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 61

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 61

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Some years later she returned to Eureka with her husband and family, and for a time had a class of private pupils, whom she instructed with her sons in her own home. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cutler, Thomas B. became connected with the Del Norte County Bank at Crescent City, Cal. ; Fletcher A. is mentioned below; Maude became the wife of H. T. Compton, of Stockton, Cal. ; Mary completed the family. Mrs. Cutler continued to re- side at Oakland after her husband's death, retaining in her old age the charm of manner and attractive personality for which she is remembered by many old friends at Eureka.

Fletcher A. Cutler was born May 4, 1863, at Chinese Camp, Tuolumne county, Cal., and being but six years old when the family settled at Eureka has little recollection of his earliest home. He acquired his preparatory edu- cation under the direct tuition of his accomplished mother, subsequently studied for a time in the preparatory department of the State University at Berkeley, and completed the course at the boys' high school in San Francisco, from which he was graduated. Returning to Eureka, he soon afterwards received appointment as under sheriff of Humboldt county during the admin- istration of Sheriff T. M. Brown, and during the five years of his service in that position devoted his spare time to reading law. At the end of that period he entered the law office of his uncle, S. M. Buck, at Eureka, to carry on his preparation for the legal profession systematically, and he was admitted to the bar in the year 1887. He was at once admitted to partnership with the uncle mentioned, with whom he was associated until his appointment by Governor Budd, some ten years later, to fill a vacancy on the bench of the Superior court in Del Norte county. After four years' service on the bench Judge Cutler returned to Humboldt county in January, 1903, and resumed the practice of law at Eureka in partnership with Hon. J. N. Gillett, who was then representing the district in Congress and has since been honored with the governorship. Gillett and Cutler, by the individual and collective value of their services, have attained position among the foremost attorneys in the state. Mr. Cutler moved to San Francisco when he felt that he could handle his legal work better with his headquarters in the metropolis, and has an office at Room 617, No. 525 Market street. The firm has included among its clients the Bank of Eureka, the Santa Fe Railway Company, the Northern California, San Francisco & Northwestern and Freshwater Railway Companies, and other concerns of notable importance, and the list of all those who have felt their legal affairs safe in the care of Gillett & Cutler contains the names of some heavily capitalized organizations who could not afford to risk engaging anything but the best talent.

Judge Cutler had hardly reached his prime when he found himself occupying a leading position at the bar of his state. Yet his reputation has been founded on so solid a foundation that time has strengthened it and tests have left it unshaken. The thorough training he received at home set a high standard for his later studies, and he has maintained it through all his years of practice, giving his best to every case, as if all his personal interests de- pended thereon. His honorable nature and high principles would make it impossible for him to slight the details of anything he undertakes, and though he is noted for his familiarity with the law, and the judicial sense which enables him to see the applicability of the statutes to whatever work he may have in hand, he never neglects to give special attention to each case, with

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results which justify his methods. His success in presenting cases in court is so indisputably attained by careful and exhaustive preparation and logical arrangement, that his power as a pleader and cleverness in making the most of his arguments seem spontaneous. Judge Cutler has always been admired for his strict observation of the best ethics of the profession, his considera- tion for his fellow practitioners, and the avoidance of tactics unworthy a man of his undoubted skill.

Judge Cutler was always considered one of the public-spirited citizens of Eureka, ready to do his share in promoting her advancement along every line, and his interest has not ceased since his removal, though his opportuni- ties for practical assistance are not so great. He still has important property holdings in the city and county, where he has made a number of profitable investments. At one time he owned a sixth interest in the eighty-acre tract upon which the depot and yards of the Eel River Railroad were established (some years ago that company was merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe), and he has also acquired valuable redwood timber lands.

Outside of his judicial duties before mentioned, the only public position Judge Cutler has held was that of postmaster at Eureka, to which he was appointed by President Cleveland. He served from 1893 to 1897. His political support has always been given to the Democratic party. Socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Masons, belonging to Lincoln Lodge No. 34, K. P .; Crescent Lodge No. 43, F. & A. M., of Crescent City, Cal. ; Humboldt Chapter No. 52, R. A. M. ; and Eureka Commandery No. 35, K. T. He was a member of the Humboldt Club, and prominent in Humboldt Parlor No. 14, Native Sons of the Golden West, at Eureka, also serving as grand trustee of the grand parlor.

On February 2, 1887, Mr. Cutler was married to Miss Eicula M. Warner, who was born in Nevada, daughter of Capt. Charles C. and Lucie (Kent) Warner. One daughter has been born to them, Lucic.

COTTRELL & SHIELDS .- The senior member of the firm of Cottrell & Shields, proprietors of the moulding mill on Broadway and Cedar streets, Eureka, is John Austin Cottrell, who was born in Charlotte county, New Brunswick, on the 4th of July, 1841, and began to earn a livelihood in the lumber woods at an age when most boys are in school. Throughout all of his life he has been identified with some form of the lumber industry. As early as 1864 he came via Panama to California, but instead of settling in the state at that time, he proceeded to British Columbia and became one of the very first men to settle at Vancouver. With him to that frontier com- munity went his wife, Rebecca (Wyman) Cottrell, and their second son, Howard A., was the first white child born in Vancouver. The first child of that marriage, James A., is a native of Victoria.

After having engaged in lumbering in or near Vancouver for twenty years, in 1884 Mr. Cottrell came to California to establish a home. The lumber interests of Humboldt county attracted him to this portion of the state and here he has since engaged in business. For four years he engaged as an employe in the old Lincoln mill at Eureka, after which in partnership with William F. Gibbard he rented the Richardson mill on Third and B streets. The firm of Gibbard & Cottrell carried on the mill for some five years. At the expiration of that time the senior member sold his interests to Mr. Cot- trell, who continued alone up to 1901, and then erected the present modern

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and well-equipped mill on the corner of Broadway and Cedar streets, Eureka. Since 1911 John E. Shields has been a part owner of the business and by his active, intelligent co-operation is proving of the utmost assistance to the original proprietor. After the death of his first wife Mr. Cottrell married Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, a widow with one son, Kenneth Ogilvie. Of their union a daughter, Lois A., was born. In fraternal relations Mr. Cottrell is a Mason of the blue lodge affiliations and has maintained a warm interest in the work of the order.

The junior member of the firm, John Edgar Shields, was born at Yar- mouth, Nova Scotia, January 10, 1865, and during his teens learned the trade of carpenter, in which he became skilled to an unusual degree. After coming to California in 1888 he followed his trade in Eureka, where he erected the residences of A. S. Connick and Robert Porter, a substantial block on Fifth street, and numerous other buildings public and private. Since forming a partnership with Mr. Cottrell he has devoted his entire attention to the work at the moulding mill and has co-operated in every project for the benefit of the business. By his marriage to Alida M. Alexander, a native of New Brunswick, he is the father of five children, namely: Bertha, wife of C. E. Baldwin: Gertrude, who married Alexander Simpson and has one son ; Edith, Mrs. John H. Bears ; Ralph I. and John. Business in the hands of men like Mr. Cottrell and Mr. Shields means a straightforward enterprise requiring honesty of character, earnestness of purpose and energy of action, qualities which the partners possess in large degree and with which they have forged to the front as representatives of a department of the lumber industry in Humboldt county.

CAPT. HENRY SMITH .- Familiarity with the life of a sailor extend- ing back to early life in England, where he was born in Suffolk county October 22, 1842, and including experiences on the high seas in every part of the world, admirably qualifies Captain Smith for the very responsible position which he has filled since 1897, viz. : that of superintending the beacon lights in Humboldt bay as an employe of the United States government. Native ability and long experience combine to equip him for his important duties. He can scarcely recall a time when he was not interested in the sea and more or less acquainted with ocean-going craft. When only a boy he made his first voyage from London to Australia on the ship Francis Henty, and alto- gether he made four round trips between London and Australia. During one of these voyages to the island continent he stopped off at New Zealand and engaged in mining, but met with so little success that he turned his thoughts toward immigration to America. The bark Gertrude, built in Bath, Maine, was the ship on which he sailed from Sidney, Australia, to San Fran- cisco, Cal., and thence he sailed north on the bark Metropolis, Capt. George F. Smith, commander, arriving at Eureka on New Year's day of 1863. The new year meant for him a beginning in a new locality in the midst of an environment and conditions different from those of his boyhood, but he speedily proved himself the master of a sailor's duties on a western vessel and during 1863 proved a most efficient assistant on the bark Rival, that sailed to Victoria, British Columbia, under Captain Blair as commander.

After having engaged during February, 1864, with Capt. H. H. Buhne, commander, on the tugboat Mary Ann, Captain Smith embarked in freight boating on the Dirigo to all the ports on Humboldt bay. During the period

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of employment in freighting he made a voyage to England and there married Eliza Simmonds, who was born in London and died in Humboldt county in 1902. The six children of the marriage are named as follows: Mrs. J. P. Borg, William J. Smith, Mrs. Ida M. Alexander, Charles H., Mrs. Maude B. Luberg and Fred Smith. During 1869 Captain Smith began to operate the steamboat Gussie McAlpine, from Eureka to the Arcata wharf, and later he ran the Sylvia between Eureka and Hookton. Beginning in 1875, he remained for eighteen years in the employ of John Vance and ran a steam- boat to the Mad river slough. While with Mr. Vance he towed all of the rock used in the building of the West Seal Rock lighthouse. After leaving the employ of Mr. Vance he ran the steamer Phoenix for the Excelsior Redwood Company until 1897, when he entered the employ of the government, in con- nection with the lighthouse service in Humboldt bay. Deeply interested in everything pertaining to the ocean steamship service or bay transportation, he nevertheless has not neglected the ordinary duties of citizenship and may be found at all times favoring movements of undoubted merit and genuine public utility. When a boy in England he was confirmed in the Church of England and after coming to America identified himself with the Episcopal faith. Religious enterprises, as well as those of a strictly civic nature, receive his earnest support, nor has he been lacking in his support of all educational institutions, particularly the public schools of Humboldt county.

HARRY ELLSWORTH HURLBUTT .- Prominent among the exten- sive dairy farmers of Humboldt county is Harry Ellsworth Hurlbutt, of Alton, who has been a resident of this county since 1873, when he was a lad of six years. The record for business efficiency that has been made by Mr. Hurlbutt is one of which he may be justly proud, and which makes him a citizen in whom any community may feel justified in reposing the greatest confidence. That many of his fellows through Humboldt county are well aware of this is amply shown by the fact that he is now being placed by his friends and political supporters before the people as a candidate for the office of county assessor.

Mr. Hurlbutt is a native of California, having been born in San Fran- cisco, May 12, 1867. His father was Willard Hurlbutt, and his mother An- gelina Lovejoy, both California pioneers of a splendid type, and well known throughout Marin and Humboldt counties, where they resided for many years, and where their family was reared. Harry Ellsworth was the eldest of the children, and was six years of age when, in 1873, the family removed from Marin county to Humboldt county and located on a ranch. The follow- ing year they moved to Mattole and engaged in the sheep business, remain- ing for six years, when, in 1880, they located at Ferndale. Four years later, in 1884. they again returned to Mattole and engaged in the sheep and cattle business there, meeting with much success.

The marriage of Harry E. Hurlbutt took place in Mattole, June 24, 1894, uniting him with Miss Bertha Miner, a native of that place, and the daughter of H. A. and Margaret (Hulse) Miner. Of this union have been born six chil- dren : Earl, who is an accountant and cashier for the Pacific Lumber Com- pany's store at Scotia ; Allen, Beatrice, Ray, Eilene and Helen.

In 1897 Mr. Hurlbutt came to Garberville and leased the Woods ranch, a property of twelve thousand acres on south fork of Eel river a mile and a quarter south of Garberville, and at present owned by Tooby Brothers. He

Harry E Hultult

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operated this property for fifteen years, and for thirteen years of this time he resided there. His operations were very extensive and equally successful. He ran about seven thousand head of sheep and some four hundred head of cattle, also farmed extensively. At the expiration of this time he secured his present property at Alton, known formerly as the Jerry Dahle place, where he has since resided. This ranch consists of three hundred twenty acres, and is a very valuable property. Mr. Hurlbutt has it leased for a term of five years with an option to purchase at the expiration of that time. Here he is engaged in extensive dairying, and is meeting with the greatest of success.

Aside from his business interests Mr. Hurlbutt is very popular with his friends and acquaintances, who are legion. He was made a Mason in Fern- dale Lodge No. 197, F. & A. M .; is also a member of Ferndale Chapter No. 78, R. A. M., Eureka Commandery No. 35, K. T., and Oakland Consistory, Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., San Francisco, and with his wife is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

Mr. Hurlbutt is a Republican in his political affiliations and is actively interested in the affairs of his party, both locally and throughout the state. He is keenly awake to all that is for the best interests of his community and is always to be found in the thick of the fight when there is a local issue involving the general welfare of city or county, and is always to be found on the side of social betterment and progress. That he has won for himself a place in the confidence of the people has already been shown by the political preferment given him, and it is not at all likely that this is the end in this line of advancement.

The father of Harry Ellsworth Hurlbutt was Willard Hurlbutt, now deceased, but for many years one of the foremost pioneers of the county. He was a native of Dalton, N. H., born March 29, 1837. He came first to California in 1859, making the journey via the Isthmus of Panama, and locat- ing in San Mateo county, later removing to Marin county. During the year 1866 he returned to New Hampshire and at Littleton he was married to Miss Angelina Lovejoy, a descendant of an old and distinguished family. It is claimed that all the Lovejoys in America are related, all being lineal descend- ants of three Scotch brothers who came to America during the early Colonial days. The immediate ancestors of Mrs. Hurlbutt were all Whigs and Re- publicans and it is thought that this branch of the family were of the same blood as Owen P. Lovejoy, the anti-slavery champion who died a martyr at Alton, Ill., on account of his anti-slavery tendencies.

Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hurlbutt returned to California, locating in San Mateo county, where they remained for a year, later removing to Marin county, where they resided until 1873, when they went to Humboldt county. The following year, 1874, they went to Mattole, where they engaged in the sheep business, remaining until 1880, when they removed to Ferndale. Here they remained until 1884, when they returned to Mattole, and again engaged in sheep raising and cattle raising. In this Mr. Hurlbutt was very successful, and continued to reside there until the time of his death, in 1891.

Since the death of her husband Mrs. Willard Hurlbutt has disposed of her farm and sheep interests and makes her home in Garberville, where she is well known and possesses many friends. She is prominent in fraternal

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circles, being especially interested in the Pythian Sisters, of which order she is an influential member.

To Mr. and Mrs. Willard Hurlbutt were born four children, all of whom are living at this time, and all well known in Humboldt county, where all were born except the eldest, Harry Ellsworth, now a resident of Alton. Walter Lovejoy, a resident of Garberville, married Miss Lillian M. New- house ; they own a seventy-acre ranch near Garberville. Fred A. is a rancher residing at Garberville. Elmer Willard, a rancher, married Miss Mary Meyer, and resides at Garberville.

The Hurlbutt family is one of the most highly respected in Humboldt county, and in the vicinity of Garberville and Alton, where the stalwart sons make their homes, the name stands for honor and honesty in business trans- actions, for industry, sobriety and ability. The father is well remembered as a man of superior ability and reliability, and the sons have proven worthy of their sire.

JOHN HARPST .- The decade following the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia was characterized by great activity in prospecting throughout prac- tically every section of the state. As early as 1850 parties of prospectors had explored the country between the head waters of the Trinity and Klamath rivers and the coast, finding sufficient presence of gold to justify the operating of mines for a considerably later period. When John Harpst, a native of Ohio, born in 1839, came to California in 1857, at the age of eighteen years, he sought these mines in Trinity county and for some time followed the search for gold at Canadian Bar. When in the fall of 1858 Governor Weller called for volunteers to take the field against hostile Indians in the western part of Trinity county and the eastern part of Humboldt county, he was among the men who promptly enrolled their names and offered to do service. Under Capt. I. T. Messig he took part in a campaign that lasted through the winter of 1858-59. A number of serious engagements made the winter memorable. In one of these battles a bullet from the Indian lines pierced the left breast of Mr. Harpst and inflicted a serious wound, but youth and powers of endur- ance enabled him to quickly recover from the effects of the injury.

After the close of the campaign, having seen the advantages of soil and other resources offered by Humboldt county, Mr. Harpst decided to take up residence here. A few years later he became a partner with O. H. Spring in the mercantile business in Arcata, which in an early day was a noteworthy rival of Eureka, although the latter, selected as the county-seat in 1856 and incorporated as a city at the same time, soon outstripped all competitors. Near the head of Humboldt bay he engaged in lumber operations with Mr. Spring and James Gannon. Later, with these men, together with D. J. Flani- gan and T. F. Brosnan, he founded and operated the Union mill on the bay shore near Eureka. A store and shingle mill were afterward established at Bayside and lumbering together with quarrying operations continued on a very large scale for a long period of profitable years. Eventually Mr. Harpst retired from the heaviest of his responsibilities and for a considerable period before his death, which occurred February 19, 1906, he had enjoyed a rest from business cares. In September of 1896 he married Miss Kate L. Carr, who was born in Weaverville, Trinity county, Cal., the daughter of Thomas Carr, a pioneer of this state, whose sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Harpst was reared in Eureka and still lives in this city. Lately she

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has built a large and beautiful residence on the corner of Huntoon and D streets. She has given much care to her gardens, in which she takes much pride, and as the result of her efforts she has one of the most attractive places in the city. Fraternally Mr. Harpst belonged to the Masons and Elks. In the former he had been associated with the blue lodge and chapter in Eureka, a member of the Golden Gate commandery, K. T., and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of San Francisco.

In the circles of early settlers, where he was best known, his name stood as a synonym for honor, while in his general circle of acquaintances, especially among younger generations, he was looked up to as a pioneer who had endured many privations in the period of the Indian troubles and who had merited the best that later years could bestow upon him.

JOSEPH EDWARD MERRIAM .- Although for many years he followed the fortunes of the sea, and though he came to the Pacific coast with the expressed intention of continuing his sea-faring life, Joseph Edward Merriam has never been aboard a vessel since he sailed into the harbor at Eureka on June 19, 1884. With him were his wife and one child, and soon after coming to Eureka he determined to give up his former calling and locate on shore, choosing Humboldt county for his future home. During the succeeding years he has been variously occupied, but has always met with much success, and is today one of the leading insurance men in the county and is also largely interested in real estate. Besides his home in Blue Lake he owns a valuable fruit garden and also a valuable timber claim of one hundred and seventy acres about six miles southeast of town. Judge Merriam does not believe in any vigorous man being idle, and seeing the many small pieces of valuable land around homes neglected, he desires to show the people of the community as well as outsiders the wonderful production of the soil and the value of raising vegetables and fruits on small tracts. Having a love for horticulture and gardening and believing that every foot of the soil should produce, he purchased two and one-half acres in Blue Lake which had been neglected and to which he devoted his spare moments. It is now in orchard, small fruits, berries and vegetables, and the whole space to the fence line is produ- cing under intensified culture. Its success has been demonstrated, hence it is a plan that others would do well to emulate. Judge Merriam has also been interested in the buying and selling of real estate for a period of years. He has never regretted his decision, and feels that it was a wise choice that brought him to California.

Mr. Merriam was born in Port Greville, Cumberland county, Nova Sco- tia, December 3, 1856. His boyhood days were spent there and during his youth he attended the public schools. His disposition was a roving one, however, and when he was a lad of only fourteen years he went to sea, sailing on coasting vessels running to New York City. This was a hard and a danger- ous life, for the ice floes drifted along the coast for many months of the year, and the vessels of the coast fleet were in much danger for this reason, as well as on account of storms and fog. Afterwards he was in West Indies, South American and Western Island trade, sailing out of New York and Boston, but always in Canadian ships. He was mate of the brig Zebenia for three years and for two years master. These voyages necessitated his absence from home for protracted periods, and wishing to avoid them he resolved to seek the Pacific coast, intending to run river steamers in California. For

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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 61

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