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 113
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 113
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Making his way gradually westward, Mr. Seman arrived in Salmon Creek, Mendocino county, in the fall of 1880, and entered the employ of Carl White, of Whitesboro, and remained with him for eighteen months. Soon after- wards he came to Mendocino City to accept a position with Jacob Stauer as blacksmith, and continued with him for four years. The next four years were spent working at his trade for the Mendocino Lumber Company. He then purchased a half interest with his former employer, Jacob Stauer, and together they continued in business until 1893, when Mr. Stauer died. Mr. Seman then purchased his interest from the estate and has since been engaged in black- smithing and wagonmaking for himself. He owns the shop and building, which gives him ample room, and is equipped with modern machinery, gas engine for power, lathes and hammers. Besides his residence and two acres he owns other residence property in Mendocino.
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The marriage of Mr. Seman occurred in Mendocino in 1883, uniting him with Miss Rosa Brenthen, also born in Germany, and to them have been born four children : Emil, Jr .; Lena, Mrs. Baumgardner, of Mendocino; Sina, a teacher in this county; and Bertha, attending the Mendocino high school. Emil, Jr., is a blacksmith and assists his father in the business. Fraternally Mr. Seman is a member of Stella Lodge No. 213, I. O. O. F., as well as the encampment. He is an ardent Republican in politics and with his wife is a member of the Catholic Church.
GEORGE A. DANIELS, who has been a resident of California since 1876, is a member of the firm of Boyd & Daniels. He is a native of Maine, born at Ellsworth August 23, 1858, the descendant of old Colonial and Revo- lutionary stock. His father, John W. Daniels, served in the United States navy during the Civil war, after which he followed farming. His last days were spent in California.
George A. Daniels came to Eureka, Cal., in the spring of 1876, and in November of the same year he came to Mendocino, where he entered the employ of the Mendocino Lumber Company and became an adept driver of "bull teams." In 1895 he met with an accident and upon recovering he en- gaged in farming until 1906, when he purchased the interest of Mr. Switzer, and since then has been actively engaged with Mr. Boyd in the livery busi- ness.
Mr. Daniels has been twice married, first to Minnie Ryan, whose death occurred in Maine, leaving one child, Percy. The second marriage was to Mary Klinkie, who bore him five children, as follows: Arthur, Eunice, Lin- wood, Geneva and Winfield. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and Woodman of the World.
CHARLES KUHN .- Charles Kuhn, who came to California in 1893, is now master mechanic for the L. E. White Lumber Company, at Greenwood. He was born near Worms, on the Rhine, Hessen Darmstadt, Germany. August 21, 1873, son of Philip Kuhn, who was a tanner and currier. After finishing the course in the local schools, in his fifteenth year, Charles Kuhn applied for a place as machinist in a large manufacturing establishment near Worms, which he obtained, and completing the trade in three years, then spent the same number of years as a journeyman throughout the Fatherland. In 1893 he came to Los Angeles, Cal., but he could not speak a word of Eng- lish, and so was unable to obtain a position at his trade. For four years he was employed at ranching, and then in 1897 he came to Albion, Mendocino county, where he found employment with the Albion Lumber Company as a machinist. He stayed there nearly three years, after which he was employed for one year as machinist at the Risden Iron Works in San Francisco, when he again returned to his position with the Albion Lumber Company and con- tinued with them for eight months. In 1912 he went to Greenwood as machinist for the L. E. White Lumber Company, where he remained for nearly three years, then becoming master mechanic for the Wendling Lum- ber Company, and held this position for ten months, resigning to accept his old place with the L. E. White Lumber Company at Greenwood. So success- fully did he fill the position that in November of 1911 he was made master mechanic of the plant.
Mr. Kuhn married in San Francisco Miss Mary Myring, who was born in Albion, Cal. They have one child, Gretchen Irma. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees.
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P. W. BRUBECK .- One of the energetic young men who are helping to build up the business interests of Fort Bragg is P. W. Brubeck, who was born at Susanville, Lassen county, Cal., March 10, 1882. His father, L. W. Brubeck, came from Indiana, crossing the plains in the '50s and becoming a pioneer of Lassen county. He there improved and operated a farm until 1890, when he removed to near Concord, Contra Costa county, where he owns a ranch and is also interested in the Borges Land Company, engaged in the real estate business. His wife was in maidenhood Louisa Grass, a native of Indiana; her demise occurred at Concord. Of their seven children P. W. is the oldest, being reared in the Honey Lake valley, where he learned farming and cattle raising. His education was obtained in the public schools. Coming with his parents to Concord in 1890, he there learned the barber's trade, after which he started a shop in San Francisco, which he conducted until March, 1906. Then he came to Fort Bragg, leasing a shop in the Buck building, and was just started when the earthquake of April, that year, caved the building, resulting in a total loss to him. Nothing daunted he started another shop immediately, and has been actively engaged in business ever since, his estab- ishment now being located on Redwood avenue. The place is well equipped, has four chairs and three baths, and is the largest and finest tonsorial estab- lishment in Fort Bragg.
Nearly five years ago Mr. Brubeck saw the opportunity of engaging in the moving picture business. Accordingly he made arrangements, and in February, 1910, he opened the Union Theater on Franklin street, which has been run steadily and been a success ever since. It is the most centrally located theater in Fort Bragg and has a seating capacity of three hundred and seventy-five. He is catering to the best trade and is using the Mutual program, running four films each day, with a daily change of program.
The marriage of P. W. Brubeck and Catherine Rushing was celebrated in Fort Bragg, where they have a host of friends and well-wishers. Fraternal- ly he is a prominent member of Santana Tribe No. 60, I. O. R. M., of which he is past sachem. He is also a member of Elder Glen Parlor, N. S. G. W., and Fort Bragg Aerie No. 61, F. O. E., as well as the Knights of Pythias.
AUGUST SANDAHL .- One of the most respected citizens of the vicinity of Middletown. Lake county, is August Sandahl, for almost a quarter of a century engaged in business at that place as a merchant tailor, now giving his time principally to the cultivation of his beautiful forty-acre ranch near the town. He still does occasional work at his trade, in which he was as successful as he has been in his agricultural work. His property, which ad- joins Middletown on the south, has become a veritable paradise under his thrifty care.
Mr. Sandahl is a native of Sweden, born January 21, 1846, in Oester Goet- land, son of Gustaf Sandahl, a country tailor. Being the eldest of a family of nine children he began work early, commencing to learn tailoring under his father when but eleven years old. When a young man of twenty years he went to Stockholm and entered a large and fashionable city tailoring establishment, where he became familiar with the most approved methods and ideas. At the age of twenty-three he entered the military service of his country, being a member of the Swedish army for ten years, until June 28, 1879, when he received an honorable discharge. Meantime, when twenty- four years old, he had married Fredericka Hagberg, of Oester Goetland, and at the close of his term of military service they came to America with their
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family, then consisting of four children. Sailing from Gothenburg in July, 1879, they landed at New York August 1st, and proceeded westward to Chicago, Ill., where they remained two and a half years, Mr. Sandahl work- ing at his trade. In 1881 he removed with his family to Davenport, Iowa, and they subsequently lived for a time at Des Moines, that state. For nine months of his residence in Iowa Mr. Sandahl was ill. From that state he moved to Phelps Center, Nebr., and later conducted a large merchant tailoring shop at Holdredge, Nebr., where he continued to make his home for three years. However, he had decided to try California, and accordingly came out to Oakland, this state, thence coming to Middletown, Lake county, in the year 1886. That year he bought fifty acres of the Coats ranch near Middle- town, the place which he has ever since owned. though he sold off twenty acres of his original purchase, and afterward bought ten, now having forty acres. Though all the improvements on this fine tract have been made by Mr. Sandahl, he did not devote himself entirely to agricultural work for many years after it came into his possession. From 1886 until 1910 he carried on merchant tailoring in Middletown. his conscientious, skillful service to all his patrons winning and holding a large custom.
Mr. Sandahl has prosecuted the development and improvement of his property so thoroughly that he may truly be called an intensive farmer. He has a vineyard of choice grapes, covering one acre, a fine apple orchard of the same size, and two acres set out in prunes and peaches. His mechanical genius is evident in the many appliances about the place for caring for his crops. The threshing machine with which he has threshed all his grain for four years he made himself. He has also made a cider mill. The numerous other conveniences include a fruit dryer, sulphuring and dipping plant. well kept barn and chicken houses, and a fine new well, ten by ten feet in dimen- sions and twenty-five feet deep, with tank house. There are good fences, the yards are in first-class condition, and the residence is a comfortable cottage, cared for in the neat and orderly manner which characterizes everything else about this property. Mr. Sandahl also has a tailor shop on the premises, and follows his trade as occasion requires. Though now sixty-eight years of age he is still working industriously, interested in progressive methods and ideas which promise to improve or increase his crops, and leading a life of true worth which has gained him the esteem of the many who know him in this part of Lake county. His usefulness and high Christian character have always made him regarded as a most desirable citizen.
Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sandahl, all now grown to maturity and making their way in the world: August Christian, born No- vember 28, 1871, resides in San Francisco, where he is engaged as manager of the Daily Commercial News, with which publication he has been connected for twenty years ; he married Glenn Johnson. of San Francisco. Carl Ludwig, born September 7, 1873, is also a resident of San Francisco, in business as a ladies' tailor and proprietor of the Hotel Palmer. at the corner of Grant avenue and Bush street ; he married Mamie Long, of San Francisco. Hjalmar Henning, born May 22, 1876, a carpenter by trade, lives at No. 15 Broderick street, San Francisco. Maria Ruth, born February 14. 1879, is the wife of Emil Tillman, a tailor, and lives in San Francisco ; they have three children, Ruth F., Vera Caroline and Eunice Mildred. David, born at Davenport. Iowa, November 18, 1881, is a traveling salesman for a San Francisco grocery house and resides in that city : he married Rose Clinton, and they have one
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child, David Clinton. Harry, born at Holdredge, Neb., October 14, 1884, is a tailor in San Francisco; he married Olga Ness. Arthur, born October 28, 1886, at Oakland, Cal., lives with his parents. Aaron, born October 4, 1888, in Middletown. Cal., is a tailor. in New York City. Mildred Frederika. born at Middletown, December 23. 1890, is employed in San Francisco.
Mr. Sandahl was brought up in the faith of the Lutheran Church, and confirmed in that denomination, but while still in Sweden he and his wife became members of the Baptist Church. They are consistent Christians, and their upright lives testify to the sincerity of their faith. Mr. Sandahl was naturalized while living at Holdredge, Nebr.
THOMAS KENNEDY .- A resident of Mendocino county for almost a third of a century, having come hither in 1882, Thomas Kennedy was born near Montreal, Canada, in 1862. He was reared on the farm and attended the public schools.
Desiring to try his fortune in the west, he came to Nevada in 1880, and followed teaming until 1882, when he came to Mendocino county, locating first at Westport. Here he purchased an outfit and engaged in teaming on liis own account, hauling lumber for twelve years in this vicinity. Then he removed to Bear Harbor, northern Mendocino county, where he was engaged in hauling ties and tanbark for about ten years.
Next we find Mr. Kennedy at Hardy Creek, where he was proprietor of the Hardy Creek hotel for three years. On January 1. 1914, he came to Wendling and opened the Wendling hotel, which he is conducting in first- class shape and meeting with success. In connection with the hotel he con- ducts a livery and feed stable.
The marriage of Mr. Kennedy occurred in Eureka, Cal., where he was united with Miss Virginia Ainsworth, a native of Shawano county, Wis., and they have two children. Edna E. and Berwin Margaret. Politically he espouses the cause of the Democratic party. Mr. Kennedy is well known and highly respected on the Mendocino coast, where he has hosts of friends.
MICHAEL VASSAR was born in Canada. where he learned the blacksmith trade. Coming to the United States he located at Austin. Nebr., where he ran a blacksmith shop until 1866. He then came to Mendocino county, locating in Long valley, where he bought a part of the present Vassar place, afterwards homesteading one hundred and sixty acres, and also entered forty acres adjoining. Here he made improvements, built his home and reared his family. He erected a blacksmith shop, which he ran successfully for many years, and also built a sawmill and engaged in the manufacture of lumber.
Mr. Vassar married Mary Powell, who was born in Wisconsin, and to them were born ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity, as follows : Edmond resides in San Luis Obispo. Albert lives at Lodi. George and Grant are members of the firm of Vassar Bros. Vitline, Mrs. Arthur Branscomb, resides in this county. Claire resides at home. Francis is a resident of Merced. Augustus is a member of Vassar Bros.
Michael Vassar was a very energetic and successful man, and was a most useful citizen and an upbuilder of the valley. He died in 1895; his widow still resides on the home farm.
The ranch is now being operated by Vassar Bros., the firm being com- posed of the brothers, George, Grant and Augustus Vassar, who have branched out and are engaged extensively in farming and stock raising. They still
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continue the blacksmith business, George having learned the trade under his father. The brothers also ran the sawmill (with a capacity of ten thousand fect) for some years, until 1909, when they sold the mill. The three brothers purchased the old Hundred and One ranch of twenty-two hundred acres in Long valley, four miles south of Laytonville, where they are engaged in raising cattle and hogs, their brand being T O L joined, one under the other. The old Vassar ranch is located two miles south of Laytonville and consists of three hundred and sixty acres. The family is well and favorably known, and the Vassar brothers are highly respected and much appreciated. They are all stanch Republicans in their political views.
CHARLES J. MATHISON .- A native son of Mendocino county, Charles J. Mathison was born at Little River, July 15, 1886. His father, John P. Mathison, was born in Norway, where he was engaged in the fishing in- dustry. As a young man he came to Michigan, where he was employed in the mines for five years, and then returned to Norway, where he married Caroline Petersen. After their marriage the young couple migrated to Men- docino county, arriving about thirty years ago. For five years he was em- ployed in different mills; then he determined to engage in ranching. Locat- ing a claim about five miles inland from Little River, he improved it and has operated it ever since. Mr. and Mrs. John P. Mathison had six children, as follows: Otto H., Hilma, Charles J., Frank, Robert and Emma. The first two and Robert reside on the home farm, while the rest live at Wendling.
Charles J. Mathison's boyhood was spent on the ranch at Little River, where he received his education in the public schools. However, he went to work early in life, for at fourteen years of age we find him working in the woods for the Albion Lumber Company, after which he was employed in the same capacity for other lumber companies for several years. Desiring to acquire a business education he entered the Santa Rosa Business College and was graduated in 1913, after which he clerked for W. B. Coombs at Little River.
In February, 1914. Mr. Mathison started his present store at Wendling, being engaged in general merchandising, and he is meeting with substantial success. Fraternally he is a member of Wawbeek Tribe. I. O. R. M., at Men- docino. He was reared in the Lutheran Church, to which faith he has always adhered.
JOHN M. DILL .- One of the oldest settlers in Long valley, who has given of his best efforts to build up the community is John M. Dill, an honored citizen of Laytonville. He is a native of the Pacific coast, having been born in Oregon City, Ore., March 13, 1848, the son of James and Sarah Williams, natives of Ohio. They crossed the plains with ox teams in 1847, taking a donation land claim of six hundred and forty acres on the Willamette river in Linn county, where he made his home. However, on the discovery of gold in California he came on to the new Eldorado in 1849 and followed mining, but had his family on the ranch. He followed different mining ex- citements at intervals, among them the Salmon river strike. His death oc- curred in Idaho, but the mother died in Oregon.
John M. Dill was brought up on the farm in Oregon from a boy. He learned the cattle business and when eleven years of age. in 1859, accom- panied his father with cattle to Idaho. In 1863 he came to Green valley, Solano county, Cal., where he was employed on a ranch. The dry year of 1864 drove many cattlemen to Mendocino county with their stock for feed, and he came
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with D. B. Holman to Long valley, arriving in April, 1864. He liked the country here and has remained in the vicinity ever since. Here he has achieved much success, having risen to a place of prominence and influence and being recognized as an honored pioneer. He worked for ranchers, and as soon as he could he began the cattle business, securing a few head. In the meantime he continued to work for others and to invest his savings in cows. When finally his herd had increased to such an extent that it became necessary for him to give it his entire attention he engaged in farming and stockraising, his brand being the figure 5. He purchased land and became owner of a thirty-six-hundred-acre ranch six miles northeast of Laytonville. He also engaged in buying cattle and sheep for the San Francisco and coast market. When he first came to Long valley there were no fences nor roads, and now there is scarcely a ranch that is not fenced and has a road leading to the place. With his family he lived at Cahto until 1881, when he moved to lis ranch, building a suitable road into the place.
Aside from ranching and stockraising, Mr. Dill for two years engaged in the mercantile business in Laytonville. In 1912 he sold all of the ranch except three hundred acres, which he still retains, continuing his interest in cattle raising. He now resides in a comfortable residence in Laytonville, from which place he manages his varied interests. He also owns property in Palo Alto and is one of the original stockholders in the Commercial Bank of Ukiah.
In Cahto, October 23, 1870, Mr. Dill married Miss Margaret Williams who was born in Kentucky, the daughter of Samuel and Martha (Taylor) Williams, born in Tennessee and Alabama respectively. From Kentucky they removed to Missouri and in 1861 came to Dayton, Butte county, Cal. In 1863 they came to Lakeport and afterwards to Ukiah. In 1868 he came to Cahto, where Mr. Williams engaged in blacksmithing and farming. He died in Long Valley, while the mother resides with her son L. J.
Mr. and Mrs. Dill have five children : James G., manager of the Layton- ville Mercantile Company ; Ida, wife of W. S. Pinches, a merchant in Layton- ville; Nellie, Mrs. Betts, proprietor of the Laytonville Hotel; Herbert T., re- siding at Willits; and Della V., Mrs. Morrow of Laytonville. Fraternally Mr. Dill was formerly a member of the Odd Fellows, belonging to the En- campment. Always interested in the cause of education he has served for many years as school trustee as well as many times as deputy sheriff and constable.
EDWIN S. SCOTT .- It is a well known and oft proven fact that the young man reared in the "lap of luxury" and indulged in every whim and fancy from youth to manhood, is seriously handicapped in the race for suc- cess, if that success, speaking financially, ever becomes dependent upon his own efforts; while the youth who from boyhood upward must needs depend largely upon his own efforts, and whose education is at least partly the fruits of his own toil, is in after life the brain and brawn of a mighty country, the material of which new enterprises are formed, and upon whom the foundations of the Republic rest as surely as the Republic stands. Such a man as this is Edwin S. Scott. D. D. S., of Fort Bragg, one of the leading young professional men of Mendocino county, with the promise of coming power and influence in the political life of his county and state.
Though not a native son of the Golden West, Dr. Scott is to all intents and purposes a Californian, having been brought here by his parents when he was a child of but four years. He was born near Paris, Edgar county, Ill.,
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June 26, 1877, and it was in 1881 that his parents removed to California, locating in Mendocino county. Here the son grew to young manhood, secur- ing his elementary education in the public schools and in the Mendocino high school. Already he was filled with a desire to teach, and soon after com- pleting his high school course he took the teachers' examinations, passing with credit and securing a certificate entitling him to carry out his cherished plans. For several years he taught at different points in the county, with one year at Westport, three years at Caspar and at other places, making many friends and gaining a valuable insight into social conditions and a close knowledge of human nature. This was not the life work of the young teacher, however, and after a few years he found that he desired other things, and especially did he desire higher education and special knowledge. Accordingly in 1903 he gave up his teaching and matriculated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco, entering the department of dentistry. Here he continued his studies until 1906. when he was graduated with new honors, with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. Immediately the young doctor returned to Fort Bragg and opened a suite of offices, and commenced the prac- tice of his profession. Dr. Scott was so well and favorably known in Mendo- cino county that he did not have to wait for patronage, but soon found himself with a healthy and growing practice.
In his political affiliations Dr. Scott is socialistic and is considered by the Socialist party to be one of the strongest men of the organization in his com- inunity. As proof of their admiration for and confidence in the ability of the rising young dentist, it may be said that he was chosen as a candidate of his party for the Assembly, and that the vote cast in his favor was a very flattering one, and an evident tribute to his personal popularity and to the confidence and esteem in which he is held by his neighbors and friends of other political faiths as well as by his party supporters.
Dr. Scott attributed his success largely to the influence of his mother, who made every effort to make it possible for her children to obtain an edu- cation. Through her influence he was inspired to make the most of his oppor- tunities and to attain as high a place as possible. Dentistry became his chosen profession, and in pursuing it he has ever held aloft the banner of excellence which was his watchword in earlier days.
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