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 83

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 83

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they were married, October 28, 1856, and Mrs. Francis Henry is still living on the ranch of her son Hiram.

Hiram Henry remained in Minnesota when his parents came west, for one year following the lumber business, but in 1877 his father sent for him to come to Humboldt county, so he came forthwith. He was first employed in the woods logging for Frank Graham, but later he took up the stock-raising and farming business for himself, at first only leasing the land but later returned to the home place on the death of his father. Aside from ranching, he engaged in carpentering, at Bayside, and also in the buying and selling of horses, in which venture he was very successful. With his family he now resides on the old home place at Bayside. He is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Foresters and the K. O. T. M. and in politics is a stanch Republican and is also a member of the Christian church. He was married in Sacramento, July, 1907, to Mrs. Margaret (Doyle) Anderson, a native of New Brunswick. Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Henry are highly esteemed citizens and are interested in all that tends to uplift the community.

CALVIN HENRY REAVES .- A resident of California for forty years, and for much of that time located in Humboldt county, Calvin Henry Reaves is one of the best known of the pioneers, and is a highly respected and esteemed citizen of Blue Lake at the present time, having given up active business life within the past few years. Previous to that time he was en- gaged in farming and, at an earlier period, in the lumbering industry. IIe has seen Blue Lake grow from a wilderness into a thriving little city, and a place of importance in the county.

Mr. Reaves is a native of Iowa, having been born near Davenport, Scott county, July 3, 1854. His father was William B. Reaves, a native of Indiana, born in 1817. He followed farming in Iowa and Illinois for the greater part of his life, and was thrifty and prosperous. He died at Independence, Kansas, in March, 1872. The mother was Elizabeth (Stafford) Reaves, a native of Pennsylvania, who was married in Scott county, Iowa, in 1847. She died on a farm in Iowa. She was the mother of five children, of whom Calvin was the fourth in order of birth.

When Calvin H. Reaves was about ten years of age his father removed from their home at Davenport, Iowa, to Henderson county, Ill., where he grew to young manhood. Here he attended the public schools in the Pleasant Valley district until he was sixteen, when his father again moved. this time going to Kansas, living in several different sections of the state. In 1872 the father died, and young Calvin was obliged to leave school and go to work. For a few years he was employed on the neighboring farms, in stock-raising and farming. It was in 1875 that he determined to seek his fortune in the larger field offered by California, and accordingly came west, arriving in San Francisco in March of that year. He went from there to Humboldt county, going first to Eureka, and later securing employment on a ranch on the Arcata bottoms. Later he removed to Gold Bluff and for a time was in the employ of the Gold Bluff Mining Company, working in the mines. He continued with this company for two years, when the ownership changed and he returned to Blue Lake, which was then known as Scottsville. Here he accepted a position with Frank Graham, and went to work in the woods. In 1883 he was one of the carpenters who built the mill for the Graham, Chandler & Hender-

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son Company, and for twenty years Mr. Reaves remained in the service of this company, being for the greater part of the time engaged in the woods, in the logging department. A few years ago he resigned his position and has since then been living quietly at his home in Blue Lake.

The marriage of Mr. Reaves took place at Blue Lake, September 18, 1878, uniting him with Laura Lovina Merriman, a native of Missouri, born in Holt county, December 23, 1856. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reaves are well known in Humboldt county, where they have many friends. Like her hus- band, Mrs. Reaves is a California pioneer. Her father was Samuel Merriman, a native of Ohio, born May 25, 1825. After attending school a few years he took up the tailor's trade and followed this line of work for the greater part of his residence in the east. In 1857 he came with his family across the plains to California, locating in the San Joaquin valley, twenty-two miles east of Stockton. Here he engaged in farming for a number of years. In 1865 he removed to Healdsburg, Sonoma county, and again took up farming. Mr. Merriman had never farmed until he came to California, but his ability and industry supplied the lack of experience, and he was very prosperous. Later, in 1866, he moved with his family to Humboldt county, making the trip overland on horseback, nine days being consumed in the journey. Arrived here, he rented the Nixon ranch and engaged in farming. In 1869 he took up a squatter's claim in the Blue Lake district, consisting of one hundred sixty acres, and moved his family onto the property. Here he built a com- fortable home, and lived with his family until the time of his death. He cleared and improved one hundred acres of the land, and proved up on the claim. From time to time he purchased other sections of land, and owned several hundred acres in and around Blue Lake at the time of his death, which occurred in October, 1897. Mr. Merriman was one of the early pioneers of the county, and a man who fully realized the splendid future of the county in every respect. He was highly esteemed in the community as a man of sterling qualities, industrious, progressive and reliable. His wife was Miss Nancy Courtney, a native of Pennsylvania, born October 22, 1820, and died at Blue Lake in October, 1892. She was the mother of ten children, and was the companion and true helpmeet of her husband.

Although so much of the life of Mr. Reaves has been spent in the woods, he is well informed on all questions of the day, and is actively interested in all that pertains to the welfare of his home city. He is a Republican in politics, although he has never been actively a participant in the affairs of his party. He is progressive and wide awake to all that concerns the good of the city, and his influence is always found on the side of social betterment and municipal upbuilding.

JEREMIAH DALE .- A pioneer of California, who came to this state in 1854 with only fifty cents in his pockets, and who is now the owner of a ranch of three hundred fifteen acres in Humboldt county, Jeremiah Dale may be said to have achieved more than ordinary success in his long and energetic life. Born in Clarion county, Pa., August 20, 1834, he was the son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Evans) Dale, the father having been born in Pennsylvania in 1806 and died in 1850. The first sixteen years of the life of Jeremiah Dale were spent upon the farm of his father, who was both farmer and miller. Four years after his father's death, the son made the trip to California, coming

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by way of the Isthmus of Panama and securing work in the mines at Prairie City, on the American river, at Rough and Ready on Deer creek, and then at Iowa Hill, Placer county. He accumulated what seemed to him a small fortune and which enabled him to return to Pennsylvania, in 1858, where he married Sarah Callihan, a native of Clarion county, Pa., and the daughter of George and Rebecca (Bostaff) Callihan. During the Civil war the couple made their home in Virginia, where Mr. Dale acted as a home guard, espous- ing the Union cause.

In 1864, ten years after his first visit to California, Mr. Dale returned to this state, where he engaged in gold mining in Nevada county for four years and in 1868 settled in Humboldt county. Here he purchased his present large ranch and engaged in farming, stock-raising and dairying, meeting with great success from the first, his farm being one of the most fertile and valu- able in this section. About the year 1890 he leased his ranch, and retired from active life, making his home with his daughter, Mrs. M. N. Weber of Rohnerville.

Mr. Dale is the father of four children, namely : Lola, wife of M. N. Weber, a retired business man of Rohnerville, who was born in Germany January 28, 1831, and came to California in 1852, where he became wealthy by dealing in real estate (he died December 24, 1914) ; Florence, widow of Samuel M. Douglas, of Eugene, Ore. ; Harvey, a resident of Healdsburg, Cal. : and Annie, wife of Jonathan F. Robertson, a prosperous farmer and dairyman of Hydesville, who was in early years employed upon the extensive ranch of Jeremiah Dale in Humboldt county.

Mr. Dale was made a Mason in Mount Carmen Lodge, F. & A. M., at Red Dog, afterward affiliating with Eel River Lodge No. 147. F. & A. M., of Fortuna. He is a member of Humboldt Chapter No. 52, R. A. M., Eureka, and of Eureka Commandery No. 35, K. T., as well as Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., San Francisco, and has also taken the Maltese degree in Masonry.

During his many years of residence in Humboldt county Mr. Dale has been known as a man of the best business judgment and honor, who always has at heart the welfare of the community where he lives. The success which his hard-working life has achieved is well earned and he has the honor of being one of the upbuilders of Humboldt county.

RALPH BIASCA .- Although born in Switzerland, in the town of Lod- rino, Canton Ticino, December 24, 1871, the son of Paolino Biasca, a farmer and dairyman who owned his ranch in the Alps and was engaged in the manufacture of butter and cheese and is still living on the home farm with his wife, Margareta Biasca, the son, Ralph Biasca, is an enterprising and pro- gressive dairyman and stockraiser in Humboldt county, Cal., having lived in this state since the year 1892.

One of a family of seven sons and daughters, of whom six are now living. Ralph Biasca was brought up on his father's farm, where he learned all about butter and cheese making, and received his schooling in the local public schools. In 1892 he came to California, where his brother Moses is now also located, being a dairyman near Ferndale, in which town his sisters Anna and Victoria also reside, the former being the wife of Henry Biasca, the latter the wife of Frank Ambrosini, the other sisters remaining in Ticino, where Amelia is now the wife of Giuseppe Bruga, and Julia makes her home

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with her parents. Ralph Biasca's first employment after coming to Cali- fornia was at a dairy near Vallejo, Solano county, and there he remained six years, in 1899 removing to Humboldt county and working at a dairy in the vicinity of Ferndale for several years, after which, determining to go into business for himself, he rented a dairy ranch at Arcata with Victor Ambrosini as partner, and continued there for two years, with a herd of forty-five cows. Having dissolved his partnership and sold out his interest, in 1905 Mr. Biasca bought his present place of twenty acres and there now carries on the same line of work, at a later date purchasing a thirty-one acre ranch in and adjoining Ferndale on the north, which he leases for dairy pur- poses. He also leases forty acres adjacent to his home ranch, which gives him a dairy of sixty acres, where he has a fine herd of twenty cows, and also engages in raising barley and other grain. On six hundred acres which he has likewise leased on Francis Creek, one mile south of Ferndale, he carries on stockraising with the success which has attended his ventures from the first. He believes in land as an investment of the best kind, and by his efforts has now become independent in his chosen line of occupation. He was an original stockholder in the Valley Flower Creamery Company. He is known in political circles as an active Republican, while fraternally he is a member of the Druids.

The marriage of Mr. Biasca took place in Arcata, uniting him with Miss Linda Bruga, like himself a native of Lodrino, her father being Giuseppe Bruga, a farmer in Ticino until his death. Since 1894 her brother, Frank Bruga, has been a resident of California.

RICHARD MILES PARSONS .- Born near Monroe City, Monroe county, Mo., October 26, 1848, Richard Miles Parsons came to California in 1872, locating in Mendocino county, near Hopland. Soon afterward, in part- nership with his brother, Thomas S. Parsons, he bought a stock ranch which they successfully ran for four years. At the end of that time R. M. Parsons bought the interest of his brother and engaged in farming and stock-raising as an independent venture, residing here for many years and making a decided financial success of the undertaking. After disposing of his ranch and stock he came to Humboldt county in 1888, and in 1896 he purchased the drug store of J. N. Shibles, in Hydesville, and since then he has been conducting this business for himself. IIe is a man of strictly temperate habits, never touching either liquor or tobacco, and the business that he conducts partakes of the same spirit of straightforwardness and attention to detail, with an elimina- tion of all that is not clean, fair and profitable. The stock is kept fresh and up-to-date, and every attention is given to meeting the needs of the customer. Mr. Parsons also has a multitude of other interests, in all of which he brings to bear the same sterling business principles. He is serving his fifth term as notary public, and he also deals in real estate and insurance, being especially interested in the buying and selling of farm lands around Hydesville and of city property.

Mr. Parsons is the son of Clement Parsons, a native of Maryland, who removed with his parents to Kentucky when he was but five years of age, they locating near Lebanon. There he grew to maturity, and was married to Miss Eliza Blandford, who became the mother of his children, eleven in number, and all of them grew to maturity save one, Sylvester, who was

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accidentally killed in childhood. R. M., the subject of this article, is the youngest of the family, and is one of three living at this time. The father was a farmer, and was for many years engaged in buying horses and mules for the New Orleans market. He died in Missouri in 1865 at the age of seventy-two years. The mother was born in 1800, and after the death of her husband she came to California, where she died in 1878.

Mr. Parsons has been twice married. The first time when he was engaged in farming near Hopland, the bride being Mrs. Martha A. Moore, a native of Missouri. She bore her husband four children, and after a lingering illness of two years, she died in Hydesville, when the youngest child was eleven years of age. The children are all natives of California and are well and favorably known in Humboldt county, where they were reared and educated. They are: Zelma, now the wife of G. F. Baker, a dentist residing in Idaho, where he is president of the state dental board; James, a student in the medical department of the University of Kentucky, at Louisville, Ky., and also a graduate of the pharmacy school of the University of California, and a licensed pharmacist ; Mable, the wife of R. T. Bryant, a farmer, of Alton ; and Ellis, a pharmacist at Crescent City, and a graduate of the school of pharmacy of the Affiliated Colleges of San Francisco. The second marriage of Mr. Parsons was solemnized on April 9, 1911, uniting him with Mrs. Jennic V. Murphy, of Ilydesville.

Mr. Parsons has always taken an active interest in all that pertains to the progress of his city and county. He is especially interested in education and has given the members of his family a thorough education, sending them to the higher educational institutions of the state and in the east. They are all scholarly and more than ordinarily intelligent and their father takes a justifiable pride in their achievements. Mr. Parsons has built his business on a solid basis and has always avoided speculations of every sort. He is strictly honest and gives and demands only the fairest of treatment in all business transactions. He is a Democrat in his political affiliations, but has never taken a specially active part in the affairs of his party save as they involved local issues, although he is well informed on all the questions of the day, whether county, state or national.

JONATHAN F. ROBERTSON .- Among the men who have achieved more than the average degree of success mention must be made of Jonathan F. Robertson, of Hydesville, one of the prominently successful farmers of that township and a man of splendid abilities and character. Mr. Robertson has always been a hard worker and the fruits of his industry are now to be seen in the fine farm of three hundred seventeen acres that is his home. The acreage is rented out, but the house and few surrounding acres are retained for a home place, and these form one of the most attractive spots in the vicinity, the greatest care being given to lawns, flowers, gardens, ornamental fences and buildings, all of which are in perfect condition and in architectural harmony.

Mr. Robertson has lived on the Pacific coast for more than forty years, having come to Oregon with his parents and brothers and sisters in 1873, when he was a lad of twelve years. He was born in Freelandville, Knox county, Ind., September 25, 1861, the son of Edward W. and Barbara J. (Crooks) Robertson, the former a native of Ohio, while the mother was born

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in Indiana. The father lived to be eighty years of age, while the mother died at the age of seventy-six. There were ten children in the family, con- sisting of nine sons and one daughter, and on their arrival in Oregon in 1873, the father located on a farm near Salem, being five miles from the capital, with a sight of the dome of the state house through the tree-tops. There he owned a tract of four hundred acres, originally all heavily timbered, and this the father and sons cleared and improved, all working very hard. After a time they disposed of the farm and with the proceeds went to Turner, Ore., and bought a flour mill, Jonathan F. helping to run the mill. Later he came to Alton, Humboldt county, Cal., and entered the employ of Jeremiah Dale, who owned an extensive ranch at that place, and is well known as one of the finest of the pioneers of Humboldt county. Here young Robertson remained for four years, and in Hydesville, June 11, 1891, he was married to Miss Annie Dale, a native of You Bet, Nevada county, the daughter of Jeremiah Dale, who is one of the early California pioneers, having come by way of the Isthmus of Panama, in 1854, meeting with many hardships en route. He is a native of Clarion county, Pa., and the son of Daniel and Eliza- beth (Evans) Dale. After coming to California he engaged in mining with very good success, his accumulated earnings in four years appearing to him as a small fortune. He then returned to Pennsylvania and was there married to Sarah Callihan, a native of Clarion county, Pa., and the daughter of George and Rebecca (Bostaff) Callihan, both natives of Pennsylvania. During the Civil war they resided in Virginia, where Mr. Dale acted as a home guard, espousing the Union cause. Returning to California in 1864, he spent three years in the mines at Nevada City, and in 1867 came to Humboldt county, locating at his present ranch of three hundred fifteen acres near Rohnerville, where he has since made his home. In 1890 he leased the farm and since then has lived in quiet retirement, enjoying the fruits of his many years of industry.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Robertson came to Hydesville, where they rented the John Walker farm and engaged in farming and stock- raising ; after running the farm for a period of seven years, they purchased the place, and since then they have made valuable improvements. This prop- erty consists of three hundred seventy acres, and later Mr. Robertson also operated the Dale ranch at the same time, running both for ten years, meet- ing always with the greatest success. During his many years of residence in this vicinity he has won for himself a place in the hearts of the people, both personally and from a business point of view, his integrity and honesty being unquestioned. He is a member of the Ferndale Lodge No. 193, F. & A. M., and Ferndale Chapter No. 78, R. A. M. In his political preferences he is a Republican, although he has never sought political honors for him- self, preferring to serve his county and state as a private citizen. He has always taken an active part in all local issues and is heartily in favor of any movement that tends for the upbuilding of the community and the state.

Mrs. Robertson is a splendid helpmeet for her husband, and a woman of rare poise and ability. She is an artist of much merit and their home is beautified with paintings that are the result of her skill, and which would do credit to many an artist of acknowledged fame. Some time ago Mr. Robertson was the victim of a partial stroke of paralysis, due, no doubt, to

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early exposure and overwork, and since that time much of the responsibility for the management of the business has fallen upon the shoulders of the wife, but she has been more than equal to the task, and is making a success of all that she undertakes. She is exceptionally popular among her women friends and is well known in social circles in Hydesville.

FRANK G. WILLIAMS .- The president of the Russ-Williams Banking Company of Ferndale was born at Weaverville, Trinity county, Cal., Sep- tember 15, 1861, and received a common school education in Humboldt county, together with a commercial course in Heald's Business College, San Francisco, where he was graduated in 1882. During young manhood he was a junior partner in the mercantile firm of Russ, Early & Williams, afterwards incorporated, at Ferndale and Bridgeville, and he still holds a directorship in the company, although no longer an active partner in the business. The organization of the Russ-Williams Banking Company, effected in November, 1909, largely through his own capable efforts, has been of permanent benefit to the financial development of Ferndale and community. For the use of the business there is a capital stock of $25,000. The institution has had a steady growth under the efficient management of the following board of directors: Frank G. Williams, president ; William N. Russ, vice-president ; R. S. Feenaty, cashier ; G. R. Williams and George M. Brice. Since Ferndale has been organized as a town, a period of some twenty years, Mr. Williams has officiated in the position of town treasurer and has proved a worthy custodian of the village funds, as well as a progressive citizen in every respect, efficient in aiding measures for the advancement of the community and loyal to the section where the greater part of his life has been passed. Besides being a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, he is a member of Ferndale Lodge No. 193, F. & A. M., of which he is past master ; Ferndale Chapter No. 78, R. A. M .; Eureka Commandery No. 35, K. T., and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.

Few residents of Humboldt county have been more fortunate in friends or more happy in family and business connections than was Hon. George Williams, father of Frank G. Williams and a native of Lancaster county, Pa., born March 29, 1822, being a son of Thomas Williams, of Welsh paren- tage. The family records show that Thomas Williams died in 1834 at the age of forty-five, while his wife, Elizabeth (Snodgrass) Williams, died in Ohio at the same age. Of their seven children, George was the third in order of birth. After the death of his father he accompanied his mother to Ohio, and when she passed away, five years afterward, he worked out as a farm hand. At the age of eighteen he learned the trade of baker, and while work- ing at the trade he studied medicine for three years, but did not secure his diploma because the gold excitement in California changed his plans. In 1849 he went to Illinois and taught in a country school for three months. During the spring of 1850 he started overland for California, paying $100 for his passage and having besides the duty of driving an ox-team for members of the expedition. According to an agreement previously made with the owner of the team, he availed himself of the privilege of leaving the party at the Green river, at which time and place $50 of his money was refunded. With two of the party he walked the balance of the distance to California and arrived at Hangtown almost penniless. For ten months he worked in a

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bakery for $5 a day and board. Afterward he mined for perhaps one-half year. In the spring of 1852 he started a bakery at Weaverville, Trinity county, with a capital of $350, and for two years conducted the business, after which he worked as a butcher and then turned his attention to stock-raising, having a large ranch in Hay Fork valley, and running an express stage from the valley to Weaverville. As early as 1856 he drove a herd of cattle to Hum- boldt county and located on Bear river, but soon formed a partnership with Cyrus W. Morrison, whom he left in charge of the stock, himself returning to Weaverville for a period of ten years or more. During 1867 he permanently settled in Humboldt county and for years was one of the prominent men at Hydesville, where he operated a meat market. During three years of this time he served as a supervisor. In 1885 he removed to Ferndale and soon became a large property owner in this town. Twice he was elected an assemblyman in the state legislature. During 1863 he was provost-marshal for Trinity county. In 1857 he returned to Ohio and at Circleville married Miss Mary Anderson, who was born there January 28, 1838. They became the parents of five children, namely : Carrie, who married Hon. G. W. Hunter, judge of the superior court of Humboldt county ; Emma, wife of A. Hewett, of Winnebago, Minn .; Frank G., of the Russ-Williams Banking Company of Ferndale ; Minnie, wife of W. F. Kausen, a business man of Ferndale ; and Charles Henry, who is engaged in business in Ferndale.

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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 83

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