USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1913 > Part 29
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Gen. W. T. Sherman, npon his tour over the country was the guest of Newton Booth, and was accompanied by him to witness a noted play at the Metropolitan theater, where upon their entrance a grand ovation was given them by the large audience.
General Grant, upon his tour around the world, when he arrived at Sacramento, spent a few hours with our distinguished fellow- citizen.
President Hayes and President Harrison, upon their visits, re- spectively partook of his hospitality. When Lord Russell, chief jus- tice of the Queen's Bench of England, came to this state, he did not depart without paying his respects to this prince of entertainers.
Newton Booth was an enthusiastic devotee of the drama. Every distinguished actor or actress received his cordial hospitality. Edwin
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Booth, before he became famous, as well as afterward, was a personal friend of Newton Booth. About the last time Edwin Booth appeared in this city, a private dinner was tendered him by Newton Booth, and at the board there were seated the host, Creed Haymond, Henry Edgerton, Samuel Seabough, Paul Morrill, Edwin Booth, the guest of honor, and myself. Some one of the party suggested that Edwin Booth read the Lord's Prayer. I shall remember the emotion as long as life lasts. Never did I hear the Lord's Prayer read before, and never after, as it was then read. It was almost a divine inspiration.
John MeCullough was his frequent guest. During the engage- ment of John McCullough and Alice Kingsbury at the old Metro- politan theater, they were entertained at his home.
When Katherine Rogers, a noted actress, held the boards in this city, she received a royal welcome at the governor's home.
Old Joe Proctor, Walter Leman and Mrs. Judah were also the recipients of his hospitality.
Governor Booth's administration was noted for its many elab- orate and brilliant receptions. The Old Bohemian Club, which also included the Sacramento Dramatic Association, of which the governor was a member, was specially favored with a number of splendid re- ceptions and entertainments. At these fetes the members of the club, which was composed of many brilliant and scholarly men and women, would reciprocate, giving original productions of the brain in literature, art, nmsie and the drama. On one occasion the club resolved to procure the famous Russian drama, "The Serf," and Governor Booth was assigned the title role. Albert Hart, the noble- hearted, generous, witty Albert Hart, was the manager. A rehearsal was called, and while the "star" had his lines dead letter perfect. he did not have the slightest conception of the art of acting, and after a few attempts led Albert Hart to exclaim: "Ye gods, could anything be worse!" "Well," said Hart, "you are a great orator. but I'm d-d if ever I saw such poor acting." This was his first and last attempt at the histrionie art. While Newton Booth was sedate and dignified in his manner, he was a superb conversationalist, and most social and democratic to his fellowmen. There was a vein of unctuous humor in him, also sparkling and incisive wit-a wit that did not leave any scars.
As an illustration of his dry humor, while he was United States Senator he visited his native state, Indiana, and was entertained by the distinguished men of that state. During one of these events some of his hosts, in a humorous way, alluded to the great productions of California, particularly the large strawberries, and remarked that as Senator Booth was a truthful man, any information coming from him could be relied upon. "Now," said one of his hosts, "Sen-' ator, how about your big strawberries?" "Well," said the Senator, "since you have paid me such a pretty compliment for veracity, I
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will say that we do raise some very large strawberries, and they come at about ten cents a pound, but they are somewhat less if you buy a whole one."
It was my good fortune to be a close and intimate friend of Gov- ernor Booth and often was his guest for a social as well as literary converse. His library was his home within which was an atmosphere of the classics, a treasure-house of literature. Many evenings I spent listening to him converse on deep subjects, as well as spurts of wit and humor-interspersed with an occasional mint julep, compounded as a "nectar fit for the gods." It was a custom of the firm of "Booth & Co." each Christmas to load up wagons with groceries and distribute the same to poor families. His partner, "Cy" Wheeler-grand, large- souled old "Cy"-attended to the proper distribution, and never al- lowed any publicity regarding who were the donors.
Newton Booth was always the foe of tyranny of great corpora- tions and the unjust interference of aggregated wealth in public af- fairs. On one occasion his former friend, also a brilliant orator, John A. Felton, charged him with being an "alarmist." This accusation brought forth a caustic reply filled with powerful invective and irony, which remains a masterpiece in its line. To show that Booth was more of a prophet than an alarmist, I quote from one of his speeches:
"Would you behold the saddest spectacle of the age? See it in the strong man seeking in vain for a place to earn his daily bread by daily toil.
"Would you discover the danger that threatens social order? Find it in the boys of our cities growing up in voluntary or enforced idle- ness, to graduate into prisoners or outlaws.
"Whoever will look open-eyed into the future will see that the 'labor question'; the question of directing the rising generation into the channels of useful employment; the question of the equitable dis- tribution of the burdens and reward of labor, so that the drones shall not live upon the workers, and honest industry may be certain of its reward; the question of making labor able-not only honorable but honored, is the social problem more important than political questions to which our age shall address itself. It must be intelligently solved. or, like the blind Samson, it will bring the temple down upon our heads."
Newton Booth was at all times patriotic, and took an active part in politics. He was one of the first to raise his voice and devote his abilities for the Union against rebellion. In later years he often took an active part in the local primaries. I remember on one occasion many years ago, he headed a primary ticket in the first ward, com- posed of such men as T. B. McFarland, John H. McKune. E. B. Moll, George W. Chesley, W. A. Anderson, Jacob Bauer, C. K. Dougherty.
The first ward was then the leading ward in the city, and Frank Rhoads had only developed into a ward leader. Frank did not like
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the personnel of the above ticket, and made up one of his own, com- posed mostly of Confidence Engine Company No. 1 firemen. During the progress of the election it became evident that the "boys' " ticket was defeated, and Rhoads, just before the closing of the polls, ordered a sham fight for the purpose of getting me out of the way, I having been detailed to guard the ballot-box. Anyway, the fight began, and before I could realize the purport, I was seized and thrown bodily out of the window, sash and all. While this was going on, of course the work of adding a few handfuls of tickets to the boys changed the result. When I got back into the room, full of fight and vengeance, no one seemed to be in any fighting mood and merely laughed at me, say- ing that there was no fight, and that I only fell out of the window. Of course there was nothing further to do but grin and bear it. Booth and Rhoads used often to laugh over the episode and the result. Per- haps the saddest part is the fact that I am the only one left of that historie crowd to tell the story.
WILLIAM ALEXANDER ANDERSON By the late Winfield J. Davis
There are few men whose lives are crowned with the honor and respect which is universally accorded to William Alexander Anderson, but through more than half a century's connection with central Cali- fornia's history his has been an unblemished character. With him success in life has been reached by sterling qualities of mind and a heart true to every manly principle. He has never deviated from what his judgment indicated to be right and honorable between his fellow- men and himself. He has never swerved from the path of duty, and he has every reason to enjoy the consciousness of having gained for himself by his honorable, straightforward career the confidence and respect of the entire community in which he lives. He has attained a foremost position at the bar, and as a writer and dramatic critic is also well known. The public career of but few other men of Sacra- mento has extended over a longer period, and none have been more faultless in honor, fearless in conduct and stainless in reputation.
Judge Anderson is a native of Wisconsin, his birth having oc- curred at Mineral Point, in that state, February 25, 1846. He was a son of Hartford and Susan Anderson, who became pioneer residents of California, settling in this state at the period of its early mining development. His paternal grandfather was a resident of Edinburgh, Scotland, in early life, and his wife was born in the north of Ireland. Having emigrated to America, he established his home in Pennsyl- vania, where occurred the birth of his son Hartford. The mother of our subject. Mrs. Susan (Atkins) Anderson, was a native of Kentucky. For some time the parents of the Judge resided in Wisconsin, where the father worked at the trade of carriage and wagon making. The business opportunities of the west, however, attracted him, and hoping
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that he might readily obtain a fortune in the mining districts of Cali- fornia, he made his way across the plains, accompanied by his family. They traveled over the stretches of hot sand, through the mountain passes, till the days had lengthened into weeks, and the weeks into months. At length they safely reached their destination. Mrs. Ander- son, however, did not long survive her arrival on the Pacific coast, her death occurring during the cholera epidemic of 1852. Hartford Ander- son, well known as one of the pioneer residents of Sacramento, con- tinued to make his home in the capital city until his demise, which occurred in October, 1896. He took an active and interested part in the early development of this portion of the state, and his sympathy and support were always given to the measures and monuments which contributed to the latter-day progress and improvement.
Judge Anderson was only three years old at the time of his parents' removal to the west. He began his education in the public schools, and supplemented his early mental training by study in Santa Clara college, thus completing his literary course. His professional training was received in the Benicia Law College. His earlier studies, however, were directed in such a manner as to prepare him for the profession of civil engineering, but at a later date he determined to pursue the study of the law, and entered the institution mentioned, completing there a thorough law course, after which he was graduated with the class of 1865.
Throughout his entire business career Judge Anderson has de voted his attention to the law, having been admitted to the bar of Cali- fornia by the supreme court of the state in 1866, and to the United States circuit court in 1880. Admitted to the bar, he at once entered upon practice, and from the beginning has been unusually prosperous in every respect. The success he has attained has been due to his own efforts and merits. The possession of advantages is no guarantee whatever of professional advancement, which comes not of itself, nor can it be secured without integrity, ability and industry. These qual- ities he possesses to an eminent degree, and he is faithful to every in- terest committed to his charge. Throughout his whole life, whatever his hand has found to do, whether in his profession or in his official duties, or in any other sphere, he does with all his might and with a deep sense of conscientious obligation. As a lawyer, he is sound, clear-minded and well trained. He is at home in all departments of the law, from the minutiae in practice to the greater topics involving the consideration of the ethics and the philosophy of jurisprudence and the higher concerns of public policy. His success, however, affords the best evidence of his capabilities in this line. He is a strong advo- cate with the jury, and concise in his appeals before the court. Much of the success which has attended him in his professional career is undoubtedly due to the fact that in no instance will he permit himself to go into court with a case unless he has absolute confidence in the
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justice of his client's cause. Basing his efforts on this principle, from which there are far too many lapses in professional ranks, it naturally follows that he seldom loses a case in whose support he is enlisted.
Judge Anderson was first chosen to public office before he had attained his majority, being elected county auditor in 1866. His next public service was that of assistant adjutant-general in the Fourth Brigade of the California National Guard, from 1868 to 1879. In the meantime he was elected city attorney in 1875, and was continued in that office until 1886. In 1893 legislative honors were conferred upon him, he being chosen to represent the eighteenth district of California in the assembly, where he gave careful consideration to every question that came up for settlement, and espoused with ardor or opposed with equal earnestness the course which he believed would prove of benefit to the commonwealth or check its best interests. His service in the house won him the commendation of his constituents and the respect of his political opponents. In 1898 he was chosen police judge of Sacramento, and his decisions were characterized by the strictest im- partiality and equity. He was serving an unexpired term as city justice when the new charter went into effect.
Judge Anderson has always given his political allegiance to the Republican party, and having made a close and earnest study of the issues and questions of the day, he has become more strongly con- firmed in his opinion that the party platform contains the best ele- ments of good government. His campaign work has been effective and far-reaching, for he has visited various portions of California, advocating the doctrines of Republicanism, and expounding the basic elements on which the political organization rests. He was one of the first champions of Major Mckinley in California, and became a member of the executive committee during that campaign. He has been a delegate to nearly every Republican county and state conven- tion for nearly thirty years, and his opinions carry weight in the counsels of his party. In 1898 he was a delegate to the National Republican League convention, held in Omaha.
Judge Anderson has been twice married, and by the first union had one son, Osmer W. Anderson, who was born August 22, 1871, and who was for two years a volunteer soldier in the Philippines. On the 8th of September. 1880, Judge Anderson married Miss Mary Cadwell. Their's is an attractive home, the center of many an entertaining social function, and hospitality which is both gracious and generous is the pervading atmosphere of the household. In his fraternal rela- tions Judge Anderson is an Odd Fellow. He was reared in the Episcopal faith, but is a man of broad and liberal views in religious matters, and is a communicant of no church organization at the present time.
A man of scholarly attainments and literary tastes, possessing broad general, as well as classical, information, he finds considerable 16
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enjoyment in giving his time to literary pursuits, and has been a fre- quent contributor to the daily papers. He was one of the founders of a literary journal called "Themis," which was noted for historical merit and for its clear-cut and literary editorials. He is the author of some dramatic works, and is well known as a dramatic critic and lover of the drama. He has studied from the art standpoint many of the most celebrated dramas of the world, and has had a personal acquaintance with most of the great dramatists of a generation ago, including Edwin Booth, John McCullough, Lawrence Barrett and a number of the actors and actresses. His writings are fluent and enter- taining, eloquent and versatile, and for a third of a century he has been known to the public as a lecturer whose addresses have created widespread interest. His influence upon literary and aesthetic culture of the state has been most potent, and at the same time he has given a practical support to the measures intended to advance the material interests of Sacramento. As a man and a citizen he is honored and respected in every class of society. While undoubtedly he is not with- out that honorable ambition which is so powerful and useful as an incentive to activity in public affairs, he regards the pursuits of pri- vate life as being in themselves abundantly worthy of his best efforts. His is a character that subordinates personal ambition to public good and seeks rather the benefit of others than the aggrandizement of self. His is a conspicuously successful career. Endowed by nature with high intellectual qualities, to which are added the discipline and em- bellishments of culture, his is a most attractive personality. Well versed in the learning of his profession, with a deep knowledge of human nature and of the springs of human conduct, with great shrewdness and sagacity, and extraordinary tact, he is in the courts an advocate of great power and influence, and both judges and juries hear him with deep interest.
CHAPTER XXVIII FRATERNAL SOCIETIES
The history of Masonry in the state of California is so inextric- ably interwoven with the history of Masonry in Sacramento, that we may be pardoned if we give a somewhat extended mention of its in- ception. The first meeting of lodges that resulted in the formation of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of California took place in the city of Sacramento. For the early history of Masonry in the state we are indebted to the deep and tireless research of old records by Edwin A. Sherman, 33º. Vener- able Grand Secretary of the Masonic Veteran Association of the Pacific Coast, as set forth in his "Fifty Years of Masonry in Cali- fornia."
Even with the first explorers of the wilds west of the Rocky
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mountains, came Masons as trappers, hunters and traders. Few, if any, such parties did not embrace within their ranks at least one or more Masons, fearless, energetic men, who carried in their bosoms the doctrines and secret ceremonies of the Mystic Tie, men of moral courage as well as physical, of stern integrity and fidelity to their Masonic obligations. Many a tale could be told of the devotion of these daring spirits to their distressed or imperiled brethren, and also to their comrades not bound to them by the ties of Masonry.
The first Masonic missionary, for he might well be classed as a missionary, who came to California, and returned to Missouri to bring from the Grand Lodge of that state the first charter for a Masonic lodge, was Peter Lassen. Long before the discovery of gold, he came here, brave, hardy and determined, and was untiring in his resolve to found a Masonic lodge here, while the country was still under the Mexican rule. Lassen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, August 7, 1800, and there learned his trade of blacksmith. At twenty-nine years of age he crossed the ocean to Boston, and a few years after removed to Missouri. In 1839, with a party of others, he came to Oregon, and after spending the winter there, sailed in an English ship to Fort Bodega, then occupied by the Russians. The Mexican comandante sent a party of soldiers to prevent their landing, but the Russian governor ordered the Mexican soldiers to leave or be shot down, and they retired. Lassen and his comrades were stranded and nnable to get away, and appealed to the American consul at Monterey, stating that they had been denied passports and were without funds, that they wanted to proceed to the settlements or to obtain a pass to return to their own country. The appeal wound up with the characteristic state- ment: "Should we receive no relief, we will take up onr arms and travel, consider ourselves in an enemy's country and defend ourselves with our guns."
After remaining at Bodega fifteen days, however, they managed to reach Yerba Buena and later Lassen went to San Jose, bought some land in 1841 at Santa Cruz and set up a sawmill. In 1843 Jolın Bid- well, Lassen and James Burheim pursued a party bound for Oregon as far as Red Bluff and recovered some stolen animals. Bidwell made a map of the valley and named the streams, and on his return Lassen applied to Governor Micheltorena for a grant of land, based on Bid- well's map. He received it and selected Deer creek, in Tehama county, proceeding there the next spring and making the first settlement north of Cordna at Marysville. He laid out a town which he named Benton City, where he proposed to start a Masonic lodge. He laid out the Lassen road for immigrants and named Lassen Peak. This was before the discovery of gold, and in 1847 he went back to Missouri to get a charter for a lodge, several other Masons having joined him at Benton City. He obtained a charter for Western Star Lodge No. 98, May 10, 1848, naming Saschel Woods, master; L. E. Stewart, senior warden,
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and Lassen, junior warden. He returned with the charter and an im- migrant train of twelve wagons, being joined at Pitt river by a party of Oregonians who had heard of the discovery of gold, of which he had not heard until they joined him. He did not learn that a Masonic lodge had been instituted at Oregon City, September 11, 1848, under authority of the grand lodge of Missouri, or that Joseph Hull, the master, and several other Masons of that lodge were with the Oregon train. Neither party learned till long afterwards that any of the others were Masons, or that Lassen had a charter for a lodge. He afterwards went to Plumas county, and in 1853 met his death at the hands of the Pinte Indians. His body was recovered by citizens and buried at Honey lake on his ranch, and a stone monument erected to his memory, while the county of Lassen was named after him.
November 9, 1848, Samuel York Atlee, William Van Voorhies and Bedney F. McDonald received a charter for California Lodge No. 13, from the District of Columbia, and located it at San Francisco. Con- necticut Lodge No. 75 was granted a charter by the grand lodge of Connecticut, January 31, 1849. Pacific Lodge, U. D., was granted a traveling charter by the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, June 5, 1849, and located at Benicia, subsequently becoming Benicia Lodge. The same Grand Lodge also granted a dispensation to Davy Crockett Lodge at San Francisco. Illinois granted a dispensation to a traveling lodge which located at Marysville, and Wisconsin granted one to Lafayette Lodge at Nevada City. The records of Western Star Lodge were de- stroyed by fire, so that, although it was the oldest lodge in the state, the records of California Lodge No. 13 are the oldest extant.
Connecticut Lodge No. 75, the first one in Sacramento, is now known as Tehama Lodge No. 3, F. and A. M. Its inception, as re- lated by R. H. McDonald and Past Grand Master John A. Tutt, the only Mason living who assisted in the organization of the grand lodge of California, we find some interesting data. In 1849 Dr. McDonald opened an office on K street near Sixth, and a friend of his, who was going to the mines, came to his office and said: "Doctor, when I was coming across the plains and along the Humboldt valley in Nevada, I saw piled up on the sand by the side of the road, a lot of books, and on a card fastened on a stick, this notice: 'Help yourself.' There were a good many fine books in the heap, and among them this large red morocco-covered Bible with gilt edges. As I could not pack more than one book along with me, I took this Bible, and brought it through. As I am going to the mines, and cannot take it with me, and as you are a kind of religious enss, I'll give it to you." Dr. McDonald accepted it.
Shortly after, in September, 1849, several written notices were found posted up around the horse market, on the trees, calling a meeting of all Master Masons in good standing, to meet in the upper part of a building on the north side of K street. When the meeting convened, the little garret was packed with brethren who were nearly
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all strangers to one another. The meeting was called to order by John A. Tutt, and someone made a motion that Dr. R. II. McDonald take the chair. Dr. McDonald was surprised, as he did not know a single person present, but he approached the box that was used as a chair, and was confronted by a tall stranger, who also stepped forward to take it. It was an amusing scene, as they stood looking each other in the face. "Are you Dr. R. H. McDonald, and have you a monopoly of the name of McDonald," asked R. H. "I am Dr. R. H. McDaniel," was the reply, "but am known as Dr. McDonald through a mistake in calling my name." Mutual explanations followed, and as the stranger proved to be the one nominated, he took the chair and opened the meeting. When it became necessary to ascertain who were Masons, it was discovered that there was no Bible present, and it could not be dispensed with. "Wait a minute, and I will get one," said Dr. Mc- Donald. He went out and brought in the pioneer Bible which his friend had given him. An association was then and there formed for the relief of the sick and distressed brethren who were constantly arriving.
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