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 53

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 53

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Charles Sage Cook was born in New York state, but the family moving to Ohio and Michigan his boyhood was spent principally in the latter state. When a youth he began railroad work there, and was acting as engineer on a freight train, probably on the Michigan Southern road, when a collision made him decide upon a change of occupation. He went west to St. Joseph, Mo., whence, in 1852, he came across the plains to Oregon, riding a mule all the way. After working there for a time he drifted down into the Rogue river country, following mining at Althouse and Sailor Diggings, and finally into Humboldt county, Cal., in 1854-55. He operated a pack train from Centerville, Humboldt county, on the Pacific coast, to Petrolia in the early days, having from fifteen to twenty mules, and was engaged principally in that line for several years, eventually, however, becoming interested in land and stock. He acquired possession of two expensive stock ranches, the one where his son Levant now lives, a tract of eight hundred ninety acres, which has been occupied continuously since Mr. Cook took it up, and another of seven hundred fifteen acres owned and cultivated by his other son, George Walker Cook. Charles S. Cook died on his home ranch, May 5, 1898, when sixty- eight years old. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann (Walker) Cook, who died January 18, 1906, when eighty years old. She was born at Clinton, in Dewitt county, Ill., daughter of John Walker, of Hydesville, who settled in Humboldt county in pioneer times. Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Cook were married at Hydesville, and two sons were born to them.

George Walker Cook was born September 16, 1863, in Humboldt county, and began his education in the local public schools, later taking a com- mercial course at Heald's business college in San Francisco, which he com- pleted in 1884. Returning to his home county he took charge of the part of his father's land which he now owns, and he has also bought many acres more, at present having eighteen hundred acres in his own name, besides which he rents twenty-six hundred acres. He is engaged in breeding high- grade Herefords, and keeps between four hundred and five hundred head, turning off from one hundred to one hundred fifty steers and heifers an- nually. Though thoroughly attentive to his business interests Mr. Cook is not unmindful of public duties or indifferent to social conditions in his neighborhood, and his loyal support of all things which make for the better- ment of the community has been an appreciable influence for good. Personally he has a character consistent with the name he bears and the respect of all his associates. At present he is serving as trustee of his school district.

Levant look

467

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Politically he is a Republican, and socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, belonging to the council at Petrolia, where he has passed all the chairs.

In 1899 Mr. Cook was married to Mrs. Clara .A. (Conklin) Johnston, who grew up in Pretolia. By her first marriage, to Frank Johnston, a member of a pioneer family of this county, she has one child, Alvin. She is a member of the Episcopal Church at Pretolia. Mr. and Mrs. Cook live three and a half miles north of Petrolia, on the Capetown road.

Moses John Conklin, father of Mrs. George W. Cook, was born in New York, and was a distant relative of the famous Roscoe Conkling. Coming to California in 1852, he engaged in the hotel business at Sacramento, where he married Miss Margaret Chambers, a native of Ireland. After several years of hotel keeping he removed up to Humboldt county, settling south of Petrolia. He brought his family, and his wife was the first white woman to enter the region' south of Cape_Mendocino in Humboldt county. They brought the first wagon down south of that point, and at Devil's Gate rock, this side of the "Ocean House," they had to draw it up by means of ropes and let it down the same way. Mr. Conklin engaged in farming and stock- raising, and was not only an active business man, but energetic in the administration of public affairs, serving as assessor, justice of the peace, notary public, etc. He lived to be over fifty years of age, his wife dying when forty-seven years old. Nine children were born to them, namely : Alonzo died when two years old; Clara A. is the wife of George W. Cook; Emma A. became the wife of Thomas Kennedy, now of Blaine, Wash., and died leaving three children, all of whom are at Blaine; Adeline died unmar- ried ; Lillie, unmarried, resides at Oakland, Cal .; Ella, twin of Lillie, died when twelve years old ; Maggie is the wife of William Wicks, a stockman, of Petrolia ; John, twin of Maggie, lives with Mr. and Mrs. Cook; Martha died unmarried.

LEVANT COOK .- The sons of the late Charles Sage Cook are now among the most prosperous agriculturists in the region lying north of Petrolia along the Capetown road, Levant Cook owning his father's old homestead place of eight hundred ninety acres. It has been occupied continuously since the elder Mr. Cook took it up, fifty years or more ago, and the work of improvement has been carried forward steadily, though the land is devoted principally to stock raising, in which line Levant Cook has his principal interests.

Charles S. Cook was born in New York state, but the family moving to Ohio and Michigan his boyhood was spent principally in the latter state. When a youth he began railroad work there, and was acting as engineer on a freight train, probably on the Michigan Southern road, when a collision made him decide upon a change of occupation. He went west to St. Joseph, Mo., and from there came across the plains to Oregon, riding a mule all the way. {This was in 1852. After working there for a time he drifted down into the Rogue river country, mining at Althouse and Sailor diggings, and finally, in 1854-55, came to Humboldt county, Cal. He ran a pack train from Center- ville to Petrolia in the early days, having from fifteen to twenty mules, and was engaged principally in that business for several years, eventually, how- ever, becoming interested in land and stock. He acquired possession of two extensive stock ranches, the one where his son Levant now lives and another

468

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

of seven hundred fifteen acres owned and cultivated by his other son, George Walker Cook. Charles S. Cook died on his home ranch May 5, 1898. when sixty-eight years old. His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann (Walker) Cook, died January 18, 1906, when eighty years old. She was born at Clinton, Dewitt county, Ill., daughter of John Walker, of Hydesville, who settled in Humboldt county in pioneer times. Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Cook were married at Hydesville, and two sons were born of their union.

Levant Cook was born June 10, 1859, in the old town of Hydesville, and grew up on his father's ranch two miles north of Petrolia, attending school at that place, and also at Ferndale, Rohnerville and Hydesville. Later he attended the Pacific University at San Jose. He and his wife settled on their present ranch, the old Cook homestead, when they were married, and have lived here ever since, with the exception of eight years spent on the adjoining ranch of the Cook estate. He is engaged profitably in the raising of beef cattle, keeping on an average one hundred fifty head, and for the most part breeds Durhams. He has been very successful in this line and in his general farming operations as well, and personally he is one of the most respected citizens in his neighborhood, a worthy son of one of the early founders of this community. Representing the best element in both paternal and maternal lines, he had a good heritage of substantial qualities to begin life with, and he has been a credit to the good name he bears in all the associa- tions of life.

January 10, 1890, Mr. Cook was married, at San Francisco, to Miss Ethel Gertrude Pomeroy, who was born near Portland, Me., at a place called Yarmouth. She is the daughter of Richard and Emma (Thoits) Pomeroy, natives of Cumberland county, Me., where they were married. The father was a seafaring man, employed in the transatlantic trade. In 1880 he brought his family to California and engaged in dairying in Marin county, Cal., and in Coos county, Ore. The mother died July 9, 1895, at Bandon, Ore, where the father is now engaged in business. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cook: Reed Pomeroy, Carroll Levant and Barrett Elton, all of whom make their home under the parental roof. The Cooks have a pleasant home and a cheerful family life, and the sons all give promise of developing the reliable character and qualities of capability with which the name has long been associated.

Mr. Cook is a prominent member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Petrolia, in which he has passed the chairs. Politically he has been a con- sistent member of the Republican party, with whose policies he has been in sympathy since old enough to vote.

JOHN SMITH SEELY, SR .- Another of the pioneers of Humboldt county, and one whom his fellow citizens hold in high esteem, is John Smith Seely, Sr., who has been a resident of Humboldt county since 1870, and who during these many years has proven himself to be a man of ability and splendid character. He was for many years engaged in dairying and farming, but within the past few years he has retired from active business pursuits, and is enjoying a well-earned rest in his pleasant home in Arcata.

Mr. Seely is a native of Canada, having been born near Huntington, province of Quebec, a place about five miles from the New York state boun- dary line, on March 8, 1848. His father was Hiram Seely, also a native of the province, while the grandfather, John Seely, was born in England and

69+

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

settled in the province of Quebec, where he was a farmer. The father was also a successful and prosperous farmer of that section. He had retired from business a few years previous to his death, which occurred in 1888. The mother was Elizabeth (Smith) Seely, also a native of the province of Quebec, where she died in 1867. The childhood of the present respected citizen of Arcata was spent on the farm, working with his father, when he was not attending school. After completing the grammar school he entered a local academy, but soon gave up his course there to return to the farm, preferring the farm work to school life.

It was in October, 1869, that Mr. Seely determined to come to California, and that same month he arrived in Sonoma county, where he had relatives living. He crossed the continent on one of the first transcontinental trains. He remained in Sonoma county for several months, and in February, 1870, came to Arcata, Humboldt county, where he has since made his home. Here he at first went to work for wages, by the month, continuing for a year. Dur- ing that time he had saved a little money and the next year he planted ten acres of potatoes on shares. When the crop was harvested Mr. Seely found that he was out two hundred dollars and two years' work, what he had saved the first year having been lost in the unsuccessful venture in potatoes. He was not disheartened, however, and the following year, 1872, he rented a ranch from his cousin and engaged in farming for himself. Here he met with merited success, and in 1876 he purchased his home place of forty acres, and has continued to farm this property since. In the beginning the raising of potatoes was his chief industry, and he found the crop a very profitable one. In 1877, with a brother-in-law, he purchased a ranch of one hundred acres, and for the next two years he operated both these properties with much success. In 1879 they divided the one hundred acre ranch and dissolved partnership.

It was in 1885 that Mr. Seely started in the dairying business, making his first venture on a small scale. The price of butter went very low soon after this, at one time reaching the small price of eleven cents per pound ; later the price increased, but by so small a margin that there was no profit in the business at that time, and Mr. Seely sold his stock and engaged in general farming. Recently he has retired from active business, having leased his property, and now resides in Arcata, where he owns a comfortable home.

When Mr. Seely first came to Humboldt county the land lying between Arcata and the river was all brush, timber and marsh land, but it has since been reclaimed and is now rich bottom land. Many other changes have also taken place in the surrounding country during the long years of his residence in the county.

Aside from leasing his farm property, Mr. Seely also has an interest in the general merchandise store of Seely & Titlow Company in Arcata. He is a Republican, and has always taken an active part in political affairs, and especially when the welfare of the city is involved. He is progressive and broad-minded, and an independent thinker. He is a member of several fraternal organizations, being a charter member of the local Knights of Pythias, and a member of Anniversary Lodge No. 85, I. O. O. F.

The marriage of Mr. Seely occurred in Arcata, February 14, 1874, uniting him with Miss Laura Virginia Deuel, a native of California, born in the

470

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

mining camp at Virginia Mills, near Oroville, Butte county. She is the daughter of Edmund P. and Margaret Deuel, pioneers of California, who came to Trinidad, Humboldt county, when she was eighteen months old. Here she received her education in the public schools. Mrs. Seely has borne her hus- band five children, four sturdy sons and one daughter. They were all born at Arcata, and have grown to manhood and womanhood there, receiving their education in the public schools. They are: Henry Stanley and Frank Hazel- ton, merchants in Arcata; Charles Hiram, shingle manufacturer in this vicinity ; John Smith, Jr., clothier in Eureka ; and Virginia May, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Seely are well known in Arcata, where they have many friends and acquaintances, and are highly esteemed by all who know them.

GEORGE WALKER .- Ever since pioneer days in Humboldt county the name of Walker has been associated with agricultural interests, especially with the section in and around Eureka. The family is of English origin, and the first representative of this branch was Charles Walker, who came to the United States in 1852. Landing at New York City, he went from the metropolis to Syracuse, that state, and it was there that he was united in marriage with Mary Kirby, a native of Ireland. Following their marriage the young people set out for the new and untried west, which at that time was attracting the attention of the entire world on account of the discovery of gold. By way of the Isthmus of Panama they reached the Pacific ocean and embarking on a north-bound vessel they finally reached San Francisco. They had been in that metropolis only a few years when they decided to come to Humboldt county, making settlement at Eureka, where Mr. Walker found employment with John Vance. In the capacity of blacksmith he worked in the latter's lumber mills in that city, his services covering a period of twenty years. In the meantime he had purchased two hundred forty acres of un- improved land about six miles north of Eureka, on-the Arcata road, which came to be known as Walker's point, and the name still clings to it.

At the end of a long and pleasant business association with Mr. Vance Mr. Walker settled upon his own property in 1878, clearing and improving it preparatory to engaging in dairying and general farming. This combined occupation engaged his attention throughout his remaining active years, and when he retired from business he turned the management of the property over to his son George, with whom he was living at the time of his death, July 13, 1912.

It was in Eureka that George Walker was born, July 1, 1862, and he has known no other home than Humboldt county. Here he attended the district schools until he was sixteen years old, becoming well versed in the essentials that led to making him the broad and well informed man that he is today. The same thoroughness which he displayed in the pursuit of his studies was shown in the interest which he took in his father's dairy business, and when the father laid down the responsibilities of the ranch the duties were readily and easily assumed by the son, who strove in every way to maintain the stan- dard of excellence in dairy and ranch matters which had made his father successful. For fifteen years he continued the dairy business, the ranch in the meantime becoming one of the most highly developed in the vicinity. In December, 1914, however, he gave up its management, at the same time turning it over to a tenant, he himself building a commodious seven-room

471

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

bungalow on a pleasant elevation of the ranch on the Eureka-Arcata road, half way between the two places, and where, with his wife and family, he makes his home.

In Eureka, on August 1, 1884, Mr. Walker was united in marriage with Amanda M. Martin, who like himself was a native of Humboldt county, her birth occurring in Trinidad. The seven children born of their marriage are as follows: Irving ; Mary Caroline, Mrs. Pidgeon, of Bayside; Lucinda, Mrs. Frank Lindley, of Garberville; Easter, Mrs. Frank Mitchell, of Bayside; Jennie M., Mrs. Harkey, of Eureka : Helen Mae and Martin Earl. All of the children have been reared to lives of usefulness and are a pride and comfort to their parents. Mrs. Walker's father, Christopher Martin, was a native of Missouri, where he was married to Caroline Cooksey. Mr. and Mrs. Martin were among the pioneers who helped make history in California, having come here in 1849 by the only means possible at the time, the prairie schooner, drawn by ox-teams. After a long and difficult journey they at last reached their destination, settlement being made at Trinidad, Humboldt county, where for many years thereafter Mr. Martin engaged in farming. Not only was he a successful farmer, but he was a man whose presence was felt as a moral stimulus and his death in 1872 was mourned universally by old and young.

DONALD P. COOMBE .- The great stretches of ranch land belonging to the Russ estate in Humboldt county, some two hundred and fifty thousand acres all told, and the extensive operations in cattle dealing and raising neces- sary to make these vast holdings profitable, at once suggest the bigness and freedom of the old days in the west. But the primitive conditions and dangers which were the principal elements of romance then have disappeared before the wonderful business methods which now afford most of the marvelous features of life on an immense stock ranch. To some extent, indeed, the prin- ciples of intensive farming are beginning to be needed in the ambitious enter- prises which modern cattlemen undertake, for economy of administration and conservation are found to be quite as important on large properties as they are necessary on small tracts. For systematic management and scien- tific methods the Russ family has long held the leading place in the county. Mrs. Zipporah Russ, widow of Joseph Russ, and her children are now carry- ing on the cattle business under the name of Z. Russ & Sons, Incorporated, and are acknowledged to be the largest cattle and cattle land company in this region. Their holdings lie in various parts of the county, and the Bear River branch of their business is conducted under the foremanship of Donald P. Coombe, a grandson of the late Joseph Russ, who lives there with his family on the great Mazeppa ranch, about four miles north of Capetown. He is a young man, but fully alive to his responsibilities, and apparently inherits the family characteristics of executive ability and alertness which enable him to handle its large affairs competently. (The biographical sketch of his grandfather, Joseph Russ, appears on another page in this work.)

The Coombe family is of English origin, and Rev. Philip Coombe, father of Donald P. Coombe, was born in London, England. He was highly edu- cated, receiving his college training at Oxford, and came to America when twenty-eight years old, locating at Ferndale, Humboldt county, Cal., where he served as pastor of the Congregational Church. At the same time he conducted the Ocean House ranch, which property was owned by his wife as one of the heirs of Joseph Russ, and he was a very popular resident of

472

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

the vicinity, where his culture and consistent Christian character made him beloved by all classes. Later he took the charge of a Congregational Church at San Francisco. His death occurred in 1912, when he was sixty-one years old. His widow, Margaret C. (Russ), resides at San Francisco. They had a family of six children : Winifred, Mrs. Peter R. Peterson, lives in Colusa county ; Edith M., Mrs. Thomas B. Griffith, is a resident of Wichita, Kans .; Donald P. is mentioned later : Amy, Mrs. Arthur B. Fields, lives at Portland, Ore. ; Ila B., a graduate of Leland Stanford University, lives with her mother ; Mariam Z. is the wife of Archer Veal, a ranchman, and resides at Yuba City.

Donald P. Coombe was born January 8, 1885, and up to the age of nine years lived at Ferndale and on the Ocean House ranch. His father then re- moved to San Francisco to take a pastorate there, and the boy had the best public school advantages, attending in the winter time, and spending his summers on the Ocean House ranch. After completing the grammar and high school courses, and some work at night school, he entered the Davis Agricultural College, so that he has had scientific as well as practical training for his present work. However, he was employed as a carpenter in San Francisco for a period of three and a half years, and was so engaged at the time of the big fire. At his mother's suggestion he came back to Humboldt county and to the Mazeppa ranch immediately thereafter, and put in a year there as rider before he was made foreman, in 1907. He has held the position ever since, it is needless to say satisfactorily, for the interests are too im- portant to be trusted to incompetent oversight. The Mazeppa ranch is headquarters for the various ranches of Z. Russ & Sons included in the Bear River division, over which Mr. Coombe has jurisdiction. About ten thousand sheep, twelve hundred milch cows and sixty-five hundred beef and stock cattle graze on its ranges, and under Mr. Coombe's management the profits have shown steady increase. He gives his undivided attention to supervising the division, keeping all its large concerns under his personal direction, and the results will bear comparison with those on any other branch of the Russ estate. Personally Mr. Coombe is a young man of admirable qualities, un- assuming and trustworthy, and he is taking a place worthy of his honored ancestry in both paternal and maternal lines. Fraternally he is a member of Ferndale Parlor, N. S. G. W.

Mr. Coombe was married to Miss Margaret Sanders, daughter of John and Jessie (Newland) Sanders, born in Norway and California respectively. The father came to California when a young man and located in Humboldt county, where he married and has been principally engaged in farming since that time. Mrs. Coombe was born at Petrolia, but received her education in the public schools of Capetown, where she resided until her marriage to Mr. Coombe, November 15, 1909. They have one child, a daughter, Carol. Mrs. Coombe's attractive personality and pleasant hospitality are appreciated by her friends everywhere and are a boon to the home life on the ranch.

JEPTHA C. PHILLIPS .- Though a comparatively recent settler in Humboldt county there is no more public-spirited and enthusiastic citizen in Alderpoint than Jeptha C. Phillips, the present postmaster at that point. A carpenter by calling, he has already proved his reliability as a contractor in the new town, having had the honor of building the first house there, the Alderpoint Hotel. He was appointed to the postmastership in October, 1912,

473

HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

and although the work has been out of the ordinary because of the con- ditions prevailing during the building of the railroad he has given the utmost satisfaction and shown himself capable of efficient service. Mr. Phillips is a Southerner, born April 24, 1861, near Bluntsville, Alabama, where the first eight years of his life were passed. Thereafter he lived in Arkansas, with the exception of a short stay in Texas, until his removal to California. In his early life he followed farming, but abandoned that occupation twenty years ago for his trade, and has since been a successful carpenter and builder. When he decided to devote all his time to his trade he moved to Hot Springs, Ark., and he also made a visit to Texas, where he followed carpentry four months. In December, 1909, he removed with his family to Humboldt county, California, and he first set foot in Alderpoint. April 23, 1911. Here he soon had the contract for the construction of the Alderpoint Hotel, and he handled the work from the beginning, clearing the site of trees, stumps and brush and beginning to build on June 20th. It is a substantial two-story frame, thirty by sixty feet in dimensions, containing eighteen rooms, was completed on contract time, and is not only a monument to Mr. Phillips' superior workmanship but marks the beginning of a new era for the town, and Mr. Phillips by his conscientious fulfilment of his obligations established a reputation which his subsequent work has fully justified.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 53

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