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 75

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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found employment in the butcher's trade. Going as far west as Grundy county, Ill., he bought raw land and engaged in farming. The year 1874 found him in California, where he bought one hundred sixty acres near Fortuna, Humboldt county. Dairying became one of his specialties. A man of splendid physique, six feet and two inches in height, and weighing one hundred and eighty pounds, he continued active up to the very hour of his death, which occurred (the result of hemorrhage of the brain) in February of 1896. In politics he voted the Republican ticket. He was not long survived by his wife, whose death occurred in March, 1897, when she was sixty years of age. Ten children had been born of their union, namely: Edward, who died at twenty-one years; Annie, mother of Dr. Albert M. Dinsmore and widow of William Dinsmore; Frank; William Walter; Minnie J., wife of Frank Legg; Mary E., Mrs. John E. Hosier : Albert : Gertrude, now Mrs. Frank L. Parker : George T., attorney of Eureka and in 1902 elected a member of the state legislature ; and Charles. All established homes at Fortuna, with the exception of the three last-named, who settled at Eureka. George T. Rol- ley attained wide prominence through his election in 1903 as supreme rep- resentative of the supreme court of the Foresters of America.

GEORGE RUSSELL HILL .- One of the old-timers in the Upper Mat- tole valley is George Russell Hill, who has resided there for over forty years, and at his present home for the last thirty years. He has a valuable little fruit and stock ranch about a mile south of Upper Mattole post office, on the opposite side of the river, and has been so successful in the growing and evaporation of prunes that he has helped to give the Humboldt county product in that line a reputation equal to any. His principal interests, how- ever, are in general agriculture and stock.

Mr. Hill may well be proud of the record of his family in the west. His father came to the Pacific coast across the plains in 1845, several years ahead of the gold discovery. Russell Taylor Hill was born in Tennessee, and died in Idaho when about sixty-five years old. His life was full of adventure typical of the times. He first settled at Lebanon, Oregon, moving down to Cali- fornia when gold was discovered and living in this state a number of years. He had married in Oregon, and after deciding to settle in California brought his family hither. Like many another attracted by the mining possibilities, he found his fortune in quite another line, being engaged mainly as a stock- man, buying and selling cattle, and as a drover. For several years he lived in Suisun, Cal., moving thence when his son George R. was seven years old to Idaho, where he built a toll road into Idaho City, where he also engaged in butchering, raised stock, and led the life of a genuine frontiersman. He married Adelaide Cheadle, a native of Michigan, who also came west by the plains route, and they had a family of nine children, four of whom survive at this writing. The mother lived to the age of seventy-four years.

George R. Hill was born December 24, 1855, at Suisun, Cal., where the first seven years of his life were spent. He was next to the youngest of his parents' family, and is the only one living in Humboldt county. He obtained his education in the public schools, and during his youth and early manhood saw a great deal of the northwest, living at various places in California, Idaho and Oregon before settling down in the Upper Mattole district in Humboldt county. As an expert sheep shearer he was never at a loss for occupation, following that calling, starting in the Sacramento valley, whence working

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north each year up into Oregon, Washington and Montana, being thus en- gaged more or less for thirty years. When a youth of eighteen years he came from Oregon to Ferndale, Humboldt county, and at the age of twenty- one he came to Upper Mattole and took up a claim ten miles from his present place in the mountains. Thirty years ago he settled on his present property, a tract of twenty acres about one mile up the river from Upper Mattole, and his varied experiences with stock have helped him in his successful opera- tions here. He is best known as a stockman and farmer, but his success in growing prunes has also gained him some reputation. He evaporates large quantities by drying them on trays in the sun, and the excellence of his product shows that as good prunes may be raised in Humboldt county as the famous Santa Clara variety or any other of popular renown. His indus- try and other substantial qualities have brought him the esteem of all who know him, and he is considered one of the best citizens of his neighborhood. Politically he is with the Progressive party.

On December 24, 1881, Mr. Hill was married to Miss Bertha Jane Roscoe, daughter of Wesley Horton Roscoe, one of the prominent old settlers of the Upper Mattole district, and a family of five children was born to this union : Dora M., now the wife of Frank Etter, a ranchman residing in the Mattole valley : Edward E., cashier of the Loleta Bank at Loleta ; Lulu A. and Georgie A., living at home ; and Winifred, who is engaged as a teacher at Fortuna, this county. Mrs. Hill died August 20, 1895, and while Mr. Hill was called upon to mourn the loss of a devoted helpmate after a comparatively short wedded life, he has found great comfort in his children. He and his daughters have a comfortable home on the ranch, and no family in the vicinity is more highly respected.

ROBERT EDWARD BYARD .- A descendant of one of the old pio- neer families of California, and himself a Native Son of the Golden West, Robert Edward Byard is today one of the most respected citizens of Hum- boldt county, and at Korbel, where he has made his home for a number of years, he is held in high esteem by his fellows, both among his business asso- ciates and his friends and acquaintances. He is at present foreman of the Jackson, Everding & Graham Company's mill at Korbel, having held this responsible position for more than twelve years, and is considered one of the foremost men in the community. His business integrity and high moral principles have won for him the respect and confidence of the community, and also of his workmen and of his employers.

Mr. Byard is a native of Humboldt county, having been born at For- tuna, December 20, 1870. He passed his boyhood at Fortuna, attending the public schools there and later taking a business course in Eurcka, graduating from the Eureka Business College in 1890. In that year he started out for himself, registering as a lumberman, and soon accepting a position as tally- man with the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia, remaining in their employ for a year. Afterward he went to work for John Vance as tallyman for the Pioneer Lumber Company and for eleven years held a position with this same company, ultimately becoming foreman. It was in 1902 that he accepted his present position of foreman of the Jackson, Everding & Graham Company's mill at Korbel, and removed with his family to his present home.

Mr. Byard is a citizen of the highest type. He is a Progressive Repub- lican in politics, but has never been actively associated with the affairs of the

DE. Myard

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HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

party. He is, however, truly progressive in the broadest sense of the word, and every movement that has for its object the moral and social betterment of the community is certain to receive his instant and hearty support. He is a member of the Lincoln Lodge K. of P., Eureka, having united at the time of his residence there. Mr. Byard is also a member of the Methodist church, and besides taking an active part in church work, is prominent in the Christian Endeavor society and other religious societies.

The marriage of Mr. Byard took place May 17, 1893, uniting him with Miss Florence Snow, daughter of William Snow, and a native of Missouri, born in 1873. She came to California with her parents in 1885, locating in Humboldt county, where she has since made her home.

Mr. Byard himself is the son of one of the oldest pioneer families in Humboldt county. His father, George Augustus Byard, is a native of Maine, born March 15, 1835. When very young he left home to follow the fortunes of the sea, in this following in the footsteps of his forebears, his father having been a sailor all his life and the son of a sailor. He followed the sea for a period of nine years, from the time he was fourteen until he was twenty-three. In October of 1858 he left Boston on a sailing vessel bound for the Cali- fornia coast, rounding the Horn, and arrived in San Francisco in the spring of 1859. At this time he gave up the life of a sailor and went to work in the woods of Marin county, later engaging in the wood business for himself. In 1865 he removed with his family to Humboldt county and for the first two years worked for George A. Kellogg in the woods. In 1867 he pur- chased a farm at Fortuna, where he resided until his death, March 3, 1915, and was for many years engaged in dairying and diversified farming, own- ing one of the best farms of the valley. He had been interested in the political affairs of the country all his life, was a stanch Republican in his political affiliations and was progressive and well informed on all questions of public interest, both local and national.

Mr. Byard's mother was Agnes Ingram, a native of Ireland, born in County Armagh, August 20, 1841. She came with her parents to America in 1848, locating first in Illinois. By way of the Isthmus the family came to California in 1860. Miss Ingram was married to George Augustus Byard in San Francisco, December 25, 1862. She bore her husband eight children, several of whom are now prominent citizens of this locality. She passed away August 20, 1891.

WARREN L. HADLEY .- The old Hadley ranch on the Mattole river, about a mile above where the Upper Mattole post office is now located, is one of the oldest settled tracts in this part of Humboldt county, and the members of the Hadley family are among the most respected residents of the neighborhood. Warren L. Hadley has become very well known all over this section, particularly as mail driver, in which capacity he acted until the route from Upper Mattole to Briceland was discontinued, August 1, 1914. Like his father, Alfred Augustus Hadley, he is also keenly interested in local politics, and he is one of the members of the Mattole brass band organized in 1913.

Alfred Augustus Hadley was one of the earliest settlers in the Upper Mattole country. A native of Ohio, he was raised in that state and in Indiana, where he began to teach school when only eighteen years old, a fact which indicates that he had been enterprising enough to take advantage of his edu-

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cational opportunities. His adventurous disposition was manifested early, for he was mining in Mexico in the forties, and came to California in the carly fifties, mining in the hills back of Merced for a time. Then he came up to Humboldt county and settled on the Mattole river, on the side opposite Upper Mattole post office, where he improved land and prospered. He had at least the average share of hardships and dangers to combat. On several occasions he had fights with the Indians, and one time had his leg broken and was badly disabled, but he did not lose his grit or courage, and though his companions had fled, he drove off the savages single handed with his six- shooter, with which he was an expert. His valuable service to the Repub- lican party won him a place on the county central committee for many years, and he served a long period as justice of the peace.

Mr. Hadley was married here to Miss Annie Rouch, who was born in the Eel river valley, and eleven children were born of this union: Albert A., a blacksmith by trade, resides at Wheatland, Cal .; Rosa is the wife of R. R. Landergen, a teamster, of the Honey Dew district in the Upper Mattole territory ; William T. S., a lawyer by profession, is also engaged in ranch- ing in this section, being now the owner of the old homestead; Warren L. is mentioned below: Ida M. died unmarried, she and her sister Mary being drowned in the Mattole while out boating ; Isaac Clay is a ranchman on the Hood river in Oregon ; Grace, unmarried, lives on the old Hadley ranch with her mother; Frank S., also unmarried, lives on the home ranch; Mary was drowned with her sister ; Nettie, Mrs. Ornbaum, taught school in Lake county for a time; Gussie is married and living in Oakland, Cal. The father of this family died at the age of seventy-eight years, being accidentally killed while riding horseback.

Warren L. Hadley was born April 6, 1868, on the old Hadley ranch along the Mattole river, where he grew to manhood. He has been familiar with ranch work from boyhood, but his specialty has been sheep shearing, at which he is an expert, having sheared as many as one hundred fifty-eight in a day of ten hours. For several years he followed this business almost exclu- sively, traveling over Idaho, Oregon and Montana as well as various parts of his own state, especially the Sacramento valley. He has taken out tanbark on contract, and is a thoroughly reliable teamster, having driven the mail from the Upper Mattole country to Briceland until the route was abandoned, in the summer of 1914. At present he is carrying on general ranch work, renting the three hundred acres he operates. His active, outdoor life has made him robust, and he is thoroughly capable and trustworthy, his intelli- gence and energy making him valuable to the community. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Petrolia, and in politics has followed in his father's footsteps, being one of the most efficient workers in the local ranks of the Republican party. He has served repeatedly on the county central committee.

When the Mattole brass band was organized in 1913 Mr. Hadley was one of the nine members, and now serves as secretary and treasurer of the organization, of which Emil Sund is leader and R. N. Holman president. The players have the following parts: R. N. Holman, B flat bass; Earl Shortgen, Jean Landergen, E flat altos; F. S. Hadley, tenor slide trombone ; IV. E. Thrapp, valve tenor trombone; W. L. Hadley, B flat baritone ; Robert M. Hadley, B flat cornet ; Frank Luce, tenor; Frank Blatz, bass and snare

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HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

drums ; Emil Sund, E flat cornet. The band is in great demand at Fourth of July celebrations, picnics and other gatherings.

In Garberville, September 19, 1895, Mr. Hadley married Miss Ella R. Wood, who was born at Garberville, Humboldt county, daughter of James E. and Laura (Webb) Wood. Eight children have come to this union : Robert McKinley ; one that died in infancy ; Rose M .; Crystel M .; Alfred J .; Her- bert S .; Warren Lincoln, and Ervin A. Mrs. Hadley's mother was born in California ; her father's native state was Illinois, and he became a pioneer stock-raiser at Garberville, Cal., where he died; the mother now resides at Rohnerville.

LEWIS J. STONE .- As one of the leading carpenters and builders of Waddington and vicinity, Lewis J. Stone is well and favorably known. He has erected churches, schools, creameries and especially residences, many of the handsomest homes in Waddington, Ferndale, and in fact throughout the southern half of Humboldt county, being testimonies to his skill and handi- craft. He has been a resident of Humboldt county since 1891, and has been actively engaged in the pursuit of his trade since coming to this part of the country. He is a progressive, clear-sighted man, demanding and giving a square deal at all times and in all places. He and his family are highly respected throughout the county, and wherever they are known receive the most honorable mention.

Mr. Stone is a native of Wisconsin, having been born at Waukau, Winne- bago county, Wisconsin, December 5, 1860, the son of John and Sarah (Pack- ard) Stone. His father was a native of Vermont, and enlisted in the Union army during the Civil war, meeting his death during that troubled period. The mother was a native of Ohio, and is still living near Waukau, Wis., at the age of seventy-five years, making her home with her daughter. There were but two children in the family : the present respected citizen of Wad- dington, and an elder sister, Jessie, now the wife of John Lefivre, a farmer, residing at Waukau, Wis. The mother married a second time to Morris Gay, a farmer of Wisconsin, and one child was born of this second union, a son, Eugene. Lewis John Stone grew to young manhood on the farm of his step- father, attending the schools in the district and assisting with the labor and responsibility of the home place, remaining thus until he was twenty years of age, when he commenced to work out on the neighboring farms for wages. When he was twenty-three years of age he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, and later went to Hope, Steele county, North Dakota, where he took up and improved a government claim, also working at his trade. He remained in North Dakota from 1882 until 1891, at which latter date he came to Cali- fornia, locating at Waddington, where he has since made his home.

Mr. Stone has been twice married, his first wife having died many years ago. She was Miss Beatrice Slingsby, of Waukau, Wis., and their marriage was solemnized in 1884 at that place. Of this union were born six children, four daughters and two sons, all of whom are well and favorably known in Humboldt county, where they were reared and educated. They are: Eliza- beth, wife of John Downs, head wood chopper in the lumber woods, and residing at Sterling, Tehama county (they have two children, Elizabeth and John, Jr.) ; Beatrice, wife of Joseph Goff, of Ferndale, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Gay, wife of Gustavus Jasper, the editor of the Beacon, at Fortuna, and present candidate for the state assembly (they have

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one child, Cedrick) ; Alice, wife of Peter McCabe, tanner, of Portland, Ore. (they have one child) : Eugene, who works on a ranch in Humboldt county ; and John, aged fourteen, who is still attending school.

Quite apart from his prominence in the commercial life of the county, Mr. Stone is well and favorably known in his home community in fraternal and political circles. He is a man of much strength of character and has formed many warm friendships. He traces his genealogy back to a sturdy old line of English ancestry, which, according to a recently published ac- credited work, declares that the Stones first settled in America in 1638, estab- lishing their homes near the now historic site of Guilford Courthouse. They took an important part in the early history of the colonies and later in the history of the States. Mr. Stone is a Republican, and is always intensely interested in all questions that pertain to the general welfare of the country, and to the future development of Humboldt county in particular. He en- dorses whatever tends toward the upbuilding of the community, such as educational advancement, good roads, etc. Mr. Stone is also a Master Mason, and takes an active part in the affairs of the local lodge. His second marriage occurred December 4, 1905, uniting him with Miss Lillian Lee Steward, of Sonoma county, California.

JOSEPH A. FITZELL .- As senior member of the firm of Fitzell Broth- ers, of Van Dusen township, the operators of a large ranch of five hundred eighty acres which belongs to their father, Joseph A. Fitzell is well known through this section of the county and is very highly esteemed. Associated with him is his younger brother, Frank Lester Fitzell, both being natives of Eureka, the latter born January 22, 1890, and the former January 6, 1889. They have been in charge of the ranch for a number of years, taking entire charge of it in 1908, and are making a very decided success.

Mr. Fitzell spent his boyhood in Eureka, where he attended the public school, and then for five years worked in his father's drug store there. His brother served a like apprenticeship in the business world for four years. Their father is Charles R. Fitzell, a successful druggist of Eureka, owner and manager of the Fitzell Drug Company, on F street. He is a native of Iowa, born at Cedar Rapids, December 15, 1860. His father, Joseph Fitzell, was a successful general merchant at Cedar Rapids, and in 1873 he removed with his family to California, locating at Eureka. The son, Charles R., received a grammar school education in Eureka, and later for a period of six years he was in the employ of F. A. Weck, who at that time was prominent as a druggist in Eurcka. In 1880 he entered the Department of Pharmacy, at the University of California, at Berkeley, graduating in 1883. Returning to Eureka he took charge of Mr. Weck's drug store for a period of four years and then bought out his employer and has since conducted the business him- self. He married Miss Mary D. Weck, the daughter of F. A. Weck, and of their union nine children were born, as follows: Bertha; Joseph A., the sub- ject of this article ; Frank L., partner with Joseph in the management of the ranch at Blocksburg ; Laura ; Susan ; Charles ; Mary ; Alfred ; and Edward. At present Mr. Fitzell, Sr., resides in a comfortable home on Fourteenth and M streets, in Eureka. Mrs. Fitzell's family is one of the oldest and most highly respected of the early pioneer families of Humboldt county, and her parents are still living in San Francisco.

Since taking over the management of their father's ranch, Joseph A. and

torace C. Anderson.

Nellie M. anderson.

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HISTORY OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Frank L. Fitzell have made many improvements and have greatly extended their business venture. They raise principally grain, hay and hogs, with some cattle and horses. They fatten and sell on an average of one hundred head of hogs per year, and they also breed a high grade of Belgian horses. They are both sportsmen of a high order and deer and other game are plentiful in their region. Their ranch is a model of care and enterprise and speaks well for the ability and industry of Fitzell Brothers.

HORACE C. ANDERSON .- A native of Hydesville and the son of one of the oldest and most highly respected pioncer families of Humboldt county, Horace C. Anderson has spent his entire lifetime in this county, being for the most part engaged in business in or near Hydesville. For the past seven years he has been in the threshing business, owning a twenty- four cylinder Buffalo-Pitts separator, and a traction steam engine. He is also prepared to saw wood and to take care of such other odd contracts during the season when there is no work in the threshing line. He owns extensive farm property in the vicinity of Hydesville, and is one of the prosperous and progressive men of the county.

Mr. Anderson is a native of Humboldt county, having been born near Hydesville, October 15, 1884, the son of Jasper and Eleanor (Case) Ander- son. His father, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, came to California when he was a young man, engaging in farming and dairying in this county for many years. He is now operating his large ranch at Hydesville. The mother, a native of Oregon, came to California in girlhood. She became the mother of seven children, four sons and three daughters, six of whom grew to maturity. Horace C. being the eldest. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, attending the district school and learning at an early age to bear his share of responsibilities of the home place. For some years he engaged in farming and stockraising on his ranch comprising one hundred and ninety acres, all improved, located near Hydesville. However, he now has the place rented so as to devote his time to looking after his other interests. In the spring of 1915 Mr. Anderson opened the Rio Dell lime quarries three miles above Rio Dell, where he is engaged in grinding lime which is used largely by farm- ers for fertilizing their lands. The undertaking is proving a success, and as the need demands it he is increasing the capacity of his plant.

Mr. Anderson owns a comfortable residence in Hydesville, where he made his home until the spring of 1915, since which time he has made his home and headquarters in Eureka. In addition to his activities as a farmer and in connection with his threshing machine business, Mr. Anderson has been engaged in general contracting and has built several miles of heavy roads in the Van Dusen section of Humboldt county, which were completed in a satisfactory manner.

The marriage of Mr. Anderson was solemnized in 1908 at Alton, the bride being Miss Nellie Hansen, the daughter of H. J. and Mary E. (Smith) Hansen, born on the island of Falster, Denmark, and Eldorado county, Cal., respectively : they were married in Hydesville. By trade Mr. Hansen was a blacksmith, a business which he followed in Hydesville for many years. After selling out his shop he purchased his present ranch at Alton, where he and his wife reside. Of their three children Mrs. Anderson was the youngest and was born at Alton, where she was reared and educated. Both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are popular and well known not only in their home, but

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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 75

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