USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 61
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 61
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POLK, THOMAS W. Was born in Knox County, Indiana, March 4, 1816. In 1833 his parents moved to Logansport, where he resided for one year. In the spring of 1834 he went to Jackson County, Missouri, and helped lay out the town of Westport, and followed clerking in that place for two years. In 1836 he, with his father and a Mr. Scott, began trading with the Indians in the Indian Territory, which he followed for six years. He then returned to Missouri and remained until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he with his family moved to Dallas, Texas, where they re- mained one year. They then went to Arkansas and lived there six months. December 23, 1863, he started for California from New York, arriving in San Francisco January 25, 1864. He went to San José and began dairying, and lived in other places until he came to Napa County and located in Cherry Valley, where he owns three thousand acres of land. He was mar- ried October 5, 1837. The children are, Nellie, born November 12, 1849, and Robert T., born December 5, 1852.
ROBERTS, WILLIAM C. Was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, July 26, 1853. When ten years of age, he with his parents, came to California, and settled in San Joaquin Valley, near Stockton. Here they resided until the spring of 1873, when they came to Napa County and spent the summer. In the fall of the above year the subject of these remarks went to Siskiyou County, where he engaged in stock raising until 1876, at which time he re- turned to Napa County and located in Chiles Valley, where he owns and conducts two hundred and seventy acres of land. He married, November 25, 1881, Miss Mary Scott, a native of California.
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REIMERS, C. Was born in Germany May 1, 1831, and resided in his birthplace until 1852, where he received his education. In that year he crossed the Atlantic, arriving in New York, from whence he came via Pan- ama to San Francisco. Here he worked at different occupations until 1856, when he embarked in the grocery business, which he continued until 1874. He then recrossed the ocean to the home of his youth in Germany, where he sojourned nearly one year, when he once more returned to California, and in June, 1875, he settled in Napa and began the grocery business, which he still continues, being located on the corner of Main and Third streets. His place is the well known " O. P. C." store. He is still unmarried.
ROBERTS, MARION W. Was born. in Huron County, Ohio, July 3, 1847, being the youngest son of B. F. and Marrietta Jennings Roberts. When he was seven years of age, he, with his parents, moved to Madison County, Iowa, residing there until 1865, during which time he was educated in the common schools and at the high schools in Des Moines. When he was eighteen years of age he moved to Warren County, Iowa, and there he remained engaged in farming, railroading and mercantile pursuits, until 1876, when he came to California and located on his present estate of seven hundred and eight acres, and is engaged chiefly in farming and stock raising. He was married in Des Moines, December 25, 1869, to Miss Emma A. New- man, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 13, 1850. By this union they have two children, Ernest, born March 22, 1870, and Clifford, born December 3,1877.
ROBINSON, JAMES H. Was born in New Brunswick, Canada, August 28, 1844, and at the age of thirteen his parents moved to Washington County, Maine, where the subject of this sketch learned the trade of blacksmith. In 1873 he crossed the mountains to California, and arrived in this State March 22d of the above year. He first located at Eureka, Humboldt County, for two years, and then he resided some five years in Red Bluff, Tehama County, where he was employed at his trade. We next find him, March 1, 1880, located in Oakville, engaged at his present lucrative business of blacksmithing and wagon-making. He was married in Yountville, October 17, 1880, to Miss Francis Root, a native of California.
RANDALL, JACKSON G. Son of Reuben and Hulda T. Gardner Randall, was born in the village of Postenkill, Rensellaer County, New York, March 29, 1831, where he remained until he was twelve years of age. He then went to sea and sailed in the West India trade from New York to Kingston, and followed this for nearly three years. He then entered the em- ploy of his uncle as clerk on one of his boats plying on the Lakes. He after- ward attended school in Buffalo. He also attended a course of medical lec- tures in that city for two years. He then being twenty years of age, sailed
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for California on board the steamer "Northerner," his uncle at that time being master. Arriving in San Francisco, he still remained on board the " Northerner," in the employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company for two years. He then went to work on a ranch at Soscol, and remained in that vicinity until October, 1854. He then shipped on board of the " Yan- kee Blade," as super-cargo, and stayed on her until she was wrecked, by running ashore off Point Aquila, above Point Conception, the chief mate and himself being the last to leave the ship. He then returned to San Fran- cisco on board the " Goliah," and remained in Oakland until January, 1855, when he came to Napa Valley and first settled near Yountville and embarked in farming. He bought a farm and remained there for five years. He then lost his farm and all the property he had accumulated for the five years pre- vious, in a law-suit through a defective title. He then engaged in teaching school near Napa City, and continued in this for two years. He then moved to Hot Springs and rented land of Ralph Kilburn, and engaged in farming, which he followed four years. He then moved to Calistoga and followed teaming for three years. He then moved to the hills east of Calistoga, and began stock raising, in which he was successful until the severe winter of 1872, when for the want of food for his stock, all but fifteen head perished. He then settled on his present place, being a part of the old Kilburn ranch, and engaged in general farming and fruit raising, having a beautiful orchard of six hundred trees, of all varieties of fruit, and is also engaged extensively in grape raising. His home is pleasantly located two miles east of Calistoga. After an eventful life, he is now nicely settled, surrounded by family and friends. Mr. Randall was united in marriage in Yountville, December 6, 1855, with Miss Mary Selby, a native of Illinois, born in Macon County, June 25, 1837. By this union they have eight living children. Lizzie, Henry J., Edward, Lendell, Sarah, Minnie, Nettie and Frank.
ROBINSON, CHARLES. Was born in Helsingburg, Sweden, Novem- ber 15, 1830. He resided in his 'birthplace till 1847, when he sailed in the Swedish brig "Elces " as cabin boy, and landed in New York City, in August of that year. He followed a seafaring life between New York and New Orleans till late in 1849, when he then shipped as ordinary sea- man from New York City via Cape Horn to California, and arrived in San Francisco October 12, 1850. For two months he lived in a canvas tent on Telegraph Hill, and then began sailing on the bay between San Francisco and San José, in the sloop "C. E. Long," which he followed six months. He then proceeded to Marysville, and from that place proceeded to Bidwells Bar, where he began mining, which he continued for five weeks. We next find him on Rich Bar, north fork of Feather River, where he embarked in mining for two years. He then, in 1853, came to Napa County, and re- mained till the spring of 1854. He then returned to the mines, where he
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remained till 1855, when he came to Napa County and began farming, which he has continuously followed since he came here. In connection with his farm he also owns a one-fifth interest in the Palace Hotel property. His farm is located in Browns Valley, and consists of five hundred acres.
RANEY, ANDREW JACKSON. Whose portrait will be found in this work, was born in Lexington, Kentucky, August 23, 1828, and is the son of Thomas and Maria Coghlan Raney. He resided at his birthplace until he was fifteen years of age, receiving in the meantime a common school educa- tion. In 1843 he, with his parents, moved to Jackson County, Missouri, where he resided on a farm till May, 1849. He then started across the plains with the Hudspeth train bound for California, coming by the way of the Hudspeth cut-off, and entering the State by way of the Lassen cut-off. When they reached the Sacramento River, he, with a number of the train, went to what was known as the Reading diggings, where they engaged in mining, which he followed till January, 1850. He then went to the Lassen Ranch and there purchased some dug-out canoes, and proceeded down the river to Sacramento City. Thence he went to Hangtown, now Placerville, and mined for one month. Thence he went to Nevada City, where he engaged in mining till the spring of 1850. He then joined a company who went to the south fork of the Yuba River, and constructed a dam and race, and turned the river from its channel, so that they might be able to work the bed of the stream. In September, 1850, he went to Nevada City and engaged in surface digging until the spring of 1851. While out hunting at this place he was shot accidentally, which disabled him for the following six months. During that spring and summer he was located in and about Sacramento City, and in September, 1851, he came to Napa City, where he remained a short time, when he, with Dr. W. W. Stillwagon, rented a ranch of J. E. Brown, in Browns Valley, where they farmed till the fall of 1852. He then rented a place of P. D. Bailey, and in March, 1853, he went over to Rag Canon, there being only one settler there at the time, who was a Frenchman, by the name of James Ohio Patti. He took up the place now owned by T. W. Polk, and began farming and stock raising, where he remained till the fall of 1855. He then returned to Napa and purchased the place now owned by H. Hagan, and farmed there until 1856. He then went to Gordon Valley in the employ of Nathan Coombs, and in 1857 he purchased land in Capelle Valley, and at present he owns one thousand six hundred acres in one body. Mr. Raney held the office of Deputy Sheriff during the squatter troubles, and has been Roadmaster, and was one of the reviewers of the Berryessa graded road, and took an active part in accom- plishing its construction. He is one of Napa County's staunchest citizens, and a genial, honorable gentleman. He was married October 9, 1852, in
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Napa City, to Miss Antonia Aranos, and by this union they have three children: George W., Martha A. and Nellie Matilda.
STOCKTON, PHILIP K. Was born in Tipton, Iowa, and is thirty- three years of age. He arrived in California in 1859, on the hurricane deck of a "prairie schooner," and in due course of time entered the profession of journalism. He published the San José Guide and Sacramento Agricul- turist, and has done editorial work on the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sacramento Record-Union. He "held a case " on the old Union, and after- wards occupied a desk in the editorial room. He has reported four sessions of the Legislature for the Sacramento papers, and his opinions on parlia- mentary and legislative matters are treated with the highest consideration by the members. He is married, and is the father of two bright and lovely children. His health, however, will not permit him to continue in the fascinating profession of journalism, and as soon as the sessions of the Legis- lature adjourns he retires to his home, near St. Helena, Napa County, where he is cultivating an extensive valley farm. He, in company with E. B. Willis, reported the proceedings in full of the Constitutional Convention. He also performs a great amount of stenographic work in the Courts of the State. As a short-hand writer he has but few equals in California.
SHURTLEFF, BENJAMIN, M. D. Was born in Carver, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, September 7, 1821, thus making him sixty years of age. As a boy, he was brought up on a farm, his education being that ex- cellent one afforded by the common schools of his native State. As a youth he was a student at Peiru Academy, Middleborough, taught school and studied medicine with bis brother, Dr. G. A. Shurtleff (now of Stockton, California) and the late Dr. Elisha Huntinton, of Lowell, Massachusetts. In the same year that Mr. Shurtleff graduated at Harvard University, 1848, came the confirmation, through President Polk's message, of the gold wealth of California. This fixed his determination, and only waiting until the beginning of the next year, he sailed from Boston on the schooner of the same name, rounded the Horn and arrived in San Francisco July 6, 1849. Combining profession and trade, he varied mining on the American River with the practice of medicine. The report of rich finds at Reading Springs (now Shasta), drew him there, and there he resided from the fall of 1849 to the spring of 1874. His life at Shasta and the history of that county are identical. Soon after his arrival at Reading Springs he was made Alcalde of the District, and in the following year, when Shasta County was organ- ized, he was unanimously elected the first County Treasurer. His recollec- tion of the benefits of early education was strong upon him, and together with the late Chief Justice, Royal T. Sprague, he established the first public school in Northern California. His offices now became numerous. In 1861
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he was elected State Senator for Shasta and Trinity District. For ten years, by successive annual appointment from the Board of Supervisors, he held the place of county physician. In 1857 he was tendered the office of County Judge of Shasta County, by Governor J. Neely Johnson, to fill an unex- pired term, but declined the appointment. In 1872 he was nominated by the Republican State Convention for Alternate Presidential Elector at Large. After a quarter of a century's life in this far-away northern part of the State, he moved in 1874, with his family, to Napa, where he now resides. The honors which he had experienced at Shasta followed him, and he served two terms as member of the Board of Trustees of Napa City. Mr. Shurtleff's political history is no less interesting than his personal one. In early years he was a firm, unwavering Whig, and adhered to the old party until its dissolution. He considers his vote for Henry Clay in 1844, the " proudest of his life." After the Whig party had passed away, he joined the Democratic ranks, and was an earnest supporter of Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency in 1860. At the commencement of the Rebel- lion, he was a war Democrat, and in 1863 received the opposition vote in the Legislature, when John Conness was elected United States Senator. He voted for the re-election of President Lincoln in 1864, and has since acted with the Republican party. He was elected to the Constitutional Conven- tion on the Non-Partisan ticket from the Third Congressional District. In May, 1875, he was elected a member of the Board of City Trustees of Napa, and was re-elected in 1878, and was president of that body. In March, 1880, he was appointed as one of the Directors of the Napa Insane Asylum, and is now President of the Board. He returned to his eastern home in the fall of 1852, and was united in marriage February 21, 1853, with Miss Anna M. Griffith, a native of Wareham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Their children are : George C., born April 7, 1854 ; Charles A., born April 4, 1857, and Benjamin E., born April 21, 1867; all of whom were born in Shasta. Dr. Shurtleff's views of public policy are at once elevated and dis- criminating. He has ever shown himself an advocate of education, and is by no means one who believes that the condition of the masses would be ameliorated by less schooling. He is, in fact, essentially a man of the peo- ple. A professional gentleman of marked attainments, he was well fitted for the position of revisor ; a pioneer citizen, he has had the best opportunity for knowing the State's need ; of unblemished reputation, it is a matter of certainty that his adherence was only given to those alterations of the Con- stitution which were really amendments.
SMITH, WILLIAM C. S. Was born in Franklin, Warren County, Ohio, in 1823. He moved to Muscatine County, Iowa, in 1840, and to New York City in 1848. January 15, 1849, he started for California, coming via Vera Cruz, City of Mexico, San Blas and Mazatlan to Cape Saint
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Lucas, and thence by land to San Diego, where he arrived June 10th of that year, and thence to San Francisco, arriving July 6th following. He proceeded at once to the mines at Ross Bar, on the Yuba River, where he engaged in that occupation for a while. He then proceeded to Slate Range, opposite the mouth of Slate Creek, where he spent the remainder of the summer. That fall he went to Sacramento, and ran a boat to Nyes Landing, now Marysville. During the winter of 1849 he established a mercantile house at Marysville, with several branch houses in the moun- tains. In 1852 he purchased a tract of land in Napa Valley from Salvador Vallejo, and in 1853 moved upon it. April 14, 1865, he was appointed by President Lincoln to the position of Collector of Internal Revenue of the Fifth District of California. This appointment was made the day before the assassination of President Lincoln, and the signing of the document was his last official act. Mr. Smith filled the position with honor and fidelity for twelve years, and until the Fifth District was merged with the Fourth. Upon retiring his accounts were examined by the Treasury Department and found to be correct in every particular. He is now en- gaged in the retail grocery business in Napa City. While it can not be said of Mr. Smith that he has gotten unto himself a great name, yet the nobler praise is due him of having always done what his hands found to do, with a conscientious regard for truth, honor and fidelity. He has always taken an active part in the advancement of all that tends to the moral and social as well as the financial advancement of the city in which he resides. He was married March 4, 1858, to Miss Margaret J. Hornbeck, who died July 21, 1869, leaving four children : Jeanetta A., Charles G., Egbert T., and William T. In 1870 he married, secondly, Mrs. Alice Hinckley.
SCHEFFLER, WILLIAM. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait will be found in the body of this work, was born in Brieg, Prussia, Germany, January 25, 1822, and is the youngest son of John and Marianna Funk Scheffler. He began his education at a gymnasium in Brieg, and then passed into the Ritter Academy at Liegnitz. At the age of seventeen he entered the Prussian army, and, after being in the service for one year, he entered the artillery engineer's school in Berlin. He remained there three years, and when he had completed his course he was promoted to a commissioned offi- cer in the Prussian artillery. He remained in this service until 1848, when he entered the army of Schleswig-Holstein, and served as Captain and chief of a field battery in the war against Denmark. He then left the military service, the war having come to an end by a treaty, and entered upon the life and pursuits of a civilian. His first enterprise was in connection with the special life insurance business, and he conducted it in Germany until 1861. At the breaking out of the Civil War in the United States, he secured letters of introduction to President Lincoln from the Prussian Minister of
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Foreign Affairs in Prussia, and came to America. The President gladly accepted the tender of his services, and gave him a commission as aid-de- camp. He served from November, 1861, until the close of the war in different capacities, sometimes on the field, and sometimes on the staff. In May, 1865, he left the army and went again into the life insurance business, being first located at New York City and connected with the Equitable Company. He then went to Hartford, Connecticut, and became con- nected with the Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company. He was next connected with the Ætna Insurance Company as consulting actuary. Both the Hartford and Atna Life Insurance Companies still conduct their business on his plans of insurance. He next went to Pe- oria, Illinois, and acted as general agent for the last-named company, which he continued until 1873. At that time his attention was drawn towards the wine interests of California, and he decided to come to this State and engage in it. Accordingly, in 1875, in New York, he purchased the patent of his vacuum distillery for the State of California, which he now uses, and which is said by experts to be superior to anything of the kind in use, differing in many particulars from other stills. He arrived in the State in November, 1875, and began operations with his distillery at St. Helena in January, 1876. In the fall of 1877, he began the manufacture of wine at the Fulton cellar, near St. Helena, and has continued operations there till the present time. In 1879, he purchased his present fine place, to which he has given the appropriate and euphonious title of " Edge Hill." This property was formerly known as the Heath estate, General Heath being a former proprietor. Mr. Scheffler has expanded his business very rapidly, having in 1878, 1879 and 1880, three cellars in operation: the Fulton, the Pine Grove and the Heath, at his present place. In May, 1880, he purchased the Amstadt vineyard, and rented the Jones vineyard. In January, 1881, he rented the Bourn vineyard, making a total of about two hundred acres of vineyard He now has charge of all adjoining "Edge Hill." During the present year, 1881, Mr. Scheffler has erected at "Edge Hill " one of the most substantial and handsome country residences in Napa County. It is complete in all its details, having an ample supply of water throughout. The rooms are large, airy and splendidly furnished, while ample verandas afford charming resorts from the rays of a mid-summer's sun. Underneath it is a commodious cellar, which he intends storing with the choicest vintage of each year, and retaining it there till age shall give it all the grand bou- quet and excellence which our California wines may be able to attain. Truly, Mr. Scheffler has been one of the foremost of that class of citizens who thoroughly develop the resources and create the stable wealth of Napa County, and too much cannot be said of his enterprise and thrift. He was married May 15, 1854, to Miss Madalina Griesmayer, who was born in Bavaria, October 28, 1825.
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SMITH, JOHN T. Was born near Dayton, Warren County, Ohio, March 30, 1828, where he resided until 1841, when, with his parents, he moved and settled near Iowa City, Iowa. He remained there until May 1, 1852, when he, with a company of others, started across the plains for Cali- fornia, arriving in this State in the latter part of September. He immedi- ately came to Napa County, and located two and a half miles west of Napa, on the Sonoma road, where he followed ranching until 1866. He then moved to town, and has since made Napa his home. Mr. Smith is un- married.
SMITH, DAVID. Was born in Liverpool, England, in 1836. When he was but nine years of age he left his native land and crossed the ocean, and settled in Providence, Rhode Island, where he resided until 1858, being then twenty-two years of age. He then sailed via Panama for California, arriving in San Francisco in April of that year. In May, 1858, he came to this county, locating in Napa City, where he secured a situation as clerk in a lumber yard, and remained in that business for two years. He then, at the time of the Fraser River excitement, went to that place and stayed a short time. Subsequently he located in San Francisco, where he resided until 1874, when he again returned to Napa, and engaged in the grocery business, which he has since followed, being a member of the well-known firm of Hottel & Smith. The subject of this sketch is still unmarried.
SHAW, MATHEW. Son of Thomas Shaw, was born in Lancastershire, England, December 2, 1836. When he was thirteen years of age, he, with his widowed mother, came to America, and settled in Lawrence County, Ohio, where he found employment in the coal mines of that section. He remained there until 1856 when he came to California. He sailed from New York on the steamer "George Law " to Aspinwall, and from Panama to San Francisco on the "Old Constitution," arriving in the latter place in April of that year. He immediately proceeded to the mines at Jackson, Amador County, and continued in that occupation for the succeeding four years. In January, 1860, he returned to Ohio, and was married February 19th of that year to Miss Ann Bowron, a native of the North of England, born August 27, 1842. He then, with his bride, returned to California, and proceeded to his old home in Amador County. He at once engaged in min- ing at the Tunnel Hill Gravel Mine, which he continued until 1861. He then moved to Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, and began mining which he followed until 1872. He then came to Napa County and located in Napa City, where he resided until 1874, not being, however, actively engaged in any business. In that year he began operations on his fine farm, situated about three miles north of Napa City. In 1879 he returned to Napa City with his family. During all this time he was actively engaged in mining in Tehama and Nevada Counties. February 4, 1880, he purchased a one-
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