USA > California > Santa Cruz County > History of Santa Cruz County, California with Biographical Sketches > Part 22
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HISTORY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
JOHN WILLIAM MORGAN.
The influences surrounding the early years of Mr. Morgan were so varied and diverse that he developed a personality as unique as it was interesting. Under any circumstances and in any environment he would have been fearless and self-reliant, but these qualities became especially prominent through the associations that called them forth. Thrown up- on his own resources at an age when most boys are pupils In school, he learned to depend upon himself and not to per- mit temporary failures or discouragements to lessen his de- termination to attain success. Whatever of prosperity came to him (and that was considerable) it may be attributed to his own indomitable energy, his courage in overcoming ob- stacles, his quiet persistence in any task attempted and his wise judgment gained in the great school of experience. His life was spared for many years after he made his first memor- able journey across the plains in 1849 and it was his privilege to witness the remarkable rise of the state of his adoption, whose admission to the Union he learned of, when with a companion, John Baxter, he rowed out from shore to the American ship that brought papers announcing the glad tid- ings.
John William Morgan was born in Scioto county, Ohio, December 13, 1829, and in 1837 was orphaned by the death of his father, John Sanders Morgan. Afterward his mother, whose maiden name was Margaret Collier, became the wife of a Mr. Bergen and removed with him to Amhurstburg, Canada, but a year later left that place for Detroit, Mich. The son left home and returned to Canada, where he secured employ- ment in a sawmill. While visiting his mother, during the spring of 1844, he was persuaded by his brother-in-law, David Gharkey, to accompany him on a trip to St. Louis, Mo. The
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two traveled by steamboat to Chicago, from there by stage coach to Peru, Ill., and thence down the river to St. Louis, later going to Jefferson county, Mo. October 17, 1848, he there married Jane C. Pitzer, a native of St. Louis, and a daughter of Duiguid and Sarah (Myers) Pitzer. In infancy she lost her mother by death and afterward remained with her maternal grandparents for a time, but at the second mar- riage of her father she returned home and continued there until her marriage.
During March of 1849 Mr. Morgan joined an expedition bound for California, starting from St. Joseph, Mo., with a train of twenty wagons, commanded by Dr. Bassett as captain. The journey was pursued without event of im- portance until dissatisfactions arose, whereupon Mr. Morgan and two companions left the others. When they reached the Platte river they disposed of one of their three wagons. When finally they arrived in California they had little ex- cept the clothing they wore. Mr. Morgan's first occupa- tion was the driving of an ox-team. Soon, however, he be- gan to try his luck in the mines and met with some success. His accumulation of the gold-dust he kept concealed in an old boat in his cabin, but one night when he returned from work he found his precious savings had been stolen. To this discouragement was added the trouble caused by heavy rains, which rendered continued search for gold almost out of the question. Thereupon he abandoned the mine and went to Sacramento. Later he went to Negroes Bar, one mile below . Norman's island, on the American river, where he entered into an agreement to manage a hotel for Francis Fowler on the Auburn road near Sacramento for $300 per month. At the expiration of three months of hard work he had received only $30, so he sought other openings. Later he mined at Ecker's bar until February of 1851, when he gave up the
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work, took passage on a ship for the Isthmus of Panama, thence proceeded to his home in Missouri.
After having engaged in the manufacture of flour and lumber on the Big river in Jefferson county, Mo., until the spring of 1854, Mr. Morgan then started across the plains, accompanied by his wife. During August of the same year they reached Santa Cruz, the home of Mr. Morgan's sister and her husband. For two years he had charge of the wharf at this point and afterward he followed other occupations. Sixty acres of raw land near Santa Cruz became his property by purchase in 1864 and are now owned by his widow. Re- moving to Bear valley the next year, he entered the employ of Gen. John C. Fremont and continued in the same position until he took charge of the Hamlin mills on the Merced river. After returning to the farm near Santa Cruz he bought an . adjacent tract of one hundred and twenty acres. Through general farming and stock-raising on this land he accumulated a competence. A man of great capability, he achieved a fair degree of success in spite of hardships and obstacles, and it was his pride to give each of his large family of children an excellent education, thus preparing them for the responsibil- ities of life. Not only did he take great pride in his children, but he also was proud of his adopted state and a believer in its possibilities. Devoted to the welfare of our country and a true patriot at heart, he cheerfully offered his services to the Union at the time of the Civil war and was prominent in a cavalry company organized at Santa Cruz, but to the disappointment of its members this company was not called into active service.
The death of John William Morgan occurred November 8, 1896, and removed from the county one of its most hon- ored pioneers and public-spirited citizens, a man in every respect worthy of the high honor accorded him. The well-
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improved farm was left to the widow, who remained on the homestead for a considerable period and gave personal man- agement to the estate. Eventually, however, she removed to Santa Cruz, where now she owns and occupies a comfortable residence at No. 36 Washington street. Her family comprised the following-named children: John Sanders, a resident of San Francisco, who married Cornelia Moger, by whom he has one son, Harry; Samuel David, a resident of Oakland, who married Miss Tennessee Beal, and has a daughter, Mrs. Ethel McCabee; George D., who married Julia Walker and has six children, George, John, Harold, Frank, Walter and Donald; Sarah, who is manager of the Woman's Exchange of Santa Cruz; Martha, who is at home; Charles, who mar- ried Elizabeth Trevethan and has six children, Mabel, Earl, Lucile, Everett, Lottie and Madaline; William, who married Eva Trevethen and has two children, Genevieve and Alex- ander ; Bertha, the wife of Alexander Marquess, of San Fran- cisco and the mother of one son, Pierre; and Jeannette, who died March 7, 1910.
WESLEY P. YOUNG.
The early years in the life of Wesley P. Young were un- eventfully passed on a farm in New Hampshire, where he was born in May of 1838, the descendant of an honored pi- oneer family of New England. The old homestead, around which his earliest recollections are centered, occupied a loca- tion where the rocky soil and rigorous winters offered only a scanty livelihood in return for the most exhausting labors, and in his boyhood he determined to seek a location where Nature smiled more readily upon the efforts of man. As soon as he had attained maturity he started out to earn his
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own way and was attracted to the Pacific coast by its recog- nized opportunities and enjoyable climate. During 1858 he came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Hav- ing gained a thorough knowledge of dairying in the east he sought employment at the occupation with which he was familiar, and followed this for a short time. Subsequently he conducted a dairy ranch on his own account in Marin county for five years, having a herd of three hundred cows and em- ploying fourteen persons. Subsequently he established him- self on a dairy ranch near Pescadero, San Mateo county, re- maining there eight years, after which he started a dairy near Salinas on a ranch owned by David Jack.
In 1867 Mr. Young was induced to come to Santa Cruz, the change of location appealing favorably to him as it was con- venient to his two ranches, and also on account of the genial climate. Here he engaged in butchering and also in the grocery business. At this writing, and since about 1900, he has been proprietor of a large dyeing and cleaning establish- ment located at No. 20 Locust street, Santa Cruz. In this line of work he has been a pioneer and the success of the venture shows that it met an appreciated want. Since com- ing to this city he has bought real estate and identified him- self closely with the interests of the community. Particularly has he been active in local political affairs. From youth he has been steadfast in his devotion to Republican principles and he feels a pride in the fact that it was his privilege to cast his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln. Twice . he was elected to the council of Santa Cruz and during both of these terms he contributed his quota to the movements for local betterment. For a number of years he served as a member of the city school board. In fraternal relations he has been connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows for a long period and meanwhile has been honored with
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election to all the chairs in the local lodge. Twice married, his first union took place in 1862, his wife being Miss Linora A. Walker. Five children were born of their marriage, namely : Elrey E .; Etta, who is the wife of H. B. Arnold and resides in San Francisco; Percy, who makes Santa Cruz his home; Josephine, the wife of Normal Martin of San Fran- cisco, where he is employed in the office of the Southern Pa- cific Railroad, and Foster, who during youth studied for the law, received admission to practice before the supreme court of California and is now an attorney in San Francisco. After the death of his first wife, which occurred in 1887, Mr. Young was united in marriage with May Rose McKay, a native of France. Among the substantial citizens of Santa Cruz he occupies a place. Public spirited in act, generous in disposition, loyal in patriotic devotion to the community, he represents that type of citizens so indispensable to the permanent progress of the state.
J. B. PERKINS.
Numerous villages, scattered throughout the central coast counties, owe their prosperity and commercial standing to the progressive spirit displayed by a few men who readily are accounted as the most prominent citizens of their respec- tive towns. Such a man is J. B. Perkins, who for a long period has been identified intimately with the business affairs and civic interests of Boulder Creek and has contributed largely to the upbuilding of enterprises calculated to ad- vance the general welfare. Life has brought to him experi- ences in various parts of the country. In early years he resided in the east, but in mature manhood he became identi- fied with the central states and eventually he came to the
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western coast. Of these various regions, he gives the pref- erence to the west, and he has never regretted the decision that he made to cast in his lot with the people of this favored section.
The first representative of the Perkins family in Califor- nia was Abel Perkins, a pioneer of the historic year of 1849, but not a permanent resident of the west. From his home in, New Hampshire he started across the plains with a large ex- pedition of gold-seekers and after a tedious journey with ox- teams he arrived at his destination during the autumn of the year that brought thousands of Argonauts to the western shores. Until 1852 he engaged in mining in Amador and Placer counties. A fair degree of success rewarded his efforts and with the accumulations of those months of labor and self-denial he returned to his old eastern home, content there to spend his remaining years. He had married some time before going west and his son, J. B., had been born in 1843, in Unity, N. H. During his boyhood the parents moved to Claremont, N. H., and there he was educated, and there also he learned lessons of industry on the home farm. It was not his desire to remain in the east and as soon as he was permitted to start out in the world for himself he went to Missouri, where he took up land and engaged in farming for about ten years. Coming to California during 1878 he set- tled at Boulder and since then he has made this village his home.
Various enterprises have occupied the attention of J. B. Perkins since he came to Santa Cruz county. The lumber business afforded him a means of livelihood in early days. Ranching also engaged his time with a fair degree of suc- cess. Principally, however, he has been interested in mer- cantile pursuits, having been identified with the same since about 1894, and since the year 1901 he has acted as manager
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of the Boulder Creek Mercantile Company, a flourishing cor- poration transacting a large business in its special line. Be- sides filling the duties of manager, he has been prominent in civic affairs and at this writing efficiently fills the office of treasurer of the town. While living in Missouri he married Miss Nellie Robinson in 1868 and they are the parents of a daughter, Edee, wife of C. S. Perkins, of Boulder Creek. The family has a high social standing and enjoys the friendship of their wide circle of acquaintances.
SEDGWICK J. LYNCH.
This prominent pioneer of 1849 was born at Sandy Lake, Mercer county, Pa., April 25, 1822, and was a son of John and Mary (Fowler) Lynch, natives respectively of Ireland and Scotland. Upon completing a grammar-school educa- tion he was apprenticed, at the age of fifteen, to James D. Moore, a carpenter of Mercer, with whom he remained until the expiration of his time, and later he worked as a journey- man. During the spring of 1845 he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, as foreman for a contracting firm, in whose employ he later went to Nashville, Tenn., for the purpose of building a flour- ing mill and a distillery. Other work in his line kept him at Nashville until the discovery of gold in California, when he went to New Orleans and took passage on a vessel bound for Panama. Arriving at the isthmus he found about six thou- sand Americans anxiously awaiting a steamer to take them up the Pacific ocean to San Francisco. It was four weeks before he was able to secure passage for himself and he then em- barked on the ship Senator, which cast anchor at San Fran- cisco October 5, 1849. Later this ship ran on the Sacramento river and Mr. Lynch was employed as repair man on the
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vessel for some time. Meanwhile he also carried all letters and mail packages from San Francisco to Sacramento, re- ceiving from forty cents to $1 each. For a time he worked for Frank Ward at $20 per day and assisted in the erection of several buildings on Montgomery street, Sacramento.
Anxious to try his luck in mining, Mr. Lynch sailed by ship as far as possible on the river and then traveled with pack-mules for a considerable distance, afterward walking through snow six feet deep. Scarcely had he and his com- panions arrived at Downieville when a snow storm began and for fourteen days they suffered the inclemencies of the weather with scant shelter and scarcely any food. Their starving condition forced them to seek another camp, al- though they were obliged for a time to walk through snow eight feet deep and not sufficiently hardened to bear their weight. When finally they reached the mines it was some time before they had recuperated sufficiently to begin work. As a miner Mr. Lynch met with some luck, his first venture bringing two and one-half pounds of gold per day. Return- ing to San Francisco in June of 1850 he engaged in the building business and also served as a member of the vigil- ance committee. During 1851 he came to Santa Cruz and opened a carpenter's shop in the building subsequently oc- cupied by Henry Crowell. After a time he disposed of the business to Jordan & Davis and then erected the first plan- ing mill in Oakland. As a member of a surveying expedi- tion he assisted in surveying from the base of Mount Diablo through the state to the Colorado desert, where two of the party were killed by the Mojave Indians. On his return to Santa Cruz in 1854 he built for Jordan & Davis the first wharf erected on the open coast of California. On the completion of the wharf he took other contracts for buildings of all kinds and formed a partnership with George Gregg,
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of Santa Cruz, the two building a planing mill and store and opening lumber yards at Los Angeles, Wilmington and Compton.
The partnership was dissolved in 1870 and afterward Mr. Lynch became interested with J. M. Griffith, of Los Angeles, in a factory for the making of sash, doors, blinds and gen- eral mill work. Success continued to reward the efforts of the partners until the retirement of Mr. Lynch in 1876 and his return to Santa Cruz, where he erected an elegant, at- tractive residence, in the midst of spacious grounds, adorned with flowering plants and ornamental trees. From that time he lived in retirement, enjoying the fruits of years of intel- ligent activity, and holding a position among the most prominent men of his home town. At the organization of the first bank here he had purchased stock and in many other ways he had been a promoter of early financial and commer- cial enterprises. Fraternally he held membership with the Masons and when he died May 30, 1881, he was buried with the solemn rites of that order. Although it has been long since he engaged in the building business many of his struc- tures remain, to bear testimony to his skill in carpentering. Among these buildings are wharfs and bridges, mills and stores, as well as a large number of the most substantial residences of those days.
The marriage of Mr. Lynch was solemnized February 16, 1858, and united him with Miss Jane Donohue daughter of Thomas and Jane (McKee) Donohue. The father of Mrs. Lynch died while yet a young man and later his widow was married to Frank Shields. After the death of her second husband she came to California and made her home with her daughter in Santa Cruz, where she died in 1891, at the age of seventy-nine years. The death of Mr. Lynch was a deep bereavement to his wife and children, as well as a distinct loss
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to the citizenship of Santa Cruz. After his demise Mrs. Lynch made her home at No. 118 Riggs street until her death, October 21, 1910, surrounded by the comforts of existence, ministered to by her surviving children and respected by a host of old-time friends. Two of her sons, both of whom were named in honor of their father, Sedgwick J., Jr., and Sedgwick J., died in early life. One of her daughters, Eliza- beth, died at the age of fourteen years, and another daughter, Alice, Mrs. Elmer E. Simpson, died in young womanhood. Of the family there now remain four children, namely: Mary J., who is the wife of Charles E. Withee; Fannie, Mrs. Will- iam E. Craig; Almira, the wife of L. Hunt; and William J., of Santa Cruz.
JOHN H. COVELL.
A modern enterprise, successfully conducted in Watson- ville, is the Watsonville Garage Company, on Fourth and Main streets. The present manager and half owner acquired the old Watsonville garage October 20, 1908, at which time there were only about four cars maintained in the valley, where now there are one hundred and twenty-five. January 1, 1911, Mr. Covell sold a half interest in his business to W. H. Weeks and the firm has since been known as the Watsonville Garage Company, of which he is manager, and ten men are now employed. Keeping pace with the demand, the pro- prietors have increased their stock until they now carry a line of about twenty machines, ample facilities for their care being afforded by the large room, with a frontage of seventy feet and a depth of one hundred and fifty feet. The neces- sary equipment has been provided for the repairing of auto- mobiles and a general machine shop and vulcanizing plant is conducted in connection with the renting of cars. Mr. Covell
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is an excellent judge of machines, recognizes their superior points at a glance and with equal promptness discerns their defects, if such they possess. In addition he is a skilled chauffeur.
Of Californian birth and eastern parentage, John H. Covell was born at Albitos, Santa Cruz county, September 29, 1875, being a son of W. H. and Maggie (Horen) Covell, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. At a very early day the father came to California by way of Cape Horn and afterward followed the occupation of lumbering, being employed for years as a head-sawyer in lumber camps. The prosecution of this work took him successively into Yuba and Monterey counties, then to the redwood region and finally to San Benito county. After years of activity in his chosen oc- cupation he passed from earth in 1906. His wife survived him, dying in September of 1908. All of their five children still sur- vive. The education of J. H. Covell was acquired in the schools of Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. The family had only enough for their daily needs and each child, as soon as old enough, was obliged to take up the burden of self-support, his early tasks being such as fall to a day laborer. For a considerable period he was employed on a hay ranch and while working in that occupation he gained a thorough knowl- edge of the industry.
Coming to Watsonville in 1900 Mr. Covell embarked in the hay business on a very small scale, his original capital being limited to $25. Within two years he had greatly ex- panded and enlarged the business and was considered among the leading hay merchants of the county. This result had not come to him accidentally, but was achieved by tireless energy and a careful study of the occupation to which he was devoting his attention. Until he acquired the garage he con- tinued to buy and ship hay, meanwhile having many large
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and prominent customers. For a considerable period he rep- resented the Wells-Fargo Company and Summers & Co., of San Francisco, shipping to their city addresses all of the hay, straw and feed that they needed in their large plants.
In politics Mr. Covell always has been stanch in his alle- giance to the Republican party and on that ticket in May of 1906 he was elected an alderman, serving for one term as a member of the board. In religion he is of the Catholic faith and his parents lie buried in the cemetery of that denomina- tion at Watsonville. The church has received his generous support and he has been stanch and loyal to its doctrines. Fraternally he holds membership with the Foresters of Amer- ica, the Eagles, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Native Sons of the Golden West, and on three different occa- sions he has been honored by being chosen a delegate to the state camp of the Foresters. Many of his warmest friends are members of the fraternal orders to which he belongs, but in addition he has a large circle of other friends, for he possesses the genial disposition, energetic temperament, com- panionable manner and warm heart that always bring their possessor many firm friends in every circle of society. Jan- uary 1, 1911, Mr. Covell sold a half interest in his business to W. H. Weeks and the firm has since been known as the Watsonville Garage Company, of which he is manager and ten men are now employed.
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FREDERICK THURWACHTER.
Experiences giving him an insight into various parts of the old world and the new were culminated by the arrival of Mr. Thurwachter in California, where he has made his home since the year 1854, and where for years he has been engaged in ranching. Born in Rheinpfalz, Germany, May 26, 1833, he grew up under native skies until he attained his seventeenth year, at which time the family home was transferred to the United States. This was the period of the great gold excite- ment in California, when many thousands of emigrants found a home on our hospitable shores, many of whom came hither for the purpose of founding a home for their growing fam- ilies where advantages were more promising, than with the expectation of delving in the mines. From New York City, where the family landed in 1850, they went to Syracuse, N. Y., the same year, and there they continued united and con- tented for four years, when the ties were broken by the de- parture of Frederick for the Pacific coast country.
Returning to New York City, Frederick Thurwachter there boarded a vessel bound for the Isthmus of Panama, and after reaching the western coast of the isthmus, took passage on a vessel which landed him in San Francisco October 13, 1854. A short time was there passed in visiting points of interest, after which he came to Santa Cruz county and located at Soquel. During the year passed there he became interested in mining, and going to Calaveras county, engaged in this business successfully for three years. With the proceeds of his labor he then returned to Santa Cruz county, reaching Watsonville July 16, 1858, and since that time he has been interested in ranching pursuits continuously. His first en- deavor was on rented land in this vicinity, an undertaking which fully met his expectations, and at the end of eight
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