USA > California > Mendocino County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 103
USA > California > Lake County > History of Mendocino and Lake counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading, men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 103
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GEORGE W. RICHARDSON .- One of the largest and best equipped garages in Mendocino county is the Ukiah Garage, owned and conducted by John Snow and George W. Richardson, whose thorough knowledge of ma- chinery and whose skill as an electrician have aided him in becoming well versed in the handling of every make of automobile that comes to his place of business. Ambitious and eager to become independent he has made it his business to perfect his knowledge of his chosen work and to install in his shop every facility for handling the work, which coupled with a keen sense of integrity and good business tact have brought him the place of prominence he holds in the business circle of Ukiah today.
Mr. Richardson is a native of Illinois, born March 13, 1869, in Kankakee, where he attended the public school and later was given a course of two years' instruction in a private school. From a young boy he evinced a close interest in machinery and he was anxious as he grew older to become an engineer. With this in view he took a course in engineering, which he completed, and
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then entered a machine shop in order to gain a practical knowledge of every detail, remaining there for three years. It was in 1894 that Mr. Richardson made his way to Mendocino county, Cal .. where for a time he worked in different mines as engineer, his first position as engineer being in Angels Camp. Calaveras county, and later in other camps in that vicinity. Later he became engineer for the city electric light plant in Ukiah, a position which he filled until 1903, when he moved to Willits, Mendocino county, to enter the employ of N. W. Redwood Company as machinist. During this service he decided that there was a good opening in this vicinity for a garage in Willits and relinquishing his position with the N. W. Redwood Company he opened an automobile shop and garage which immediately proved a splendid under- taking. Six years later he sold out and returned to Ukiah to open a garage with John Snow, and this has been their place of business since 1909.
To share his life's success Mr. Richardson wedded in Ukiah, February 6, 1901. Miss Virginia Snow, who was a native of Tuskaloosa county, Ala., and together they have enjoyed the happy experience of many well-wishing friends and acquaintances. In fraternal circles a member of Willits Lodge No. 365. F. & A. M., he is popular and interested in its welfare, and in politics follows the principles of the Republican party.
WILLIAM ARCHIBALD CAMERON is the son of Judge George Cam- eron, who was one of the early settlers of Mendocino county and justice of the peace at Navarro, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in the work. Wil- liam Archibald was born at the old home at Navarro, June 13, 1887, and was there reared and received his education in the public schools. After complet- ing his studies he determined to learn the machinist's trade and with that end in view entered the machine shop of the Union Lumber Company at Ft. Bragg. Afterwards he completed the trade in the machine shop of the Albion Lumber Company at Albion. On the completion of his trade in 1907 he continued working at the trade with the company until 1913. when he was made master mechanic of the company, a position he is filling ably and cred- itably.
The marriage of William A. Cameron occurred in San Francisco, April 19, 1914, when he was united with Miss Ida Fry, a native daughter born in Westport, Mendocino county. It is young men like Mr. Cameron having ability and tact and a determination to succeed in their respective callings, who are making Mendocino county forge ahead in its various industries, and his example is one that other young men might well emulate.
PHILIP O'NEAL .- Since 1851 Philip O'Neal has been a resident of California, and of Lake county since 1889. He was born at White Sulphur Springs. Miss., May 4, 1848. His father, Col. John W. O'Neal, was a native of Alabama and came of Scotch-Irish descent. He was for many years the proprietor of the old St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans. In 1849 he came to San Francisco, but soon afterward located in Stockton, where he was pro- prietor of the Edwards Hotel. During his residence at Stockton he was sheriff of San Joaquin county for ten years. His wife was in maidenhood Eveline Victoria Torry, born in Alabama, and both died in San Francisco.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. O'Neal were the parents of eight children, of whom Phil was the oldest. He came with his mother via Panama to San Francisco in 1851. His education was received at Santa Clara college, where he was a classmate of Lawyer Delmas, Gus Bowie and Dr. Hyde. After leaving col- lege Phil O'Neal traveled in various states and finally chose Lake county as
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the most desirable location for a home. In 1889 he came to Kelseyville and purchased one hundred and twenty acres on the Summit, where he set out an orchard of seven acres. Some years afterwards he purchased seventy acres on Dobie creek, where he set out a vineyard of ten acres. He still owns and operates both places and finds a market for the fruit locally, selling it to the different resorts and towns. The splendid improvements on his places repre- sent much hard work and energy expended but he feels well repaid by the returns in bountiful crops.
In San Francisco in 1875 occurred the marriage of Mr. O'Neal and Mary Lydia Perry, who was a native of Boston, Mass., and whose death occurred in March, 1913. Politically Mr. O'Neal is a strong Democrat.
ALLEN DAVIDSON .- The genealogical records of the Davidson family show that several successive generations inhabited that part of Scotland lying close to the English border. The first to establish the name in the new world was George, who brought his wife and three children to New York state dur- ing the first half of the nineteenth century, settling near Delhi, Delaware county. where he remained on a farm until his death. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Dunn, was likewise a native of the English border of Scotland and died in New York. Of their eleven children who at- tained maturity five are still living. Three of the sons were soldiers in the Civil war, namely: George, now of Delhi, who served in the Seventy-second New York Infantry under General Sickles; John, who enlisted in the Eighty- fourth New York Infantry, and died from wounds received in an engagement near Suffolk, Va .; and Thomas, who enlisted in the One Hundred Forty- fourth New York Infantry and was killed in the battle of Honey Hill. The seventh in order of birth among the eleven children was Allen, born at the home farm near Delhi, N. Y., April 9. 1844, and reared on the same farm to a knowledge of the details of agriculture. When his older brothers went to the front as volunteers in the Union service he remained on the farm and assisted in the maintenance of the family. It was not until 1867 that he was free to follow his own inclinations as to choice of a permanent location and he then came via Panama to California, where he found employment in dairying at Petaluma, Sonoma county.
A first experience as to Mendocino county and Little Lake valley came to Mr. Davidson in 1870, when he embarked in the stock business in this locality. Returning to his old home at Delhi he there married, September 28. 1871. Miss Jennie Williamson, a native of Meredith, Delaware county, and a daughter of David Williamson, a farmer, born in Scotland. The young couple came at once to California and settled on a dairy ranch near Petaluma. Dur- ing the fall of 1872 they came to Mendocino county, where Mr. Davidson continued in the stock business for a year. With 1873 he again took up dairying, this time at Two Rock. The drove of stock was continued on the range near Willits and in 1876 he returned to take charge of the business. The following year he located a claim five miles west of Willits, where he established a home and gradually replaced the herd of cattle with a flock of sheep, finding the latter a more profitable line of industry. In time he was able to buy out his partner and purchase adjacent land, but ultimately he sold the ranch. At this writing he owns a stock ranch of seventeen hundred and sixty acres four miles west of Willits. The entire tract is fenced and is well watered by springs and two creeks. The raising of hay is a leading line of labor, but the special feature of the work is the raising of merino sheep,
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of which he now has nine hundred head. There are also now forty head of cattle on the ranch. When the California Western Railroad & Navigation Company built a line through to Fort Bragg it crossed his place and a station was established on the ranch, thus making it convenient for the shipment of stock.
Retiring from the management of the ranch in 1906 and establishing a home in Willits, Mr. Davidson since has engaged as a director in the Willits Realty Company and is also a stockholder in the Bank of Willits. During 1910 he and his wife enjoyed a visit back to New York and a renewal of the friendships of early life near the old home in Delaware county, while the pleasure of the trip was increased by a tour of the east both interesting and comprehensive, but that sent them back to California glad that destiny had planted their permanent home in the land beside the sunset sea. Of their three children the eldest. George M., and the youngest, Mrs. Mabel Brown, live in Willits. The second. Marshall, who married Bessie Shaffer and is the father of three sons, Howard, Wilbur and Donald, has occupied and super- intended the ranch west of Willits ever since the retirement of his father from arduous agricultural cares. In politics Mr. Davidson is a Republican. Years ago he was made a Mason in Willits Lodge No. 365, F. & A. M., of which he is past master, and he is also worthy patron of Willits Chapter No. 314. Order of the Eastern Star, with which both he and his wife are promi- nently connected.
JOHN THOMAS HAM .- While passing practically all of his life in California and all but the first twenty-two years within the limits of Men- docino county, Mr. Ham claims Missouri as his native commonwealth and was born May 12, 1847, being three years of age at the time the family crossed the plains with a party of emigrants. The memories of childhood cluster largely around Eldorado county and he recalls the appearance of Hangtown with its great throngs of gold seekers, its crude buildings and frontier en- vironment. In those days it was customary to pay as high as $26 for a fifty-pound sack of flour, and other groceries were proportionately expensive. From the age of fourteen he was self-supporting, his first work being for ranchers and his later employment taking him to placer mines. During 1865 he left Eldorado county for San Francisco, where he obtained a position in a machine shop, continuing there for three years. The year 1869 found him in Mendocino county, where at first he was variously employed in different departments of the Reese Lumber Company. Leaving the mill in 1870, he contracted to keep the toll-road in repair. In 1871 he became cook in the Bear river lodging camp. Leaving the camp in 1873, he took a similar posi- tion at the cook-house of Silas Coombs, and continued in the role of chef for three years.
The first association of Mr. Ham with the sheep industry dates back to the spring of 1876, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Round valley and embarked in stock-raising. The success of the work necessitated a larger tract. By successive purchases he added to the original acreage until he now owns twenty-five hundred acres of range land, which since his retire- ment from farming in 1910 has been leased to others. As a result of his long and intelligent devotion to his chosen occupation he is in a position to enjoy every comfort and may pass his declining years happily and without financial anxiety in his pleasant home at Covelo. Although he has been successful as a sheep-raiser it is not to be inferred that he met with no discouragements.
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Every occupation has its hardships, every business its handicap, and the sheep industry is perhaps even more subject to misfortune than many other lines of enterprise. The severe winters often caused Mr. Ham a heavy loss. A late spring often caused the loss of many a lamb. Unseasonable weather at one time and another has cost him heavily, yet taken altogether the business was profitable and his intelligent management brought a merited reward. With all of his own work, which necessarily demanded the closest attention, he yet found leisure to aid in local enterprises and was particularly helpful in the building of good roads through the county. All through his voting history he has given his ballot to Democratic principles and candidates and has been a warm supporter of that party.
DAVID MILLAR .- Although born and reared in Mendocino county, Cal., and having passed his entire lifetime within the kindly confines of the Golden State. David Millar still carries within himself something of the flavor of the rugged strength of the Highland heath which was the home of his fore- bears. Much of his life has been spent in the open, with the benign in- fluence of trees and sky, wind and rain, rather than in the haunts of men where human passions run hot, and human greed mars human love and kind- ness. And this may account in part for this same flavor of the Highlands, for the ancient Scot knew little of the confines of dwelling and even less of the bustle, confusion and strife of cities.
The family home of the Millars for many years was at Dundee, Scot- land, and here both George Millar, the father of David, and his maternal grandfather, David Leslie, were born and reared. One of the sons of David Leslie, a venturesome lad of the same name and for whom the present resi- dent of Fort Bragg is named, came to California in an early day. He sailed around Cape Horn on a tramp sailing vessel, and after many weeks reached San Francisco. Later he served as an officer on the Kibesillah reservation His reports to the home folks of the opportunities on the coast were so glow- ing that his brother-in-law, George Millar, finally determined to follow him. This he did, and soon after his wife and one child joined him, and he located at Ten Mile River. Mr. Millar had been a foreman in a cloth factory in Dundee, and on his arrival had no difficulty in securing employment in the lumber and planing mills, his knowledge of machinery and men making him valuable far above the average. He was first fireman for the Little River Lumber Company for seventeen years, and later was engineer for the Little Valley Lumber Company at Cleone, with whom he remained until the time of his retirement, after which he resided at Inglenook until his death. His wife, the mother of George, was Mary Ann Leslie, also a native of Scotland. She died in San Francisco, having survived her husband for a brief period. She was the mother of seven children, of whom five are still living. Of these David was the eldest, born June 13, 1873, at Ten Mile River, about six miles north of Fort Bragg. David was reared on the coast, his boyhood being spent principally in Mendocino county, and his education being secured in the public schools of his district. When he reached the age of fourteen years. however, he left school and went to work in the woods for the Little River Lumber Company. He remained with them for two years and then for one year was in the employ of the Rockport Lumber Company, after which for a period of three years he was with the Mendocino Lumber Company. Later he went to Usal for the Usal Lumber Company. During this entire time the young Millar had been making a thorough and careful study of the lum- 46
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ber industry and by this time had mastered it in all its details, knowing the business from beginning to end with the thoroughness of a veteran.
In 1900 Mr. Millar entered the employ of the Little Valley Lumber Com- pany and remained with them until some two years later, when they were absorbed by the Union Lumber Company, since which time he has been in the service of this latter company. For the past fifteen years he has been engaged in building wharves and wire chutes at the shipping points, and in addition he has the entire charge of all wharves, chutes and moorings for this company.
Mr. Millar was married to Miss Ora Orr in Santa Rosa, March 25, 1898. She is the daughter of James H. and Elmira (Anderson) Orr, and was born at Usal, Mendocino county. Her mother was a native of Missouri and crossed the plains with her parents when she was a small child. Her father was born in 1849 and likewise crossed the plains with his parents when still a mere lad. Her grandfather, Samuel Orr, was a well known California pioneer of Mendocino county. James H. Orr located Orr Springs as a claim, and im- proved it, building the Orr Springs Hotel, which has become very popular and of which he continued as proprietor and manager until he sold out sev- eral years ago. Mrs. Orr died recently at Ten Mile River and since that time Mr. Orr has made his home at Noyo. Mr. and Mrs. Orr were the parents of five children, of whom four are now living. Mrs. Millar was reared at Ukiah, and received her education in the public schools of Mendocino county.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Millar are popular in social circles in Fort Bragg, and are active in the fraternal orders of which they are members. Mr. Mil- lar is a member of Fort Bragg lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which latter he is also past chief patriarch. He is also a member of the Santana Tribe, No. 60, I. O. R. M., while Mrs. Millar is a member of the Rebekahs and of the Order of Pocahontas. In all mat- ters of civic interest Mr. Millar is prominent, and there is no movement for the betterment of the city but meets with his loyal support. In 1914 he was elected a member of the board of city trustees, and is serving with ability and devotion to the city's welfare.
IRA THOMPSON was born at Cuffeys Cove, Mendocino county, May 26. 1879, and is the fifth oldest of seven children born to Harlow H. and Althea ( Miller) Thompson, natives of Washington county, Maine. The father was born in 1847 and in 1864 enlisted in Company H, Fifteenth Main Vol- unteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. In May. 1875, the family removed to Cuffeys Cove, Mendocino county, where he was in the employ of different lumber companies. His wife died in Greenwood in 1888 and he now makes his home with his son Ira, where he is surrounded by many comforts and is enjoying the afternoon of his existence.
Ira Thompson grew to manhood at Cuffeys Cove and received his edu- cation in the public schools. When fourteen years of age he went to work in the Greenwood mill of the L. E. White Lumber Company, tallying lumber for the 1x4 planer at $10 per month for a few months. Then he went into the woods as water boy at $20 per month. Coming to Fort Bragg he worked two years in the woods for the Union Lumber Company. Next we find him at Bear Harbor braking on logging trains for a period of three years, when he returned to Fort Bragg as donkey boss for the Union Lumber Company for three years. He then determined to engage in business for himself and
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in partnership with his brother, Arthur, started in the livery business in West- port, and since that time they have been partners in all their undertakings. After three years of business success in Westport he sold out and bought the Switzer stable in Fort Bragg, but a year later they sold it, having pur- chased a ranch of four hundred acres at Kibesilah, which he farmed a while and then leased. Meantime, in January, 1909, they bought the old Alf Howard place, about four miles north of Westport, where Mr. Thompson now resides, and from which point he superintends his many interests. The ranch embraces over seventeen hundred acres, on which they engage in farm- ing and stockraising, and where they are making ties on contract, also engag- ing in shipping, teaming, general contracting and heavy hauling. They also own a tan bark ranch. In the stock business they make a specialty of raising short horn Durham cattle and Rambouilet Shropshire sheep, of which they have some splendid specimens.
The marriage of Mr. Thompson occurred in Westport. November 25, 1905, when he was united with Miss Kate Young, who was born in Potter Valley, Mendocino county, the daughter of T. L. and Emma Young, early settlers of Mendocino county. The father was a teacher in the Little Lake district school. Of the union of Ira and Kate (Young) Thompson, there is one son, Horace. By a former marriage Mr. Thompson has a daughter, Elthea. Always interested in the cause of education and desirous of having good schools, he is serving as a trustee of Rowena school district. Politically he is a Progressive Republican and fraternally is an Odd Fellow. Mr. Thomp- son is a very enterprising and liberal man and can always be counted on to aid all movements that have for their object the upbuilding of the community and enhancing and bettering of conditions generally.
J. RIDLEY NOTT, M. D .- Professional skill and humanitarian prin- ciples have characterized the connection of Dr. Nott with Lake county, where he is known to the entire population as a pioneer physician, being in fact in point of continuous residence, the oldest doctor in Lakeport. Descended from English ancestors who were honored and influential in various walks of life, he was born at Great Malvern, Worcestershire, England, April 11, 1860, and is a son of the late James and Patience (Winnow) Nott. lifelong residents of Great Britain. Ten children formed the family and of these three sons and six daughters attained mature years, the doctor having been fourth in order of birth. Through his mother he traces his lineage to a gallant young Norman who accompanied William the Conqueror to England and after the conquest was donated allotments of land that gave him and his descendants rank with the aristocracy of the country. The mother died in England at the age of about seventy-six. The father, who passed away in 1902. was a man of exceptional ability. Not only did he possess the business insight which enabled him to amass a competency as a wholesale grocer, but in addi- tion he had literary talent and under the nom de plume of Aldwynus Mal- verniensis contributed to the local press, besides becoming the author of a number of books. With a love of research that made him a student in many different lines of thought, he especially excelled in his knowledge of antiquities and through his writings he gained a wide reputation as an antiquarian. A deep love for his chosen community and a thorough knowledge of its religious history led him to give lectures on such subjects as "Malvern's Monk." "The Stained Glass of Malvern's Abbey" and "The Church and Monastery of Great Malvern." A series of articles on the "Vision of Peers Plowman"
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brought him into popularity with a thoughtful class of readers. Nor was he less popular as a temperance advocate, writer and lecturer, and some of his contributions, among them the "Temperance Song of the Shirt" and the "Story of the Water Cure" were widely quoted by workers in the cause of prohibition.
Educated at private schools at Scarborough and successful in passing the Cambridge examinations at the age of sixteen, J. Ridley Nott thereafter spent some time in travel through Ireland, Scotland and England, and meantime registered at the Royal Medical Colleges of Edinburgh. At the age of twenty- one he came to the United States and took the entire course of lectures in the medical department of the University of Maryland, from which he re- ceived the degree of M. D. Returning to Edinburgh, he completed his med- ical course at the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, from which in 1887 he received the degrees of M. R. C. P., M. R. C. S., and M. F. C. & P. After traveling through France and Africa and visiting the Canary Islands with a desire to study the different forms of leprosy, he next toured in the West Indies and thence came via Panama to San Francisco in 1888. For eight years he practiced at San Luis Obispo, where he met and married Miss Lottie Laird, the daughter of H. S. Laird, then the leading architect at San Luis Obispo. By this marriage there are three daughters, Patience, Pauline and Felicia. After three years of practice at Salinas, Monterey county, in 1899 the doctor came to Lakeport, where he has since practiced, having been for eighteen months of the period in partnership with Dr. C. W. Kel- logg, now of Bakersfield. In 1911 he was chosen county physician and has since filled the office. In Lakeport he owns an office building on Main street and a residence which he has remodeled, while between Lakeport and Upper Lake he owns forty acres largely planted to walnuts. Reared in the faith of the Church of England, he has connected himself with the Episcopal Church since coming to the United States and has reflected in his own experi- ences the dignity and sincerity of that faith. A friend of the people and a believer in co-operation for the common good, he has wielded an influence in Lake county that is not limited to professional service, but extends into every sphere of humanitarian activities.
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