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 93
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 93
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pounds ; a seven month old colt, weight nine hundred and seventy-five pounds ; all of which took first prizes at the Ukiah hop festival. in 1914; and two ex- ceptionally fine imported stallions. One of these, Juin, a four year old, weight two thousand pounds, is of the best pedigreed stock that took the first prize at the Ukiah hop festival in 1913 and 1914. Mr. McCracken purchased him from Frank S. West, importer at Hamilton City. The other stallion, Juculo, another fine four year old, weighs two thousand pounds and took the first prize at the Ukiah hop festival in 1912.
A native of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Joseph L. McCracken has been a resident of the United States since 1871, living for a time at Victor, Iowa. During 1872 he became a pioneer of Howard county, Neb., which at the time was wild, undeveloped country, with few settlers aside from the Indians. Taking up a claim there, he devoted his attention to ranching and also served one term as county assessor. During a tour of California in 1885 he became so deeply impressed with the outlook and possibilities here that on his return to Nebraska he took steps to dispose of his holdings there and two years later he was in a position to come to the west to make his home permanently. After one year at Auburn, Placer county, he became interested in the raising of cattle and hogs at Broderick, Yolo county, where also he developed a dairy business. From Yolo county he came to Ukiah in 1901. and leased the McClure ranch near Talmage, where since he has been busily en- gaged in agricultural activities. On the organization of the Savings Bank of Mendocino county he became a stockholder and director and ever since he has served on the directorate and is now vice-president.
Fraternally Mr. McCracken was made a Mason in Abell Lodge No. 146, F. & A. M., is a member of Ukiah Chapter No. 53, R. A. M .. of which he is past high priest, and with his wife he is a member of Kingsley Chapter No. 58. O. E. S., of which Mrs. McCracken is matron and he past patron. While living in Howard county, Neb., Mr. McCracken was married to Miss Ella M. Todhunter, who was born in Warren county. Iowa, the daughter of Richard Todhunter, a farmer near Broderick, Yolo county, where his death occurred. Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have seven children and twelve grandchildren, the former being as follows : Mrs. Martha Toles, of Ukiah : James R., of Ashland. Ore .; Mrs. May Lennox, also of Ashland ; Frank W .. of Oakland; Robert E., a rancher at Ripon ; Mrs. Emma Otis, of Selma, Cal. : and Louis L., who as- sists his father in the care of the home ranches.
ERNEST A. GOWAN .- Among the most popular garages in Mendo- cino county is the one conducted by Gowan Bros. in Ukiah, of which Ernest A. Gowan is the senior member of the firm. He was born in Rock Island, Ill., in 1873, the son of George and Florence (Davis) Gowan.
The father was a native of New York state and learned the sawmill business. On coming to Illinois he became mill foreman for Weyerheuser in Rock Island, afterwards holding a similar position for the same company at Shell Lake, Wis. In 1886 he brought his family to Sonoma county, Cal. He operated a sawmill at Russian Landing at the mouth of the Russian river. and afterwards removed to and operated a sawmill at Rockport until he decided to engage in ranching. His first farming was in Sherwood valley, but with his wife he is now residing on his farm near Philo, Anderson valley.
Of their eight children Ernest A. Gowan is the eldest. He was a lad of thirteen years when the family came to California. His first attendance at
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school was in Illinois and Wisconsin, completing his education in the schools of Mendocino county. While a boy he learned the machinist's trade and sta- tionary engineering in the sawmills operated by his father, and he also learned locomotive engineering, hauling log trains. For some years he was employed as a machinist in the shops of the Union Lumber Company at Fort Bragg, and afterwards was with the Sanger Lumber Company at Millwood, Fresno county, where for four years he had charge of the machine shop. In 1906 he returned to Mendocino county and established a garage and machine shop in Ukiah, which was run under the firm name of Kellem & Gowan. Giving it his entire attention for three years, he then sold his interest to Mr. Percy.
Going then to Stockton, Mr. Gowan was in the employ of the Studebaker Company, as automobile machinist, for a short time, but he again returned to Ukiah, where in partnership with his brother, Frank W., he started the Gowan Bros.' Garage, on State street, in a brick building 50x107. This they have already outgrown and use to its utmost capacity. The garage is well equipped, with machine and repair shop, having vulcanizing and electric charging departments. Their fairness in business deals has brought them success and they are well and favorably known.
The present Mrs. Gowan was formerly Mrs. Rose (Wisdom) Haney, and she presides with grace over Mr. Gowan's home. By a former marriage Mr. Gowan has a daughter, Hazel, who is studying art in San Francisco. Fraternally he is a member of the Eagles.
HIRAM BENJAMIN HAYDON .- To promote the agricultural develop- ment of Mendocino county has been the interesting and important task of Hiram Benjamin Haydon from his early years. Stock-raising and general farming have been the occupations that have brought him independence and an ability to retire from arduous labors in the enjoyment of a competency derived from the rental of his lands. That his success is merited may be understood from the statement that he was only a lad when he tried to make himself helpful on the home farm and from that to the present time he has been a capable worker, with an unusual faculty for managing stock and a keen intuition as to the best methods of tilling the soil. Born in Missouri October 16, 1854, he is the son of William J. and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Haydon. The father was born in Tennessee, but in young manhood removed to Kentucky, where he was married and where he followed his trade of blacksmith until his removal to California in 1862 or 1863. After coming to the west he foi- lowed farming, and his death occurred in Potter valley. Of the children comprising the parental family seven attained maturity and of these Hiram B. was next to the youngest, he being about seven years old when the family came to California. After a year on the Sacramento river the family moved to Napa county and from there to Potter valley in Mendocino county about 1865. There Hiram attended the country schools until he gained a thorough knowledge of the common branches.
A search for a new location brought Mr. Haydon and his father to Round valley about 1870. The location suited them. The soil was rich and con- ditions so encouraging that they bought land, to which they immediately removed from Potter valley. Afterward they worked together until the marriage of the son, after which he took up one hundred and sixty acres of government land situated northeast of Eden valley on the Eel river. The district was mountainous, not well suited for crops, but adapted to stock-
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raising and particularly to sheep. For this reason he made a specialty of the stock business. Being an excellent judge of stock and expert in their care, he met with encouraging success and little by little added to his holdings until he had accumulated twelve hundred acres of range land. Desiring land more suited to crops, he also purchased two hundred and forty acres about two and a half miles east of Covelo, in Round valley, and this he now rents for a dairy, having sowed considerable of it to alfalfa. During 1909 he dis- posed of his interests on the range and moved into the village of Covelo, where he now lives retired from active work. One of his greatest pleasures is participation in hunting expeditions. Twice a year he is in the habit of going on long hunting trips in the mountains and seldom has he returned home without one or more bears and panthers as trophies of his skill with the gun. It is said, indeed, that he is without a superior in markmanship and as a bear- hunter. Nor has he been less successful with small game, but naturally his interest centers in the animals that once roamed over the mountains in large numbers, giving way only gradually to the inroads of civilization.
The marriage of Mr. Haydon and Miss Lucretia Ann Armstrong was solemnized February 5, 1879. Seven children were born of the union, namely : William Felix, deceased; Herbert Henry, in Arizona; Artie Elizabeth, Mrs. Lovell. who died in 1914; Mary Cecile, Mrs. Betts, deceased; Benjamin Har- rison, a stock-raiser on Eel river ; Mabel Claire and Frederick Eugene. Mrs. Haydon was born at Red Bluffs, Tehama county, Cal., and is a member of a pioneer family of the state. As early at 1861 when she was an infant, her parents, Felix R. and Margaret J. (Light) Armstrong, settled in Covelo, Round valley, and while here her father helped to build the first lighthouse at Point Arena. Later the family moved elsewhere, but when she was seventeen years of age she returned to Mendocino county with her parents and has since made her home in this section of the country, where with her husband she has a host of warm personal friends in the circles of pioneers.
A. MANZINI & CO .- The firm of A. Manzini & Co. is composed of three young men who are making a success of the dairy business in Round Valley. Besides Antone Manzini we have Jean Albonico and Frank Feri as members of the firm, all having learned the business in its every detail, and giving all of their time and energy towards making it a profitable business.
Antone Manzini was born in Paglia, Italy, in the year 1884, and after completing the common schools came to the United States in 1900. Imme- diately making his way to Petaluma, Sonoma county, Cal., he found employ- ment on a dairy ranch and followed dairying on different ranches, thus learn- ing every department in dairying, including the manufacture of butter. After nine years in Sonoma county he removed to Loleta, Humboldt county, where he continued employment on dairy ranches and also worked a while in the Libby McNeal Creamery. In July, 1913, he came to Round Valley and in partnership with Jean Albonico and Frank Feri rented the present place of one hundred and sixty acres and stocked it with a good dairy herd. They have since engaged extensively in dairying under the firm name of A. Man- zini & Co., and they are also stockholders in the Round Valley Creamery.
Jean Albonico was born in 1883 in Navadoni, Italy, where he lived until twenty-three years of age, having followed the life of a dairyman in his native country. In 1906 he came to Marin county, Cal., where he was employed on & dairy, then removing to Eureka, Humboldt county. There he was in the
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employ of a lumber company for six years. In July, 1913, he came to Round Valley and became a member of the firm of A. Manzini & Co., to which he has since given all of his time and best efforts.
The third member of the firm is Frank Feri, who was born in Lom- bardia, Italy, where he spent his early life and received his education in the common schools. In 1906 he came to Humboldt county, where he worked in the lumber woods and for lumber companies until July, 1913, when he joined his fortunes with A. Manzini & Co. and came to Round Valley. There he is taking an active part in the business.
MARTIN MARTINAZZI .- Although a native of Italy, Martin Marti- nazzi has been a resident of California since his early manhood and is one of the most loyal and devoted of her adopted sons. He is a citizen of the most desirable type and by his industry and business sagacity has established one of the most flourishing enterprises in the entire county and one which con- tributes very largely to the prosperity and development of the county as a whole, and to the farming industry particularly. This industry is a great dairy farm and a creamery located in Ukiah, which utilizes a large amount of the product from the farms in that vicinity, and produces each month some four thousand pounds of high grade creamery butter.
Mr. Martinazzi was born in Oraso, Novara, Italy, September 16, 1864. The opportunities of the new world attracted him when he was still a boy and when a young man of twenty he came, in May, 1885, to California, where he has since made his home. He secured employment on a farm and here he learned the ways of the new country and the manner of conducting busi- ness, as well as becoming familiar with the details of farm life. On August 7, 1893, in San Francisco, he married Josephine Piffero, also a native of No- vara, Italy. In 1891 he had started in the dairy business for himself at Den- verton, Solano county, and met with considerable success.
It was in October, 1908, after many years of successful industry in Solano county, that Mr. Martinazzi came to his present location in the Ukiah valley. Here he leased two thousand acres of land nine miles south of Ukiah and again engaged in the dairy business. In this enterprise he has been more than ordinarily successful. His herd of milch cows is at present one of the finest in the county, numbering about two hundred graded cows. For several years he owned and operated his own creamery on the ranch, but the demands of his business grew in such a manner that a larger plant was a necessity, and some time ago he leased the Yokayo Creamery in Ukiah, where he is now engaged in the manufacture of a high grade of butter. The cream is gath- vred from the surrounding farms and is also received from distant points by stage and express. The equipment of the plant is thoroughly modern and up-to-date in every respect. It is operated by electricity, and a steam tester of the latest approved construction is used. The average output is over four thousand pounds per month. As would be naturally the case with one whose industry is so important a factor in the upbuilding of the prosperity of the valley, and whose faith in the future of the community is unqualified, Mr. Martinazzi has invested largely in real estate and today owns several valuable pieces of property in the vicinity of Ukiah. Among these may be men- tioned a fifty-acre ranch at the Forks, three miles north of Ukiah, which is in vineyard and orchard.
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The marriage of Mr. Martinazzi has been an especially happy one and his family is particularly interesting. There are nine children, all living save one. and all residing at home, and actively associated in the business enterprises of their energetic father, and all taking an interested part in the promotion of the business. They are Henrietta, Mary, Peter, Delina, Victor, Charles, Martin and Irene. Catherine, the second daughter, was accidentally killed in a runaway accident June 3, 1913, and is the only break in the family circle. The eldest son, Peter, is the manager of the Yokayo Creamery, with its many inter- ests, and thus the father is left free to give his entire time and attention to his outside enterprises.
Peter Martinazzi is one of the rising young business men of Ukiah, and is a worthy son of his splendid father. He is a native of Denverton, Solano county, having been born there on the home farm. He received his education in the schools of the district, and the details of the dairy business were learned in his boyhood. while he attended school and assisted with the work of the farm. The success of the Yokayo Creamery is largely due to his capable management and the high standard of the product is certainly a tribute to his attention to detail and to his appreciation of the value of excellent ser- vice in all departments of his business. The farmers of the valley have the highest regard for the ability and reliability of this rising young man, as also have the business and professional men of Ukiah.
GEORGE A. WOELFFEL, M. D .- Some years prior to the outbreak of the Civil war Richard Woelffel, a native of Stalien, Germany, and a young inan of recognized efficiency as an accountant, came to the United States, where he found employment at his chosen occupation. As soon as war was declared between the north and south he volunteered in the Union service and was commissioned captain in an Illinois regiment. which he accompa- nied to the front. With his command he bore a part in numerous thrilling adventures and closely contested engagements. Detailed in charge of the commissary department, he continued in the service until after the close of the struggle and was honorably discharged at the expiration of four years and seven months. Coming via Panama to California in 1866, he continued his work as an accountant in Sacramento and afterward in San Francisco. From the last-named city he came to Mendocino county. where for many years he engaged as superintendent of the Navarro mills and eventually resigned upon retiring from active business duties. His death occurred December 5, 1912, in San Francisco, where still lives his widow Sarah (Carson) Woelffel, a native of New Jersey. All of their five children are still living. The next to the eldest. George August, was born in Sacramento. June 27, 1868, and in 1885 graduated from the San Francisco high school. From early boyhood it had been his ambition to enter the medical profession. With that object in view he went to Iowa and matriculated in the medical department of the State University at Keokuk, from which he was graduated in 1897 with the degree of M. D. Meanwhile he had served for a number of years as an interne in St. Joseph's and Mercy hospitals in that city.
Upon returning to the west at the completion of his medical course Dr. Woelffel began to practice at Albion. Mendocino county, where he acted as surgeon for the Albion Lumber Company until the time of the great fire there. Since 1900 he has engaged in the practice of medicine at Willits, where in addition to having established an excellent private practice in the community
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he engages as surgeon for the Northwestern Redwood Company and as medical director of the hospital at Northwestern. His comfortable home on Commer- cial street is presided over by his wife, whom he married in Ukiah and who was Miss Lucia Thompson, a native of Nova Scotia. Along the line of his profession he is connected with the California State Medical Association and the Pacific Association of Railway Surgeons. In politics he is of the Repub- lican faith. His fraternities are numerous, including the Druids, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Maccabees, Ancient Order of Foresters, Eagles and Moose. and the Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, in which he is assistant surgeon on staff. Besides being identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks in the Santa Rosa Lodge, he is active in Masonry ever since having been made a Mason in Mendocino Lodge. Of recent years he has been associated with Willits Lodge No. 365, F. & A. M., while with his wife he holds membership with Willits Chapter No. 314, O. E. S.
HALE PRATHER .- Characteristics of a high order have attracted the attention of the people of Mendocino county to Mr. Prather, who has recently received the election, at the primary, to county clerk by a majority of twenty- four hundred and eighty-one votes. He is the grandson of William Prather, a pioneer farmer and stockman of Anderson, Cal .. he having crossed the plains with ox-teams in the early '50s. Following mining for a short time throughout that section he finally settled in Anderson Valley and there died. His son, John T. Prather, was born in Anderson Valley, where he was reared and fol- lowed farming until 1894, then locating eight miles west of Ukiah, where he engaged in sheep raising until his retirement from active labor. He is now living retired in Ukiah, with his wife, who before her marriage was Kate Brown, daughter of Dr. John T. Brown, who brought his family across the plains in 1849 and located in Napa county. Dr. Brown practiced his profession here for some years, in 1854 moving to Anderson Valley, and making his residence at Philo, there pursuing his professional duties until his death.
The birth of Hale Prather occurred in Anderson Valley February 27. 1890, be being the oldest of five children born to his parents. A ranch life was his during early boyhood, and the public schools of Ukiah and the Ukiah high school furnished him his educational training. Graduating in 1908, he then spent one year in graduate work, subsequently working in San Francisco for eighteen months. as a stenographer, with a wholesale wool house. He then returned to Ukiah and accepted a position under Hale McCowen, county clerk of Mendocino county, and since June, 1910, he has satisfactorily performed the duties of deputy clerk. Before the primary election of 1914 Mr. McCowen announced his decision not to be a candidate to the office for re-election. Mr. Prather accordingly announced himself as candidate, with the result of his election to the office with such a splendid majority. He will continue his deputyship until January. 1915, when he will enter the office as head For the past two years he has also been the county purchasing agent, appointed by the board of supervisors, and his capabilities have been evidenced in the sagacious execution of the duties of that position. Alert, intelligent and high principled, he has proved himself a trustworthy and public-spirited citizen, in whom the faith of the public is well founded.
Mr. Prather owns a comfortable bungalow on State street, Ukiah, where he resides with his wife and one child. He married June 14, 1912. Miss Caroline
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Beckley, a native of Cahto, this county, and daughter of Christian and Anna (Keller) Beckley, born in North Dakota and Switzerland, respectively. Mr. Beckley is a machinist and has spent many years in the lumber mills in different sections of the state as a machinist, in which capacity he has earned a wide reputation for ability. He now makes his home in Ukiah. Mrs. Prather graduated from the Ukiah high school in 1909. She is a loving mother to their one child, Margaret Ernestine, and in many instances has proved herself a valued helpmeet to her progressive husband. Fraternally a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Ukiah, Mr. Prather is a consistent Republican in political issues. He is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he and his wife both are devout members.
WILLIAM FRANCIS ORNBAUN .- A prominent factor in the busi- ness affairs of his community, William Francis Ornbaun has identified himself with all projects which have for their purpose the improvement and develop- ment of that country, and his services in many directions have been keenly felt by the benefactors thereby. Born in Mendocino county, near Yorkville, October 8, 1866, that county has formed the environment of much of his active life. His father, John Shipley Ornbaun, was raised in Crawfordsville, Ind., and coming to the county in 1854, was one of the first settlers in Mendo- cino county, in the valley which now bears his name and where he now makes his home. He owns a stock ranch of about four thousand acres and has engaged in stock-raising and general farming practically all of his active life, meeting with unusual success in spite of the hardships of pioneer life.
Attending the public school of his locality until he was fifteen, William Ornbaun then started to work for himself, finding employment in getting out tanbark and hauling it to Cloverdale until he reached the age of twenty, when a position in a slaughter house was offered him at Albion, and he remained there for two years. Returning then to his former employment, he again worked there for two years, and at the age of twenty-four opened a livery table in Cloverdale. successfully carrying it on for some years. Later he rented a three hundred acre ranch at Yorkville which had been set out to hops, but after farming this for a time he removed to Fort Bragg and engaged in teaming and hauling for himself. Four years subsequently he returned to Ukiah and for eight years served as deputy sheriff under J. H. Smith, until the latter was killed in January, 1906. After this he accepted the responsible position of manager of the Round Valley Land Company ranch, which con- sisted of eighty-four hundred acres, much of which was set out to hops and grain and was very productive. For seven years he held this position with creditable results and recently resigned to take up farming for himself. At present he is operating a ranch of three hundred and twenty-nine acres, three miles southeast of Covelo, and three hundred and twenty acres fourteen miles northwest of that town, where he is engaged in raising grain, also horses, cattle and hogs. Aside from his ranching he is the proprietor of the Covelo hotel. which is the leading hostelry in Round Valley.
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