History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 71

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070

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KNEPPEL BROS .- Whoever has knocked about a little on the Con- tinent in Europe cannot have failed to be impressed with the gigantic stature, the superb and comely muscular form, and the marvelous strength of the Belgian horses, so extensively used in other countries than the little kingdom from which the breed takes its famous name. That this perhaps unequalled breed of horse-flesh has at last, and successfully, found a place in the natural history of California, is due in no small degree to the bold enterprise and high ideals of the Kneppel brothers, of Adelaida, who some years ago determined to raise the standard of draft horses here and, in pur- suance of that resolution, ventured a good deal in the risk that has been so well rewarded. Born near Hamburg, Germany, the sons of Peter and Cath- erina (Zornig) Kneppel, farmers still residing in the vicinity of the old Han- seatie city. William and Peter Kneppel came of a family of eleven children, some of whom have emigrated to America. John, for example, is a dairyman at Clarksburg: Jacob, Martin and Henry are engaged in the same line near Franklin, Sacramento county : Marcus is serving in the German Army in front of Verdun; Hermann, who was in the German Army, is now among the physically disabled soldiers ; Anna and Elsa are both married to husbands who are in the German Army on the Russian front, while Claus was acci- dentally drowned when very young. Like all German youth, the Kneppel children attended and profited by the superior schools in the vicinity of their home, thus receiving at the outset of their careers the foundation of an excel- Ient education.

In 1886, William Kneppel came to America. He was followed, two years later, by his brother Peter, after which the other brothers found their way across the ocean. For a while William and Peter worked for their uncle, Jacob Schultz, an extensive dairyman at Franklin, Sacramento county, but in 1890 they came to San Luis Obispo County, where they took up dairying near the coast. They soon afterward located homesteads on the top of the Santa Lucia range of mountains, on the Adelaida side, but they found that this was not what they wanted, and so sold out.

In 1904, the brothers formed their present partnership, buying the old "Doc" Harris place of a hundred sixty acres, on the east fork of Las Tablas Creek, where they began farming and stock-raising. Little by little they added to this property by additional purchases, until now they own three hundred twelve acres alongside of a running stream. There are numerous springs upon the land, and the finest mountain water is piped from one of the springs to both house and barns. Not satisfied with this undertaking. they have rented another ranch, and now operate in all some four hundred wenty-two acres.

All this land is stocked with horses and cattle ; but the specialty through Jule The Kneppels have made themselves famous is their Belgian horses. W Wwch they have the finest specimens in the county, and there is no finer Wwwdl a draft horses in the state. Starting with the great advantages in Tml, ul in their rich adobe land, with its water facilities, Messrs. Kneppel What - lected the Belgian strain of horses as the best, and the visitor to (her www lo is astonished at the magnificent display made there of draft Their first importation, at a cost of $2500, was the big Garrett bogen million. Felectant, which weighed one thousand nine hundred twenty [0] ml which has become the sire of some of the finest horses in the

Peter Kingquel

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country. After a few years they disposed of him and bought the big bay Belgian stallion, Favario ("Favorite"), which weighed one thousand eight hundred fifty pounds, and also cost $2500. Bred to high-grade mares, Favario became the sire of some splendid three-quarter Belgian horses. This horse was sold in 1915, whereupon they purchased, at a cost of $3000, the big bay Belgian stallion Michel, with the imposing weight of two thousand two hun- dred fifty pounds. Without question, this is the finest Belgian horse, not only in the San Luis Obispo district, but in the wide area of the state.

As a result, Kneppel Bros. now have some of the finest draft horses in California, one half, three quarters, and seven eighths Belgian, for which. of course, they receive the highest of prices. The only time, however, that they have exhibited their horse-flesh at any public show was when they en- tered some of their horses at the Upper Salinas Valley Fair in Paso Robles. and it need hardly be said that, as a reward, they were given the blue ribbon.

It is to men like William and Peter Kneppel that San Luis Obispo County owes much of its present substantial development ; for by the nerve they displayed, they showed that they were not afraid to venture in an enterprise new and untried in these parts. As a result, they have established a prece- dent which others are now following, and which means so much added valuation to the horse-flesh in the county, to say nothing of the additional beauty of the animals. The Kneppel brothers are very enterprising, liberal and progressive along all lines, and both have always shown their willing- ress to give of their time and means towards any movement that has for its aim the upbuilding of the community and the uplift of its citizens. In relig- ious faith and preference, they are Lutherans ; and in political affiliation they are true-blue Republicans, at all times leaders in progress and examples of loyal and intelligent citizenship.

MR. AND MRS. ALFRED R. BOOTH. Not many years ago the civil- ized and deeply humane world was thrilled at the news, flashed far and wide, of a heroic rescue of shipwrecked sailors in the bleak Arctic North, made possible only by almost superhuman energy and almost unexampled bravery on the part of those who went after the supposedly lost. Among those who especially distinguished themselves, and to whom Congress gave a medal for extraordinary performance, was Dr. Samuel J. Call, whose sacred dust now mingles with the historic soil of Hollister. Dr. Call was surgeon to the American Revenue Cutter Service, and was made a member of the Overland Relief Expedition, sent out to rescue the whalers in the Arctic Ocean, stranded at Point Barrow. He was a brother of Mrs. A. R. Booth, the esteemed resi dent of Paso Robles.

For eight long months, from the time when the revenue cutter left Cape Vancouver, on December 16, 1897, until the sturdy vessel returned to Seattle on August 16, 1898, Dr. Call and his associates were exposed to painful priva tions and the most imminent dangers, and yet were able to minister both to those found sick and distressed along the route, and to the shipwrecked crews of the whalers "Rosario," "Fearless." "Newport" and "Joan of Arc." Before he again set foot upon dry and safe land, Dr. Call had to travel over snows and through rains and blizzards, on dog sleds and over great floes of ice : and it is but natural that those of his kith and kin who have the honor of claiming a blood relationship should be proud of what this intrepid man of science thus accomplished. Dr. Call was a graduate of the Cooper Medien! 33

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Colleg m San Francisco, and as an officer of the Overland Relief Expedition Was a soktitel m the rescue work with Jarvis and Berthoff.

The late Alfred R. Booth was the second youngest of ten children, and a native of Mount Clements, Mich., where he was born on July 28, 1835. this grandfather was an Englishman of a very old English family, boasting it's coat of arms, who brought his family to Philadelphia and who died in the Quaker city on September 8, 1816, at the age of nearly sixty-eight years. His grandmother was Miss Elizabeth Benge, whose demise took place in the Quaker city. Alfred's father was the Rev. John Booth, of Chatham, England, who was born on August 6, 1796, became a Baptist clergyman, and preached m Michigan, where he died on July 18, 1869, his good wife preceding him to the spirit abode on September 21, seven years previously. This wife, before her marriage, was Miss Jane Ann Wisdom, a daughter of William Wisdom, a native of Ireland. She was born in Philadelphia on December 7, 1798, and died, as did her husband, at Fenton, Genesee county, Mich.

Alfred was educated at Kalamazoo College, and soon after finishing his studies opened the first drug store at Fenton. In 1857, he came to the Pacific Coast, via the Isthmus of Panama, and with John Booth, a brother, engaged in the sheep business at Dallas, in Oregon. Ten years were spent in the state of Washington and in British Columbia in mining and business enter- prises, after which Mr. Booth went to Idaho and Nevada. Again he engaged in the drug business, this time at Tuscarora, Elko county, Nev., and in 1878 he came to San Luis Obispo and bought out the Eagle Drug Store. This was continued as Booth & Latimer's, and about the same time he started the first drug store in Paso Robles, in reality before the town was laid out.

At first he opened his apothecary shop in Patsy Dunn's store near the hotel, and later he removed to the corner of Twelfth and Spring streets. Eventually he sold his San Luis Obispo interests, and in 1888 confined him- self to the Paso Robles establishment. This, however, was disposed of in time, and then Mr. Booth turned to real estate.

At Elko, in Nevada, on May 7, 1878, he had married Mrs. Susanna (Call) Rayner, who was born at Carpenterville, near Terre Haute, Ind., the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Call, natives of Kentucky. Her father had come to Indiana as a farmer, later moving to Missouri, and in 1864 had crossed the plains with a large company, joining Andrews and Hurd, the train being in charge of John Hurd. On the way they were suddenly attacked by Indians, but the company was large enough to take care of itself, and the savages were repulsed. A smaller train, following just behind, how- Wer, and also soon after attacked by the same bands of redskins, was unable offer the necessary resistance, and every member of the party, to the last 100, koman and child, was massacred. Coming to Boise City, Ida., George WE all ofpaged in farming and freighting : and while in Idaho, Mrs. Booth 0, For Education. Mr. Call spent his last days in San Benito county, ; the use of seventy three years; while the mother now resides there ob freed age of ninety-eight. Of nine children, Mrs. Booth was

Poslech prominently identified with real estate interests in Paso 0 1008 witch time and means to the buikling up of the town ; and 10 0 10 1906, he died, respected and lamented by everyone. Mr. 11 years postmaster of Paso Robles, and held that office

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at the time of his death. A member and Past Master of Paso Robles Lodge No. 286, F. & A. M., he also belonged to the Royal Arch Chapter and Com- mandery at San Luis Obispo. He was a Republican, and a member of the Baptist Church. Four children survive, and are an honor to their parents: Fred G. Booth, proprietor of the Eagle Pharmacy in Paso Robles ; Frank J. Booth, a mining engineer for ten years in Mexico: Eugene L. Booth, the popular automobile manager here: and Clara J. Booth, who resides at home.

Since Alfred Booth's death his widow has resided in Paso Robles, super- vising certain business interests, and also contributing in whatever way she can to the building up of the city. She worships at the Episcopal Church and participates in its charitable undertakings.

EMANUEL DAVID KUHNLE .- Among those prominent citizens who were interested in the development of the resources of the section about Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County, mention should be made of the late Emanuel David Kuhnle, who came to this section in 1890 and made it the scene of his activities the rest of his life. He was born in Schandorf. Ger- many, June 23, 1863, in which country his parents, Frederick and Rosine Kuhnle, spent their entire lives. Of their five children, all boys, four came to the United States and two are living, Mr. Kuhnle being the second youngest of all. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of baker. which he followed until he was eighteen, when he decided to see what the new world was like, and what opportunities it held.

In 1881, he left home and friends, came to America and located near Detroit. Mich., where he went to work on a farm. Desiring to make a home for himself and go where he could get government land, in 1884 he home- steaded one hundred sixty acres near Lyle, Klickitat county, Wash .. and at once began clearing and improving it. It was during the six years of his residence there that Mr. Kuhnle was married, the event being celebrated at The Dalles, Ore., August 14, 1885, when he was united with Miss Sarah Denney, a native of Platte county, Mo.

Mrs. Kuhnle was the daughter of Jefferson and Rhoda (Burnett ) Den ney, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. Her father farmed in Missouri until he went to Washington and bought a place at Lyle. Return ing to Missouri again. he lived there until his death. There were eleven children in the Denney family, nine of whom are now living. Mrs. Denney is still living at the old home in Missouri. The daughter, Sarah, was brought up in Platte county, Mo., was educated in the schools of that place, and was married in Oregon, as stated.

In 1890, with his family, Mr. Kuhnle came to San Luis Obispo County, bought a ranch on Estrella plains, and improved it for raising grain. The six hundred sixty-six acres that he purchased is still owned by the famliy and is being sown to grain each year, and large crops are being raised. Mr. Kuhnle passed away June 8, 1910. He was a Republican in politics. He was a friend of education and served as a trustee of the Estrella district for several years, and was a member of the Baptist Church. After the death of her hus band, Mrs. Kuhnle continued to run the ranch until the fall of 1915, when she leased it to her sons and moved to Paso Robles.

Into the home of Mr. Kuhnle and his wife six children were born. Fred- erick J. is on the home place : Lottie B., Mrs. Maloney, resides in the Estrella district ; Frank I. assists with the conduct of the home place : Dena D., Mr -.

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Mulhall, is in San Jose : Mary E. and H. Dwight are at home with their mother. Mrs. Kuhnle is a member of the Baptist Church and is a Republican ; and like her husband, she is public-spirited and is a supporter of all movements for the uplifting of the people and the development of the county where she lives.

ROBERT ALEXANDER RAINEY .- A prominent rancher and fruit grower of the Cholame section of San Luis Obispo County, and a man who Has seen the western part of the United States grow from a sparsely settled section to one of great wealth and productiveness, Robert A. Rainey now is in a position to enjoy life and look back over the hardships he endured with a feeling that his life has been well spent. He was born in County Monaghan, near the town of Monaghan, Ireland, September 19, 1851, a son of Robert and Sarah ( Boyd > Rainey. Robert Rainey was born in the same county, and owned a large estate known as Caura Maxwell, and his home was known Ws Maxwell Cottage. He was a fine horseman, and for years was success- fully engaged in buying horses for the English government and in raising fine stock himself. His death was the result of an accident while exercising a horse, the latter rearing, and in the fall crushing him against a wall. Mrs. Sarah Rainey was of Scotch ancestry, born in County Armagh, Ireland, where she passed her last days. Six children were born to this couple, of whom three sons are in California : Robert. the subject of this sketch, John, and William.

Robert A. Rainey, the second from the youngest child in the family, was reared on the estate of his father and attended the public school and also Armagh College. Completing his college course. when twenty-two years old, he entered the office of a large linen factory in Armagh and worked his way to the management of the concern. He came to San Francisco on May 12. 1875. with letters from his firm to some of the leading merchants there ; but he did not present them. He went to Los Angeles instead when that town was small, and found work on a ranch near the town. There he had a chance to buy property for five hundred dollars that is now in the heart of the city: But Mr. Rainey, like many others, could not recognize his opportunity and so let it pass.

In the fall of 1875 he went to Mendocino county and was employed as head edger by the Mendocino Lumber Co. in the Big River sawmill for six years, after which he went to Reno, Nev., attracted by the big wages offered, but did not remain. He traveled up through Oregon, Washington and Idaho, finding plenty of land open for location, but did not take any. He was in Seattle when that city was a small town : and from there he went to Uma- tilla, worked a season, and then came back to Eureka, Cal., by boat, and then lown the coast into Mendocino county once more, and was employed at Lucy's Cove. Greenwood and Westport in turn. In 1885, we find him in hin Luis Obispo County, where he has since resided.

pon locating in San Luis Obispo County, he homesteaded and pre- rimmel three hundred twenty acres of land and began improving it with buildnew and breaking part of it for grain. Before her marriage, Mrs. Rainey Tran Tamme teaded me hundred sixty acres adjoining, and later he bought To troy of one hundred sixty acres : so his holdings now aggregate an mitis ormbof land in one body. Here he has continued to raise grain, hinaus de wot hogs. Besides his own land, he leased other parcels and med for on a large scale and met with most gratifying success. He has a

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Carl. E. Hanson Sustava Hanson

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family orchard of several varieties, besides almonds, apricots, figs, prunes and grapes, showing that almost every variety of fruit can be grown in this section. He was among the very first settlers in this locality and for a time raised horses and cattle exclusively. He owned some oil land in the Devil's Den country, but disposed of it. From 1892 till 1894, during the dry seasons, he took his teams to Bakersfield and was employed on the construction of the East Side canal and afterwards on the construction of the railroad from Bak- ersfield to McKittrick.

Mr. Rainey was united in marriage in San Francisco, April 13, 1887, with Miss Eva Mann, a native of St. John's, N. B., and a daughter of John Mann, who was engaged in the contracting business, supplying ties and logs for railroad work. He came to Navarro Ridge, Cal., in 1870, and followed his line of work; and later the family moved to Albion, and then to Mendo- cino City, where he died in 1903. aged ninety-seven years. His widow, Annie J. Henderson, also a native of New Brunswick, and of Scotch descent, now resides in Stanislaus county and is eighty-five years old. Mrs. Rainey was educated in the public schools at Little River. To Mr. and Mrs. Rainey three children have been born: Eugene A., who died in 1903, aged fifteen years; Alice I., a graduate of the high school, and now the wife of Charles Bush of Coalinga; and Vivian Boyd, who attends the high school. In order to give his children better educational advantages, Mr. Rainey purchased a place in Paso Robles, to which he moved his family in 1890, and there they have since resided ; but he still operates the ranch.

He is a member of the Odd Fellows and of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Rainey is a member of the Baptist Church. The family have a wide circle of friends throughout this portion of the county, by whom they are highly respected.

CARL E. HANSON .- Among the foremost of the many sons of Sweden who have located in California and have not only made a success of their own work, but have taken a prominent part in the development of commercial and social organizations of the localities where they may have settled. is worthy citizen Carl E. Hanson. He was born near Gottenborg, July 19. 1854, a son of Hans Inglebretsen, a farmer in Sweden, who came to Minne- sota and lived until his death on his farm. Carl was reared on a farm and had the advantages of the public schools for an education.

In May, 1873, he came to the United States and located in Red Wing. Goodhue county, Minn., and in 1874 began learning the trade of wheel- wright, working in one shop until 1886, after which he turned his atten- tion to farming in Grant county, purchasing a farm of two hundred forty- eight acres. This he improved and farmed to wheat for five years, when he sold out, and in 1891 came to California.

Locating in Paso Robles, his wife's parents having settled in Willow Creek, he entered the employ of Lundbeck Bros. as wheelwright and con- tinued with them until he.bought the interest of Peter Lundbeck, after which the firm was known as Lundbeck & Hanson. There Mr. Hanson had charge of the wagon and carriage work until 1912, when he sold out his interests and retired to private life. In 1913 he bought his present place, a five-acre block in Templeton with a comfortable residence, where he has a small orchard and garden and is quietly enjoying his well-earned rest. IIe is a Republican in politics and with his wife is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church,

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

of which he is also a deacon and trustee. He has been a supporter of all movements that have helped to build up the county, and is a self-made man in every sense of the word.

In Red Wing, Minn., on November 11, 1882, occurred the marriage of Carl E. Hanson with Gustava Anderson, a native of Vermland, Sweden, who came to Minnesota with her parents when she was a child of ten years. She is a daughter of Andrew and Christina ( Hendrickson) Anderson, who moved from Minnesota in 1889, locating on a farm in Willow Creek, where they lived until they retired and spent their last days with Mr. and Mrs. Hanson. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have had five children to brighten their home: Esther, a teacher : Arthur, in San Francisco: Mabel, Mrs. Abramson, near Templeton ; Bud, a butcher at King City : and Carl, who is attending the local school.

HOWARD A. HAWKINS .- Possibly no other State in the Union has a higher percentage than California of self-made men. \ striking example of this invaluable class is Howard A. Hawkins, who was born near Red Wing. Goodhue county, in the vast and enterprising North Star State. His father, Ole Hawkins, was a native of Bleking, Sweden, was reared in Skaane, and came to the United States a young man, settling near Red Wing. For a while he homesteaded a hundred twenty acres, and later bought the forty acres adjoining, all of which he still possesses in his retirement at the splendid age of eighty-three. Nature also dealt kindly with Howard's mother. Kjersti ( Nelson) Hawkins, who lived until December, 1916. Thirteen chil- dren formed the family, of whom Howard was the fourth eldest, and twelve are still alive. Two brothers of Mr. Hawkins are in California : Edward, who resides in Modesto, and Elmer, who lives in Taft. Dividing his time as a boy between the public schools and the life of a farmer in Minnesota, Howard remained at home helping his father until he was twenty-four years of age. In 1887. he came to California and located in San Luis Obispo County. With him were a party of thirty-three, and a more promising set of pioneers never identified themselves with this section. They took up farming at Templeton, and Howard remained there several years, raising grain.

For eleven years he rented the old Blackburn Ranch of six hundred forty geres, south of Templeton and finally he bought three hundred seventy- reyen acres east of Templeton, in 1908, from the West Coast Land Co. In We tall of 1910, Mr. Hawkins came to his present place, adjoining his other hoff, comprising one hundred fifty-three acres two and one-half miles east of Meglemon, and rented it for a while; but the following year he bought it W Bowy owns in all some five hundred thirty acres in one body a fine ranch "Westellent buildings and many improvements. Cattle, horses and grain g & leadlure of the farm, on which a small combined harvester, drawn 14 For-es, is operated, being used also to do excellent service on wie siches. He is raising Soudan grass on his place, and this he vo, gathering a big crop. In addition to his other ranening Daten A los a small herd of dairy cattle, and this constitutes another

To 160 ; 1894. Mr. Hawkins was married at Templeton to Miss vous, native of Rysby, Sweden. She is one of three children, Honom 6. 600, the other being Mrs. Paulson, of San Jose. She is Wrs h. a Swedish farmer, who located in Longmont, jijtil the grasshoppers destroyed all that he had.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 71

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837- Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1070

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070