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, 1923, Part 63

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

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, 1923 > Part 63

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produced results such as would reflect the highest credit upon farmers of far greater experience and opportunities. In national politics she is a Republi- can.

In her home life, so attractive to all who have the chance to enjoy its hospitality, Mrs. Beauville has the company of a daughter, Edith, who is an actress, having traveled for about five years, seeing much of life in New York City, but who has given up the stage and is now living at home with her mother, a help and a comfort to her, and a welcome hostess, with her mother, to the favored who visit this Sacramento County ranch.

WILLIAM C. SHELDON .- If not the oldest na- tive son in California, William C. Sheldon is nearly so, for he was born at the old Sheldon mill on the Mocosumnes River, February 26, 1848, on the Omo Chumney ranch, a grant, so named by the Indians (the name meaning "my winter home"), because of the abundance of wild grapes along this part of the Mocosumnes River. Mr. Sheldon's father, Jared D. Sheldon, was a New Englander, born at Underhill Center, Vt., of an old Eastern family. Grandfather Sheldon served in the Revolutionary War and was at the Battle of Lake Champlain.

Jared Sheldon was a millwright and a very fine mechanic. When a young man, having a longing to see the great West, he made his way to what is now Kansas City, and on over the plains to Santa Fe, N. M., with a party of government men. Here he was taken ill and had to remain behind, intending when he was well to overtake his party. Having obtained from them the direction in which they were going, he started after them; but he never heard of them again. Even after coming to California he could find no trace of any of the party; so they must have been massacred and the whole party annihilated. Jared Sheldon made his way gradually westward on mule- back through the Indian country, enduring many hardships and having narrow escapes. One night when he was closely pursued by the redskins he es- caped by going from island to island in a river. He had started with two mules, but later on had only one, a splendid animal, which carried him safely through, although at one time Mr. Sheldon was so nearly famished that he got down to kill the mule in order to satisfy his hunger. On consideration he de- cided not to do so, however, concluding that if he did, his own bones as well would be left to bleach on the plains; so he thought better of the matter and kept his dumb companion. The same day he came across a coyote, which he shot; but after a trial, he was unable to eat any of the meat, for it was too rank. Fortunately, before he was overcome by starvation, he ran across game which saved his life. He arrived in Los Angeles in 1837. The little Mexi- can hamlet of those days was vastly different from the present great metropolis. Jared Sheldon was a true frontiersman, inured to hardships, and made his way through the wild country with the instinct of the veteran pathfinder. He was dauntless and resource- ful, and had no fear of being unable to reach the Pa- cific Coast. On this trip, when wanting a campfire, he made it by rubbing two pieces of wood together. From Los Angeles he made his way to Monterey; and there he built for the Mexican government the custom house that is still standing, and for his ser- vices was given the Omo Chumney grant on the

W. C. Sheldon

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

Mocosumnes River. He found that in order to ob- tain title to the grant he had to become a Mexican citizen, and this he could not do without becoming a member of the Catholic Church; so he was bap- tized, and was named Joaquin Sheldon. The grant was three miles wide and extended seventeen miles along the Mocosumnes River, from the present Mc- Connell ranch up to over three miles above Slough House.

Jared Sheldon's services as a millwright were called upon at various times. He built a mill on the Russian River for the Russians, and another at old San Juan Mission, and also constructed a sawmill at Los Angeles. Having obtained the promise of the grant, he came to his possession and started in the stock business. As his services as millwright were valuable elsewhere, he had a partner, William Day- lor, an Englishman who had been a sailor before he came to California and left the ship to remain for ad- venture here. While Mr. Sheldon was looking after the building of the custom house and mills, Mr. Day- lor remained on the ranch looking after the stock and rancho. Mr. Sheldon built a flour mill on the Mocosumnes River, where he made flour. William C. Sheldon has in his possession a letter from Gen- eral Sutter to his father, dated 1847, calling Mr. Shel- don's attention to his wheat and asking if the grist of flour was done. The burrs for the mill were brought from Monterey, having been brought to that point from Mexico, where they had been cut from native stone. In those early days it took a year to get a reply to a letter sent to Vermont. When a letter was given to an Indian messenger, it was car- ried by him in a forked stick; and while on his way he was a privileged person and no other Indian would stop him, for in their superstition they thought he carried spoken words. Mr. Sheldon build a dam in the river above his lands, taking out a ditch to ob- tain power for his mill and to irrigate his lands. In his operations he found the Indians good help and of great assistance to him. He also had a trading post in the hills and bought gold from the Indians and sold them goods in return. He obtained the services of William T. Sherman to survey his grant into half- mile tracts; and these he sold to settlers as low as ten cents an acre in order to have neighbors, and made the tracts large enough to make it worth while for the purchaser to buy. He built the first house at Slough House, and in every way was an enterprising man.

Jared Sheldon was married near what is now Galt (then Live Oak) to Miss Catherine F. Rhoads, born in Indiana, who came here in 1846 with her parents. The grandfather, Thomas Rhoads, brought his fam- ily across the plains with ox teams and wagons the same year the Donner party were crossing the plains. The Rhoads train was captained by Captain Greenwood, who advised the members of the train and other parties as well, on account of the lateness of the season, to push on over the mountains. They left the Donner party at Donner Lake and came on through as rapidly as possible, and in October, 1846, arrived in California. Afterwards some of the Rhoads boys went back and helped pack the Donners in. The Rhoads family were living near Galt the first winter. Here Catherine Rhoads met Jared Sheldon, which resulted in their marriage. Her sister, Sarah P., met and married William Daylor; and both couples were united by Justice Sinclair on the American River.

Mr. Sheldon saw to it that a schoolhouse was built, and hired the first teacher. This is said to have been the first school in the county. As stated, Jared Shel- don had taken out a ditch from the river for irrigation. After mining began, trouble arose over the water. Mr. Sheldon offered the miners the water six days a week if he could have it one day, but the result was unsatisfactory, and Mr. Sheldon was shot down by the miners on July 11, 1851. They in turn left, and were never heard of again. William Daylor died of the cholera epidemic in 1851. Mrs. Sheldon carried on the ranch the best she could after her husband's death; but she was plundered right and left. She continued to live here many years, until she retired to Sacramento, where she resided until her death, about 1906, at which time she was Mrs. Dennis Dalton.

William C. Sheldon was the oldest child in his parents' family. He spent his childhood on the farm, attending the local school, after which he studied at Benicia College for three years. In 1871 he made a trip to the East, to New York City, and also visited his father's people in New England and Canada. Af- ter an enjoyable trip of four months, he returned home and began his farming and stock-raising opera- tions at Slough House, in which he has been very successful.

In 1872, in Salt Lake City, occurred the marriage of Mr. Sheldon and Miss Anna Virginia Cook. She was born in New Jersey and had come to Salt Lake with her parents. Mr. Sheldon brought his wife to his ranch on the Mocosumnes River, having become the owner of 610 acres of land on said river, which he has improved and still owns, also having added ninety acres to it by purchase, so that he now owns 700 acres, devoted to raising hops, fruit, and alfalfa. Mr. Sheldon is interested in preserving the essential facts and interesting incidents of pioneer history, as well as the historic landmarks. He has saved the two burrs from the old Sheldon grist mill, and has them placed for steps in his yard.

Mr. and Mrs. William C. Sheldon have six chil- dren. William J. is assisting his father on the ranch; Catherine P. is Mrs. Jack Grandlees, of Bridge House; George T. died in 1918; Jessie C. is Mrs. Fred Grim- shaw; Loren M. is also assisting his father; and Kittie A. is Mrs. Cothrin, living near Latrobe, in El- dorado County. Mr. Sheldon has always manifested a deep interest in the cause of education, and for many years served as a member of the board of trus- tees in Rhoads school district. He also served as justice of the peace of Lee Township for many years. A firm believer in the principle of protection for Americans, he is a stanch Republican. Fraternally, he was made a Mason in Union Lodge, No. 58, Sacra- mento, and is a member of Sacramento Chapter No. 3, R. A. M .; Sacramento Commandery No. 2, K. T .; and Islam Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in San Francisco. Mr. Sheldon is well-posted on the early history of Sacramento County. Of pleasing personality and affable manner, he is an intensely in- teresting talker, and it is indeed a treat to converse with him and enjoy his genuine Western hospitality. His honesty of purpose and integrity of character have never been questioned, and his word is as good as his bond. He lives by the Golden Rule, and is 110 less liberal than enterprising; but all of his benefac- tions are accomplished in an unostentatious manner. He is now undoubtedly the oldest settler in Sacra-

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mento County, and is probably the oldest native son in the state; and he takes a very active interest in pioneer affairs.

JAMES BASCOM BRADFORD .- This highly honored pioncer and business man breathed his last at Sacramento, Cal., on February 22, 1907. He was born on February 10, 1826, and attained the ripe old age of eighty-one years and twelve days. Few careers can approach his in point of foresight, usefulness, activity, force of character and public spirit, and it can be truly said of him that he left the world better for his having lived in it. He first opened his eyes to the light of day in Daviess County, Ind., being a twin brother of William Barton Bradford, a forty- niner, and like himself a man of forceful and whole- some character. These twin brothers were the third and fourth, in order or birth, in a family of nine children born to George and Mary F. (Bruce) Brad- ford, the former a native of Connecticut, the latter of Kentucky. On the paternal side, he was of English ancestry, while in the maternal line he was of Scotch extraction, harking back to King Bruce.

George Bradford, the father of James Bascom Brad- ford, was born in Middlesex County, Conn., July 5, 1787, and was the youngest in a family of thirteen children. He was a direct descendant of Gov. Wil- liam Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth Colony. At the age of thirteen he ran away from home, and shipped to England as a cabin boy on a sailing vessel. Returning to America, he was em- ployed on a flat-boat plying the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and soon became a pilot and later the owner of a boat of his own, trading in the products of the rich Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys. After dis- posing of the cargoes at New Orleans, he would in- variably take a boat to Boston, Mass. (instead of to New York City), and would thence come horseback across the country back to Washington, Ind., where he would reengage to take another cargo down the rivers. He displayed considerable ability as a trader and later established a general merchandise store at Washington, Ind., where he prospered and reared his large family; and here his sons, the two twin brothers, assisted their father and learned the store- keeping business.

Of these twin brothers, William Barton Bradford was the first to seek his fortune in the new Eldorado on the Pacific Coast. Coming via the Isthmus, he landed at San Francisco in 1849. James Bascom Bradford joined him in 1850, making the journey across the plains during the fifties. He had much experience in gold-mining, becomnig interested in several different gold mines in Eldorado and Placer Counties. In the fall of 1850, he went to Oregon and engaged in farming near Salem. Returning in 1851, he mined for a while in Shasta County; and then, in the fall of 1851, he first located in Sacramento County. In 1852 he went to Diamond Spring, in Eldorado County, and there, in partnership with his brother, William Barton Bradford, under the firm name of J. B. & W. B. Bradford, engaged in the general- merchandising business until 1859, when the partner- ship was dissolved. During these years (from 1852 to 1859), they operated stores in several places in California and Nevada. At one time they were in business at Yankee Jims, in Placer County, where they remained nearly two years. At other times

they ran stores at Sacramento, Michigan Bluffs, and Aurora, Nev. They had thoroughly learned the store business back at Washington, Ind., and were very successful in their mercantile pursuits; and as they accumulated means, they invested it in gold mines, only to experience the gold miner's luck and lose their holdings. They owned and lost several mining properties, the last one being the celebrated "Last Chance" mine in Placer County, for which they were offered nearly a million, but refused it. Luck then turned against them; and inside of three months thereafter J. B. Bradford was "flat broke" and was forced to walk back to Sacramento, because he had not the money with which to buy a ticket on the stage line. This so thoroughly disgusted him with gold-mining that he resolved thenceforth to turn his attention to farming.

In 1856, J. B. Bradford went back to Indiana and brought out his father and mother to Sacramento County, Cal. They died here, and are buried in the City Cemetery at Sacramento. Their tombstones give the following information, duly inscribed as follows:

GEORGE BRADFORD

Born in Middlesex Co., Conn. July 5, 1787 Died July 16, 1862

God, not man, is the Judge. In God I trust.

MARY F. BRADFORD

Born in Mason Co., Ky. Aug. 16, 1793 Died July 19, 1865.

George and Mary Bradford were married at Wash- ington, Ind., in 1821. George Bradford was a man of deep convictions, who had learned many lessons in the rugged school of actual experience. A New Eng- lander by birth, he had been brought up in an atmos- phere which was opposed to slavery. His Whig principles and anti-slavery sentiments became irrev- ocably fixed in his heart one day down South, while working on a flat-boat, where he witnessed the cruel burning to death at the stake of a negro slave- boy, because he had attempted to run away (for the third time) from his harsh master. What a pity that this ardent Abolitionist was not permitted to live to witness the signing of the Emancipation Proclama- tion! He was a self-made man and built up a pros- perons business at Washington, Ind., where the greater portion of his life was spent.

In 1860 J. B. Bradford located on the ranch of 160 acres twenty miles south of Sacramento, which he took up as a government claim. When he held up his right hand in the government land office and took oath that he intended this land for his future home, he did not perjure himself. He meant every word of it. His sterling honesty and integrity be- comes all the more apparent when we reflect that this property has ever since been, and still is, the "Bradford Home Place." The board cabin which he

A. B. Bradford

Sarah G. Bradford

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

erected in 1860, and which was for many years his dwelling-place, is still standing on the place, an inter- esting landmark. For a number of years Mr. Brad- ford's principal pursuit was general farming. He then conceived the idea of grape culture. He planted the pioneer vineyard of his locality, setting out fifteen acres of vines in 1866 and gradually worked into viti- culture. He kept increasing his acreage until his grape-vines covered 125 acres of his place. In 1889 he began to manufacture wine in a small way. Hc enlarged and improved his plant from time to time until it had a capacity of 400,000 gallons, and in 1897 he took his two sons in as partners in the business and operated under the firm name of J. B. Brad- ford & Sons.

Mr. Bradford went back to the Middle West; and at Danville, Ill., on the 20th day of September, 1871, he was married to Miss Sarah G. Kilbourne. She was born at Venice, Ohio. By their union they be- came the parents of two sons: Perley K. and George B., both of whose biographies appear elsewhere in this work.

Mr. Bradford became well-known in local Masonic circles, being affiliated with Elk Grove Lodge No. 173, F. & A. M. In political matters he made it a point to study national, state and local questions, and without fear or favor voted his convictions and princi- ples, supporting men of character and ability to hold positions of public trust, and always secking the greatest good for his community and country. He lies buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Elk Grove, beside the remains of his devoted wife and helpmate, who passed on a few years after him, at the age of seventy-two, highly esteemed and truly mourned.

The accompanying portrait of J. B. Bradford plainly bespeaks a strong, virile, pure and manly character. A rugged Americanism is stamped upon his features. As before stated, he was a direct des- cendant of Gov. William Bradford, the second gov- ernor of Plymouth Colony, who served as such from 1621 through 1633, and in 1635, 1637, and 1639, and again from 1645 to 1657.

The said progenitor was born at Austerfield, York- shire, England, in March, 1588, and was one of the early Puritans, dissenting from the teachings of the established church of England. In the autumn of 1607, although only nineteen years of age, he joined a company of dissenters who made an attempt to go on to Holland, where their religious opinions would secure toleration; but the master of the vessel be- trayed them, and they were thrown into prison. Brad- ford remained in Holland, altogether, about ten years, and when the plan was decided upon of removing the English church at Leyden, under the care of Pastor Robinson, to America, he eagerly united with other Puritans in carrying out this idea. Ou July 22, 1620, he embarked for England, and on September 5 following sailed from Southhampton on board the "Mayflower," with the first company of Pilgrims which left for America. A storm coming up, they were obliged to put into what became known as Plymouth Harbor, but eventually reached the harbor of Cape Cod. Here he had the misfortune to lose his wife, who fell into the sea and was drowned. The first governor of the colony, Carver, died on April 5, 1621; and Mr. Bradford was elected in his place. His wisdom in dealing with Sachems Massasoit and Can- onicus, and other Indian chiefs-those friendly as

well as those who were hostile-is well known to every student of American history.

Governor Bradford married for his second wife, on August 14, 1623, the widow of Mr. Southworth. She was a lady whom he had known in England, and who came out to the colony for the purpose of marrying him. By his first wife he had one son; and by his second, two sons and one daughter. His first son died without children. Of his two other sons, Will- iam had fifteen children, and Joseph, seven; and from them have descended the Bradfords of New England, whose name is connected by marriage with half of the leading families of the Eastern or New England States.

Governor Bradford was not only a masterful execu- tive, but a man of great literary ability. He was well- educated, and well-informed in history and philoso- phy; and his writings form the basis of Young's "Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers of the Colony of Plymouth," and constitute a priceless heritage. Governor Bradford died at Plymouth, Mass., on May 9, 1657.

Thus the Bradford family goes back to the "May- flower," Plymouth Rock, and 1620. Of deep religious convictions and of unusual strength of body and mind, the Bradfords continue to be one of the lead- ing families of America.

GEORGE BRUCE BRADFORD .- Born in Sac- ramento County on the old Bradford ranch near Bruceville, April 5, 1875, George Bruce Bradford is the son of the late James Bascom and Sarah G. (Kil- bourne) Bradford, the former a California pioneer who came to the state in 1850 during the gold-rush and mined in Eldorado, Placer and Shasta Counties before his first location in Sacramento County, in 1851. In 1852 he settled for a time at Diamond Spring, Eldorado County, and in partnership with a brother, William Barton Bradford, under the firm name and style of J. B. & W. B. Bradford, engaged in the general merchandise business at Diamond Spring. Expanding their business, they also started other stores in different places in California and Nev- ada, with branches in the near-by gold-mining camps, and did a very thriving business until 1859.

J. B. and W. B. Bradford were twin brothers. They were born in Daviess County, Ind., February 10, 1826, being sons of George and Mary F. (Bruce) Bradford. As boys and young men they clerked in their father's general store at Washington, Ind., where they grew up, and where they learned the busi- ness of store-keeping from their father, George Brad- ford, who was a very successful business man and a prominent citizen. Thus equipped, J. B. and W. B. Bradford prospered, and invested their profits in gold mines, in which they met with ups and downs and shared the typical gold miner's luck, one day near- millionaires-the next, flat broke. They acquired and lost several gold-mining properties. As owners of the celebrated "Last Chance" gold mine, they refused an offer of almost a million, only to find themselves financially embarrassed three months thereafter, when J. B. Bradford made his way back to Sacra- mento afoot, because he did not have the price of a stage-coach ticket. That was in 1859. The partner- ship was then dissolved. After his bitter experience in gold mining, J. B. Bradford decided thenceforth to engage in a less hazardous business. In 1860,

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

therefore, he took up a government claim of 160 acres, near Bruceville, in Sacramento County, about twenty miles south of the city of Sacramento. From a very bumble beginning as a general farmer, he became one of the largest and most widely known viticulturists in Sacramento County. In 1897 he took in his two sons, Perley K. and George B. Bradford, as partners; and the firm operated under the name of J. B. Brad- ford & Sons until his death, which occurred in 1907 at the age of eighty-one years. The business was then taken up and carried on by the two sons, Perley K. and George B. Bradford, who have ever worked together in perfect harmony, with rare intelligence and a hearty good-will, and like that other Califor- nian native son, William Randolph Hearst, have more than tripled their father's wealth. They are now largely interested in horticultural, agricultural, and stock-raising enterprises. After their father's death, the two Bradford brothers continued to enlarge and improve the winery upon the place. They put in a spur track and switch from the main line of the West- ern Pacific at a cost of $16,000, which was shared half and half by said railroad company and the Brad- fords. Upon the adoption of the Eighteenth Amend- ment they turned their attention to cattle-raising and feeding, bean-growing, and general farming, mean- while keeping up their interest in grape-culture. They maintain in a state of maximum productivity the 140- acre home vineyard, the first fifteen acres of which was set out in 1866 by their father, who was the pioneer vineyardist in the Elk Grove vicinity. To- gether they own thousands of acres in Sacramento and other counties, while they hold other thousands of acres under lease, and keep from 2,000 to 3,000 head of cattle. Among the other valuable properties owned by them is the celebrated Brewster Ranch of 840 acres on the lower Cosumnes River, four miles west of Galt, splendid river-bottom land, which George B. Bradford is now engaged in leveling pre- paratory to seeding it to alfalfa, and making of it a cattle-feeding farm, where their cattle from the moun- tain ranges will be properly fattened for the market. In the month of July, 1922, The J. B. Bradford Prop- erties, Incorporated, was duly organized and incorpo- rated under the laws of the State of California, with Perley K. Bradford as its president and George B. Bradford as its vice-president and treasurer. Its holdings aggregate $750.000, against which there is a bonded indebtedness of $200,000.

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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, 1923, Part 63

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026