farmer and one of the most prominent men in the Eel River Valley.

REV. J. J. GLEESON .- A man of splendid attainments, enthusiastic and conscientious in his work, Rev. J. J. Gleeson, the pastor of the Church of the Assumption at Ferndale, Humboldt county, brings to his work at that place the efficiency gained by careful preparation, exhaustive study and re- search coupled with many years' experience in pastoral work.

Born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in the year 1864, Father Gleeson received his preliminary education in the national schools of that country, when about fifteen years of age entering the Diocesan College at Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, where he made his classics, and in the fall of 1885 becoming a student at All Hallows College, Dublin, where he completed the study of philosophy and theology. At Maynooth College he received his subdeaconship and deaconship from Archbishop Walsh of Dublin, and on June 24, 1890, was ordained priest by Bishop Brownrigg, Bishop of Ossory, for the diocese of Sacramento, Cal. In September of that year Father Gleeson came to Sacramento, becoming assistant to Rev. Thomas Grace, at that time

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pastor of the Cathedral and now Bishop of Sacramento. In the autumn of the following year Father Gleeson became assistant to Rev. Matthew Cole- man at Marysville, remaining there until the fall of 1892, when he was placed in charge of the parish of San Andreas, which comprised the whole of Cala- veras county, missions being located in different parts of the county, several chapels also being built by him during his three years' occupancy. The date of his first service in this parish was on the last Sunday of October, 1892, his last service there being on the last Sunday of September, 1895, in which month he became pastor at Jackson, his services at that place commencing on the last Sunday in September, 1895, and ending on the last Sunday in September, 1912. He was also chaplain at the state reform school at Ione and the Preston School of Industry for a period of seventeen years. In October, 1912, he was appointed and assumed the duties of pastor of the Church of the Assumption at Ferndale, where he is at present located, and since that time he has labored faithfully and well at that place, bringing into use his years of experience which render him so helpful to his parishioners, being in charge likewise of St. Patrick's Church at Petrolia. The congrega- tion of St. Mary's or the Church of the Assumption was first attended by priests from St. Bernard's Church at Eureka until 1878, at which time Father Lawrence Kennedy became its first resident pastor, continuing to officiate in that capacity until the year 1892, during which time he completed the first church which stood on the present site, and about the year 1883 erected the parsonage. In 1892 Father Kennedy was succeeded by Father Kirley, and a year later came Father Nugent as pastor, the present church, erected on the site of the old one, being built by him. The original building was moved to the rear, and is still the property of the church, having been re- modeled to suit the purposes of a school, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Eureka opening a school and academy there in the fall of 1915. The pastorate of Father Nugent, which covered a period of three years, was followed by that of Father Kiely, who remained there as pastor for fourteen or fifteen years, until the coming of Father Gleeson, whose faithful service and eminent fitness for the position have endeared him to the hearts of all with whom he is associated.

LAURENCE C. MORGAN .- One of the leading citizens of the thriving little city of Fortuna, as well as one of the best known and most generally popular men in the Eel River valley, is Laurence C. Morgan, proprietor and general manager of the L. C. Morgan Company, general merchandise store, with which organization he has been variously connected for the past fifteen years. Mr. Morgan is thoroughly familiar with every detail of his business, having practically grown up with this house, and his genial, kindly nature, coupled with his keen business judgment and his wide grasp of affairs, makes him a favorite with friend and patron, as well as with his employes and business associates.

Born in Elmira, Solano county, Cal., July 8, 1878, this progressive young merchant removed to Fortuna with his parents when he was still a lad, and has grown to manhood amid the scenes where he is now recognized as a man of large affairs. He attended the public schools, graduating from the high school, and afterwards took a course in a business college in Eureka, graduat- ing in 1899. Immediately after the completion of his business course he

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entered the employ of Newell & McIntyre in their general merchandise busi- ness at Fortuna as delivery man. Since that time the climb has been swift and steady, until from the very bottom of the ladder this enterprising young man has now reached the topmost rung, and at present owns the controlling interest in the business where he was once a humble employe. For almost a year he was on the wagon, and was then given a clerkship inside. Here again his work was so satisfactory that he was very soon promoted to a position of greater responsibility, and in 1902 was made manager of the store, which was still known as the Newell & McIntyre General Merchandise Company. This. arrangement continued until 1906, when Newell & McIntyre retired from the firm and engaged in other lines of business. At that time Mr. Morgan, together with J. F. Benton, now of Arcata, bought out the Newell & McIntyre interests in the company, and operated the store together for the succeeding three years. In 1909, however, Mr. Benton withdrew, and his interests were taken over by L. C. Morgan, his partner, B. F. Morgan, J. H. Smith and W. P. McIntyre, and Mr. Morgan was again in sole charge of the management of the enterprise. Another change in the firm occurred in 1912, when Mr. McIntyre retired and a new member was taken in the person of W. A. Bush. At this time the firm name was changed to the L. C. Morgan Company.

With the growth of the business the firm had branched out, and a branch store was opened at Shively for a period of three years. In 1913 it was decided to close this branch and concentrate on the main house in Fortuna, and since that time the floor space of the store has been enlarged to three times its former size, the stock has been greatly increased, and in every department there have been additions and changes for the better. At present this is the largest general merchandise store in the Eel river valley and stands as a monument to the ability, industry and general application of practically one man, Laurence C. Morgan, who has been the manager for some twelve years or more.

Recognized as one of the leading and most progressive citizens in the community, Mr. Morgan stands four-square for civic betterment and social welfare. Politically he is a Progressive Republican, and has been active in the affairs of his party for a number of years, being counted as one of their most substantial men. In social and fraternal affairs in Fortuna Mr. Morgan also is prominent and popular. He is an influential member of the Native Sons, and a prominent member of the Christian Church, where he at present is superintendent of the Sunday school, and is actively associated with all church work. In the business affairs of his little city the position of Mr. Morgan cannot be overestimated. He is reckoned as one of the strongest members of the board of trade, and there is no question for the welfare of Fortuna in which he does not lead ; and equally well defined is his opposition to all laxity in social or moral matters pertaining to the municipality. His business record is clean and praiseworthy and his friends and admirers are legion.

One of the most delightful homes in Fortuna is that of Mr. Morgan and his family. His wife was Miss Edith G. Newell, a native of Eureka, born December 4, 1880. They were married in Fortuna, October 18, 1902, and have two charming little daughters, Lucile, aged nine years, and Fay, a child of seven.

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JOHN CANDIDO ROLANDELLI .- The second oldest in a family of five boys and two girls, John Candido Rolandelli is a native of Italy, having been born near the city of Genoa on April 3, 1876, the son of David, a farmer and horticulturist, also a native of that place, and Catherina (Lavagnino) Rolandelli, also born in that district, both of the parents now living. John Candido was brought up on his father's farm, assisting in the work there until the year 1900, and receiving his education in the local public schools, after which he came to the United States to see if he could better his prospects financially in California, where many of his countrymen had won success in their chosen lines of occupation.

In March, 1900, Mr. Rolandelli arrived in San Francisco, in May of that year going to Eureka, Cal., on the steamer Pomona, and secured employment in the woods near Trinidad, for a period of about three years. The following three years were spent in the employ of the Hammond Lumber Company, and in November, 1905, Mr. Rolandelli started in the fishing business, in which he has successfully continued ever since, fishing with nets, his catch being principally halibut and crab. He is the owner of a fine power launch, twenty- five feet in length, as well as of a number of smaller boats. Meeting with success in his business, he has been enabled to buy lots and has built a flat at No. 34 Vine street, Eureka, where he makes his home. His marriage occurred in San Francisco, uniting him with Miss Mary Boicelli, also a native of the country about Genoa, and they are the parents of two children, namely, Catherine and Louis. In his political preferences Mr. Rolandelli, like many others of his countrymen who have made their home in this part of Cali- fornia, is an upholder of the principles of the Republican party, and like them also is loyal to the country of his adoption.

CHARLES TOWNSHEND NORTON .- A man who has attained notable success in the lumber industry in Humboldt county, Cal., is Charles Townshend Norton, a native of Canada, who since the year 1875 has made his home in this county, by his industry and practical ingenuity materially aiding in the advancement of the district along the lines comprised in his chosen occupation.

Born at Annandale, Grand River, Prince Edward Island, Canada, Mr. Norton was the son of William and Flora (Townshend) Norton of that province, the father being a native of England, the mother of Scotland. William Norton, who was born in Monmouth, England, where he was a barrister-at-law, as was his father before him, came to Annandale, Prince Edward Island, in the days of the settlement of the Grand River country, and there took up a tract of land, as well as practicing law, acting as customs officer and postmaster and judge, and being known as a prominent and in- fluential man until the time of his death. His wife, Flora Townshend, was born at Annandale, Scotland, and came to Prince Edward Island with her parents, who were among the early settlers of Annandale, the place taking its name from the original home of its colonists, and there Flora Townshend Norton still resides. Charles Townshend Norton was the youngest of their seven children, and was born March 6, 1858, educated in the local public schools, and removed to Humboldt county, Cal., in 1875. His first employ- ment here was as trainman for the Vance Company, he soon being put in charge of the logging train of the company, in the early days when wooden

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rails were used, made of scantlings from the laurel or pepperwood tree, which, though wearing well, were improved by strap iron nailed to the wooden rails, and later still the Tiron rails being laid. Mr. Norton continued in the employ of the Vance Company for a period of seven years, for a small part of this time being with the Jolly Giant Mill, the principal owner of which was N. H. Falk. Next Mr. Norton removed to Trinidad, where he became engineer in charge of the train for the Hooper Lumber Company, a position which he held for five years, coming then to the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company at Falk, where for three years he was the efficient engineer on the logging train. At the close of that period he was with the Bucksport & Elk River Railroad as master mechanic and engineer of the road for nine years, with headquarters at Jones Prairie, in 1907 returning to the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company as superintendent of the railroad, which position he has continued to fill ably and satisfactorily ever since, having now been forty years in the same line of work in Humboldt county. Throughout his career Mr. Norton has had good success, there never having been an accident upon the road during his management. Perhaps that for which he is most noted is the invention and carrying out of a plan for the unloading of logs from the cars by the simple method of the engine's shoving the cars so that the logs strike a pepperwood boom set at an angle of forty-five degrees, which turns them into a shute and thence into the water, this device, which proves Mr. Norton to be very much of a genius along inventive lines, having later been copied by several other mills with great satisfaction.

In his political preferences Mr. Norton upholds the principles of the Republican party, while fraternally he is a member of the Eureka Lodge No. 652, B. P. O. E. He was married in Trinidad, Cal., to Miss Catherine Nichols, a native of Humboldt county, and they are the parents of three children, namely : Arthur, who is employed by the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia; William, an engineer working under his father; and Clarence, who is in the machine shop of the Little River Lumber Company.

JACKSON SAWYER .- The pioneer history of Humboldt county con- tains no name of greater interest than that of Jackson Sawyer, of Table Bluff, near Loleta, who came to California in 1852 and has enjoyed a varied and unique experience in many ways. He is now almost ninety years of age, and lives on his ranch, located exactly on the top of Table Bluff, and a mile and a half away from Loleta. Mr. Sawyer is still active and mentally alert, but his principal occupation is reading, his favorite book being the Bible. He came to California from Pennsylvania, and after following mining for a while was variously occupied, until he came to Humboldt county, Cal., in August, 1852, when he worked in Eureka for a time, then took several claims, but did not keep them. Later he bought a squatter's right to his present property on Table Bluff, on which he secured a clear title from the govern- ment. He now owns one hundred sixty acres of improved land, which is well improved and very valuable. ITis experiences with the Indians and also with wild animals in an early day read like a romance, and are full of hair- raising adventures. The bears were accustomed to raiding his garden and · his pig pens were their especial delight. The Indians never gave him serious trouble, save that they were natural thieves and beggars. Mr. Sawyer is most highly respected and well liked by all who know him. He is well in-

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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 137

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