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 66

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 66

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Millie Riehm received a good education in the pub- lic schools of Sacramento. On July 11, 1888, in Sac- ramento, she was married to Charles J. Fredericks, born in Hanover, Germany, October 20, 1865, the eldest son of the late Christian Fredericks, who was a settler of the seventies in Sacramento. Charles J. Fredericks accompanied his parents to California and attended the public schools of Sacramento, complet- ing his schooling in Atkinson's Business College. Then he became a clerk and bookkeeper in a whole- sale store, and later established and conducted a retail hat store for many years on J Street, Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Fredericks are the parents of one daughter, Ethel G., a graduate of the Sacramento high school, class of 1906. On October 3, 1909, Miss Fredericks was married to Albert L. White, and they have three sons, Jack Lincoln, Charles Albert, and Henry Fredericks. Mrs. Fredericks is past noble grand of the Rebekah Lodge, No. 232, Sacramento, and has served as financial secretary for eighteen years, and as a delegate to the grand lodge, and is a very well-known worker for that order.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

ROBERT E. LEE SHINN .- On the roll of capa- ble attorneys at the Sacramento bar appears the name of Robert E. Lce Shinn, at present the capable city attorney, his selection being a token of the confi- dence reposed in his professional skill and ability by the public in general. He was born in Baker County, Ore., December 15, 1865, a son of Oliver and Louisa (Clemson) Shinn. Oliver Shinn was born in Indiana, then moved to Missouri, and early in the sixties he crossed the plains with his family to Oregon, engaged as a farmer and stock-raiser until he removed to Lassen County, California, where he was a farmer and stockman until his death in 1884. On this ranch in Lassen County Robert E. Lee Shinn was reared, his education being carefully looked after by his mother, who had been a teacher in Indiana before her marriage. Under her instruc- tion he completed the grammar and academic studies. In 1885 Mr. Shinn began the study of law in the office of his brother, continuing there, and was duly admitted to the bar in 1892, and in 1894 he was admitted to practice in the supreme court of Cali- fornia. In 1903 he located in Sacramento, where he has since pacticed law. His appointment to the office of city attorney on September 1, 1920, was but an expression, in a measure, of the confidence and esteem with which Mr. Shinn is held in Sacramento.

The marriage of Mr. Shinn united him with Miss Elva C. Roff. They are the parents of six children: Vera, Mrs. C. J. Mahoney of Visalia; Irma L., Mrs. WV. A. Sheean residing in Oakland; J. O. resid- ing in San Francisco; Mae, Mrs. Lester Brown of Sacramento; Esther, the wife of Walter Mails of Oakland; and Loraine, a student. Mr. Shinn gives his allegiance to the Republican party and fraternally is a member of the Masons, the Elks. Chamber of Commerce and bar association. Courteous and af- fable in manner, the circle of his friends is constantly broadening and he enjoys the high regard of all with whom he comes in contact.

EDWARD VAN ALSTINE .- Agricultural devel- opment in Sacramento County receives stimulus from the intelligently directed labors of Edward Van Al- stine, proprietor of the Los Nogales ranch in the Carmichael district, and one of California's native sons. He was born in Sacramento, a son of Oscar Van Alstine, a native of Detroit, Mich. In 1852 the father started for the Golden State, choosing the Isthmus route, and on reaching the capital city he embarked in merchandising, which he followed suc- cessfully for a number of years, passing away in 1880. He was one of the early pioneers of Sacra- mento and was highly esteemed in the city which had so long been his home. He married Miss Lucy Carley, a native of Syracuse, N. Y., who accompanied her parents on their westward journey. They reached Sacramento in 1853 and were also numbered among the earliest settlers of the state.

Edward Van Alstine was reared and educated in his native city, and in 1882 secured clerical work in the Baker-Hamilton hardware store, in which he was employed for twenty years. He was rapidly ad- vanced, and in 1891 became traveling salesman for the firm, his territory covering the southern part of Ore- gon, and Nevada and California. In 1903 he severed his relations with that house, having accepted a more advantageous offer from the firm of Thompson & Diggs, which he represented in the same territory

until 1915. In January of the latter year he was appointed assistant state purchaser by Governor John- son, and reappointment hy Governor Stephens contin- ued him in that office until April, 1922. In the mean- time Mr. Van Alstine had purchased a ranch eleven miles northeast of Sacramento, in the Carmichael district, and had placed a man in charge of the place. On completing his term of public service he moved to his ranch, and irrigation-farming and walnut-grow- ing have since occupied his attention. He has ten acres of fine walnut trees and is one of the pioneers in this branch of horticulture. He believes in scien- tific methods and keeps abreast of the times in every way.

Mr. Van Alstine married Miss Imogene L. Morri- son, who is also a native of this state, her birth also having occurred in the city of Sacramento. He is identified with the United Commercial Travelers and is also an Elk, belonging to Lodge No. 6. He ad- heres to the progressive wing of the Republican party and from boyhood has been a close friend of Senator Hiram Johnson. He has always discharged his duty to the best of his ability, being most thor- ough and conscientious in everything that he under- takes, and as a natural result his business career has been marked by continuous progress. He is widely and favorably known in Sacramento County and his cooperation can always be counted upon to further any measure for the general good.

ROBERT L. CONNER .- An enterprising rancher whose progressive ideas and industrious habits lead him to employ only the most scientific, up-to-date methods and the latest, most approved and modern apparatus, is Robert L. Conner, resident some five miles north of Clay Station. He was born in Sac- ramento County, on the Conner Ranch, on the Cosumnes River and near Cosumnes, November 9, 1864, the son of George D. and Sarah Jane (Welsh) Conner, the former, a pioneer who had crossed the great plains twice. He came for the first time in 1849, and just ten years later he made the second trip. He was a trader and merchant, and had a gro- cery store. He acquired an estate of about 4,000 acres having a frontage of three and one-half miles on the Cosumnes River; and on this ranch he reared a family of eight children: Alma, now Mrs. L. F. Ward, of Oakland; George, deceased; William; Rob- ert, the subject of this review; Sallie, deceased; Eu- gene, who lives in Tehama County; Alfred, deceased; and Pauline, who has become Mrs. Vernon Handley, of Modesto.

Robert L. Conner attended the Lee district school, and later was a student at the state normal school, at San Jose. After that, he remained with his father until he married, at Sacramento on January 15, 1890, Miss Mollie Emeline Mcclendon, who was born near Stockton, the daughter of W. D. and Frances (Will- jams) Mcclendon. Then he went into Fresno County and purchased a ranch of eighty acres three and one- half miles west of Sanger, which he improved by set- ting out fruit-trees and vines. After a while, he traded the Sanger ranch for Sacramento land; and still later, he purchased in Sacramento County 350 acres five miles north of Clay Station; and there he conducts a dairy ranch and raises bronze turkeys. He usually has about seventy-five head of cattle and quite a good flock of turkeys. He himself built all structures forming part of the improvements on the

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

350-acre ranch. He is a trustee of the Lee District school, and in national politics is a Republican.

Two children have blessed the domestic life of Mr. and Mrs. Conner. LeRoy R. is married, and has four children, Robert Thompson, Donald, Virginia and Lowell; and he is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West. Florence Naomi Mcclendon Conner is a graduate of the Sacramento high school and a member of the class of 1917, University of California.

NEWTON T. GOULD .- A veteran of the Civil War, Mr. Gould was born in Cook County, Ill., May 14, 1842, and reared on a farm in that locality. In June, 1862, he enlisted for service in Company G. 113th Illinois Infantry, and was assigned to the De- partment of the Mississippi, and took active part in the siege of Vicksburg as sergeant, being one of the volunteers, on May 22, 1863, to charge the works of the enemy, and he received slight wounds in the neck and ear; for this distinguished service he was awarded a medal of honor for bravery from the gov- ernment. In June, 1864, he was taken prisoner at Guntown, Miss., and was confined in the Anderson- ville prison for six months and was then exchanged and returned to his regiment. He was offered a com- mission as lieutenant, but refused to be sworn in, preferring to serve as a non-commissioned officer until the end of the war.

After the conflict was ended, the young soldier was discharged in June, 1865, returned to his father's farm in Illinois, and there married, in 1868, Lucy Westgate, a native of Wisconsin and a school teacher. Their life together was cut short, however, by the death of the young wife. Then Mr. Gould went to Chicago, seeking new surroundings, and for two years there was engaged as car conductor on the Madison street line. The year 1878 marks his arrival in Sac- ramento, Cal., and here he engaged in the milk supply business, and later removed to Kernville, Kern County, where he was foreman of a large tract of land then developing.

Returning to Sacramento, he engaged in teaming for a time, and then secured the position as janitor of the Sacramento post office under postmaster Tom Fox, and also served in that capacity for Mr. Rich- ardson while he was postmaster, resigning the work in 1919.

The second marriage of Mr. Gould, in 1882. united him with Mrs. Maggie Simpson, now deceased. His remaining family consists of one daughter by his first wife, now Mrs. B. C. Rockwell, of San Francisco, and the mother of five children: Jason, Ralph, Aba- line. Edith, and Ethell. Mr. Gould has a great- grandchild, Jane, and also a stepson, W. H. Simpson.

Mr. Gould has always kept up a keen interest in Grand Army affairs, doing his duty toward other com- rades in their need, whether it would be material help, or the hearty handclasp and Godspeed of a fellow comrade. He is past commander of Sumner Post No. 3, G. A. R., of Sacramento, serving in 1921. and now serves as quartermaster for the Post; and is also secretary of the Memorial Hall Board for the G. A. R. As will be seen, he does not shirk his duty in these days, any more than in "the days of sixty- one !"

THOMAS L. QUIGGLE .- A leading citizen of the Herald community is Thomas L. Quiggle, who, in addition to conducting the general mercantile estab- lishment there, is also the capable postmaster. He has the distinction of being the first boy born in Galt, his parents being Volaski Schull and Isabella (Louins) Quiggle. The father, who owned a large acreage near here, started the store in 1912 at Herald which is now conducted by his son; he passed away at the age of seventy-eight, but Mrs. Quiggle is still living and makes her home at Herald with her dangh- ter, Mrs. Maude Warren. She is the mother of four children: Mrs. W. W. Bottimore, Thomas L., Don V. and Mrs. Maude Warren. The Quiggle estate, of about 540 acres of land, is still held as an undivided property, although about 140 acres have been sold.

After attending the Alabama district school, Thom- as L. Quiggle took a course in the Atkinson Business College at Sacramento and when he was of age started out for himself. For two years he had a store at Sacramento, and after he disposed of this he farmed for two years on the old home place. Enter- ing the employ of Whitaker & Ray at Galt, he con- tinued with them for thirteen years, and then was with Wallace B. Sawyer for three years. In 1914 he bought out the firm of Quiggle & Warren at Herald, and since then he has conducted a general merchan- dise business there; he has also filled the position of postmaster since that time. The store building was erected by his father in 1912 and a year later a post office was established here. Mr. Quiggle owns thirty acres of unimproved land near Herald.

At Sacramento, September 9, 1900, Mr. Quiggle was married to Miss Alice Lillian Thomas, who was born on the Thomas ranch near the present site of Herald. Her parents were John and Emeline (Woodruff) Thomas, natives of Wales who came to California in the fifties. Mr. Thomas farmed for many years in the vicinity of Galt and died at the age of eighty, the mother passing away when seventy- eight. They were the parents of six children: Mrs. Susan Hagel; William J .; Mrs. Emma Jeffrey of Stockton; George, deceased; Henry of Petaluma; and Mrs. Quiggle. Mr. and Mrs. Quiggle have five children: Clarence, in business with his father, and Irene, Bessie, Evelyn and Thelma. Mr. Quiggle is a member of Galt Parlor. the Native Sons of the Golden West, and past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, Galt Lodge No. 283.

THOMAS O'CONNELL .- As a record of early railroading in California, the life of Thomas O'Con- nell is of vivid interest, for it tells in detail of the hardships, and also the daily round of lighter inci- dents which made railroading interesting in those pioneer days, when personal relations entered into the work more than they do now, and a close bond existed between those "higher up" and the men who worked so faithfully for them. Born in the parish of Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, November 10, 1844, Mr. O'Connell was raised on a farm in that country, and educated in Christian Brothers College. On August 21, 1865, he came to America, and his first work in the new country was in the freight de- partment of the Lake Shore Railway in Dunkirk. N. Y., when R. N. Brown, later owner, was superin- tendent of that railway.

In 1869 Mr. O'Connell came to San Francisco, via Panama, and on to Sacramento; then for a time he

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tried mining in the Allison mine at Grass Valley. Nevada County, but after a few months he returned to Sacramento and entered the employ of the South- ern Pacific Railway, in the year 1869, braking on a freight train out of Rocklin east to Truckee. Soon he became fireman on a locomotive, and later engineer, and he made a record of forty-one years out of Sac- ramento on a locomotive. The first engines were wood- burners, requiring twenty cords of wood to make the run from Sacramento to Truckee; wood was piled along the track and taken on every twenty-two miles. Later came the coal-burning engines and then the oil burners. The early engines had names and numbers; "White Bear" and "Black Bear" were some of the first names, and later they were named for prominent men such as General Grant, Sherman, and Phil Sheridan, Leland Stanford, Huntington, etc .; they were painted different colors like wagons, and for many years en- gineer O'Connell ran the "Andrew Jackson" No. 121. a Mason engine with 17 by 24 cylinders, one of the speediest on the road, whose driving wheels were striped with green and gold paint as a sign of dis- tinction. He was always selected as engineer of special trains carrying railroad officials over the divi- sion, and in 1875, hauled a special train of New York Bankers making the then notable trip across the country to see "the West."

For thirty-eight years Mr. O'Connell ran his en- gine without an accident; then occurred a minor one, when his engine left the track in soft ground caused by heavy rains. This was due to no fault of his, how- ever, and there is no black mark on his record of forty-one years at the throttle; and when he retired from active duty, in 1910, he received a letter from the officials of his road, commending him for his clean and faithful record in their employ.

Mr. O'Connell's marriage, which occurred in Sac- ramento, in 1876, united him with Bridget Gagen, a native of parish Kilbeggan, County West Meath, Ireland, where she was born May 13, 1855, and six children were born to them, three of them now liv- ing, as follows: Thomas F., master mechanic with the Spreckels railway at San Diego; Mollie; and David P. The latter served his country in the World War and is now a fireman on the Southern Pacific. The family home, on I Street, which Mr. O'Con- nell bought at the time of his marriage, was the resi- dence of the first governor of California, Governor Burnett; it stands on a lot 40 by 160 feet and a part of the original house came around the Horn to make the governor's mansion. The mother, Bridget O'Connell, passed to her reward in 1907. Mr. O'Con- nell goes back to the pioneer days of railroading in California, when he personally knew the old railroad builders, Stanford, Crocker, Huntington, Hopkins, Supt. John Corning and Ed Fellows. At the "Days of '49" celebration in Sacramento in 1922, he and J. E. Lonergan ran the old engine "Collis P. Huntington."

An active member of the Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Engineers, he was secretary and treasurer of the local branch, Division No. 110, Sacramento, for many years, until he retired in 1910. He was elected by his division a delegate to the national convention of the brotherhood at Detroit, in 1910, and attended the con- vention on his retirement; and while there, was pre- sented with a medal and life membership in the Grand International Division of the Brotherhood of Loco- motive Engineers. He was the first Southern Pacific

engineer that received an honorary grand badge or medal from the International Division. Mr. O'Connell is held in high regard by his fellow members, as well as by all who know him, for his pleasing personality, affable manner and sturdy character. It is indeed a pleasure to know and converse with this most inter- esting and oldest of California railroad men.

EUGENE ARAM .- Decidedly among the most interesting residents of the capital city is Eugene Aram, a native son, who was born at Monterey on January 26, 1848, two days after Marshall made his memorable discovery of gold, and within a month of the signing of the treaty of peace between the United States and Mexico. He was the grandson of Mat- thias Aram, who came to New York from Yorkshire, England, and during the War of 1812 was a drill- master of the United States troops. His son, Joseph Aram, father of Eugene, was born in the State of New York, and formed a party that crossed the great plains to California in 1846. Having arrived while the Americans and the Mexicans were still at war, he might have found himself in serious difficulty had not Fremont sent a detachment of soldiers to meet him and his party in the foothills, and to give them safe convoy against any possible attack by roving native Californians.

Sutter's Fort was the scene of the party's first camp, and then they pushed on as far as Santa Clara, still accompanied by Fremont's soldiers, at which place Fremont placed Joseph Aram, who had been chosen captain by his company of emigrants and commissioned by Fremont, in charge of the fort; and there he remained until the close of the war. He saw most active service in the Battle of Santa Clara, and he later superintended building the old fort at Monte- rey. He was elected to the first constitutional conven- tion of the state, and he was also chosen by vote a member of the first legislature. Later, at San Jose, he was the pioneer nurseryman; and he continued to raise fruit, for which he had a wide and enviable reputation, until the last busy days of his life. In 1898 he rounded out his long and useful career, breathing his last when he had been privileged to attain four score and eight years. Sarah M. (Wright) Aram, who died in 1872, and was the mother of Eugene Aram, also deserves honorable mention among the California pioneers. Descended from early Eng- lish stock in this country, her first American ancestor was one of three brothers, and one of them num- bered among his descendants a governor of New York. She first saw light in Vermont; and when her husband proposed to hazard a journey across the prairies, she acquiesced and accompanied him. She was a very observant woman, and discovered gold on the south fork of the Yuba River in October, 1846, over fourteen months before Marshall was amazed at the gold he found in 1848.

Eugene Aram-who, by the way, had a sister in Los Angeles, the late Mrs. Sarah M. Cool-received his first educational training in the public schools of San Jose, and in 1870 graduated from the University of the Pacific with the Bachelor of Arts degree. Then he studied law with Judge D. S. Payne, Superior Judge for Santa Clara County, and in 1873 was admit- ted to practice in the courts of California; and there- after for some years he maintained a busy office in San Jose. In the early eighties he migrated to Ari- zona, and in 1885 he was a member of the legislature

Eugene Avam

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of that territory. Returning to California, he located at Woodland, in Yolo County, and there took up law-practice again; and from 1895 through 1897, he served as a senator representing the sixth senatorial district, Yuba, Sutter and Yolo, and doing excellent work as a lawmaker.

Afr. Aram, together with the late A. L. Hart, established a firm for the practice of law in Sacra- mento; and for a short time, also, he and Archibald Yell were partners. He has been a consistent Repub- lican, with a broad and sane partisanship; but he is first, last and always an American, and during his senatorial term he was entrusted with the appropria- tion of $300,000 for the Sacramento River improve- ment-the first appropriation ever made for this pur- pose through which actual work was accomplished.

In 1875, at San Jose, Mr. Aram was married to Miss Lizzie Jasper, a gifted and charming daughter of J. M. C. Jasper, a prominent citizen of Wheatland, Yuba County. An excellent woman, she breathed her last in 1892, passing altogether too early from this life to the Great Beyond. Mr. Aram belongs to the Elks, in which organization he enjoys an enviable popularity.

MRS. JENNIE A. SCHULZE .- A representative of an old and honored family in the Golden State is Mrs. Jennie A. Schulze, a native daughter of Cali- fornia. Her father, Charles Graves, was born in Vermont and came to California in the early gold days, and for a time followed mining. He was mar- ried on Grand Island, Colusa County, to Mrs. Maria (Knight) Cronemiller, a native of Vermont, who crossed the plains in early days with her first hus- band, Mr. Knight, and on the way demonstrated her pioneer spirit by helping to drive the team through the hostile Indian country. After their arrival they located in Sacramento County, where they resided until Mr. Knight's death. After their marriage MIr. and Mrs. Graves farmed for a while at Lincoln, and later located in Sacramento, where Mr. Graves en- gaged in the building business. He spent his last days with Mrs. Schulze, passing away at the age of seventy-eight years, the mother having passed away in Sacramento.

Jennie A. Graves was the only child of this union. Her education was acquired in the public schools in Sacramento, and also at Howe's Academy and Bain- bridge Academy. After completing her studies she was engaged in teaching school in Sacramento Coun- ty for four terms, until her marriage, which was solemnized in Sacramento, October 18. 1891, when William M. Schulze became her husband. He was born in 1864 near Sheldon, Sacramento County, a son of William J. and Louise Schulze. The father was born in Germany. Soon after arriving in the United States he made the trip across the plains to California, in the carly fifties, locating in Sacramento County. He was a blacksmith by trade and ran a shop at Richmond, on the Sacramento River; and later he established the first blacksmith and carriage shop at Sheldon. He also purchased a farm, in time acquiring 480 acres lying to the northwest of Sheldon. Finally he gave up blacksmithing to devote all of his time to raising grain and hay. In 1889 he retired from active work and moved to the capital city, where he made his home until his death in 1894. at the age of fifty-eight years, his widow surviving him until January, 1920.

William M. Schulze was one of a family of nine children born to this pioneer couple, eight of whom grew to maturity. He received a good education in the public school, and from a lad made himself gen- erally useful on his father's farm, thus becoming familiar with ranching as it was done in the Sacra- mento Valley. After reaching his majority he chose farming as a life pursuit and leased the Will Lindsey ranch at Franklin. Meeting with success in farming it to grain, he then purchased the old Winkleman ranch; but after some years he sold this and pur- chased his father's old ranch at Sheldon, which he farmed to grain. Of this ranch he sold off 320 acres, still retaining eighty acres, which he set out to orchard of peaches, prunes, and almonds, and to vine- yard, installing two electric pumping-plants for irri- gating the trees and vines. Mr. Schulze was handy with tools, and a good mechanic, and so kept his place up in splendid shape. He was an energetic farmer and an enthusiast in his appreciation of the great natural resources and exceptional advantages of this wonderfully favored section of the world. How- ever, he was not permitted long to enjoy the fruits of his labors for he passed away on May 25, 1919. at the age of fifty-five years, mourned by his family and his many friends. Fraternally, Mr. Schulze was a member of the Odd Fellows, and of the Encamp- ment of the same order, and also a member of the Grange.

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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 66

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