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 142

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 142

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Fraternally Mr. Blake is an Odd Fellow, having joined the order in 1878. Politically he is a stanch Republican, but has never been an aspirant for office. It is a matter of pride with Mr. Blake that his ancestors date back to the old Puritan families of 1630 and members have been represented in all of the Colonial wars and the Revolution, with several of the family in General Washington's command, and representatives of his family have also been in the wars since the struggle for independence.

WILLIAM HANEN WARD, chief engineer of the Humboldt Transit Company, was born in Bathurst, Australia, January 3, 1880, the son of William John and Mary (Hanen) Ward, natives of Bathurst, Australia, and Oswego, N. Y., respectively. His grandfather, Robert Hanen, who served in a cavalry regiment in the Civil war under General Custer, continued in the army after the war and served in Indian campaigns. After his honorable discharge he went to Nevada, where he was lost track of. The father was a farmer in Australia. In 1883 he brought his family to Philo, Mendocino county, where he bought a farm in Anderson Valley and continued farming there until his death. The mother still resides at the old home. Her brother is the Hon. William Hanen, editor of the Point Arena Record and ex-member of the State Legislature.

William H. Ward was the oldest of four children and was brought to California by his parents when he was three years of age. He received his education in the public schools at Philo. After completing the local schools he entered the Vander Nailen School of Engineering in San Francisco, where he graduated in 1905. He then came to Eureka and entered the employ of the Humboldt Transit Company as motorman. After continuing this for two years he became engineer at the power plant, and January 1, 1915, was promoted to chief engineer of the company at Eureka in charge of the power plant.

Mr. Ward built and owns a residence at No. 1435 A street, where he resides with his family. He was married in San Francisco, being united with Miss Stella Cureton, born in Point Arena, and they have two children, Kenneth and Glenn. Mr. Ward is prominent among local stationary engineers, being well and favorably known for reliability and integrity. Mrs. Ward is a member of the Congregational church.

ALBERT WARREN WHITE .- Master mechanic of the Humboldt Transit Company, Albert Warren White was born in Battle Creek, Mich., October 27, 1876. His father, C. H. White, was born in Michigan and was a promoter. Among other things he manufactured Malta Vita in partnership with Niel Phelps. C. H. White was married in Battle Creek to Meribah Acker- son, and they now reside in Jackson, Mich. Albert W. is the second oldest of a family of three children. His childhood was spent in Battle Creek, where he was educated in the public schools and at the Krug Business College. He followed bookkeeping for a short time, but could not stand the confinement, so when seventeen years of age he entered the employ of the Citizens Street

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Railway of Battle Creek, where he was motorman for five years, and when the Interurban line was completed he entered the shops of the company as a helper, learning the machinist trade, and two years later became master mechanic in charge of these shops at Battle Creek and at Augusta. He held the position until 1902, when he resigned and removed to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., as master mechanic for the street car line, in charge of shops at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., as well as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Resigning his position in October, 1903, Mr. White came to California and was soon in touch with the Humboldt Transit Company. Accepting the position of master mechanic with the company, he came to Eureka on October 22nd of that year and assumed his duties and has held the place ever since. When he came to Eureka there were only three cars and about three miles of track and nine men in the employ of the company. Now there are over thirteen miles of track and seventeen cars and about fifty men employed. The car barns have been at the corner of Third and A street, but the company is now building new car barns and shop on Harris and J streets. In addition to the shop and track he has charge of the over-wires for carrying the cur- rent.

Mr. White was married in Battle Creek, Mich., to Miss Bessie J. Bradish, a native of Augusta, Mich., and they have five children, Harold, Eldon, Lorena, Carroll and Margaret. Fraternally he is a member of Eureka Aerie No. 130, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and in political views is a stanch Republican.

ROBERT COPLAND .- A substantial citizen and enterprising man who has been a resident of Eureka since August, 1883, Robert Copland was born at Douglastown, on the Miramichi river, Northumberland county, New Brunswick. His father, David Copland, was born in Dumfriesshire, Scot- land, and as a young man served on a man-of-war in the English navy under Lord Nelson. He immigrated to New Brunswick and became a contracting stevedore at Douglastown. His business, however, was not limited to that section, but also extended into other cities in the Dominion. While in Quebec on a large contract loading ships he died. The mother, Mary Mc- Allister, was also born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. When she was a girl she saw the "Scotch Grays" come home from the battle of Waterloo. With her parents she came to New Brunswick, where she married Robert Cop- land. After her husband's death the mother reared her family in Douglas- town, afterwards moving to Newcastle, where she died.

Robert Copland was the youngest of a family of six children and is now the only one living. He received his education in the subscription schools of that period. From the time he was twelve years old he assisted his mother in obtaining a livelihood for the family. At the age of fourteen he apprenticed himself to the shipsmith trade in the shipyards in Newcastle and followed it for a number of years, when he entered the employ of Brown, Brooks & Ryan to work as a blacksmith on the construction of the bridges over the Miramichi river along the International Railroad, continuing with the firm for six years. He then began work in the lumber industry as chief engineer at the Fish mill, Newcastle, afterwards becoming foreman of the mill. At the time of the boom in Winnipeg, in 1882, he resigned his position and made his way to Manitoba, where he worked as a blacksmith in the Canadian Pacific Railroad shops. In about five months the boom had

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subsided and he accepted a place with his old employers, Brown Brothers, who were engaged in manufacturing agricultural implements in Belleville, Ontario. For many years he had had a strong desire to come to the Pacific coast, and particularly to Humboldt county, and when leaving New Bruns- wick in 1882 for the west it was with the intention of eventually visiting Humboldt county. After six months with Brown Brothers he resigned his place with them and in August of 1883 he arrived in Eureka, landing from the steamer Chester. Two days later he accepted the position of chief engineer with McKay & Co., lumber manufacturers and proprietors of the Occidental Mill in Eureka. His previous experience had fitted him for the position and he enjoyed not only his place but this climate and its people. It is needless to say his services were appreciated, for he was retained until his resignation in June, 1908, to retire from active work. All this time, for a quarter of a century, he held the position of chief engineer in one place, and in that time had but one vacation of seven days to attend the Knights Templar Conclave in San Francisco.

In 1908 Mr. Copland made a trip back to his old home in New Brunswick, returning to the coast by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, stopping at Calgary, Alberta, where he became interested and purchased city property. Return- ing to Eureka he has since lived retired, his only care being the oversight of his property, which consists of several residences and lots in this city. He has much faith in the future prosperity of Humboldt county and is progressive and liberal, being always willing to aid movements that have for their aim the improvement of the city and county and the betterment of the condition of its citizens.

Mr. Copland was made a Mason in Northumberland Lodge at Newcastle, New Brunswick, and since coming to Eureka has been affiliated with Hum- boldt Lodge No. 79, F. & A. M. He is also a member of Humboldt Chapter No. 52, R. A. M., and Eureka Commandery No. 35, K. T.

LEWIS BUONCORE KINGSBURY .- A man who is highly respected for his honesty of purpose, sterling qualities and integrity, Lewis Buoncore Kingsbury has been a resident of Humboldt county since February, 1875. He was born in Boston, Mass., February 25, 1851, the son of Reuben and Eliza- beth (Buoncore) Kingsbury, natives of Dedham and Boston, Mass., respec- tively. They were farmers near Lexington, the first battle ground of the Revolutionary war.

Lewis B. Kingsbury received his education in the schools of Lexington and remained on the home farm until sixteen years of age. At that time he was apprenticed as a tanner and currier in Woburn, Mass., continuing there for eight years. Having a desire to come to the Pacific coast, he came to San Francisco in December, 1874, and in February, 1875, he arrived in Eureka. March 1, 1875, he began working in the Occidental Mill piling lum- ber in the yard, and later he ran a planer. He has continued in the employ of the mill ever since with the exception of eighteen months when he was with the Jones Mill on Gunther Island. Since 1883 he has been with the Occidental Mill steadily as head planerman, and this, too, without any inter- ruption except in 1893, when he had a vacation of two months. During this time he visited the World's Fair in Chicago.

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Mr. Kingsbury resides at No. 223 West Cedar street, and also owns other property in Eureka, where he is well and favorably known for liberality and kindliness of heart. He was made a Mason in Humboldt Lodge No. 79, F. & A. M., in 1882, and since 1887 has been a member of Humboldt Chapter No. 52, R. A. M. He is also a member of Humboldt Lodge No. 77, I. O. O. F. Politically he has always been a stanch Republican.

JOHN EDWARD JOHNSON .- Trainmaster of the Northern Division of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad at Eureka and a resident of Humboldt county since May, 1900, John Edward Johnson was born in Engelholm, Sweden, December 4, 1880. His father died when John Edward was a babe and he came with his mother to the United States in 1883. They lived a short time in Ogden, Boone county, Iowa, and then removed to Pilot Mound, that county, where he received his education in the public schools. When fifteen years of age he began to earn his own livelihood by working in a grocery store at Harcourt, Iowa, continuing to clerk there for a period of five years. In the spring of 1900 he came to San Francisco and in May of the same year came to Eureka, where for the first three years he clerked in a grocery store. When the Santa Fe took over the old Eel River & Eureka Railroad the road was called the San Francisco & Northwestern Railroad. It was at this time that he entered the employ of the company as assistant station agent at South Bay, afterwards becoming agent at the same place. He continued with the road and was agent at different stations, mostly on the south end, excepting one year passed in Eureka. In 1910 he was made train dispatcher with headquarters in Eureka, and later on was promoted to chief dispatcher, the road in time becoming the Northwestern Pacific. In the spring of 1914 he was made trainmaster, a position he has held ever since. When he first became dispatcher the road ran only to Shively, but since the through trains have run to San Francisco the Northern Division, of which he is trainmaster, has been extended from Trinidad to Willits. Mr. Johnson applies himself closely to his duties and thus renders efficient service both to the public and to the company.

Mr. Johnson was married in Eureka April 19, 1907, being united with Miss Agnes Smith. She was born in Eureka, the daughter of Robert Smith, a pioneer of Humboldt county and an expert accountant. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have one child, Robert Edward. Mr. Johnson was made a Mason in Humboldt Lodge No. 79, F. & A. M., of which he is now junior deacon. He · is also a member of Humboldt Lodge No. 77, I. O. O. F., and the Encamp- ment of same, and with his wife is a member of the Rebekah Lodge, of which Mrs. Johnson is past noble grand. She is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. In his political views he believes firmly that the principles of the Republican party if carried out would be of the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people.

JACK B. TAMBOURY .-- The superintendent of ranches for the North- ern Redwood Lumber Company at Korbel, Jack Tamboury, was born in Basses-Pyrenees, France, November 9, 1878. He came from his native France to Humboldt county, Cal., with his parents, J. P. and Annetta Tamboury, in 1883, the family locating in Blue Lake, where the parents still reside. Jack Tamboury was educated in the public schools of Blue Lake, and after com- pleting his work in the local school was employed on ranches near Blue Lake

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and learned farming and stock raising, in time becoming proficient in both branches. In 1901 he began working for the Riverside Lumber Company on their ranch at Riverside, continuing there after the company bought the Korbel plant in 1903. The company name was then changed to the Northern Redwood Lumber Company, at which time he became second foreman on their Riverside ranch. When the company purchased the old Norton ranch about 1905, he became foreman on this ranch and continued in that position until 1909, when he was made superintendent of ranches, looking after all the livestock, such as horses, cattle, hogs and sheep, and also having charge of the slaughter houses for the company. There are three large mountain ranches, besides the Korbel ranch, a large stock ranch where the cattle are fattened, also the dairy ranch at Blue Lake, consisting of over two hundred acres, which is devoted to dairying. The buildings are large and modern and give ample room to the one hundred milch cows in the dairy herd.

Mr. Tamboury was married in Blue Lake to Miss Adeline Merriam, born in Nova Scotia, the daughter of Judge J. E. Merriam, of Blue Lake, and they have one child, Annetta. Fraternally Mr. Tamboury is a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters and the Knights of Pythias at Blue Lake. In politics he is a stanch Republican.

JOHN HENRY HUNTER-A typical representative of the name he bears, John Henry Hunter is a man of notable physical proportions, six feet, four inches in height, and very strong and active. His father, John Henry Hunter, settled in Humboldt county in 1867, and his uncle, Walker Sanders Hunter, some years previously. They had large families, and many of their descendants continue to reside in the Upper Mattole district, where the Hunters have always been known for a high order of citizenship, capa- bility, sterling worth and honorable independence.

John Henry Hunter, the elder, was born in Missouri, in which state he passed his early life. Coming to California in 1850, he returned to his native state a few years later, married there, and not long afterward moved west again, settling in the Sacramento valley. He mined on the Michigan bar until his removal to Humboldt county, in 1867. Acquiring possession of a nice farm in the Upper Mattole region, he devoted the remainder of his active years to its improvement and cultivation, and as one of the old-time settlers of this section should be given due credit for his share in converting it from its primitive condition to its present state. He died at Upper Mattole, aged seventy-six years. In Missouri Mr. Hunter married Miss Elizabeth Brown, of that state, and there the eldest of their seven children, Judge George W. Hunter, of Eureka, was born; Eliza, John Henry, Sophronia and Lydia were born in Sacramento county ; and the other two daughters, Emma and Minnie, were born on the Mattole, in Humboldt county. All but one survive.

John Henry Hunter was born in 1860 in Sacramento county, the second son and third child of his parents, and was seven years old when the family removed from the Sacramento valley to Humboldt county. They brought all their worldly effects on packhorses. Schools were few and far between, and the boy was still very young when he became familiar with the care of stock as his father's assistant. After he began work on his own responsibility he bought and sold several properties in the Elk Ridge country and the Mattole river. valley, living upon them as convenient and operating them

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while they remained in his possession. About 1905 he bought his present ranch, four hundred eighty acres, several miles down the river from Petrolia, the old Benton place, which he runs principally as a dairy ranch. He is also raising fruit, having set out about two hundred apple trees, besides which he has a fine family orchard. Mr. Hunter is well known in this region as a stockman and drover, and his capacity for hard work and level head for business management in all his undertakings have brought him a generous measure of success. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party.

Mr. Hunter was married May 16, 1889, to Miss Annie Duckett, who was born at Ferndale, Humboldt county, one of the eight children of William and Susan (Zelmon) Duckett, the former a native of Michigan, the latter of Oregon, where they were married. Mr. and Mrs. Duckett came to Hum- boldt county in 1869 and took up land near Miranda, where he died at the age of sixty-two years ; she passed away when fifty years old. Two of their sons reside in Oregon; one son died in infancy ; one daughter, Mrs. Moses Hunter, lives at Petrolia, Humboldt county ; two live at Eureka, this county, Mrs. Maggie Hanks, a widow, and Queenie, wife of Delphus Lambert. Mrs. Hunter has spent all her life in Humboldt county. No children have been born to her and her husband, but they have adopted a daughter, Laura, who is now the wife of Alonzo Smith, of Miranda, Humboldt county.

ARCHIE A. PEPIN, manager of the F. W. Woolworth Co. store at Eureka, is a young man showing marked business ability and acumen. A native of Wisconsin, he was born at Eau Claire in 1892, the second oldest of a family of six children born to T. W. and Phile (Monroe) Pepin, natives of Marquette, Mich. The father, an electrician by trade, was formerly super- intendent of the street railway in Eau Claire, but is now residing in Seattle, Wash.

Archie A. Pepin was educated in the schools of Eau Claire. After grad- uating from the high school in 1910 he entered business life, beginning his career in the F. W. Woolworth store in his native place. Coming to the Pacific coast in that year he continued with the same firm in Seattle, becoming assistant manager. Afterward he held the same position in the company's stores at Portland, Ore., and Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah. He was then selected by the company to open new stores throughout Utah, Montana and Idaho, and thus established for himself a record for reliability and trust- worthiness.

When the company decided on establishing a store in Eureka, Mr. Pepin was chosen for the position of manager, which he accepted, coming hither immediately and opening the new store July 3, 1914. The store is located on the corner of F and Third streets and is complete in its five, ten and fifteen- cent specialties. It is well patronized and it is safe to state that more people visit this store than any other in the city. Mr. Pepin takes an active interest in the affairs of Eureka. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Eureka Development Association and the Humboldt Club.

JOHN M. CONNICK .- One of Humboldt county's most prominent industries is logging and its kindred interests, and its well-wooded hills and dense forests have yielded many million feet of the finest lumber. When this industry was still in its infancy John M. Connick heard the call of the woods and decided to try his fortune with the men already engaged in the

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logging business. He was born in Charlotte county, New Brunswick, Decem- ber 2, 1855, and received his early education in the district schools, attending faithfully for a number of years. In his early youth the woods exerted a wonderful fascination for him, and several seasons were spent in the woods in the east. In the summer, the camps being closed, he was employed on his father's farm, and thus acquired a general knowledge of farming which he . put to use in later years. In 1874 he came to Humboldt county and for ten years worked in logging woods around Humboldt Bay. In 1884, with his brother Fred, he engaged in stock-raising at Fruitland, continuing this for nine years. After selling their stock John M. Connick rented the ranch and it is still in the hands of a tenant, although Mr. Connick still owns it. The ranch comprises fifteen hundred acres, well located on Eel river near McCann station, and is devoted to stock-raising.

Later farming again engaged Mr. Connick's attention, and in 1893 he purchased twenty-seven acres of partially improved land near Metropolitan upon which he located. At the time of purchase fourteen acres were im- proved and he immediately began to put the remainder in condition for crops. With several head of fine graded cattle he established the nucleus of a dairy business that has grown with the passing of years. The land and stock have both improved until he now has one of the finest places in the community. A part of the place is in alfalfa, and a fine orchard completes the beautiful ranch. Every modern improvement has been made and he has spared no expense to reach the high standard that he originally set for himself.

Mr. Connick is a member of Eel River Lodge No. 147, F. & A. M., of which he is Past Master, also member of Ferndale Chapter No. 78, R. A. M. He was married July 5, 1893, to Elizabeth Davis, a native of Humboldt county. They have an adopted boy, Lyle Preston Connick, and are educating him to be a credit to them. Mr. Connick is a thrifty, industrious farmer, and one of the most successful men in the county. His financial success and his honor- able name are solely due to his own untiring labor and unceasing efforts, and he is well liked by all with whom he comes in contact.

ADOLPH FISHER, SR .- Born in a little village on the shores of the Baltic Sea in 1849, and for many years a wanderer over the face of the earth, following the fortunes of the sea to escape a hated service in the German army, from which he had deserted, and for which offense he later served a short term of imprisonment, Adolph Fisher has lived a life full of action and excitement, the quietest part of which has been the years that he has spent in Humboldt county, especially those since he became a tiller of the soil. For almost forty years he has made his home in this county and is widely known. Although a typical German in speech and manner, Mr. Fisher is a true Ameri- can at heart and a loyal son of the country and state to which he swore allegiance many years ago.

The birthplace of Mr. Fisher was the city of Danzig, Prussia, where he was born July 9, 1849. For a few years he attended school at Danzig, but at the age of twelve years he gave up his schooling and went to work. For three years he carried mortar for masons. At the age of fifteen he took up the carpenter's trade in ship building and served three years as an apprentice in the shops. The following year he went to sea to complete his apprentice-

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ship, serving as the ship's carpenter, and at the age of twenty he had mastered his trade of ship builder.

At this time Mr. Fisher was notified by the German government that he must serve in the national army, there being at that time war with Denmark. He therefore returned home and served for six months, and then deserted and again went to sea. For seven years he followed the fortunes of the sailor, during all that time being the only support of his widowed mother. He was first a common seaman, but steadily advanced and was finally given the berth of first mate. At one time he left the sea temporarily and worked on the government docks in India, having many interesting and unique ex- periences there. He traveled all over the world on various ships, visiting most of the famous seaports at various times.

When he finally returned to Prussia Mr. Fisher was at once informed that he was being sought by the government as a deserter. The offense was punishable by some twelve or thirteen years' imprisonment, and Mr. Fisher determined to buy himself off if possible. He had saved about $1,200, and with this he went to the proper officials and gave himself up. Some time previous to this he had met with an accident and suffered a broken leg, which disabled him from active service in the army. For this, and other reasons, a very light sentence was imposed upon him, and at the end of a month he was discharged.

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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 142

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