USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber > Part 57
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alex Gordon
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UKIAH TOWNSHIP.
" About 1866 the house of worship was finally seated and tinished by the aid of Baptists and South Methodist brethren, who had the use of the house one Sunday each in every month until they erected separate buildings.
"In September, 1868, Brother Anderson removed to Contra Costa county. The next brother who labored here regularly was H. C. Lyle, followed by Brother James Logan, and he by Brother James W. Webb. After Brother Webb Brother Lyle was recalled; and then after his stay with us Brother James Logan returned and left last year in the spring.
" In the spring of 1878 was begun the new meeting-house, while Brother Logan was here. In January of the present year we entered into the new house for regular worship.
" The writer came here in July, 1879,' and commenced preaching for the church in September of the same year. It would be unnecessary and tedious to name all the preachers who have assisted in the work at this place, but I cannot forbear to mention a very sad affair that occurred in the fall of 1874.
" Brother M. Terry, a young man of promise, came to Ukiah to teach in the public school and labor for the church. In the evening of Sunday, October 18, 1874, Brother Terry, having already prepared himself to attend religious services, retired to his room for a few minutes, and as he was removing a gun which was in the room, accidentally shot himself. He lived from that time, about 6 P. M., until about 4 o'clock of the following morning. He was able to converse long enough to tell the sad circum- stances of the accident.
"During the whole time of the church's existence here there has been more or less preaching done in Little Lake valley and Potter valley, and at one time there were flourishing congregations at each place. When I came to the county one year ago I found the congregations at both these places had gone down because of removals and no continuous work. I began in this year to preach in both places and have found a faithful few in Little Lake valley as earnest as ever in the cause of Christ. At present I preach half the time at Ukiah and one Sunday of each month in Willitsville and Pomo.
" The new meeting-house is about completed, with the exception of suitable seats, and is one of the most commodious and convenient buildings for worship in the town.
" While in the great warfare against sin in the last quarter of a century we have had many struggles, we feel thankful to God for all his blessings, and hope that in the future we will be found true to the great interests of the Master."
Presbyterian Church .- This church society was organized April 4, 1874, by the Rev. Thomas Fraser, missionary agent for the Pacific coast, in con- nection with the Presbytery of Benicia and the Synod of the Pacific. The organizing members were Morton Wagonseller, Clara S. Wagonseller, Mary
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J. Gilmore, Mary D. Barnes, Miss Fannie T. Lamar, Miss Lucinda J. Reeves, Lapping Reeves, Mrs. Jane B. Florence, S. C. Florence, G. A. Hocker and Hannah Hocker. The following named pastors have been called to fill the pulpit for this congregation: Rev. J. Keime, Rev. E. Holliday and Rev. H. B. McBride, the latter of whom was installed as pastor during the present year (1880).
The following report of the work accomplished by this church was read before the Presbytery April 1, 1880: " The church in Ukiah has had a home provided and opened for use this year. The work has been progress- ing, and has claimed a large share of the religious energy of our people. It is a building tasteful, comfortable and substantial, and is about to be secured to our people by the funds of the Board of Church Erection. The edifice was begun in 1877 and completed in June, 1879, at a cost of $4,000. The Sunday-school was organized October 12, 1879, and we have a corps of officers and teachers who are very faithful and efficient. We use the Westminister lesson helps, and hold weekly prayer-meetings for the purpose of discussing the lessons every Friday evening. The salary fund is raised by the rental of pews and the plan works well, and the contributions are fair and increasing. The present membership of the church is thirty-three, and of the Sunday-school one hundred and twelve."
At the time of the dedication of the Presbyterian Church in Ukiah one of the local papers had this to say concerning it, and as it contains many facts regarding the building we reproduce it here.
" The new Presbyterian Church, is one of the handsomest little houses of worship in the country, and its tapering spire is one of the objects which attracts the eye of visitors approaching the town. Its cost is $4,000, and its seating capacity three hundred. The work of construction was com- menced in 1877, by C. D. Osborne, contractor, from plans by Bugbee & Son, San Francisco, and was completed last spring. The Presbyterian Church at Mendocino is built from the same plans, which have been materially modified and the cost lessened in the Ukiah edifice. The church is Gothic in style; its inside dimensions are thirty-two by fifty-two feet, and twenty-two feet in the clear. It is lighted by seven windows. Its facade is flanked on the west by a tower twelve by twelve feet, and forty-four feet high, sup- porting a spire of forty-three feet, surmounted by a vane ten and a half feet high, or a total height, measuring from the floor, of ninety seven and a half feet. The interior is ceiled with heavy grooved lumber, is painted in delicate shades of blue. The pulpit and choir are located in the south end. The building is lighted by side lamps and heated by a furnace. As it stands completed and paid for, it is an evidence of the activity and liberality of its congregation, and of our citizens who have contributed to its completion. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Scott, of San Francisco."
Methodist Episcopal Church .- We regret very much indeed that we are not
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able to present a more extended notice of the work of this body of Christian people in Mendocino county, especially in the Ukiah circuit. We were promised a full report by Rev. Mr. Bluett, but either from the fact that his time was too fully occupied or some other cause that we know not of, he failed to supply us with the needed information. Such facts as we have we present, however, and only state the above that we may not be placed in the false light of partiality. The first organization of a Methodist Episcopal Church Society in Ukiah occurred in July, 1858. The preachers who visited the place and accomplished the establishment of the church were Revs. Hinman and Leard. The first society consisted of eleven members, and twelve acres of land were bought for camp-meeting purposes. In 1862, the present church building was erected in Ukiah through the exertions of Rev. W. S. Bryant. In 1865, the society built a neat parsonage on the land adjoining their church edifice, sixteen by twenty-four feet in size. The church still owns considerable land in Ukiah, and is well situated financially The Ukiah circuit embraces all the places where service is held in Anderson valley, and also some others in Ukiah valley.
Catholic Church .- The Catholic Church was erected in Ukiah in 1870. It is a neat edifice, and a credit to that body of Christians. For a full report of the work of this church in Mendocino county, the reader is referred to the report made by Rev. Father Sheridan, embodied in the history of Big River township.
NEWSPAPERS .- Some one has very truthfully remarked that the United States is a country where every man carries a newspaper in his pocket, nor does he keep it there all of the time either, with its light hid " under a bushel," as it were, in the dark recesses of his vesture, but at every odd moment of the day, and often far into the night, he may be seen conning its contents, perusing with avidity and evident pleasure and interest its every line and word. The Americans are pre-eminently a reading people, and the result of it is evi- denced on every hand. The groomsman is better posted on the issues of the day than the capitalist whom he drives in his carriage. The servant girl now reads too much, so they who employ her say, and is too well posted to do her drudgery in the slavishness of ignorance that once pervaded them as a class. While the tradespeople, the mechanic and the small dealer, all share freely and equally with the best in the land, in the great intellectual 'feast that is spread every morning broadcast throughout the land. The cities have their morning and evening dailies, and every country town of any size, and often the merest hamlet, boasts its hebdomadal folio, or quarto, which serve their office well and truly. Nor has Ukiah been behind the towns and cities in this respect, for from her early youth she has had a paper published within her precincts.
The Herald .- In November, 1860, the first number of this paper was
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issued by the late Hon. E. R. Budd. It was a small folio, but was always full of news, except when the proprietor was absent, and left the columns in the charge of some subaltern. In those early days, before the roads were thoroughly established, and regular communication with the city had thereby, oftentimes in the winter season Ukiah became practically weather bound for weeks at a time, and some curiosities in the size and color of paper are to be found among the old files of this paper. In politics it was Republican.
The Constitutional Democrat .- This paper was established in 1864 under the proprietorship of A. T. Perkins & Co., and the editorial supervision of Hon. William Holden. In politics it was Democratic, first, last, and all the time, and as it was born of a political travail, and with a political destiny, having the bone and sinew of the party in Mendocino county as its sponsors and godfathers, and the strong right arm of the champion of the cause to nurse it, it grew and developed into a mighty organ, but not so much can be said of its local columns, as they were often left to shift for themselves, and had, too frequently to be content with the husks of " dead ads."
The Democratic Weekly Dispatch .- This journal was established in Octo- ber, 1873, by Mat. Lynch, and was known as the Independent Weekly Dispatch. It was, in politics, what its name indicated up to the date of the death of its founder, February 20, 1874. Mrs. Belle Lynch, widow of the deceased proprietor, assumed control, such being the expressed desire of her husband before his death. Shortly thereafter, the name of the paper was changed to that of the Democratic Weekly Dispatch. While it was a well conducted independent newspaper, under Mr. Mat. Lynch's management, under that of Mrs. Belle Lynch it became rich, racy and spicy, and always true to the faith of the Democratic party. March 16, 1878, Gambee & Hoffman became the proprietors. E. B. Gambee became proprietor August 2, 1878, and retained sole control till July, 1879, when C. J. Williams was associated with its publication. On the 10th of April, 1880, H. A. Pea- body and A. W. Sefton, under the firm title of Peabody & Sefton, purchased the paper, and are now laboring to build it up to that standard of excellence and influence which it should hold. Like all country newspapers, it has had its ups and downs, has won victories and met with defeats. It has had the largest circulation of any paper in the county, and that was during the pe- riod of Mrs. Lynch's reign, and it has been in as great disfavor with the pub- lic as any paper could possibly desire to be placed. Under its present man- agement it has a bright prospect before it, and will undoubtedly soon stand in the front ranks of journalism, where it rightly belongs. It is a wonderful war-horse for the Democracy, and deserves the patronage of every member of that party in the county. There is a fully equipped job office connected with this paper, and as both its proprietors are practical printers of long standing and eminent skill, good work is the natural result.
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UKIAH TOWNSHIP.
The Ukiah City Press .- This paper first threw itself upon the mercies of the public July 4, 1877, under the tutelage of its owner and projector, E. J. Handley, lately from Modesto. There had been no Republican news- paper in the county since the Herald sold out to the Mendocino Democrat. In recognizing the need of an organ and exponent of the faith that was in them, the Republicans of the county warmly welcomed the advent of the Press. Mr. Handley continued in charge of it until October, 1878, when he went East, leaving the paper in the hands of an attorney to sell, and its management in his foreman's charge. January 1, 1879, it was purchased by A. O. Carpenter, and in February Mr. Charles S. Paine became associated with him under the firm name of Carpenter & Co., since which time the Press has continued a sprightly, dignified, independent newspaper, devoted to local news and the discussion of home topics of interest, the fostering of home enterprises and the development of the industrial interests of the county. That its independence of thought, unequivocal expression of opin- ion on all leading topics is appreciated, is best made known by its subscrip- tion list and the commendation it receives alike from political friends and opponents. It has a very large bona fide circulation, which is steadily in- creasing. A fine job office is connected with it, and many tasty specimens of typographical skill have emanated from its hands.
The Mendocino County Democrat .- This paper is published in Ukiah by Alexander Montgomery. This is all we know about it, and repeated solicit- ations failed to elicit further facts.
SAW-MILLS .- The first mill built in Ukiah township was located on the Ackerman creek, about five miles north-west of Ukiah. E. Pryor put it in operation in 1859, and it continued to run till 1868. Its machinery con- sisted of a sash saw, and a set of buhrs, and its capacity was three thousand feet per day; it was driven by water. The grist machinery was taken to the Cleveland mill in Coyote valley, and the sawing apparatus to the Hatch mill in Sherwood valley.
The second saw-mill put in operation in Ukiah township was built by Stephen Holden in 1861, and was located in the cañon about two miles west of Ukiah; it was run by water-power, and had an over-shot wheel fifty feet in diameter. The saw was a sash; and the capacity of the mill was small; not being over one thousand feet daily. It was run for about three years, and the machinery was then taken to Pryor's mill.
FLOUR-MILLS .- The first grist-mill built in the township was erected by John Barham in 1858, and was located about four miles south-east of Ukiah, on Mill creek. It has at present two run of stone, and a small barley- cracker, and has a capacity of fifteen barrels every twelve hours; its power is both steam and water.
A grist-mill was run in connection with the saw-mill by E. Pryor, and was
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built in 1859. But little is known of this mill now, except that the machin- ery was subsequently taken to the mill in Coyote valley.
The present Ukiah City Mills were originally located at Calpella, and the machinery was moved to Ukiah, in 1867, by H. Wichelhausen. In 1874, William Isbell became the propropietor of the mill, and since that time great improvements have been made, and in fact the building has been almost en- tirely rebuilt. There are now two run of buhrs, and the capacity is thirty barrels every twelve hours. There is a barley-cracker which is also used for grinding corn.
UKIAH WATER-WORKS .- The water with which the City of Ukiah is sup- plied comes from a beautiful stream, which flows down out of the mountains to the westward of town. A dam is placed across the brooklet, and the water conveyed in a flume a distance of seventy-five yards, where it is de- posited in two tanks, each twenty feet long, ten feet wide and ten feet high., From thence it is conducted in mains to and through the town, and service pipes lead to the houses. The tanks are located about one mile west of the plaza, and the water has a good head on it in any part of the city. The water is most excellent for all purposes, being clear and pure, but in the summer season it is not desirable for drinking purposes, being of course quite warm. Good water is also found by digging for it.
MAXIM GAS-WORKS .- On the 23d day of February, 1872, permission was granted to the Maxim Gas Company by the Board of Supervisors to lay mains and pipes in the streets of Ukiah. The company had a capital stock of $5,000 and the shares were held at $50 each. The original machinery could supply one hundred and fifty lights, but only about one-half of that number were used. It did not prove to be a paying institution and it finally suspended, and the apparatus was purchased by a private party. The capa- city of the machinery has since been increased to two hundred and fifty lights. The gas is generated from gasoline.
UKIAH BREWERY .- This enterprise was set on foot by - Closner in 1869, and in 1875 it became the property of its present proprietor, S. Wur- tenberg. Its capacity is five barrels at one brewing, and the stock used, both barley and hops, is grown in the valley. The territory supplied by this brewery embraces the entire north-eastern portion of Mendocino county. It is put up in bottles and kegs for the market.
UKIAH CITY SCHOOLS .- The building now in use for school purposes, was erected by a joint-stock company for a seminary in 1870, but that enterprise failed for lack of patronage. The building was constructed of brick and is a very fine one, costing $12,000, originally. In 1871 the trustees of the Ukiah school-district purchased it for $9,000, including the tract of ten acres which D. Gobbi had donated to the seminary. There are four school-rooms
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in it, and it is amply sufficient for all the needs of Ukiah at present, and will be for several years to come.
UKIAH BUSINESS DIRECTORY .- Below we append a classified statement of the business interests of Ukiah City: General merchandise, eight; gro- cery stores, one; saloons, seven; shoe store, one; shoe shops, three; drug stores, two; hotels, three; restaurant, one; bakery, one; millinery stores, three; blacksmith shops, two; livery stables, four; meat markets, two; bar- ber shops, three; gunsmith, one; stove and hardware stores, two; furniture stores, two; harness shops, two; jewelry stores, two; photograph gallery one; tailors, two; wagonmakers, two; painters, two; lumber yards, two.
PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY .- Lawyers, fourteen; physicians, five; dentists, three.
THE FUTURE .- The future outlook for Ukiah is certainly flattering, and while it may not increase very fast in size its growth will be steady and substantial. The one need above all others is a railroad, which there is a strong probability will be put in operation to that point at no great distant day.
BIOGRAPHICAL
ANDERSON.
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George V. Brereton. Was born in Australia July 11, 1848, and resided there till 1860, when he came to California and settled in San Mateo county. He was engaged there in driving stage for three years. In 1869 he moved to Nevada county, and followed the same occupation .. In 1871 he went to Santa Rosa, where he continued in the stage driving business until 1877, when he came to Mendocino county and located at his present place, where he is engaged in keeping a hotel. He was married in Novem- ber, 1877, to Mrs. Mary Nolan Aurin, widow of J. W. Aurin. They have one child, Charles V., born August 22, 1878. Mrs. Brereton has two chil- dren by her former marriage.
J. D. Ball. Born in Madison county, New York, February 22, 1826. Here he resided with his parents on a farm until April, 1844, when he went to Wisconsin, where he followed farming until 1850, when he immigrated to California, crossing the plains with horse teams. He arrived in Hangtown (Placerville) in August after a four months' trip. After spending two years in the mines, Mr. Ball came to Mendocino county and settled in Anderson valley in August, 1852. He owns eight hundred acres of land about a mile north from Booneville, where he follows farming and wool-growing. For the past two years he has kept a stage station on the line running from Cloverdale to Mendocino City. Mr. Ball married, January 1, 1855, a young widow, a native of Vermont, with two children. They have eight children, four sons and four daughters.
John Gschwind. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Switzerland December 25, 1826. June 15, 1842, he landed in New York, and immediately proceeded to Illinois, and there engaged in the saw-mill business, which he followed for three years. In 1854 he went to Kansas, and in 1855 came to California across the plains with ox-teams, bringing also a band of cattle. He came direct to Mendocino county and began farming. In 1856 he erected a grist-mill in Anderson valley, and as there were no roads then all the machinery had to be packed to the mill site. He soon after added a sash saw, and finally put in a circu- lar saw and a steam engine. He built the road from Ukiah to Booneville in 1867, at a cost of $10,000. The mill was burned October 12, 1875, and since that time he has been engaged in farming, stock-raising and taking
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county contracts. In 1862 he was elected Supervisor of the First District. He was married February 24, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth Guntley, a native of Switzerland. Their children are Mary, John, Christine, Conrad, Martha, Joseph, Alfred, Elizabeth, Andrew, Thomas and Catherine.
James Preston Higgins. Was born in Jackson county, Missouri, March 23, 1842. When quite young he, with parents, moved to Tennessee, and after residing there for a short time moved to Illinois and remained till the summer of 1849, when they settled in Madison county, Iowa, and in the spring of 1850 they started across the plains to California, and after a tedious journey of seven months they reached Sacramento. After a few weeks' residence in Sacramento they proceeded to the mines and began operations at Angel Camp, and continued for two years. In 1852 they returned East via Panama to New Orleans, and from there they traveled through the State of Texas, and finally brought up in Jackson county, Missouri, where they spent the winter of 1853-4. Again in the spring of 1854 they recrossed the plains to California, and settled at Mount Diablo, where they resided till the spring of 1855, when they moved to Sanel valley, Mendocino county, where his parents still reside. In 1877 the subject of this sketch moved to his present ranch of three hundred and twenty acres, and is now engaged in getting out logs and fencing. Married Clarissa D. Andrews, January 15, 1868, who was born at Guerneville, Sonoma county, California, October 6, 1854. Their children are as follows : Sarah J., born March 6, 1870; Mary L., born October 14, 1872; Estella, born January 7, 1875; Clara, born March 2, 1877; and Carl P., born March 28, 1879.
E. M. Hiatt, Whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, March 4, 1831. When he was eleven years of age, he, with his parents, moved to Montgomery county, Missouri. Here he resided on his father's farm until he was fifteen years of age, attending the district school during the winters, when his health failed by reason of an attack of congestive chills. He then attended school until he was twenty-one years of age when he engaged in teaching until 1854. During this year he crossed the plains with ox-teams, arriving in El Dorado county in September of that year, where he was occupied in mining for three years. In 1857 he engaged in merchandising at Shingle Springs, and followed this occupation for three years. We next find him in Yolo county loaning money. He remained here in this business until 1867, when he purchased and moved to the ranch where he now resides, at Yorkville, Mendocino county. The ranch consists of one thousand five hundred and sixty acres. He is now engaged in raising sheep, farming, and loaning money. He was married November 12, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth Ledford a native of Missouri, born July 18, 1847; and by this union they have eight children: Charles M., born June 18, 1863; John W., born October 30, 1865; Theophilus L., born
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February 7, 1868; Edwin B., born March 18, 1870; Mary O., born March 3, 1872; Rosa M., born August 21, 1874; Mattie E., born July 10, 1877; Minnie E., born January 20, 1880.
Henry Oscar Irish. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Orleans county, New York, March 21, 1819, and was the oldest son of Perry and Amanda Farwell Irish. At the age of fifteen he apprenticed himself to learn the painter's trade, serving three years at it. He then followed his trade in his native county till 1847, when he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked at his trade till 1852. April 17th of that year he left Chicago and started across the plains for California with ox-teams, and they arrived in Placerville October 15th. He began mining at that place, which business he continued till September, 1856. He then came to Mendocino county and settled on the Mal Paso ranch, and there embarked in stock-raising, which business he continued till 1866. He then moved to Anderson valley and there combined farming and stock- raising, which business he still continues. June 14, 1849, he married Miss Frances, daughter of George and Catherine Mercer Martin, born in Genesee county, New York, November 9, 1830. Their children are : Eugene H., born June 16, 1856; Edwin A., born January 15, 1859; Helen F., born April 22, 1861; Carrie E., born November 15, 1863; Perry M., born November 14, 1865; Frank W., born February 8, 1868; Willie W., born May 16, 1871 ; John W., born March 5, 1873; Ida May, born September 14, 1876.
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