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 86
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 86
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In 1906 Mr. Boardman married Miss Roberta Lyon, the youngest daugh- ter but one of the late Judge George A. Lyon, of Lake county, and they have one child. Glenyth. Mrs. Boardman is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Upper Lake. On political questions Mr. Boardman is heartily in sympathy with the doctrines of the Progressive party.
JUDGE GEORGE A. LYON .- One of the old "forty-niners" in Cali- fornia, and a resident of Lake county from 1858 until his death, there were few better known residents of this region than the late Judge Lyon, a man whose intellect and strength of character gave him high standing among his fellow citizens and naturally made him prominent in the old days, when every man's services to the community were of vital importance. A native of Canada, he was born August 8, 1821, and was about ten years of age when his parents moved to the state of Pennsylvania. A year later they moved again, this time to Ohio.
George A. Lyon had exceptional educational advantages for his time. After receiving a common school training he entered Allegheny College, at Meadville, Pa., when a youth of nineteen. attending that institution for two and a half years. Then he was obliged to discontinue his studies because of ill health, and he passed the next two years teaching school in Canada. Returning to Pennsylvania he became engaged in the manufacture of pig iron, following it for two years, when his venture was terminated by the destruction of the building and machinery by fire. At that time he received the appointment of deputy sheriff in Mercer county, Pa., holding that office until March, 1849, when the gold fever drew him westward. He set out across the plains with ox teams for California, and arrived at Sacramento September 1st, soon afterward commencing mining, which he followed that winter in Amador county. For some time afterward he was engaged in merchandising, opening a store at Jackson, and six months later. in partnership with two other men, starting another store, in Sacramento. The partners ran both establishments for one year, when Mr. Lyon sold his interest to the others and engaged in hotel-keeping, in Placer county, continuing the business for
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six years. Removing thence to Sacramento, he lived there until September, 1858, when he came into Lake county, settling on the property five miles southwest of Upper Lake, where his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred L. Boardman, now reside, Mr. Boardman owning only a small part, however, of the Judge's holdings. He acquired the ownership of nine hundred acres, located at what is known as Black Point, between Lakeport and Upper Lake. Here he soon became well known, being elected justice of the peace in 1859 and serving three years in that office, and he was always known as "Judge" Lyon among his large circle of friends and acquaintances in this part of the county. He led an active and useful life, and is remembered as one of the substantial citizens of his time, a man who did his share to place the affairs of the community on a proper basis and maintain good government. His demise occurred at his home, June 29, 1885.
On March 18, 1846, Mr. Lyon married Miss Prudence McKean, who was born in Pennsylvania, and she left a family of eight children, namely: George A. (who is well known all over Lake county in his capacity of horticultural commissioner). Sarah E., Carlos A., Clara M .. James M., Edward E .. Ada A. and Mabel C. The mother died June 12, 1873. For his second wife Judge Lyon married, June 10, 1874, Mrs. Emma L. Ranard, who was born in Jo Daviess county, Ill., and who crossed the plains in 1853 with her parents. Of this marriage four children were born, as follows: Edith L., Mrs. Christie, of San Francisco; Walter S., a farmer at Upper Lake ; Roberta, Mrs. Wilfred L. Boardman; and Myrtle V., Mrs. Reynolds, the two last mentioned also residents of Lake county.
GEORGE ARTHUR SMART .- Continuous identification with Little Lake valley since 1887 entitles Mr. Smart to be termed a pioneer of this fertile portion of Mendocino county, where after a long connection with agricultural interests he became a stockholder from the organization of the Irvine & Muir Lumber Company, and has been associated with the concern ever since in the capacity of superintendent of the lumber yards and planing snill. The lumber enterprise has assumed vast magnitude in this section of the state. Great forests have furnished some of the finest quality of lumber shipped along the Pacific coast. It has been the privilege of Mr. Smart to assist in the development of one of the well-known companies having to do with this business, while at the same time he has never lost his interest in agriculture as an occupation of great promise in the county and besides still owning a part of his original ranch. He has been from its organization the president and a stockholder in the Little Lake Land Company, an important combination of capital formed by local men. Foreseeing the value of the region from an horticultural standpoint, the company has bought large tracts of land, divided the same into ten-acre tracts and is now selling the acreage to settlers for intensified farming, principally orchards. He is one of the organizers and a director in the Commercial Bank of Willits.
In the early days, before railroads had been built into Iowa, David and Sarah (Glenn) Smart, who were born, reared and married in Indiana, removed by wagon to the vicinity of Des Moines and took up a tract of raw land. Later during a visit back at the old Indiana home in Glenn's valley, Marion county, near the city of Indianapolis, their son, George Arthur, was born October 29, 1857. A few years later at the opening of the Civil war the father enlisted as a private in an Iowa regiment. From the ranks he rose to be captain of his
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company, and as such received an honorable discharge at the close of the war. While he was at the front his wife and three children left Iowa for Indiana to make a prolonged sojourn with relatives. An epidemic of typhoid fever occurred in the neighborhood and caused the death of Mrs. Smart and two of the children, so that George Arthur was left the sole survivor of the family to welcome his father on the latter's return from the army. Father and son went back to Iowa and settled on a farm, whence in 1886 the former 1 emoved to California ; he is now living in Oakland.
Educated primarily in Iowa public schools, George Arthur Smart com- pleted his studies in an academy at Dryden, N. Y., and then taught severa! terms of school in Iowa. Later he engaged in farming in Vernon county, Mo. From that state in 1887 he came to California and settled in Mendocino county, where he bought a ranch two miles from Willits in Little Lake valley. This tract he operated until 1902, when he removed into town for the purpose of engaging in the lumber business with the Irvine & Muir Lamber Company. The residence which he erected on Wood street is presided over by Mrs. Smart, who was Miss Harriet Shively, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and a daughter of Michael and Sarah Shively, at one time farmers near Nevada, Mo., but later residents of Kenwood, Sonoma county, Cal. Two daughters were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Smart, namely: Una Glenn, who married J. J. Keller, of Willits, and has one son, Richard David; and Leta Lucile, Mrs. Noonan, of Willits, the mother of one son, Roney Arthur Noonan. Mr. and Mrs. Smart as well as their daughters are identified with the Rebekah Lodge in Willits, and he is also prominent in Little Lake Lodge No. 277. I. O. O. F., in which he is past noble, past representative and past district deputy. The local camp, Woodmen of the World, numbers him among its past officers. While yet in Iowa he was made a Mason in Delta Lodge No. 356, F. & A. M., at Dallas Center, of which his father was master at the time ; since coming to Mendocino county he has been connected with Willits Lodge No. 365, F. & A. M. The Republican party has had his ballot in local and general elections ever since he attained his majority, but at no time has he sought office or cared to accept the positions of trust that might have been tendered him, for while well-posted in public affairs his interests center in business rather than in politics.
PORTER H. TAYLOR .- The genealogy of the Taylor family indicates long identification with the upbuilding of the United States and a patriotic citizenship that both in peace and in war gave of its best to the country. With the early drift of the tide of colonization toward the Mississippi valley the family name became transplanted from New York upon Illinois soil, among the children of this pioneer family having been MI. L. Taylor, who was too young to go with his father to the front at the time of the Black Hawk war and assist in subduing the hostile Indians, but showed in the Civil war the same fine patriotism that had animated the hero of Indian battles. As a member of Company A, One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, he gave to the Union a service both loyal and dependable. In one of the battles he was wounded somewhat seriously. On his return to Illinois he learned the trade of a harness-maker, and this he followed, with a later change to mercantile pursuits, in Wilmington, Will county, until his death in 1911. Surviving him and occupying the old home in Wilmington is his widow. Thurza (Tomil- son ) Taylor, who was born in England, but has lived in Illinois since seven
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years of age. Of their seven children all but one are still living, the eldest being P., H., whose birth occurred at Wilmington, Ill., April 16, 1861, and whose education in the Wilmington schools came to a conclusion with gradua- tion from the high school in 1879. During the ensuing five years he learned the trade of harness-maker and saddler under his father and became a master of the occupation.
After perhaps two years in Ortonville, Minn., during 1886 Mr. Taylor came to California and secured employment in a sawmill at Gualala, Mendocino county. It had been his intention to engage at his trade, but finding no open- ing he took up outdoor work and found it interesting and healthful, so that he continued in the same occupation for about twelve years. Meanwhile he was connected with different mills and rose from humble positions to those of responsibility. On leaving the sawmill he engaged in farming in the valley near Willits. During 1911 he bought out the harness and saddlery business of W. H. Berry on Main street and has since enlarged the stock, so that he now carries a full line of general harness and saddlery, besides manu- facturing to order all kinds of heavy harness. Political affairs have not made a forcible appeal to him, but he is stanchly Republican and keeps posted con- cerning national issues. Fraternally he is clerk and past commander in the local camp, Woodmen of the World, besides being past grand of Willits Lodge No. 277, I. O. O. F. Before leaving Illinois he married in Joliet Miss Ellen Jones, a native of Wilmington, that state. They are the parents of four children, all residents of Willits, as follows: Ernest, employed with the Northwestern Redwood Company : Grace, who married L. R. Whited ; Mabel, wife of Elmer Carner ; and Irene, Mrs. Fred Whited.
PARKER L. HALL .- Diversified interests, civic, political and coni- mercial, have had the intelligent participation of Mr. Hall, who as a resident of Mendocino county since 1868 and as a leading citizen of Willits has figured in enterprises for the permanent progress of the community. Since 1905 he has served in the capacity of city engineer and at the same time has filled the office of superintendent of streets, besides which he holds a commission as notary public and carries on also a general insurance business as a representa- tive of old-line companies. In the capacity of engineer he has made surveys to establish grades, has surveyed for the sewage system and has laid out all the subdivisions and additions to Willits as well as the acre tracts. For ten years or more he served as justice of the peace, and his impartial, in- telligent service proved satisfactory to the people of the township. Appointed postmaster at Willits under the Mckinley administration, he filled the office for five years and proved thoroughly capable and efficient.
From the age of eleven years Mr. Hall has lived in California. His father, Larned M., a native of Massachusetts and a farmer by occupation, came via Nicaragua to the west in 1853 and engaged in farming near Ione, Amador county. Meanwhile his wife. Rosette (Hollister) Hall, had left Massachusetts with her only child. Parker L., and had gone to visit relatives in Rockford, Ill., pending a trip to the western coast as soon as her husband had prepared for her. While yet at Rockford in 1855 she died and the boy was given a home by an uncle in Whiteside county, Ill., but in 1861 his father returned for him and brought him to California via Panama, settling at Ione in Amador county. In 1868 both came to Little Lake valley, Mendocino county, and settled on a farm, but afterward the father sold the property and
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bought a ranch near Ukiah. where in 1889 his death occurred. Parker L. who was born at Sandersfield, Mass., November 22, 1850, is a graduate of Cummings academy and taught school for a year, afterward studying survey- ing, which he has since followed more or less closely. For some years he engaged in carpentering and building. With the exception of a few years he has lived in Little Lake valley continuously since 1868 and is one of the lead- ing Republicans of Willits as well as a contributor to movements for the educational and commercial welfare of the community. Fraternally he is past grand of Little Lake Lodge No. 277, I. O. O. F., and for years officiated as secretary of the same. He is also past district deputy grand master of District No. 60. In Little Lake valley he married Miss Nancy Case, who was born in Missouri and at an early age came to California with her father, James Case, a pioneer of this valley. From girlhood she has been an earnest Christian and a sincere member of the Baptist Church. Five children were born of their union, one of whom, James, died at twenty-three years of age. Those now living are as follows: George D., a farmer ; Thomas H., a black- smith ; and Jesse L., a carpenter (all three sons living in Little Lake valley and being well known at Willits) ; and the only daughter. Tillie R., wife of H. C. Mohn, also of Willits.
JOHN R. GIBSON .- With the completion of the railroad connecting the east with the Pacific coast many families, who had been awaiting the advent of steam cars in order that they might make the trip to California with less difficulty than the overland route entailed, consummated arrangements for removal to the western coast. Among them particular interest attaches to the Gibson family of Missouri, who were passengers on one of the first through trains from the east. The family consisted of William and Elizabeth (Van- over) Gibson, natives of Kentucky, and their children, among the latter being John R., born in Davis county, Mo., November 27, 1853. No member of the party was more deeply interested in the journey than the lad of fourteen, whose keen eyes and receptive mind grasped every detail whether important or insignificant. Thirteen days were spent on a Central Pacific train. The thirty-six emigrant cars were crowded to the limit, making such a heavy haul over the mountains that two engines were used in front, two in the center and two in the rear of the long train.
Shortly after their arrival at Petaluma, Sonoma county, in September, 1869, the Gibson family removed to a rented ranch near Healdsburg and from there went to a farm near Marysville. During October of 1871 they came to Mendocino county and took up two thousand acres south of Willits, where the father engaged in sheep-raising for a number of years. Later he spent a year in Texas and on leaving that state drove a large number of mules across the country to Oregon, thence returning to Mendocino county and joining his son, John R., in Potter valley, where he bought a ranch and remained until his death, January 15, 1913. His wife had passed away in July of 1911. Of their fifteen children eleven are now living, namely: Mrs. Eliza Foster, of Ukiah; John R .; Sarah and James, both living in Oregon; George, of Potter valley; Thomas, now living in Los Angeles; Mrs. Mollie Rush, of Ukiah ; William, who makes Oregon his home; Mrs. Nannie Gray, of Washington ; Charles, a resident of Potter valley ; and Edward, who is living in Oregon.
After having helped his father until he was twenty-one John R. Gibson then began for himself in the world. Already he had learned to be an expert
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sheep-shearer and he took up that line of work for a livelihood. As a shearer he followed the flock through Mendocino, Humboldt and Tehama counties. Owners kept him in continuous service for years. Meantime he was also interested with his father in raising sheep on the ranch near Willits, having a flock of fifteen hundred head. Finally, however, he determined to take up a claim and accordingly he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres near Hot Springs, Mendocino county. After he had proved up on the claim he sold the property and in 1882 settled in Potter valley, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. For years he actively superintended the farm and tilled the soil, but some few years ago he rented the place, removed to Ukiah, bought six lots near the Union high school and erected a comfortable residence. To a man of his energy and industry a life of complete retirement is impossible and accordingly he put up a barn on the rear of his lots and made arrangements to engage in the teaming business in Ukiah. There is constant demand for his services in teaming and hauling and he finds the work profitable and interesting but not unduly laborious. For years he has been a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood.
Mr. Gibson was married in Oakland September 12, 1876, to Miss Mary Secrist, who was born in Fairfield, Solano county, this state, and reared in San Francisco. She was the daughter of Jacob and Adeline (Gibson) Secrist, natives of Missouri and Tennessee respectively. Mr. Secrist came as a pioneer to California, crossing the plains in an ox-team train. Mrs. Gibson, the only child of this union, received her education in the grammar schools, and also attended a girls' high school in San Francisco, and for some time she engaged in educational work. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have four children, as follows: Mrs. Grace Reynolds of Mendocino: Charles, a resident of Fresno; Frank, of Potter valley ; and Gardie, of Ukiah. Mrs. Gibson is a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood and Camp Elmira Townsend, Ladies' Auxiliary to the United Spanish War Veterans, of which she is a charter member.
LA FAYETTE SAILOR .- The thriftily kept ranch of La Fayette Sailor, situated in the Scotts Valley precinct in Lake county, is one of the garden spots which well illustrate the fertility of its soil and its agricultural possi- bilities generally, and Mr. Sailor himself is one of the substantial residents of the section who have aided its development along conservative but thor- oughly progressives lines. There has been nothing spectacular about his work or its results, yet all in all he has had a career of steady success above the average and has led a life of wholesome activity which has not only brought him prosperity, but has also been helpful to his neighbors and a benefit to the whole community. His place is located on the Ukiah road in Scotts valley, at the steel bridge, three miles northwest of Lakeport, and the improvements bespeak thoughtful industry and good judgment in the outlay of time and money expended in bringing it to its present state of cultivation. Mr. Sailor has carried on general farming, fruit raising and stock growing and has done well in every line.
It is presumed the Sailor family is of English origin, but La Fayette Sai- lor's father died when he was little more than an infant, so that he has been able to gather little concerning his ancestors. His grandfather was born in Virginia and died in Missouri, in which state Thomas Sailor, father of La Fayette Sailor, was born. The father married Maria Rice, a native of Ken- tucky who moved to Missouri with her parents when she was a little girl,
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and four children were born to this union : William H., who was accidentally killed in the mines in Yuba county, Cal., thirty-two years ago, and left four children ; Mary Ann, living in Idaho, who is the wife of Irving Lorton, a farmer, and has a family of five children ; Louisa, widow of George Johnson, living in Yuba county, Cal., who also has five children; and La Fayette, who was but two years old when his father died. The mother remarried, her second husband being John Hays, and they lived on a farm in Missouri, both dying in that state.
La Fayette Sailor was born October 18, 1843, in Montgomery county, Mo., and lived in that state until twenty years old, receiving a common school education and careful training under a Christian mother. It was in 1863 that he came to the far west, crossing the plains with mule teams and first making a location at Austin, Nev., where he engaged in prospecting for a year and a half, during which period he lost everything he owned. In fact, when he arrived in Yuba county, Cal., in 1865, his capital amounted to $4. An opportunity presented itself in the shape of a chance to buy in a set of old diggings, which he worked with a partner for twelve years, clearing up between $6000 and $7000, with which he came to Lakeport in 1877, that year buying the ranch in Scotts valley which he has ever since operated. It comprises seventy acres, which he purchased from a man named Clark, and here he has had his home from that time, giving most of his time to the im- provement of the place. He has fenced his land twice, all the substantial barns and other farm buildings are of his construction, and the tract is advan- tageously laid out for the various uses to which the soil has been put. At the time he settled here about four acres were covered with willows, brush and bramble, and there were about one hundred oak trees on the place, all of which have been cleared off, not a stump remaining on the cultivated portion now. A beautiful pear orchard now fourteen years old covers twelve and a half acres (set out in 1900), receives scientific care and is bearing abundantly ; Mr. Sailor also has a family orchard and vineyard covering two acres or more, planted in apples, peaches, pears, quinces, figs, grapes and walnuts, pro- viding bountifully for home needs ; and he also raises wheat, barley, oats and alfalfa, for hay and seed. His stock usually comprises forty head of cattle, big and little, including from fifteen to twenty hogs. As a rule he feeds from thirty to forty head of beef cattle, besides stock cattle, annually, raising shorthorn Durhams, and he has excellent pasture for his cattle on a forty-acre tract which he also owns, halfway between his home place and Upper Lake. On his home ranch he also raises Rhode Island Red poultry. Altogether he aims to supply the wants of his own household generously without interfering in any way with the commercial productiveness of his property, and has managed well. Persevering and well directed labor has had its reward, and he is a man of good standing in all the other relations of life as well as in business matters. Mr. Sailor has interested himself in the various local movements designed to benefit the neighborhood, and he was specially active in the organization of the Lake County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which has proved very advantageous to the farmers of the county ; he is now president of this organization, and has been one of the main factors in its success. Politically Mr. Sailor holds to the principles of the Progressive party. He has been a devout church member for the last thirty-five years, uniting with the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Lakeport, with which
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his family are also associated ; for over twenty years he has served this con- gregation as trustee, being president of the board, and he is zealous in pro- moting the work of the Sunday school. He is also a member of the Lake County Cured Fruit Association.
Mr. Sailor has always given a full share of the credit for his success to his wife, who has helped him with encouragement and counsel in more than forty years of wedded life. On October 2, 1873, he married, in Montgomery county, Mo., Miss Emily Grace, daughter of William Grace, of that county and state, and they have reared a family of five daughters and two sons.
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