USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino County, California : comprising its geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber > Part 76
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John P. Smith. Was born in Hickman county, Tennessee, June 20, 1827. In 1836 he, with his parents, moved into Morgan county, Illinois, where John P. received his education and resided on a farm until February 12, 1852, when he took passage for California, via Panama, arriving at San Francisco July 14, 1852. He went at once to Sutter county where he fol- lowed farming and teaming for two years, after which he continued the same business in Yuba county one year. He then moved to Solano county and engaged in dairying, farming, and speculating in stock, until September, 1857, when he came to Mendocino county and bought a claim of two hun- dred acres, which took in a part of the present site of Ukiah. In February, 1861, he, having disposed of this claim, moved to Point Arena, where he engaged in teaming until the fall of 1866, when he commenced farming about ten miles below Ukiah, where he remained about one and one-half years. He then moved to Ukiah, where he engaged in stable-keeping and speculating. In October, 1879, he settled where he now lives about one mile below Ukiah. Mr. Smith has served two terms as Supervisor of the county. He married, March 4, 1849, Miss Mary A. Henderson, a native of Ohio, born March 27, 1830, and by this union they have had the following children: George R., born November 29, 1849, and died January 22, 1850; Sarah E., born July 17, 1851, and died February 19, 1861; Charles P., born December 28, 1853; John H., born February 14, 1856; Mary J., born Jau- uary 13, 1858; Emma E., born March 13, 1860; Martha C., born January 14, 1863; Howard and Helen, born March 8, 1865; Olive L., born August 1, 1867; Nellie M., born November 8, 1870; Minnie G., born August 23, 1874.
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HISTORY OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
J. H. Seawell. The subject of this sketch was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, on the 22d day of November, 1847. He came to the State of California in 1853, and with his father's family settled in Napa county. In 1865, he entered the Pacific Methodist College, from which institution he graduated in 1870, being the first in his class. After teaching school a short time in Napa county, he removed to Mendocino county in 1871, and thereafter was for several years principal of the Ukiah public school. He was elected county Superintendent of public schools of Mendocino county, in 1873, without opposition, and served for two years. At the expiration of his term of office as County Superintendent, he was appointed Under-Sheriff of Mendocino county by Sheriff Moore, and served in that capacity for four years. He was nominated for State Senator from the twenty-seventh Sen- atorial district in 1879, but declined to be a candidate. Was married in the year 1873. He is now a student at law.
A. W. Sefton. Was born at Norwalk, Ohio, on the 16th day of November, 1839. When six years of age he removed with his parents to Ashland county, where he remained until his twelfth year, at which time, having become seized with a desire to see something of the world, he suddenly left his home, without money or clothing other than that which he had on, and made his way to Michigan, where he remained for one year working in the woods. He then returned to Ohio, and apprenticed himself to the print- ing business, serving four and a half years in the office of the Ashland Union, and graduated with a fair knowledge of the "art preservative." The next four years were spent at working at the case in various cities along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, principally at Cincinnati and St. Louis. In the spring of 1860, with a partner, he established a paper at Montgomery City, Missouri, called the Pioneer Gazette, supporting John C. Breckinridge, for the Presidency. Although an ultra Democrat, he was opposed to the seces- sion movement, and shortly after the attack upon Fort Sumpter, was forced to quit his home. He then drifted to Chicago, where he soon after entered the army, enlisting in the eighth Illinois Cavalry Regiment. He served with his regiment in the Army of the Potomac until the battle of Antietam, in 1862, when he was disabled from further field duty, and was placed on detached service. In 1864, just before the close of the war, he was married to Miss Elenor P. Hall, at Brooklyn, New York, and shortly after quit the service, returning to his old business. From that time until 1871 he held the position of foreman in several large daily newspaper offices in the West and East, when he suddenly, in consequence of sickness in his family, determined to remove to California, which he did in the fall of that year. He located on this coast at Santa Barbara, taking charge of the Press as foreman. In July, 1872, he commenced the publication of the Santa Barbara Index, advocating the claims of Greeley. Being offered the position of business manager of the Press, the following year, he disposed
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of his interest in the Index, and took charge of the former, where he remained until the election of Irwin, in 1875, when he removed to Sacramento, taking charge of the job department of the State Printing Office, which position he held until the change in the State administration in January, 1880. In that month he made his first trip into Mendocino county, for the purpose of looking up a field in which to engage in the newspaper business. At that time negotiations were opened for the purchase, in connection with Mr. H. A. Peabody, of one of the Democratic papers published in Ukiah, which culminated in securing the Democratic Weekly Dispatch, the new firm taking possession on the 10th of April, 1880. He is the father of eight children, all boys, five of whom are still alive.
Frederick O. Townsend, Whose portrait appears in this book, is a native of New York, born August 26, 1832. When a child his father moved to St. John, New Brunswick, and engaged in lumbering. In 1851 the subject of this sketch, in company with his brother, Elmer A., came to California, via Panama, arriving in San Francisco in November of the above year. He and brother went to El Dorado county, and there mined for one year; thence to Carson river, Nevada, where they purchased cattle and horses of the emigrants. In the fall of 1852 they took their stock to Solana county; and soon after they disposed of the stock in San Francisco, and returned to Nevada in the spring of 1853. In the following fall they returned to Solano county with a much larger drove, which they disposed of as before, with the exception of some young stock which they retained, and stocked a ranch of about three thousand acres, which they located in the Montezuma Hills of Solano county. They then engaged in mining on the Cosumnes river, in El Dorado county, where they constructed a ditch eight miles in length, for the purpose of facilitating their mining operations, but it proved a losing investment. They retained their interest in the mines and in Solano for about ten years. During this time the subject of this memoir made a trip East; and the brother, Elmer, died in Sacramento in the spring of 1862. In 1861 he purchased five thousand head of cattle in San Joaquin valley ; and during the same year he purchased one thousand acres of land near Collinsville, Solano county, which he stocked with sheep. In 1864 he disposed of his sheep; and in 1866 he disposed of his ranch. In 1864 he sustained a heavy loss - about one-half of his band of cattle died from the effects of drought; and in 1868 he sold the balance of the herd. During the years of 1867 and 1868 he owned a ranch on the Sacramento river, eight miles below Sacramento, in Yolo county, but sold it in 1869. In 1864 Mr. Townsend came to this county, and dealt in live stock, buying and shipping to San Francisco. On June 24, 1868, he, in company with R. S. Carey, bought a tract of fifteen thousand acres of grazing land, located between the south and middle forks of Eel river; five hundred acres of
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which is good farming land. They have from eight to ten thousand head of sheep, and about two hundred head of cattle. In 1873 Mr. Townsend changed his residence to this county, where he has since resided in Ukiah. Mr. Townsend was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention that convened at Sacramento in the winter of 1877-8. He married, in 1864, Mary F. Marshall, a native of Missouri. Elmer A. and Sallie R., are the names of their children.
Allen W. Thompson. Was born in Paris, Monroe county, Missouri, March 16, 1846, hence he is thirty-four years old. He is the youngest son of Elder Thomas Thompson, who was one of the pioneer preachers on this coast of the Christian Church. The subject of this sketch came to this State in the year 1849, and has resided here continuously since. He came to Mendocino county in the year 1872. He was married to Miss Jennie McCray, eldest daughter of William H. McCray of Cloverdale, Sonoma county, California. Three children have been born to them, one dead and two living. Received his first appointment of Postmaster at Ukiah under the administration of President Grant and the second under the administra- tion of President Hayes, and during his term of office the post-office at Ukiah, owing to the natural increase of business and his careful supervision, has been raised from a fourth to a third-class office.
John G. Whelan. Born in Livingston county, New York, May 7, 1849. Here he learned the trade of painting. In 1862 he went to Michigan, where he followed sign-painting for one year. He then spent six years as a commercial traveler. In 1875 he came to California and engaged in the saloon business in Santa Rosa, Sonoma county, where he remained until the spring of#1876, when he went to Skaggs' Springs. Here he clerked in a hotel until the fall of 1876. He then returned to Santa Rosa and engaged in his former business, which he continued until 1877, when he came to Mendocino county and opened the resort known as " Whelan's Sample Rooms," located in Ukiah, south side of the plaza. Here he has since remained. Mr. Whelan married, August 4, 1878, Mrs. Lena Wadsworth, a native of Michigan.
William H. White. Born in London, June 1, 1817. Here he learned the tailor's trade, and at the age of twenty-one he went to Havre de Grace, France, where he followed his trade until 1848. He then returned to Lon- don, where he remained about two months, then spent about the same time in Liverpool, after which he took the steamer Sarah Sand for New York, where he arrived in November, 1848. Here he followed his trade until December, 1849, when he shipped on board a Pacific Mail steamer as second steward, booked for California. Coming via Panama he arrived at San Francisco in January or February, 1850. In February, 1851, he returned via Panama to New York, where he followed his trade until 1856, when he
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once more crossed the Isthmus and arrived at San Francisco in June. After spending a few weeks in the mines he returned to San Francisco and shipped on board the steamer Sonora, plying between San Francisco and Panama, under Capt. Richard Whitney, as steward. This he followed one year, after which he opened a tailor-shop in San Francisco, which he conducted about eighteen months, when he was broken up by a robbery. He then, in com- pany with a hunter, came to Sonoma county, where he engaged in making buckskin clothing and gloves for about three months, and then came to Mendocino county and followed the same business in Walker valley about nine months. After this he spent about two years at Calpella in the same business. We next find him at Ukiah, where he followed tailoring until 1861, when he moved and opened a shop at Mendocino City, where he remained until June, 1866, when he returned to New York and got his wife and daughter, and returned to this county in July and settled in Ukiah, where he is still engaged in tailoring. Married, June 16, 1836, Miss Sarah Stone, a native of London. She died August 25, 1868, leaving two chil- dren. He married again December 1, 1874, Miss Puralla W. Haskell, a native of Maine. By this marriage they have one child.
J. L. Wilson. Born in Grant county, Wisconsin, April 19, 1850. When he was ten years of age, he, with parents, crossed the plains to Cali- fornia. They came in a large train, being one mile in length. After a five months' journey, they arrived in Butte county, in September. They settled at Hamilton, where the father engaged in farming for four years, during which time Jerry attended district school. In May, 1864, they moved to Plumas county, where the father followed farming and mining until his death, which occurred in June, 1867. In October, 1868, the family, con- sisting of the mother and four children, came to this county and stopped about six weeks in Potter valley; then settled in Dixon, Solano county, where they remained until September, 1869, when they returned to this county, and settled in Ukiah, where they have since resided. At this time the subject of this sketch entered the printing office, which business he fol- lowed about two years, when he was appointed Under-Sheriff of Mendocino county, under D. C. Crockett. This office he held about eight months, and until the expiration of D. C. Crockett's term of office; then in company with A. B. Meacham, opened a book and fancy goods store. He also had charge of the School Superintendent's office, under J. M. Covington. This continued until June, 1873, when he sold his interest in the store to his part- ner, and also discontinued his connection in the Superintendent's office. In September, 1873, he was elected Constable, and about the same time was appointed Deputy Clerk, which office he also filled. He was appointed under H. J. Abbott, and in March, 1874, was re-appointed under C. A. Irvine, which he held until March, 1876. In September, 1875, he was elected
43
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HISTORY OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
to the office of County Clerk, consequently took charge of the office at the expiration of Irvine's term in March, 1876. He was re-elected in September, 1877, his term expiring March 1, 1880, since which time he has been acting as Deputy Clerk under W. L. Bransford. Married, February 22, 1874, Miss Mary F. Siddons of Ukiah, a native of Sonoma county. They have one child, Mary E. His wife died September 6, 1880, of typhoid fever.
Archibald Yell. Was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, May 15, 1857. In 1864 he went to Texas, and in 1865 he returned to Tennessee, and thence to Lynchburg, Virginia. He returned to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1866, and his widowed mother was married while here, and moved to Nashville, taking the subject of this sketch with her. While here he attended the Edgefield Male Academy for four years, and entered the University of Nashville in 1871, graduating in 1875, after which he attended the Van- derbilt University a short time. He then commenced the study of law with W. G. & M. M. Brien, Jr., attorneys, at Nashville. He was admitted to practice in 1877, and in June of that year he came to California. After practicing a short time in Santa Rosa, Sonoma county, he came to Mendo- cino county, and not finding a good opening at Ukiah, he located at Mendo- cino City, where he resided till 1879, when he was elected on the Demo- cratic ticket to the office of District Attorney. He then took up his abode at Ukiah, where he still resides, faithfully discharging the duties of his office. Mr. Yell is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, District Attorney in the State, and he fills the position with more than ordinary ability.
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Hon. J. B. Lamar, Whose portrait appears in this work, is a native of Bibb county, Georgia, and is now in his 53d year. His parental ancestors were French Huguenots, and his mother was a daughter of Colonel Miner Winn, who was a patriot soldier of the Revolutionary War. Winsboro, South Carolina, takes its name from and was founded by his family. Judge Lamar's boyhood was mostly passsd in Chatanooga county, near the Lookout Mountain. He completed his scholastic course at the Gurnnette Institute; commenced the study of law at cighteen years of age, and was admitted to practice in all the courts of Georgia at the age of twenty. He left Georgia in the winter of 1848, and embarked at New Orleans for Vera Cruz, traveling through Mexico to Mazatlan, where he took passage on the brig Antonie, arriving in San Francisco April 24, 1849. After a brief sojourn in San Francisco he went into the northern mines. In 1855 he settled in Ukiah valley, Mendocino county. In 1857 he married Miss Anderson, of Anderson valley. By this union four children are now living: Fannie, Walter, Basil, and Leeta. Mr. Lamar was elected to the Legislature of 1859, and during that session introduced the Bill organizing Mendocino county; and the following year represented Mendocino county in the Assembly. In 1867 he was elected County Judge, which position he held four years. In 1876 he removed to Oakland and commenced the practice of law in San Francisco. During the four years preceding the 1st of August last he held the position of attorney for the Board of State Harbor Com- missioners. A political change occurring this year, whereby a majority of the Board were Republicans, Mr. Lamar was retired to make room for a Republican successor. Judge Lamar has been unwavering in his fidelity to the Democratic party and its principles; and his name and voice have become familiar in every portion of the State as a pleasing and effective orator. As a member of the San Francisco Bar he occupies an honorable position, and is the peer of its ablest lawyers.
L. E. White. Was born in Prescott, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, October 25, 1828. After residing in various localities with his parents, they, in 1841, settled in Lewis county, New York, where young White
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HISTORY OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
remained till 1848, receiving his education in the meantime at the Whites- borough Seminary and the Lowville Academy. On December 28, 1848, he went to New York City, and with thirty-four others chartered the brig Henrico, and sailed to Chagres; at Panama they took passage on the bark John Ritson, and after a voyage of ninety-five days arrived at San Francisco, May 18, 1849. He, in company with twelve others, immediately started for the mines in a whale-boat for which they paid $300, which they disposed of at Rodgers' ferry on the Tuolumne river. They then proceeded to Sparks' ferry, and from there to the mines. In August of that year, on account of sickness he returned to San Francisco, and thence proceeded to the San Geronimo Ranch, in Marin county, and engaged in stock-raising, where he remained till 1855. He then spent two years at Corte Madera, when he went to the Lagunitas, where he remained six months. He then took his cattle and drove them to Big River township in 1858, residing on Clift's hill for three years. In August, 1861, he went to Albion and began mer- chandising, in which business he continued till October, 1868, when he went to San Francisco, where he has since been in business, retaining, however, interests in Mendocino county, notably the Salmon Creek Railroad, of which he is one of the principal stockholders. He was married, July 16, 1850, to Miss Jane Sheridan. Their children are: Nellie, now Mrs. Frank Stewart, and William H.
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