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 78

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 78

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After the war, Captain Hawk took up mercantile pursuits, and in 1866 engaged in business at Circle-

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

ville, Ohio, in 1867 and 1868 at McArthur, and in Kansas in 1869-1873. He really continued his business interests in Circleville and McArthur for about four and one-half years, and in Kansas he was at Gar- nett, then the boyhood home of the now noted Sen- ator Capper. In 1873, he decided to come out to California, and on October 9, he arrived at Sacra- mento, and the same day secured work with the Pacific Ice Company; and ever since he has been more than active, and more and more prominent, in the business life of the capital city. After a while, he was teller in the Odd Fellows', now the People's Bank; and for five years, he was bookkeeper for the Crocker Company. His farming operations in Cali- fornia begin with the year 1883, when he purchased the celebrated "Orange Ranch" of 480 acres in Placer County, from the late Senator Newton Booth, for- merly governor of California, and of this ranch Cap- tain Hawk still retains 240 acres.

In 1889, Captain Hawk entered the real estate field in Sacramento, and formed a partnership with James E. Mills, under the firm name of Mills & Hawk, which was later dissolved. He then accepted as a partner J. C. Carley, and the firm became the Hawk & Carley Company, later Hawk, Hawley, Carley & Company, of which he continued the senior partner until 1911, when he disposed of his interests in it. With his various associates, Captain Hawk has car- ried out in a very successful manner several impor- tant development projects in Sacramento, among them the putting onto the market of no less than twelve subdivisions, actively promoting the same, two of them being the Curtis Oaks, and the West Curtis Oaks subdivisions. In addition to his real estate enterprises, he has been busy with other projects, and with five other men he organized and promoted the Central California Canning Company, of which organization he was secretary, until it was merged into the Central California Canneries, which is now the California Packing Corporation, of gigantic pro- portions. He purchased land in Sutter County, and planted and developed a fruit ranch, now one of the best in the county, producing almost 1,000 tons yearly in hops, prunes and peaches, his son being equally interested with him in this project. This is, in fact, one of the notable ranches in all California, and much credit is due to his son, Arthur S., who is now the resident manager. They pay out about $25,000 an- nually for labor.

Captain Hawk was married on June 13, 1871, at Garnett, Kans., to Miss Barbara Shelly, also a native of Ohio; and two children were born to them. Arthur S. has married Miss Rose I. Gross, and is the father of two children, Blanche Alice, aged ten, and John Shelly, aged six; and Blanche, the second child, has become the wife of W. E. Pinkham, a promi- nent architect, residing in San Francisco.

Throughout the fifty years of his residence in Sac- ramento, Captain Hawk has taken an active, promi- nent part in everything meaning the advancement of the city's and county's best interests, and he has given willingly of his time, energy and financial aid in the further development of the natural resources of this district, and in advancing the intellectual life of the community, a factor quite as important to posterity as material progress. His interest in polit- ical government is evinced by the fact that he was chosen a member of the California State Assembly 20

from the Eighteenth district, in 1908, and he intro- duced many patriotic measures, being author of the Lincoln Day bill. That same year, he also went as a delegate to the National Republican Convention, held in Chicago, which nominated William H. Taft. He was the first president of the Ohio Society at Sac- ramento, and Colonel of the Army and Navy Repub- lican League for four years. He is a member of the Union League Club of San Francisco, and of the Sutter Club of Sacramento, and he is a member of the board of directors of the Veterans' Home at Yountsville, having been appointed by Governor Stephens. He belongs to Tehama Lodge No. 3 of the Masons, the Sacramento Chapter No. 2, Sacramento Council No. 1, Sacramento Lodge No. 2, I. O. O. F., and to Elks Lodge No. 6. He also belongs to the California Society, Sons of the Revolution. He be- longs to the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and was its commander in 1914.

Captain Hawk has been exceptionally prominent in the activities, for years, of the Grand Army of the Republic, and has attended nearly every national G. A. R. encampment, and he has missed not more than three state encampments in thirty-five years. He is a member of the Col. E. D. Baker Post, at Newcastle, which he helped to organize in 1896, and before joining that post, he was a member of the Sumner Post at Sacramento. As departmental com- mander of California and Nevada he visited nearly every city of the State of California. He was ap- pointed by Governor Gillett Californian representative to the meeting at Gettysburg which decided to cele- brate the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, and he was the guest of Pennsylvania during the celebration, and received a medal from the governor. He entertained members of the 114th Ohio Regiment at the old camp- ground, on September 19, 1912, in celebrating the fif- tieth anniversary of their leaving Camp Circleville, Ohio, over one hundred members being present, and in conjunction with George D. Kellogg of Newcastle he secured an appropriation enabling those participat- ing in the Vicksburg campaign to make the pilgrim- age and participate in the celebration of that victory. It seems that on leaving the camp in 1912, Captain Hawk had promised his comrades that in ten years he would entertain them again, at the same place; and this he did, on September 19, 1922, thus proving a most generous and gracions host, it being then the sixtieth anniversary of that interesting event.

Captain Hawk is particularly active, as an octo- genarian of prominence, in the noble Grand Army of the Republic, and he is regarded as in line for com- mander-in-chief of that vast organization, and has already been mentioned frequently in the columns of the press, for that honor.

JOHN DRISCOLL GRANDLEES .- A native son who is making a success of his chosen life work is John Driscoll Grandlees, who was born on the ranch he now owns, near Bridge House, Sacramento County, on October 3, 1881. His father, Robert Grandlees, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in April, 1857; while the grandfather, William Grandlees, was a native of Ireland, having immigrated to Philadelphia, where he was a merchant until 1857, when he brought his family to California. For a time he was located in the Livermore Valley, where he was engaged in stock- raising; and he also had a hotel at San Lorenzo. In

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

1871 he located at Bridge House, on the Cosumnes River, where he purchased a ranch and engaged in farming. In former days he had married Catherine Scarlett, who was also born in Ireland. She passed away at San Lorenzo; while William Grandlees died in Sacramento.

Robert Grandlees received his education at San Lorenzo, and was engaged in farming at Bridge House. He was married to Mary C. Driscoll. She was born in Sacramento County, a daughter of John Driscoll, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, and came to New York City when he was a boy. During the gold excitement he came to San Francisco via Panama, and engaged in the hotel business until 1855. He then came to Bridge House, and was a pioneer in this region, becoming a very successful farmer and stockman. He added to his original holdings until he was the owner of over 1,000 acres. A man of great energy and much business ability, he was well and favorably known in his community. He passed away at the age of eighty years.

Mary Driscoll was the only child in her parents' family. She grew up on her father's ranch, finishing her education in Professor Howe's school in Sacra- mento. After her marriage to Robert Grandlees, they farmed the Driscoll place for some years, and then retired to Sacramento, where the father died about six years ago. The mother now makes her home near Mills Station. There were six children born of their union: John Driscoll, the subject of our interesting review: Robert Edward, of Ione; Agnes, now Mrs. A. H. Joerger, of Mills Station; George Bartlett, of Sacramento; and Mrs. Theresa M. Carrol, and Arthur J., both of Mills Station.

Jack Grandlees, as Mr. Grandlees is familiarly called by all of his friends, attended school in the Stone House district, after which he entered Christian Brothers' College, at Sacramento, where he continued his studies for a period of two years. From a boy he had grown up learning the stock business; and when twenty-three years of age he and a brother engaged in stock-raising on their grandfather Dris- coll's ranch, working together for about four years, when they dissolved partnership. Mr. Grandlees con- tinued raising cattle and sheep on his own account, and has made a success of the enterprise. He now owns the old Pratte ranch of 400 acres and 125 acres of the old Driscoll ranch. In 1920 he started a move- ment to secure water for irrigation from the Co- sumnes River by tapping the river above Bridge House and bringing water in a ditch, thus enabling the farmers to irrigate the fertile bottoms below. Mr. Grandlees interested seven others in the project; and the irrigation system is now complete and a success. He is now raising alfalfa and has a small dairy. He also leases about 3,000 acres of range in the vicinity, where he ranges his cattle and sheep, having about 250 head of the former and 2,500 head of the latter. He also owns a ranch on the headwaters of the American River, in the Sierras, where he has a sum- mer home as well as range for his stock. He is very energetic and looks after every detail himself, which is the secret of his success.

Mr. Grandlees was married in Sacramento, being united with Miss Catherine Sheldon. She was born on the old Sheldon place at Slough House, a daugh- ter of that old esteemed pioneer, W. C. Sheldon, who is represented elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Grand-

lees received ber education in the local schools and at Mills College. Their union has been blessed with the birth of three children: George Edward, Mary Anita, and John Driscoll, Jr. Mr. Grandlees is a member of the California Cattle Growers' Associa- tion, and served as a director of the state association for three years. He is also a member and vice- president of the Eldorado and Amador County Stock- men's Association, his brand JD being well-known on the range. Mr. Grandlees is enterprising and liberal, and gives of his time and means, as far as he is able, to worthy enterprises for the development and upbuilding of the county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus; and politically, he is a Democrat.

JEFFERSON ARMSTRONG .- A native son who volunteered and served in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection is Jefferson Armstrong, who was born on the old Armstrong ranch in Cosumnes Township, Sacramento County, April 14, 1864. William Armstrong, his father, was born in Ireland and came to California in 1852, and soon after his arrival located on what is now the well-known Armstrong ranch, where he engaged in stock-raising. He also had a butcher shop in Placerville, which he conducted while he followed farming and cattle-growing. In the very early fifties he made trips to southern California, where he pur- chased stock and then trailed them north to these parts to supply his trade. William Armstrong was very prominent as a citizen and business man, and took an active part in civic matters until his death in 1871, at the age of fifty-two years. He was married in San Francisco to Miss Julia Doheney, a native of Ireland, who came to San Francisco via Panama. On the death of her husband she was left with five children. However, she was equal to the occasion and continued on the ranch, rearing and educating her children, who in turn appreciated her efforts and assisted her ably until they were old enough to take over the management of the place. She lived on the ranch contented and happy until her demise in 1908, at the age of seventy-eight years. Of her five child- ren, three are living, Jefferson, James and Mary Agnes, who are associated together and own the Arm- strong ranch.

Jeff Armstrong, as he is familiarly called by his numerous friends, was educated in the public schools. his attendance being at the old Stone House district. From a boy he assisted on the ranch and in the stock business, and in time, being the oldest son, naturally took over the management of the ranch. The Arm- strong ranch now comprises 1,000 acres. It is well watered by Crevice Creek, making it a valuable stock ranch, and is devoted to the raising of cattle and sheep, the product being well known for its fine quality, a credit to his supervision and painstaking carc.

In 1898, on the breaking out of the Spanish-Ameri- can War, Jeff Armstrong volunteered his services. enlisting in Battery C, Ist Battalion, California Artillery. He was mustered into service at the Pre- sidio, and was stationed at Fort Canby until he was mustered out, on February 6, 1899, at the close of the war. He returned to Sacramento and immediately reenlisted for service in the Filipino insurrection in Company C, 23rd U. S. Infantry, and crossed the Pacific to the Philippine Islands on the transport

Jeff Armstrong

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"Roanoke." He served through the insurrection, af- ter which he was stationed in the Jolo Archipelago to relieve the Spanish garrison, remaining there for six months. He was then sent to Bungou for three months, and again returned to Jolo for another two months, after which he was sent to Cotabata, on the island of Mindanao, remaining on duty there until he was ordered home, September 30, 1901. On board the "Beaufort" he came via Singapore, through the Indian Ocean, Suez Canal, and Mediterranean Sea, passing the island of Malta and sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar and across the Atlantic to Wehawken, N. J. After landing on his native shores, he was sent to Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., and two months later was transferred to Plattsburg, N. Y. He re- mained on duty there until his honorable discharge, on February 13, 1902, when he was mustered out as artificer. On his way back home he visited Balti- more, Washington, Atlanta, New Orleans, El Paso, and Los Angeles, and came thence back to Fifth and K Streets, Sacramento, having completed the circum- navigation of the globe. He had much pleasure and gained valuable experience and knowledge in his trip around the world.

On his return to civil life, Mr. Armstrong imme- diately took up his duties on the ranch and again rode the range, raising, buying and selling cattle and sheep, for which his early years of experience and his natural talent and ability to judge cattle well qualify him, insuring for him the success he so well deserves. Interested in the cause of education, he has served ac- ceptably as clerk of the board of trustees of Stone House district, the same school he attended as a boy. He served one term as justice of the peace, and under Governor Markham served as a guard at Folsom State Prison. During his time there occurred an at- tempt at jail break; but owing to the vigilance of the guard none of the prisoners escaped. Mr. Armstrong has always been a stanch Republican, and has worked for the success of his party. He is nearly always a member of the election board, and has served on the trial jury. Jeff Armstrong is a man of pleasing personality, is well-read and well-posted, and is an interesting conversationalist; and it is indeed a plea- sure to enjoy his hospitality. He is a member of Lieutenant Landsdale Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Sacramento.

A. M. MULL .- Prominent among the leading men of affairs who have done much to help shape the destiny of Sacramento County, may well be numbered A. M. Mull, the capitalist, of 1528 Thirty-ninth Street, Sacramento. A North Carolinian by birth, he first saw the light in Burke County, on March 12, 1871, the son of Peter and Emiline Mull, esteemed resi- dents of the South. He attended Rutherford College, and there was given that training which enabled him to venture forth with confidence into the busy marts of life.

When only twenty-one years of age, he came West to California, and soon joined an uncle, who had been an extensive landowner here and by that time had become an invalid; and he devoted much of his time and attention to his care. They lived at the corner of Tenth and L Street, where the Mull Building, a strictly up-to-date office building, now stands; and so it has come about that our subject has had capital to develop, and has become extensively interested in farm lands. He has also long been engaged in actual

farming; and being doubtless one of the most patriot- ically devoted to California and to Sacramento, town and county, he has been able in a quiet way to ad- vance all well-indorsed civic movements. He belongs to the Democratic party; but in local affairs, he is broadly non-partisan.

It was in the year 1904 when Mr. Mull and Miss Claudia Bottoms became man and wife; and their union has been productive of happiness ever since. Three children, Archibald M., Robert Malcolm, and Eleanor, were born to them. Mr. Mull is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, an Elk, and an Odd Fellow; and he also belongs to the Sutter Club.

JAMES RUTTER .- A study of the lives and ac- tivities of the pioneers of Sacramento County dis- closes no name more worthy of honorable mention than that of the late James Rutter, who was identi- fied with California as a permanent resident from the year 1852 until his death. An early acquired knowledge of the trade of carpenter proved helpful to him after he left his native country and crossed the ocean to the United States, for this occupation and kindred pursuits enabled him to be self-support- ing from the first. Notwithstanding the fact that he had reached an age justifying his complete retire- ment from all business cares and the further fact that he had accumulated a competency through his arduous undertakings in the past, he continued to the last actively interested in all life's activities, per- sonally overseeing his varied enterprises and show- ing the same persevering energy characteristic of him during earlier years.

Descended from a long line of Anglo-Saxon an- cestors, and himself a native of Cornwall, England, James Rutter was born August 15, 1827, and re- ceived such advantages as English free schools af- forded. As he came toward manhood and studied conditions at home he saw no prospects for the future, and the depressing conditions of labor in his native land led him to seek the better opportunities of the new world, where he landed in New York City May 15, 1849. It was not his intention to re- main in the Eastern metropolis, and he soon took his way westward to Buffalo. There he boarded a lake vessel bound for Chicago. On his arrival in that then insignificant city he found conditions unattract- ive and the demand for workmen small, so he pro- ceeded to St. Louis, where he found temporary em- ployment. Next he filled a position in Quincy, Ill., and from there removed to Galena in 1851. The following year he came across the plains by ox- teams, accompanied by his young wife (this being their bridal tour), the trip consuming the entire summer, but fortunately bringing no accidents or disasters. In October, 1851, he was married in Ga- lena, Ill., to Miss Thomasine Penberthy, a native of Cornwall, England. She was reared in England and when eighteen years old, in 1848, came with her par- ents to Galena, 111. Of this union three children were born, only one of whom is living. She is Agnes E., the wife of L. M. Landsborough of Florin. They have five children: Thomas R., Leonard B., Amy L. (Mrs. McCraney), William Lloyd, and Geor- gia 1.

For a period of six years after his arrival in Cali- fornia and his taking up of active labors Mr. Rutter followed the carpenter's trade in the city of Sacra- mento. During 1858 he removed to Florin, a small

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village southeast of the capital city, and here he made his home until his death, meanwhile becoming the owner of 180 acres of valuable land and improv- ing a homestead attractive in appearance and pro- ductive in returns. To him belongs the distinction of having planted the first vineyard in Sacramento County. He further has the distinction of having shipped the first raisins out of the county and sent the first grapes to the Eastern markets. Years ago, when methods of irrigation were crude, he put in the first pumping plant in the entire state; and this same undertaking, which was watched by the citi- zens with considerable skepticism, proved so satis- factory that others soon followed his example. In making new departures in agriculture or horticulture he indeed proved a pioneer. Fond of experimenting, he made a special study in early days of the soil, the climate and the crops best suited thereto. Some of his experiments cost him considerable sums and yet proved impracticable, but so many of them were successful that in the end he reaped large returns from his new undertakings. Nor was the work help- ful to himself alone. Other pioneers, studying his methods, imitated his plan of cultivation and found in him an authority concerning horticultural sub- jects. Thus he acquired prominence unsought. In his desire to promote the welfare of the county he gave freely of time, means and influence, and in his declining days he reaped the rich reward of years of self-sacrifice and intelligent endeavor.

ELLSWORTH E. McMICHAEL .- E. E. Mc- Michael, superintendent of the Northern California and Nevada Division of the American Railway Ex- press, has been identified with the interests and de- velopment of Sacramento since 1913. He was born on a farm in Morgan County, Ohio, May 28, 1862. His parents were John and Louisa ( McNab) Mc- Michael, of Scotch descent. The family moved to southwestern Iowa in 1865, settling on a farm in Page County.

Ellsworth McMichael received a common-school education, and later spent some time teaching in the public schools of the state. In 1887 he removed to Denver, Colo., where he remained until 1892, leav- ing there the fall of that year to accept a position in Portland, Ore., with Wells Fargo & Co. In 1906 he was transferred to Goldfield, Nev., and appointed agent at that place. The following March he was appointed route agent of the Nevada district, with headquarters at Ogden, Utah; and later he was trans- ferred to Reno, Nev. In 1909 he was assigned to the California Coast District, with headquarters at San Luis Obispo. In the summer of 1910 he was appointed agent at Ogden, Utah, serving in that capacity until August, 1911, when he was promoted to the superintendency of the Nevada-Utah division, with head offices at Salt Lake City. In September, 1913, he removed to Sacramento, where he has since resided.

Mr. McMichael was married in 1916 to Mrs. Kate A. Ham, a native of California, born in San Francisco, whose maiden name was Kate A. Eagles. She is a daughter of the late Col. Henry A. and Mena (Kelley) Eagles, the latter descended from the well- known pioneer family of Kelley, of Roxbury, Mass .; while the former was a Civil War veteran who en- listed from New York State, and who, coming later to California, became the master builder of the United

States Mint Building at San Francisco, Cal. He also built the first unit of the state penitentiary at Folsom. He died in San Francisco in 1907, when eighty-five years old. Mrs. McMichael is prominent in women's club affairs in Sacramento, being an active member of the Saturday and Tuesday Clubs, of which latter club she is corresponding secretary. Mr. McMichael, in politics, is a Republican. He is a member of the Sutter Club of Sacramento, and has long been a member of the B. P. O. Elks.

JOHN D. LAUPPE .- A most interesting pioneer, who played a prominent part in the development of Sacramento County, was the late John D. Lauppe, who was born on his father's ranch, near Antelope, in Sacramento County, Cal., on November 11, 1867. His father, Rudolph Lauppe, a native of Switzerland, came to California and Sacramento County in early days, and farmed for many years here. He was the father of several children, including, besides our sub- ject, Rudolph, Edward, Louise, and Anna, the latter being also deceased.

John D. Lauppe was educated in the public schools and at Atkinson's Business College, where he was duly graduated. He had made a record in penmanship, in which he excelled. After this he operated a farm for four years, and then opened a general store at Antelope, which he conducted for many years. He took an active interest in all the affairs of his district, and was frequently called upon for advice. He was postmaster, express agent and farmer, and later he owned and sold valuable ranch- lands. After marrying, he started in business with $200 capital; he was a "self-made" man, and became one of the best-known business men in the Sacra- mento Valley. He was one of the pioneer automobile dealers of Sacramento, and one of the first to establish an automobile salesroom in Sacramento. His first car was the E. M. F. auto, and later he sold the Jackson car. For a number of years, too, he was agent for the Buick, which he represented at the time of his death. He started in business at the capital in 1910. A very progressive man, he owned the first automobile in Antelope, and installed the first telephone there. Mr. Lauppe had great faith in Sacramento, and invested his money there, own- ing the building where he carried on his automobile business, 1313-1323 K Street, and also flats at Sev- enteenth and P Streets, and other valuable property in this city. He was one of the founders of the Riv- erside Swimming Baths in Sacramento, and was direc- tor of the company.

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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 78

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