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 86

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 86

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Returning to San Francisco in November, 1860. Mr. Schmitt, in partnership with H. A. Lafontaine, established the "Abend Post," an evening daily, starting same in December of that year. In 1864 he sold out his interest in the paper, but remained as foreman until 1868, when he came to Sacramento and here established the "Sacramento Journal," a semi-weekly, printed in the German language, and continued until 1883, when the partnership with his associates was dissolved, and Mr. Schmitt started his own publication, the "North Carolina Herald and Sacramento Journal." and this publication he con- tinued until August, 1920, when the paper was sus- pended due to the high cost of material, the reason for suspension of many other newspapers through- out the country. Not satisfied with this length of time at his "trade," he is still in the newspaper game, however, at present acting as Sacramento agent and correspondent for the "California Journal" of San Francisco. He built and owns a comfortable home at No. 3740 Fourth Avenue, Oak Park.

Mr. Schmitt has been twice married, the first union occurring in San Francisco and uniting him with Eliza Denger of New York, now deceased; the second marriage united him with Mrs. Johanna Uhl, a native of Germany, and from these marriages twelve children were born to him, eight of them now living: Mrs. Kate Fish, of Sacramento; P. N. Schmitt, of San Francisco; Mrs. Louisa M. Briggs, of Sacramento; Charles J., of San Francisco; Henry, of Roseville; Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart, of Sacramento; Mrs. Caroline Peachy, of Sacramento; and Edward Garfield, a rancher at Galt, Cal.

Interspersed with business and civic duties, Mr. Schmitt has found time to enter into the social and fraternal life of his city, and in the latter he has been prominent during his long residence. He joined the San Francisco Turnverein in 1860, and in 1877 joined the Sacramento lodge of that order, making

him now the oldest living member of the lodge; he is a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, [. O. O. F., of Sacramento, and of the Sacramento Stamm No. 124, Independent Order of Red Men, and is the only living charter member of this Stamm or Tribe, hav- ing joined in 1868; and is also a charter member of the Sacramento lodge of Hermann Sons, No. 11. A dependable man, one who could always be counted upon to do his share to promote any worthy cause, Mr. Schmitt is well known throughout this part of the state as one of its pioncer newspaper men, one of the vanguard in that line, and a man of wide knowledge gained in years of gathering news for the public.

ELBERT V. POLHEMUS .- Recognized as among the most valued acquisitions in Elk Grove, the East Side Market of Elbert V. Polhemus has long been one of the real magnets attracting residents there, and leading the good folks of that progressive town to feel that life there is particularly comfortable. Mr. Polhe- mus was born in Elk Grove, and it is natural that, be- ing familiar with its spirit, he should be especially serviceable in the development of the town's commer- cial activity.

The date of his birth is recorded as St. Valentine's Day, 1888, when he entered the family circle of Josiah A. and Emma (Stickney) Polhemus; his father being a pioneer who came to California in 1859, and settled for a while at Coloma, where he in time mined. He was only six weeks old when his father and mother started for the West from Iowa.

Elbert Polhemus attended the public schools, and then remained with his father on the home ranch until he was twenty years of age, when he commenced to work in a butcher shop; and about 1913, he estab- lished his present business, in which they have been so successful, meeting with the same cordial response from the Elk Grove public that every proprietor of a first-class market, catering to the most important domestic wants, affording comfort and health, and also co-operation in economy, is sure to receive. Both father and son are deeply interested in Sacramento County, having especial faith in Elk Grove.

Mr. Polhemus married Miss Hazel Nichols, of Elk Grove, on June 24, 1914, and their married life has been made happier through the birth of three children, Elbert, Robert and Mary. Mr. Polhemus belongs to the Foresters and Masons, and he is also a member of the Elk Grove Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

JAMES A. WOODS .- Among the many citizens and native sons of California who enthusiastically ad- mire the Golden State and are loyal to its interests must be mentioned James A. Woods, the vice-presi- dent of the California Mechanical and Electrical En- gineering Company of Sacramento. He was born in Sacramento County, December 11, 1881, a son of James A. and Vida E. (Williams) Woods. The father crossed the plains to California in 1849, while the mother came via the Isthmus of Panama in 1850; and they were married after arriving in California. Mr. Woods was a miner for some years, and then en- gaged extensively in stockraising. Both parents died in Sacramento County.

James A. Woods received his schooling in the high school of Elk Grove, Cal., and was honored by being chosen president of the class of 1902: he then took a

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postgraduate course in the Sacramento high school, was a graduate and president of the class of 1904. He then took private instruction along electrical and mechanical engineering lines. His first position was with the county surveyor; then with the light and power company at New Castle power-house; he was then promoted to the Sacramento station, where he filled the position of foreman until 1913, when with others he established his present business and was elected vice-president of the company; this company does electrical and mechanical engineering contract work all over the Sacramento Valley, specializing in irrigation work throughout the county. Mr. Woods holds a certificate for teaching electricity, mechanical drawing and allied subjects and has spent some time as instructor in the high school and the Y. M. C. A. of Sacramento. Mr. Woods served as president of the old State Electrical Motor Dealers' Association and was a member of the board of the State Associa- tion of Electrical Contractors and Dealers for several years; he was a director of the Y. M. C. A. when the new building was erected.

Mr. Woods' marriage united him with Miss Ruby Satterlee, of Sacramento, and they have one son, Robert J., and a daughter, Ruth C. Fraternally, Mr. Woods is a member of the Odd Fellows and is an active member of the Rotary Club and the Y. M. C. A. of Sacramento. Nominally, he is a Republican in politics, but prefers to vote for the man best fitted for the office for which he has been elected.

GEORGE J. HOLLENBECK .- A wide-awake, experienced and very successful representative of important interests affecting the Sacramento com- mercial world is George J. Hollenbeck, of the firm of Hollenbeck & Rhea, of 1006 Fifth Street, Sacra- mento. A native son, he was born at Ryer Island, Solano County, on April 18, 1876, and his father was John Hollenbeck, who crossed the great plains in 1854, taking six months for the trip. After reaching California, he married Miss Mary Mahoney, and they landed at Courtland, and he has lived there on a river farm ever since, now aged ninety years. Mrs. Hollen- beck was a Bostonian, and came to California with her parents; she is now deceased, having rounded ont a useful life. They had five children.

George J. Hollenbeck went to the public school, and helped his father on the home farm until he was twenty years of age, and during floods, when the schoolhouse was surrounded by water, he often went to school by boat. At the time of his leaving home. he embarked in the operation of a harvester, and for three years threshed for farmers; and then he engaged in ranching in Sacramento County. In 1918 he went into partnership with E. B. Rhea, and now they are busy selling Harris Harvesters in seven counties, and are unable to supply the demand. Hc is also interested with R. W. Jones in a commission enterprise, handling hay, grain, beans and rice. Mr. Hollenbeck owns 800 acres on the Island, the Hol- land tract twelve miles south of Sacramento.

In 1906, Mr. Hollenbeck was married to Miss Rose Smith, of Oregon, and they are the parents of four children, Doris, Belva, Muriel, and George. Mr. Hollenbeck is a member of Courtland Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West, through which ex- cellent organization he contributes what he can to the stimulation of interest in California affairs; he is a Republican.

CAPTAIN H. A. LEWALD .- An exceedingly in- teresting story is that of the life of Captain H. A. Lewald, now a rancher at Rio Linda. He was born in New York City on November 2, 1883, the son of Harry and Anne Sinclair (Deidrick) Lewald, both New Yorkers, they having been born in the metropo- lis in 1847 and 1858, respectively. The father of our subject was an artist, and although he passed away in 1887, his fame as an interior decorator has lived after him in many of the finest buildings of New York of a generation or more ago. Another son, William Lewald, is a graduate of Columbia Univer- sity, and has also been honored with scientific de- grees from other institutions; and he is at present in charge of the Department of Health and Physics, in New York City, where Mrs. Harry Lewald is still living.

At an early age H. A. Lewald was imbued with the desire to see the world, and at the age of fourteen he entered the British sea service as a roustabout on the old barque "Chili," and set out on a long voyage to Australia, by way of the Cape of Good Hope, eventually arriving in England on the same vessel via Cape Horn. From the bottom rung of the ladder, our subject worked himself up to be a lieutenant- commander in the United States Navy; the story of his career reads like a veteran's tale of adventure, although he is still a comparatively young man. Thir- teen months after he went to sea, he left the "Chili," in England, and for the next ten years he lived and worked on other sailing vessels. At the age of eighteen he was made an officer on the ship "Astral," a four-masted barque flying Old Glory, and ever since that time he has sailed only under the American flag. He was on the ill-fated "Star Bengal," which was lost in the Sumner Straits, in Alaskan waters, in September, 1908, with a toll of 111 lives, when only through heroic rescue work were twenty-two seamen saved. The vessel was commanded by Captain Wag- ner, and was owned by the Alaska Packers, Inc., for whom our subject was working; and he was in charge of a gang of men when the ship foundered in a gale.

On his return to San Francisco, Captain Lewald took command of the "Alert," to run in Alaskan waters. His first experience on steamers at sea was gained in the employ of the Oregon River Navigation Company, on the steamer "Columbia," running be- tween San Francisco and Portland and Astoria, Ore. Shortly thereafter he was with the Pacific Mail Steamship Conipany, filling a two years' engagement in Central-American waters, with headquarters at Panama. After that, Captain Lewald was in com- mand of various vessels making trans-Atlantic runs.

At the outbreak of the World War, in 1914, Captain Lewald returned to New York and became com- mander of the "Frederick Luckenbach," belonging to the Luckenbach Steamship & Navigation Company, the largest steamship company in America. For the following twenty-four months this vessel was used to run the blockade from England to France. While lying off Cardiff, Wales, Captain Lewald received a summons from Brig .- General Bartlett, on the entrance of the United States into the war, to prepare the vessel for army transport duty; and this being accom- plished, the blockade was again run, for twenty-one months, on trips to France and England. It was at Cardiff that Captain Lewald was made Lieut .- Com- mander. U. S. N. R., in 1917, Rear Admiral Phil An- drews being in command of the base.

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Captain Lewald continued in active service through- out the war, and the lurking dangers of deadly mines or submarines were only a few of the many hazards undergone in devotion to Old Glory. His vessel was made over into a man-o'-war at Cardiff; but he still continued to run the blockade, successful as ever. Returning to America, in March, 1919, Captain Le- wald was appointed court-martial officer at Bay Ridge, on the receiving ship "New York," embracing a field of sixty acres of territory; and in July, 1919, he was passed into inactive service, at his own re- quest, and was reluctantly given leave of absence. His honorable discharge is dated September 30, 1922. The interesting record of his service is well worthy of the man.

It is characteristic of the man that when on the sea he has always given the most conscientious attention to duty, and when on land he has improved wisely every free moment of time. He owns many priceless mementos, to say nothing of the extensive collection of photographs taken by himself in far-away quarters of the globe.

Captain Lewald was married at San Francisco, in May, 1907, to Miss Stella E. Quinn, a native of Nan- voo, Ill., who was brought out to California and the Bay City when a child, by her parents. She was reared in that city, and in time attended Stanford University. One child, a daughter, has blessed this union, and she bears the name California Star. She is a graduate at the Rio Linda school. Captain Lewald is a Republican of the Hiram Johnson type. He is a blue lodge Mason, and is active in the American Legion.

Early in 1919. Captain Lewald bought eighty acres of choice land at Rio Linda, formerly owned by Mr. Woodward, the pioneer merchant there. On retiring from the navy, he and his family moved onto this ranch property, where he has expended thousands of dollars in making important improvements, adding a poultry farm, and an orchard of almonds, olives and other fruits, all of which has had its effect on the general development of the locality. When he located here, only thirty homes were to be counted; but now some 400 homes have been built in the Rio Linda district. He was for a term president of the Rio Linda Country Club and Farm Bureau, and director of the Sacramento County Farm Bureau, and with his wife he has done much to forward the growth of schools, Mrs. Lewald having been instrumental in successfully putting over the enterprise of the new $40.000 school. She has also served on the Sacra- mento County grand jury.

MRS. NELLIE CALLAWAY .- Prominent among the gifted women of Sacramento County who have made a real success in one or another field of agri- cultural pursuit, is undoubtedly Mrs. Nellie Callaway, widely known, through her management of her trim farm about one mile east of Courtland, as a scientific, practical and eminently progressive orchardist. She was born on the ranch now known as the Kettleman ranch, two miles south of Lodi, the daughter of Charles E. and Elizabeth D. (Woodman) Bunnell. her grandfather, James Woodman, being a native of Maine. While in New York State, he married and then migrated, with his wife, to Iowa; but they had been living there only a short time, when the excitement concerning gold in California drew them hither. James Woodman started alone across the

plains, leaving his wife in Missouri. When she ceased to hear from him, she followed after, and found him at Fort Madison, Iowa, where he was de- layed on account of a food shortage. At Fort Madi- son, Elizabeth Woodman was born. In 1849, James Woodman came on alone to California, by way of the Salt Lake route, and for a while he mined about sixteen miles east of Oroville. He also had a store at Stringtown, now called Enterprise, and besides, he ran a pack train to the mountains. Seven years after his arrival in California, he sent for his wife and daughter, and they came on by way of the Isthmus of Panama; and Mr. and Mrs. Woodman spent the rest of their days at Stringtown, the old gentleman attaining his eighty-sixth year, and there they were buried.

Charles E. Bunnell was a native of Connecticut, and came to California in 1853, by way of the Panama route; and he spent a year or two in San Francisco, where he followed teaming, after which he went to San Joaquin County, where he purchased three quar- ter sections of land, two miles south of Lodi. He built his home on that place, and in 1869 he sold the ranch, now known as the Kettleman ranch. Mr. Bunnell was married to Miss Woodman in Stockton, and when Nellie Bunnell was fourteen months old, her parents moved to Sacramento and there Charles E. Bunnell, Jr., was born. He is now a resident and farmer of Courtland, and the present justice of the peace of Georgiana Township, in Sacramento County. In the city of Sacramento, Mr. Bunnell did teaming, and he also followed farm work, and in 1872 he moved to the vicinity of Courtland, where he took charge of the C. W. Clark cattle ranch of 1,750 acres. He had a family of six children. Nellie is the subject of this story; Charles E. has already been referred to; Edward E. is at Hood; Fred is deceased; Bessie lives at Courtland; and Minnie has become Mrs. Kirtlan, of Courtland. Later, Charles Bunnell purchased 200 acres of land from the San Francisco Savings Union Bank, tule land, which he reclaimed, and where he built a home; and he died on the ranch soon after- ward, at the age of sixty-eight. His devoted wife is still living, at the age of seventy-six, and makes her home with her son, Charles E. Bunnell, Jr., of Court- land.

Nellie Bunnell attended the Richland grammar school, and on October 8, 1889, was married to Wil- liam Bird Callaway, who was born on the Callaway ranch, a mile east of Courtland, the son of Silas M. and Electa (Ford) Callaway. Silas Callaway was a native of Alabama, and had a brother who came to California in the Argonant year, 1849; and he him- self came across the Isthmus. He mined for a short time, and then took up farming on the ranch near Courtland, which is still owned by the Callaway family. Electa (Ford) Callaway was a native of Illi- nois, and she crossed the great plains with ox teams in the fifties, and was married to Mr. Callaway at Sacramento.

Silas M. Callaway came into the Sacramento River country, and there he bought land, at one time having a quarter-section, in partnership with his brother George. In 1856, the ranch one mile east of Court- land was surveyed for him by the government, and on this place he died at the age of seventy-two. His wife lived to be sixty-nine. They had a family of eight children: William Bird (the deceased husband of our subject), the eldest; Lilly; Minnie, deceased:

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Charles; May, deceased; and Frank, Daisy and David. At the time of his death, Silas M. Callaway had only thirty-six acres of land left; and these are still owned by members of the family.

William Bird Callaway attended the Richland grammar school, farming on the ranch of his father and on the portion that was allotted him, some eight and three-quarters acres, where he built a home and had lived since 1889, the date of their marriage. This place is a fine fruit ranch. Three children blessed their union, but only two are living. Minnie is Mrs. Birch of Vorden; Vivian passed away when only two and one-half years old; and Chester Bird, now twenty-one years of age, resides with his mother on the ranch. Mr. Callaway died in 1909, leaving behind an enviable record for usefulness. He served as con- stable of Georgiana Township, Sacramento County, for a number of years, and was a member of Court- land Parlor No. 106 of the Native Sons of the Golden West, in which he was a past president. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias, of Courtland, and of the Franklin Lodge of the Modern Woodmen. He was a stanch Democrat. Mrs. Callaway is also a Democrat, and together with Mrs. Nettic Sprague, she was the organizer of the Courtland Pythian Sis- ters lodge, and was the lodge's first most excellent chicf.

JOSEPH M. BUCKLEY .- An enterprising con- tractor, well-posted as to conditions of transporta- tion in California, is Joseph M. Buckley, well-known in the vicinity of Courtland, and also boasting a valuable acquaintance in other parts of Sacramento County. He was born in San Francisco on February 27, 1871, the son of Michael and Elizabeth (Seabury) Buckley, worthy folks of their day and generation. His father, a native of Ireland, came out to the United States as a young man, and settled at Boston; and in the early sixties he joined the rush to California, and settled at San Francisco, where he married an Irish lassie. They had four children: James F., now deceased, the eldest; Henry Seabury; our subject, Joseph Michael; William John, of Courtland. Michael Buckley was an employee of Levi, Sex & Company of San Francisco, where he was highly respected.

When Joseph M. Buckley was twelve years old, and had lost his father, who died in San Francisco, he was brought to Walnut Grove, and was reared by William Jackson, a distant relative living there. At the age of seventeen, he commenced to work for himself. He was a dairy ranch hand for a while, and then leased ranches for himself; and he was superintendent of the L. D. Greene dairy for three years. He then leased the Dwight Hollister dairy for nine years, and after that spent cight years in general farming. Three years ago, he started to do contract trucking, investing in three trucks for two and one-half tons burden, and he has since grown in popularity for local and long-distance hauling. He not only has the equipment, but he has an invaluable experience enabling him to do what is required by his patrons in the quickest and most economical manner.

Mr. Buckley was married at Rio Vista on Novem- ber 11, 1896, to Miss Mary Dobbins, the daughter of James and Delia Dobbins, whose life-story is else- where given in this work. The union has been a happy one, and three children have blessed their fam- ily life. Alicia is the eldest; George, the second-horn; and Josephine, the youngest.

MRS. BLANCHE O. EDGAR .- An experienced, energetic and very progressive woman in the Cali- fornia school world, whose successful work in direct- ing the development of the life of many is steadily contributing toward educational advancement in this favored part of the Golden State, is Mrs. Blanche Edgar, the popular principal of the Standard School for Private Secretaries, a high-class, conservative and practical private institution doing thorough work and getting excellent results, at 2200 J Strect, in the capital city. The object of the school is to embody those elements which may be applied to the actual performance of services demanded in the commercial world-a school whose aim and standard is best ex- pressed in the words "practical efficiency." The re- sults attained through the system of individual, pro- gressive teaching mapped out in this school have been particularly gratifying. It is the school's pur- pose to see that each student finds that place in life wherein he or she can accomplish the greatest good and gain the greatest happiness. No student is per- mitted to plod hopelessly along in an attempt to at- tain the impossible. The capacity of each individual is studied, and measured by the Vocational Guidance Department, and a plan for development is carefully arranged; for this reason the school has no failures. This study of the individual has been especially help- ful in the successful placement of the United States War Veterans' trainers who have been developed in this school.

The Standard School aims to set forth the impor- tant fact that secretarial work is particularly attrac- tive, not only from the viewpoint of salary, but on account of the greatly increased opportunities for further advancement. It develops executive ability, brings one in contact with big men and women of the professions and of business, makes it possible for them to become altruistically interested in the em- ployee, and offers splendid chances for the study of effective administration, and for the substantial re- wards for faithful performance of duty. Years ago, a Canadian shorthand reporter became the private secretary to the owner of the most important carpet manufactory in the United States, one of the greatest industries on the banks of the Hudson; and when the wealthy mill-owner died, the secretary's dependable labors were recognized in a legacy of $100,000 in his will. However, Dr. Frank Crane says: "To know shorthand is better than having your rich uncle leave you ten thousand dollars, for it is a treasure that 'neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through nor steal.' "

The Standard School makes a specialty of finishing the education of students who have started in any school where they have been unable properly to com- plete their business education; but the school does something far more: its interest does not cease the moment a student is granted a diploma, nor when he or she has been located in a first position. It is the wish of Mrs. Edgar and her able corps of finely trained assistants, to see that each pupil really ad- vances; and it is the special pleasure of the faculty, regardless of financial considerations, to assist former students to attain to still more lucrative engagements. How far the school maintains this ideal interest in those formerly associated with it may be gathered from its offer that whenever a graduate is out of a situation, he or she may attend the school again for

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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 86

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