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 45
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 45
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an opportunity to work for the Vanderbilt interests for a month and thus earned enough for the balance of the voyage.
Disembarking from the ocean vessel in the harbor of San Francisco February 25, 1852, William H. Forse soon secured a position as captain of a flatboat plying up and down the Sacramento river, freighting hay and wood. From Sacramento he next went to the mines, but an unsuccessful search for gold soon caused him to return to the Sacramento valley, where he assisted in planting the first peach trees ever set out in that region. From Sacra- mento he went to the Greenwood valley in Eldorado county, where he found employment as a carpenter. During the spring of 1854 he drove a stage to Marysville. Later, with a partner, A. A. Wood, he bought the Fountain livery stable at Sacramento and conducted the same for a time. A visit to the old Canadian home had its consummation, May 5, 1855, in his marriage to Miss Alice Sayles, also a native of Brantford, and who in September, 1856, accompa- nied him to California to establish a permanent home in this state. The first home was in the city of Sacramento. In the fall of 1857 removal was made to Yolo county for the purpose of engaging in the sheep business, but soon a re- turn was made to Sacramento county and a ranch purchased there. Next a hotel was bought at Sheldon.
The fall of 1864 found Mr. Forse a newcomer in Mendocino county, where he found employment in the butcher shop of John Morris in Ukiah and later became proprietor of the business. Meanwhile he had bought an inter- est in the Cloverdale and Humboldt stage line. From early days up to the time of his retirement from all business enterprises, he maintained a close connection with stage lines, having charge of the coast line stage from Ukiah to Mendocino City, also the stage line from Pieta, Mendocino county, to all the spring resorts of Lake county. At different times he was actively con- nected with the Masons, Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Work- men. It was his privilege to witness the remarkable advancement made by the state with which he was identified from the period of American occu- pancy, and when he died, November 5, 1911, he passed from a scene which his own labors had helped to beautify and make habitable and from a county whose material upbuilding he had promoted by his own personal and long- continued efforts. In his family there were four children who grew up, namely : Frederick O., of Berkeley ; Kathryn A., Mrs. Sweasey, of Ukiah ; Thomas B., also of Ukiah ; and Helen M., Mrs. Samuel H. Rice, deceased.
SAMUEL H. RICE .- For many years the business interests of Ukiah had a representative in the person of Samuel H. Rice, a native of Lake county, Cal., and the son of Coleman Rice, one of the earliest American settlers of California. At different times Samuel H. made his home in various parts of the state. His education was obtained principally in the public schools of Los Angeles. After his marriage to Helen M. Forse of Mendocino county he established a home at Ukiah and for years engaged in the title and abstract business in this place, where he was counted as one of the best-posted resi- dents concerning titles to property. More recently he has made his head- quarters in San Francisco and has been employed in civil engineering. Fra- ternally he holds a membership in the Masons. By his wife, Helen M., now deceased, he had an only daughter, Miss Helen H. Rice, who received excep- tional educational advantages and is now engaged as a teacher in the Ukiah public schools.
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GUST NELSON .- So thoroughly at home is Mr. Nelson in his ranch- ing enterprise near Fort Bragg that one would scarcely suspect that prior to undertaking this line of endeavor he had won a reputation on the sea that would have sufficed to satisfy the ambition of an average man. He was born in Olund, Sweden, September 21, 1859, but as he was left fatherless when he was only six years old he knew little chance for childish recreation that is the birthright of every child. The needs of the family were such that it was neces- sary for each child to become self-supporting as soon as possible, and when only ten years of age Gust started out to make his own living, his first work being as a hand on neighboring farms. Thus thoughts of gaining a livelihood when he should have been attending school occupied his mind to the exclu- sion of everything else, and it is therefore unnecessary to state that his edu- cation was somewhat limited. By the time he was sixteen he had made up his mind to go to sea, and when he stepped aboard a Swedish barque it was the beginning of a long and interesting career that took him to all parts of the world. After a short experience on this vessel, during which time he was engaged in the Baltic trade, he went to the East Indies, in so doing rounding the Cape of Good Hope. On this voyage he shipped as an ordinary seaman. At London Gust Nelson left the vessel and shipped from that port on an Eng- lish barque to Boston, Mass., and when he reached the harbor he saw for the first time the land to which he was later to return to make his home. From Boston he sailed to New York and Philadelphia, being engaged in both the coasting and deep-water service. In the meantime he had received promo- tion and was serving as second mate. Leaving New York on the steamer Starbuck he next started for the Mediterranean sea, on the way passing through the Suez canal to Hong Kong and on to Yokohama, where in 1886 the vessel was loaded with tea for San Francisco. For some time Mr. Nelson had contemplated relinquishing the life of the seaman and when the vessel reached the harbor of San Francisco he left the sea for good. However, water still had some attraction for him, for we understood that he made a number of trips on the Sacramento river prior to going to Cuffey's Cove in 1887. His first year in the latter place was passed as a wharf hand and in working in the woods, after which he was engaged for five years in business in Greenwood.
Mr. Nelson's identification with Fort Bragg dates from the year 1893, and as years have passed he has had no reason to regret the choice he then made as a location for a home and a field for business endeavor. Some time after locating here he erected the Pacific Hotel on Main street, and for many years he conducted the hostelry with very satisfactory results. Subsequently he rented the hotel and ultimately, in 1905, the property was sold. In the meantime Mr. Nelson had purchased fifty-five acres of raw land two miles out on the Sherwood road, which he grubbed and cleared and brought to a high state of cultivation. The greater part of it was rich bottom land and yielded large crops of potatoes and vegetables as well as fruits. During the seven years which he operated the land he brought it to a high state of cultivation and added many improvements that enhanced its value and when he sold it at the end of that time he received a considerable advance over the original price paid for the land and felt amply repaid for the labor which he had expended upon it. With the proceeds he
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invested in another ranch, this one on Pudding creek, and this also was sold to good advantage after he had added a number of improvements. Among the properties which he now owns are the old McLean property at the corner of Redwood avenue and Franklin street, which is advantageously rented as stores, and the family residence on the corner of Alder and Franklin streets.
In Greenwood, Mendocino county, Mr. Nelson was married to Miss Sophia Anderson, a native of Aaland, Finland. Of this union three children were born, Mamie, Mrs. Raudio, of Fort Bragg, and Nellie and Fred, the latter a pupil in the Fort Bragg high school, class of 1915. Mr. Nelson has always taken a deep interest in the affairs of his home city, especially in those things that tended toward the betterment of schools, and for some time he served as trustee of his school district and also was at one time a member of the board ยท of trustees of the Union high school. Also for four years he served as city trustee of Fort Bragg. In politics he is a Democrat, and fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World.
JOHN VAN DAMME .- Fort Bragg mourned the loss of one of her most stalwart citizens when John Van Damme was called to his reward February 23, 1902. He was descended from a family well known in Belgium and he him- self was born there, at Ostend, May 22, 1832. The loss of his father by death when he was a lad of fourteen years made it necessary for him to face the stern realities of life at an earlier age than might have been his lot otherwise, but nevertheless he had obtained a fairly good education and was preparing for his future by serving an apprenticeship to the tinner's trade. The death of his father, however, changed his plans, and instead of completing his trade he went to sea, and in the course of his numerous voyages he visited all parts of the world. On one of his trips he rounded Cape Horn in the voyage to San Francisco in the '50s. His love for the sea and his longing to see the old home folks and friends induced him to make three voyages to Belgium before he was contented to remain here continuously. It was on his last visit to the old homeland that he was married, and their wedding trip was a voyage to the home which Mr. Van Damme had prepared in California.
For a while Mr. Van Damme and his wife made their home in San Fran- cisco, where he engaged in business, and later they removed to Mendocino county. The lumber business holding forth excellent prospects at Little River he established his headquarters there and was employed in different departments of the lumber company at that place. Finally, in 1897, he re- moved to Fort Bragg and here made his home continuously until his death. All of his three children were born at Little River. The eldest, Josephine M., follows the teacher's profession and is now an instructor in the Fort Bragg schools. The two sons, Theodore B. and Charles F., are in business in San Francisco. Mrs. Van Damme survived her husband eleven years and two inonths, her death occurring May 3, 1913.
Fraternally Mr. Van Damme was a member of the Ancient Order of U'nited Workmen. Although deeply interested in the affairs that affected the welfare of his home city, and aiding them to the extent of his ability, he never took any part officially in its affairs. During his voyages he had picked up much valuable information and having a retentive memory it was a delight to his friends to listen to the narration of his experiences.
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JOHN MARTIN ADAMSON .- Coming to Lake county during the '70s, while engaged in the teacher's profession. John M. Adamson was sufficiently jinpressed with its climate and advantages of other kinds to settle there when he embarked in business, and he has been located at Lower Lake since 1880. His general farming and stock interests have been widening steadily since that time, and he is now one of the most extensive farmers and cattle men in the county, as owner or lessee controlling hundreds of acres, most of which he uses for pasture lands. While carrying on his own affairs he has had ample opportunity to become a reliable judge of conditions in this region, and he has therefore proved a highly competent official in the position of supervisor, of District No. 2 of Lake county, to which he was elected for his third con- secutive term in 1910 and again elected at the primary in 1914. Though his business cares are heavy he has been as attentive to his public duties as he has to his personal interests, administering his office with characteristic ability and intelligence and winning popular approval to an unusual degree.
Mr. Adamson was born August 29, 1851. at Ogden. Utah, where his parents stopped over for the winter of 1851-52, while en route to California. His father, Jacob Adamson, was a native of Tennessee, and his mother, whose maiden name was Nancy Jane Farley, was born in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Adamson lived for several years in Iowa, where their eldest four children were born, and thence they started across the plains to California in 1851. In the spring of 1852 they finished the trip overland. first settling at Sacramento, Cal., the father engaging in dairying at or near old Sutterville. After a three years' residence there the family moved to Sonoma county, Mr. Adamson buying a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres near Petaluma from old General Vallejo. There, also, he continued stock and dairy farming. Of his children. Emma Jane is now the widow of James Roseberry, a stock- man of Pope valley, Napa county ; William Henderson, who lives at Oakland, Cal .. is a teacher in grammar and high schools; Edward F. farms in Excelsior valley, in Lake county ; Mary Elizabeth is the wife of E. M. Thomas, a banker at Visalia, Cal .; John Martin is the fifth oldest ; I. Newton, who died in Santa Rosa, was a prominent painter; Charles W. resides in Watsonville; Milton died in Petaluma; Rena, Mrs. Tomlinson, resides in San Francisco.
John Martin Adamson grew up on the farm, obtaining a good preliminary education in public school near his home, and later attending the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa, Cal. Following that he took a course of training for teaching at the San Jose State Normal, and for over fifteen years was an instructor, beginning his work as an educator in Mendocino county. He served as principal of the schools at Indian Creek and Yorkville, being engaged at the latter place four years. His health becoming impaired he came to Lake county in the '70s, and after teaching one term here went north to Colusa county, being engaged at Maxwell, and later having a school near Shingletown, in Shasta county. In 1879 he returned to Lake county, and the year following settled near Lower Lake, buying a stock range of three hundred and twenty acres. Mr. Adamson's home training had made him thoroughly familiar with stock and dairying. While growing up on the paternal farm he had assisted with the ranch work, milking thirty cows morning and evening, and so when he began the stock business in Lake county he had his early experience to fall back upon. He has continued it ever since, constantly increasing his operations in that line, and incidentally carrying other interests,
J. M. Adamson
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in all of which he has been successful through the exercise of good judgment in his ventures. He owns a valuable tract of one hundred and fifty acres in Excelsior valley, and another comprising one hundred and twenty acres of pasture land east of Cache creek. Under lease he holds the Boat Landing or Bower ranch of two hundred and forty acres, and the adjoining place of one hundred and twenty-nine acres on Cache creek known as the Adamson ranch ; the Spring Valley Water Company's extensive ranch of twelve hundred acres on Cache creek, sixty acres of which are in vineyard ; in the same vicinity the Purvis ranch of one hundred and sixty acres; the Knieb ranch of two hun- dred and forty acres ; the Scranton ranch of two hundred and twenty acres ; the Clear Lake Land Company's ranch of three hundred and twenty acres (adjoin- ing which is his one hundred and twenty acre tract before mentioned) ; four hundred and eighty acres in Excelsior valley called the Getz ranch, ninety acres of which are in hay and grain, the balance in pasture; and the Riley ranch of eighty acres. Mr. Adamson aims to keep about one hundred head of cattle, high-grade Durhams, besides horses and mules, and his extensive holdings give him plenty of range and proper pasturage, with facilities for growing winter feed as well. Besides his agricultural interests he has ac- quired considerable real estate in the town of Lower Lake, having a half in- terest in the brick store building known as the Palestine building, livery stable property and valuable residence property. Mr. Adamson has an enterprising nature, and is capable of handling his numerous interests in such a manner that one supplements the other to excellent advantage. His ideas are big, as his career would indicate, and he has demonstrated this in his service to his fellow citizens, who first elected him supervisor of District No. 2 in 1902. They have retained him in the office by reelection, in 1906 and 1910, which statement is sufficient in itself to indicate the nature of his work and the general satisfaction it has given. Though kept constantly busy with his business and official duties he is as energetic at sixty-three as the average man of forty-five, and enjoys his responsibilities thoroughly.
Mr. Adamson was married while teaching in Mendocino county to Miss Martha Adams, daughter of Patrick Adams, of Yorkville, that county, and they have become the parents of six children : The three eldest died in infancy ; Clydia is a graduate of the San Jose State Normal and has engaged in teaching ; she is now the wife of Rev. Ernest Chapman. Russell is farming with his father and lives with him at Lower Lake. Lilburn is attending Leland Stanford University. Mr. Adamson is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ. On political issues he sides with the Democratic party.
JOSEPH L. READ .- For forty years Joseph L. Read has been one of the vital forces in the life of Middletown, Lake county, where his efficient co- operation in the progress of the community has gained him a place among its foremost citizens. He has filled the office of postmaster, which he still holds, for over a quarter of a century, and in that position and as founder and pub- lisher of the Middletown Independent, the first newspaper of the town, he lias been one of its best known and most influential residents. Mr. Read has lived in California since the early '50s, and in his younger years went through the varied experiences of pioneer times. Familiar with the history and devel- opment of this region through actual participation in its events, and thor- oughly public-spirited in his attitude toward the working out of the best
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interests of Lake county, he is a true Californian, and his part in the opening and advancement of his adopted state and community has been highly cred- itable.
The Read family is of Scotch origin and was founded in this country by three brothers who came to America from Scotland, two stopping in the east (one in New Jersey) and the other, the progenitor of the branch at present under consideration, settling in Kentucky about the same time as Daniel Boone. Samuel Read, father of Joseph L. Read, was born in Kentucky. The spirit of the pioneer was in his blood. At the time his son Joseph was born he was living in Scott county, Ky., whence he moved in 1838 to Howard county, Mo., but soon afterward went to Sullivan county, that state, where he bought land and was interested in farming until 1852. Meantime, however, he had crossed the plains with oxen in 1849, coming to California, where he engaged in mining for gold at Mariposa two years. Returning to Missouri, via Panama, he again came to California in the year 1852, and again crossed the plains with ox-teams, this time bringing his family, consisting of wife and seven children. Three other children had died in infancy. Joseph L. Read, who was fifteen years old at the time, recalls the trip very distinctly. The party was not bothered seriously by the Indians, but cholera had broken out on the trail, and there were daily deaths and graves all along the way. Many, discouraged, turned back. Samuel Read was the only one of their party to have an attack of cholera, but was saved by prompt medical attention. How- ever, one of the sons, James A., died near the head of the Humboldt that year. Arriving at Diamond Spring, Eldorado county, Cal., all the men and boys went to work immediately in the mines, and the surviving members of the family are all residents of the state now. Samuel Read had married Elizabeth Leach, a native of Kentucky, but member of an old Maryland family ; her mother was born in Baltimore, likely of German origin. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Read three died in infancy, the others being: John J .. now a resident of Shasta county (he is an invalid) ; James A .. who was twenty years old at the time of his death, on the plains, in 1852; Joseph L .; Ebenezer, who is a farmer, residing at Orland, Glenn county ; Thomas, who died forty years ago, leaving four children ; William E., who is a general clerk in the post office at San Francisco, where he has been employed for more than twenty years ; and E. Elizabeth, wife of H. L. Burmeister, a retired farmer, living in Santa Rosa.
Joseph L. Read was born July 29, 1837, in Scott county, Ky., and in 1838 was taken to Missouri by his parents, growing up on a farm in that state. The schools there were poor in those days, so that most of his education was obtained by experience, of which he had plenty. When the family settled in California he went to work with pick and shovel, at placer mining, and did well. and he also took advantage of the pay schools in the neighborhood, attending a few weeks each winter until he was grown. He first came to lake county in the fall of 1860, and spent the winter. Then he went back to Eldorado county, but came again to Lake county in 1861, in which year he was married to Margaret Davis, of Big Valley, near Kelseyville. They set- tled in Dixon, Solano county, where Mr. Read farmed until 1874, since which year he has been a resident of Middletown, which town had been started in 1872. Buying a ranch two miles northeast of the town, he operated it for four
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years. In 1879 he became postmaster, holding the office until 1885, after Cleve- land's election. Meanwhile, in partnership with P. B. Graham, he started the first newspaper in the town, the Independent, with which he was connected, though not continuously, for a number of years, selling his interest and buying it back. Part of the time he conducted it alone, part of the time as member of the firm of Read & Pentecost, after which he again became sole owner ; later he sold out to A. O. Stanley, one of the present owners. Under the Har- rison administration he was again appointed postmaster, vacated the office when Cleveland returned to the presidential chair, and was once more ap- pointed under McKinley, sixteen years ago, having filled the position without a break in his service since. He is one of the oldest postmasters in the state. Though seventy-seven years old Mr. Read bears no evidence of his age ex- cept his gray hair and beard. His health is robust, and he is at his duties daily, looking after the business of the office personally, though his son is assistant postmaster. His contact with so many of the residents of the vicin- ity has given him a wide acquaintance, and his relations with his fellow citi- zens have always been pleasant, his intelligent and obliging service as a pub- lic official winning him a high place in their esteem. He has the confidence and respect of all who know him. Mr. Read is associated with church and fraternal work in the town, being a member and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was made a Mason at Vacaville Lodge but is now con- nected with Callayomi Lodge No. 282, F. & A. M.
Mr. and Mrs. Read have had a family of twelve children, of whom six grew to maturity: Susan L. is the wife of G. A. Fickes, of Middletown, a carpenter and builder ; John G., of San Francisco, is a street car conductor ; Annie, who was the wife of A. J. Lhuillier, a farmer, perished in the forest fire at Cloverdale two years ago; Thomas A. is a druggist at Middletown and is supervisor of district No. 1, Lake county ; Warren E. is engaged in the state printing office at Sacramento; Ralph H. is his father's assistant in the post office and is a member of the Masons and Foresters of America.
Thomas A. Read, son of Joseph L. Read, was born January 1, 1872, at Manchester, Mendocino county, Cal. He was but two years old when his parents settled at Middletown, where he grew up and received his education, attending public school. For twelve years he was connected with the Middle- town Independent, during the last four years of that period as co-proprietor with his father, having bought out the interest of Joseph Pentecost. For seven years after that he was clerk in Piner's store in Middletown, until he became manager of the store at the Great Western quick silver mine, three and a half miles from town, continuing to hold that position until the mine closed down, in September, 1909. He has since been in business for himself, having bought the drug store at Middletown, which he is conducting very successfully. Mr. Read is one of the trusted officials of his locality, being supervisor of the First district of Lake county, to which position he was elected in November, 1912. Like his father he is a stanch Republican, and he has been active in the councils of his party, having served as member of the county central committee. He is a Mason, holding membership in the lodge at Middletown, and in that connection, as well as in his business and official associations, holds the respect of all his fellows. In 1897 Mr. Read married Miss Nellie Fraser, daughter of Dr. Fraser, then of Middletown, now
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