USA > California > Solano County > History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
336
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
coming to California he engaged in farming, and in May, 1870, he opened his present meat market, on Virginia street, in Vallejo. Married in New Orleans, 1854, Catharine Morris, a native of Ireland, by whom he has Mary M., Robert H., Samuel J., Martha M., and Catharine.
BROWNLIE, ALEXANDER J., was born in the State of Arkansas, Octo- ber 3, 1851. Accompanied his parents to California in 1852, being the first white child to arrive in Vallejo. Was educated in the public schools of that city. Is now a civil engineer in the employ of the Navy Yard at Mare Island, where he has been continuously engaged for thirteen years. Was appointed City Clerk, April, 1878. Is a member of the I. O. O. F. Golden State Lodge and Mount Moriah Encampment, also Vallejo Lodge, No. 64, I. O. G. T., and takes a prominent interest in all matters of public benefit to Vallejo and its community.
BROWNLIE, JAMES, Grocer of Vallejo, was born in the villiage of Car- luke, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 15th day of August, 1836. In 1858 he left his native shores for California, arriving in the month of July of that year, when he settled in Vallejo, but shortly after removed to Beni- cia, where he was employed by the Pacific Mail Co. to repair the old steamship " Oregon." After three months he started for the Klamath river, in Humboldt county, and engaged in mining, but in four months returned to Vallejo, and worked at his trade, that of carpenter and joiner, which he continued until 1869, when he established his present business. In March, 1869, Mr. Brownlie married Miss Mary Howie, the daughter of Peter McMillen, of Campbelltown, Scotland, having issue one son, John Alexander.
BROWLIE, JOHN, is a native of Scotland, and passed his early years in that part of Great Britain, where he was apprenticed for some time to the grocery trade, in Glasgow. On October 7, 1852, with some of his relations who had revisited the "land o' cakes," he sailed from Liverpool in a Cunard steamer for New York, where he remained a short time, and then took passage for California in the S. S. "Northern Light," but was landed at Acapulco, from whence he proceeded to Barbacos ; thence up the river by native boat to Gorgona, from which place he performed the balance of the journey on foot to Panama. The hardships of this walk were trying to our youthful voyager ; when but halfway his boots gave out and were discarded; in crossing the rivers he held on to the tails of mules, and was thus ferried over ; and on the next day completely prostrated, he and his party, with whom he had caught up, reached their destination, only to find that their steamer for San Francisco, for which they had tickets, had been burned in Valparaiso. The " Cortez " was on
ford.
L. L. Palmer
I.E ١٠
PUBLIC LIBRAF
337
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
the berth for California, but she was full ; a passage, could not, therefore, be procured by her; thus, in the meantime, with so large a party, money gave out, and he was obliged to dispose of his through ticket, so as to provide the means of subsistence for the company, and rely on the prom- ise that money should be remitted to him from California. Shortly after his companions sailed for the Golden State, leaving the subject of our memoir alone, moneyless, and friendless, in Panama. With that resource which the hardy sons of Scotia derive from their early training, Mr. Brownlie cast about him looking for employment, whereby to occupy his time, and provide food; this he soon obtained in the Louisiana hotel, at the wages of sixty dollars per month ; but such is the fatal effects of the climate that but few live to see the month out. While at his avocation in this hostelry, he was prostrated by a swelling of the feet from jiggers, contracted during his bare-foot tramp across the Isthmus, to add to which he was seized with the Panama fever, but stoutly refused to be taken to the hospital ; day by day he got lower, when an event occurred which may have done much towards preserving the life of John Brownlie. Let us tell it in his own words : " It was a Sunday morning, when, by luck, who should come to my relief, but an uncle-one whom I had not seen since I was a child. Of course, I did not know him, nor he me, until he asked after my parents, and his brothers and sisters. I was so charmed that I jumped right out of my sick bed. He asked how I came to be at Pan- ama, and how I came to be left by the party ; after explaining which, he told me that he had just bought a ticket for California, and if I wanted to get there he would give it to me, while he returned to Toboga (where he had been working for some time), to earn enough to pay his passage by another steamer." Thus, by the merest chance, at noon on the day on which he parted with his new-found relative, Mr. Brownlie steamed away from Panama on board the " Winfield Scott," bound for San Francisco. On this voyage he again endured much suffering, and though many of his fellow-passengers died, he lived, happily, to arrive at his destination, after a passage of eighteen days.
On arrival, he fortunately met his uncle, Robert Brownlee, and with him went to Vallejo, arriving when the Legislature was about to meet and at once obtained work there; on the removal of the seat of govern- ment to Benicia, he followed them, and being employed in that city for a short time, he finally went to Mare Island and obtained labor with the Dry Dock Company, who were then constructing the sectional dock ; from laboring work he rose to be a helper in the blacksmith's shop, and, being of an economical turn of mind, he soon purchased a share in a livery business ; after a lapse of some time he eventually became the sole proprietor, and has ever since kept a stable in Vallejo. In 1858, in con- junction with his livery business, Mr. B. purchased a farm of 500 acres,
22
338
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
and matters progressed favorably for him until the year 1873, when, being connected with the Vallejo Bank, he was forced into the position of Cashier of that concern by the Directors and Stockholders ; but such was the revulsion in business at the time that the Bank was wound up, and all creditors satisfied. Mr. Brownlie visited his native land, in the years 1857, and '67, and made the tour of the three kingdoms; has served as a Notary Public for two years ; a Supervisor for one term ; and is now besides his above mentioned business, a real estate agent ; and also agente for a Fire and Life Insurance Company. Mr. B. was born in the year 1833, and married, December 22, 1874, Miss Margaret Wakely, by whom he has Gracie May, born October 16, 1875, and Robert Arthur, born Nov. 11, 1878.
BROWNLEE, ROBERT, emigrated to America in the year 1836, and set- tled in the city of New York, where he sojourned four months, working at his trade of stone cutter. In September of that year he proceeded to North Carolina, and was employed for thirteen months in the capital of that State; at the expiration of which he moved to Arkansas, arriving in Little Rock on Christmas day, 1837. He there prosecuted his calling for four years, working on the Capitol and State Bank, when he embarked in the cultivation of land. In 1848 he retired from the occupation of farming, and commenced prospecting for lead, getting blown up during this employment. Mr. Brownlee was a resident of the State of Arkansas altogether thirteen years. In 1849 the world was set agog by the dis- covery of gold in California, and he was one of the many hardy sons of toil who crossed the plains, enduring all its hardships, hoping occasionally againsthope, and putting aside any knowledge of fear; laboring incessantly to buoy up those who were bordering on despair, allaying the woes of the suffering and cheering the despondent. In this year, after a journey oc- cupying six months and a half, coming by way of Santa Fe, this band . crossed the Colorado river in the latter end of August and entered Cali- fornia, the land of promise, on the first day of September, 1849. For days before this event, water with them had been, scarce, the canteens which they wore slung over their shoulders being nearly empty ; at last, however, pools of water were discovered, and he, riding at the head of the cavalcade, was the first to lave his parched throat with the wearily looked for liquid. Dipping his pan deep into the pool, to procure the water in its coolest state, he found it on drinking to be potently charged with alkali ; to resort to the first rude method of counteraction, namely, the eating of quantities of fat pork, was the work of a moment, and he recovered ; not so two of the others, who, even when cautioned, recklessly partook of the beverage, both dying in great suffering on the evening of the same day. They were buried by their comrades, while one of the
339
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
number, gifted above his fellows with the power of speech, offered up a prayer at their graves, which, for impressive eloquence, Mr. B. asserts he has never heard equalled. From the oldest to the youngest there was not a dry cheek. Let us now follow the fortunes of Mr. Brownlee. He ar- rived in Mariposa county in the first rains. He labored in the mines for six days, in the first hour and a half of which he dug up eighty dollars worth of ore, his only implements being his jack-knife and tin pan. This was in October, 1849. With this sum he entered into partnership with John W. Clarke of Vermont, who had also been moderately lucky, pur- chased a team of six pack-mules, and commenced what is known as a "packing" business, between Stockton and Ajuafria, two towns, one hundred miles apart. The first trip took these two pioneers some six weeks to accomplish. The roads were so bad from the excessive rains that the hardships endured were sufficient to deter men of less persever- ance ; always at their destination, however, such matters were treated lightly, for, after all, their business prospered, and miners would pay a dollar and a quarter per pound for tea and flour, while other necessaries commanded as high a price. Mr. Brownlee thus describes some of his experiences on this eventful first trip. On leaving the Stanislaus River, an eight-mule team, drawing a boiler, was come up with, but such was the deplorable state of the roads that mules, boiler and truck had sunk into the mud, nothing being left to view but the heads of three mules and the highest point of the boiler. Here was a fix! What was to be done ? Quick of resources, desperation lending wit to native acumen, the team- sters incontinently drove their animals on to the boiler, from which perch they daintily picked their steps on to the backs of their less fortunate brethren, one after the other, until once more terra firma was regained. There were four of these adventurers-James McVicar, Mr. B., his part- ner, and a negro. During a blinding snow storm they proceeded on- wards; and arrived at Dry Creek, where each mule had to be repacked, the cargo having shifted, on account of the many slips and falls which the quadrupeds had sustained. On relieving them of their burdens and placing the sacks of flour on the clay, the first two tiers sank out of sight, causing no inconsiderable damage. There was not the wherewithal to build a fire whereby food might be prepared, so they supped on flour, mixed with water, and raw fat pork ; cold and hungry, they lay on the saddle blankets, striving to wheedle the gentle goddess-the four of them -Mr. Brownlee next to the negro. During the night the snow and sleet ceased, and a hard frost set in, making the cold intense. The water in a pair of long boots, the property of the darkey, froze to a solid mass, which was not perceived until he had tried to put them on; but, whether on account of the size of his feet or the frigidity and rigidity of the ice, they would not be coaxed into their proper resting place till thawed by the
340
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
waterof a convenient stream. The morning, however, lent a brighter aspect to the state of things, for daylight showed where fuel was to be obtained, a hearty meal was made off coffee and flapjacks, which they enjoyed, for, on the principle of hunger being the best sauce, McV. would, now and again, observe, "Eh, man, Bob, but aren't they good !" On the following day the Tuolumne River was gained, in another snow storm, they camp- ing in a " wash " of the river. This night a splendid fire was built. Three large trees, which were lying in the bed of the now dry stream, were piled over with brush and set alight, while the banks gave shelter from the driving sleet and snow ; and comparative comfort, with a certain amount of satisfaction, was being taken out of the burning mass of tim- ber, some forty feet in length. Of a sudden, without the slightest warn- ing, their gigantic hearth was seen to float away; the water rose with in- credible speed, so that they were wet to their waists while securing their packs. At length all was made snug, and the quartette, climbing up to the fork of a tree, out of the reach of the now rushing stream, in the driv- ing snow, philosophically awaited the dawn of day. Of such were the hardships endured on this memorable journey.
In the spring of the year 1850, the subject of our memoir established a store, having a mule team in connection therewith. The former combined all the mining luxuries of a boarding-house, ten-pin alley and card-room, as well as the agency for Adams' Express. At the time when the first snow fell, Mr. B. found himself with a large accumulation of staple goods for which there would be a ready market; he therefore turned out his animals to pasture on what was known as the Texine ranch, when on one day he was informed that a force of Indians had been seen driving them off. This was a cause of the hastening of another Mariposa war. On the receipt of this intelligence Major Burney, then Sheriff of the county, raised a company of twenty-two volunteers started in pursuit, and overtaking the Indians engaged them for three or four hours, when they fled leaving behind them partially eaten portions of the beasts which had been cooked between the time of their capture and the conflict. At this juncture the war had assumed proportions which were likely to develop. The Major, therefore, appealed to Governor Burnett at San Jose for aid, when he despatched Neely Johnson to organize three com- panies of militia in Mariposa county, Mr. Brownlee being suttler of the battalion, and as such he found himself possessed of a large amount of scrip, paid to him by the force, which he wished to have recognized by the officers of the State. To gain this was the object of his first visit to Vallejo in 1851, on which occasion he remained only two months, return- ing to Mariposa county, and thereafter visited Sacramento in 1852 on the same errand, after which he once more went back to Mariposa, wound up his affairs and started to return to Scotland, but having missed the steamer
341
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
from San Francisco to Panama, he remained for three weeks in Val- lejo. On the 1st day of March, 1852, Mr. Brownlee sailed from San Fran- cisco, visiting en route Arkansas and Kentucky, where he met his wife, went to. Scotland, but in two months from his arrival, having visited a few of the most noteworthy places in his native land, once more turned towards the United States and landed in New York, where he was married soon after his arrival. In October, 1852, we find Mr. Brownlee on his second voyage to California, on this occasion accompanied by his bride and his brother, his wife and son, traversing the route, not by the plains as he had done three years before, but by the more pleasant and swifter one of Panama, arriving in San Francisco in the end of Novem- ber, and having pleasant recollections of Vallejo, immediately thereafter proceeded thither, where both families located in December, 1852. Early in the next year he commenced farming and a dairy business on a small scale, purchased a tract of fifty acres of land two miles north of the town limits, which he afterwards exchanged with General John B. Frisbie, in 1857 for his present place, now in Napa county, but which was then in that of Solano. Since his arrival, up to the present time, Mr. Brown- lee has been inseparably connected with Vallejo and its associations, and though he does not reside in the county, he is still spoken of by all as the most reliable source of information in regard to the doings in early days. His residence is a magnificent two-storied building, having rooms of fine proportions, situated about fourteen miles from Vallejo; he farms over 1,100 acres of land, 650 being in Solano county, while this season he has under wheat and barley no less than 1,100 acres. The line of rail- road to Sacramento from South Vallejo passes his gate, while there is an averagely good road to his dwelling. A more genial companion, a bet- ter citizen or hospitable host does not exist than Robert Brownlee. He was born at Bunkle, in the parish of Cambusnethen, in the county of Lanark, Scotland, in 1813, married Annie Lamont October 24, 1852, born in Tamhorn, in the Carse O'Gowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, in 1834, by whom he has Robert A., born October 14, 1853, (the first white boy born in Vallejo) ; Mary J., born August 1, 1855 ; Margaret R., born Junc 4, 1857 ; Gracie A., born July 10, 1862 ; George, born February 23, 1864 ; William, born November 25, 1866, died March 17, 1868; and Frederick J., born August 19, 1870.
BROWNLEE, THOMAS, was born in Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in the year 1816, where he remained until the year 1842 when he emi- grated to America and settled in the State of Arkansas. In the year 1846 he enlisted in the Arkansas Regiment, under command of Colonel Yell, and with it served in the Mexican war for one year, being present at the engagement at Buena Vista. On the expiration of his service he
342
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
returned to Arkansas and there remained till 1852 when he came to California, and was in that year among the very first to settle in Vallejo where he was the original blacksmith of this now thriving city. Is a charter member of the Benicia Lodge of F. and A. M., being one of the few originators of that lodge who are now living; is also a charter mem- ber of the Masters Lodge of F. and A. M. of Vallejo. Married June 29, 1849, Mary Lamont, by whom he has Alexander J., Annie, and John.
BUTLER, O. H., was born in Utica, N. Y., in May, 1829, and there re- mained until 1833, when, with his parents, he moved to Michigan, resid- ing there until 1842. In this year he went to Illinois, and worked at his trade of a mason at Chicago, Bloomington, Peoria, and finally settled there. In 1855 he moved to Livingston county, Mo., where he resided until 1862, when he crossed the Plains to California, and settled at Woodland, Yolo county, and there established a brick-yard, combining this business with that of a contractor. At the end of two years he moved to Santa Rosa, Sonoma county, and there erected a flour mill, with water power, on Markwest creek. This enterprise he conducted for five years, when, in 1869, he sold his property and came to Vallejo, where he has since re- sided. Was appointed Quarterman-mason on the Navy Yard at Mare Island, July 22, 1872, and is still employed there. He married July 22, 1851, Julia A. Michael, of Bloomington, Ills.
CALLENDER, JOHN, was born in Bucks county, Pa., November 16, 1822, and after two years residence here he, with parents, moved to Philadelphia, where he learned the carpenters' and joiners' trade, following that oocu- pation until March 19, 1852, when he started for California, arriving in San Francisco on the 13th day of August following. Having brought his carpenters' tools with him, he work in the city for one month, when he came to Vallejo on the ship "Empire," it being the same he crossed the ocean on to San Francisco. We record his arrival here on September 13, 1852. There being no house in which he could live he had to remain on the boat until a temporary dwelling was erected on Mare Island, in which he lived until the Navy Yard was established there by the Gov- ernment, when he moved on the Vallejo side, and, in company with John North, opened the Central House, but continued working at his trade. In 1859 he commenced the livery business, and in 1864 established the undertakers' trade, both of which he has followed to the present time. Married Catherine Fraser, daughter of James P. Fraser, a native of Phil- adelphia, Pa. They were married in Vallejo, September, 1858. They have had three children, all of which are deceased. Mr. C. has served two terms as Supervisor, and in 1871 ran for Sheriff and was only beaten by 653 votes, which was owing to the " tape-worm ticket."
343
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
CARMAN, A. S., is a native of the province of New Brunswick, where he was born on September 7, 1849. Entered a mercantile and ship-building firm at the age of fourteen, and, after remaining there two years, entered the employment of a mercantile, ship-building, and grindstone manufactur- ing company, where he continued for one year, when he left for California, arriving there in September, 1867, and entered into the lumber business with Houghton & Lee, of Vallejo. Afterwards was engaged by the firm of Doe & Moore, of South Vallejo, as salesman and later as bookkeeper, who having sold out to Pope & Talbot, he was appointed manager to the new firm, a position which he still occupies. Married in November, 1876, to Miss Estelle Davenport, of Monterey, a native of Michigan, and has one son.
COLHOUN, EDMUND R., U. S. N., Commandant Mare Island Navy Yard, was born in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1821; appointed midshipman from Missouri, April 1, 1839; attached to sloop "Marion," Brazil Squadron, 1839-41 ; frigate "Congress," Mediterranean and Brazil Squadrons, 1842- 44; Naval School, Philadelphia, 1845 ; promoted to passed Midshipman, July 2, 1845 ; frigate "Cumberland," Home Squadron, 1846-47. Com- modore Colhoun took part in the Mexican war, being present at the first attack on Alvarado, under Commodore Connor, and that at Tabasco, under Commodore Perry, which resulted in its capture. Served as passed Midshipman on board the armed prize schooner " Novata"; attached to the receiving ship "Philadelphia," 1850-51; frigate " St. Lawrence," Pacific Squadron, 1851-53; resigned, June 27, 1853. Re-entered the service as Acting Lieutenant in 1861; commanded steamers "Shawsheen" and " Hunchback," North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, 1861-62. Was present at and took part in the following engagements: Battle of Roan- oke Island, February 7 and 8, 1862; capture of Newbern, March 14, 1862; engagements on the Blackwater river, below Franklin, Virginia, October, 1862; received his commission as Commander November 17, 1862; commanded steamer " Ladona," North Atlantic Blockading Squad- ron, 1863; commanding monitor " Weehawken," South Atlantic Block- ading Squadron, 1863; was present at the different actions with Forts Sumter, Wagner, Beauregard, etc., from July 10 to September 15, 1863; commanded the monitor " Saugas," North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, 1864-65 ; engaged Howlett's Battery on James river, June 21, and again on December 5, 1864; took part in the bombardment of Fort Fisher, December 25, 1864, and the different engagements therewith until its capture on January 15, 1865; was on special duty at New York, 1866 ; Fleet Captain, South Pacific Squadron, 1866-67, and commissioned as Captain 1869; commanded iron clad "Dictator" 1869-70; appointed in 1873 to command the flag-ship "Hartford," on the Asiatic Station ;
344
THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
was in command of that Station four months, when he was transferred to the "Richmond " flag-ship, on the South Pacific Station, where he served from August, 1874, to July, 1875. The Commodore's next official duties were in connection with the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, where he was three months, when he was placed on the Examining Board at Washington, serving on it for six months. Promoted to the rank of Commodore April 26, 1876, and, having been appointed to Mare Island Navy Yard, he relieved Admiral Rodgers of the command April 17, 1877. Commodore Colhoun is married and has a family.
CONDON, JAMES, born in Ireland, in 1826, and came to America in 1848, first settling in New York. In 1855, he came to California and located at Sacramento, engaging in the nursery business in connection with A. B. Smith, whose agent he was until 1862. In that year he went back to the Eastern States, returning to California in 1864, and once more settled in Sacramento, where he stayed four years, after which he engaged in farm- ing in Yolo county, and remained there until he took the management of the White Sulphur Springs near Vallejo, where he now resides. In 1855, he married, in New York, Miss Rose Maclean.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.