USA > California > Solano County > History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. > Part 43
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
SAUNDERS, JAMES O., born in Gottenburg, Sweden, on December 13, 1819, remaining there till he was bound apprentice to Captain James Nye, on board the brig "Fornax," in which he sailed for New Bedford, Massa- . chusetts, where he arrived on November 10, 1830. Was with Captain Nye for two years, when he left, but still continued to follow the mercan- tile marine till 1837, when he returned to Sweden to visit his mother, and in that year brought her out to America. In 1843 he first shipped in "the service," and served in the "Falmouth," sloop-of-war, one year, afterward in the "Constitution" for thirty months, during which he sailed round the world, having visited China and other countries, arriving on the Pacific coast on January 1, 1846, off Monterey. Immediately after proceeded with the squadron, under Commodore John P. Sloat, to Mazatlan, where they anchored for three months; after which he sailed, calling at Val- paraiso and Rio de Janeiro, convoying eight vessels from the latter port to Boston, where they paid off in 1846. In the Fall of the same year he reshipped in the "Edith," belonging to the Quartermasters' Department, and sailed for the coast of Mexico, acting as a transport, and remaining there until the cessation of hostilities, when he returned to New York, in June, 1847. Mr. Saunders next purchased a sloop, and sailed out of New York for six months; and having reshipped, ultimately came back to New York, and remained there till 1849, when, on March 2d, he sailed in the ship "Loo Choo," of Boston, for California, and arrived in San Francisco on September 8th of that year. He lost no time in going to work, first as a lighterman, but, only remaining at this occupation for two weeks, he went to Hangtown, now Placerville, and stayed there a week, and finally left in disgust. He then moved to Sacramento, and there bought a lighter, and started for San Francisco. On the way he and his partner chopped four cords of wood, which they sold on the journey for twenty-five dol- lars per cord. On arrival at San Francisco, went to chopping wood on Mission Bay, and, bringing it round to the city, he sold the four cords at fifty dollars each. He now employed himself with lightering until the end of June, 1850, when he returned to the mines, going to the Yuba River, at a place called Indian Valley. Stayed there two months, and returned to San Francisco, and again engaged at lightering till Novem- ber, when he went to the southern mines in Garota, Big Oak Flat, where he settled down for the Winter, having built himself a log cabin and made all snug. In the Spring of the following year proceeded to Maxwell's Creek, remaining there six weeks; then returned to San Fran- cisco, where he arrived on May 4, 1851, two or three days after the big fire, when the whole city was in ashes. Mr. Saunders now shipped on the "Northerner," for New York, arriving there in June, and after two months he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he lived two years, and once more sailed for California, arriving on April 1, 1854. After sojourn-
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
ing in San Francisco for three months we again find Mr. S. on the Feather River, where he worked till the month of November, when he again sought San Francisco and recommenced boat-work, which he continued till March 1, 1855, when he came to Vallejo and got employed in the Navy Yard on Mare Island, where he has been ever since. Is one of the directors of the Vallejo Pioneer's Association. Mr. Saunders married, in Boston, July 26, 1851, Miss Josephine Gunnison, by whom he has living: John O., born August 17, 1853; James H., born August 1, 1856; Charles F., born March 8, 1857; Annie, born October , 1864; and Maria E., born December 25, 1869.
SHEEHY, ROBERT, grain merchant, was born in the county of Kerry, Ireland, in 1821, and came to America early in 1849. The spring of the following year found him struggling in the human tide which had set towards California; arriving in Tuolumne County, he first engaged in the occupation of mining in May, 1850, but, only remaining there four years and a-half, he started for the Eastern States, crossed the plains, and purchasing cattle, returned by the same route, bringing his stock with him, and once more entered the Golden State in 1855, establishing himself, in the Suscol Valley, at that time included in Solano County. In the year 1858, he commenced farming on a large scale, an occupation which he now combines with his other business. Mr. Sheehy is the proprietor of 3,000 acres of land in Napa county, a fine estate, which includes large tracts of pasture lands. In 1869 he removed with his family into the city of Vallejo, where he still resides. Mr. Sheehy married in Napa county, on the 8th of January, 1860, Miss Margaret Tormey, a native of Ireland, who was born in 1840, by whom he has five sons, John P., Augustine L., Robert V., Francis B., and Eugene V. P .; and five daughters, Ellen S., Mary A., Josephine, Louisa, and Ada M.
SHIRLAND, H. R. FRANCIS, butcher, of Vallejo, was born in Westha ven Rutland county, State of Vermont, on September 22, 1818. In 1828 went to school in Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, New York State, remaining there until he was eleven years of age, when he was seized with a desire to see foreign lands, and ran away to sea ; made two voyages to the West Indies, and was, on his return, again sent to school at the Castleton, and afterwards to Poulteney Seminaries, in Rutland county, from whence, he worked with Peter Comstock, in his store at Petersville, Washington county, where he stayed for two years; was then steward of the Troy House, in Troy City, for two years, after which, he went to Howard's Hotel, where he remained five years and six months. In July, 1846, he left the United States and visited, in turn, South America, the East Indies, Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, Mauritius and Isle of France ;
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
made an attempt to cross the Egyptian Desert from Suez, in the Red Sea, to Alexandria, on the Mediterranean, but did not go further than Aden, in Arabia, from whence, he returned to Bombay, in the East Indies, where he took ship and went to London, England. He then visited Bremen, in Germany, Havana in Cuba, thence back to New York. At this time the city was in a state of the most intense excitement, on account of the discovery of gold in California. Mr Shirland, therefore, only remained eight days there, when he started for Chagres, on the Atlantic side of the Isthmus, in the steamer " Falcon," calling at Charles- ton, Savannah, and Havana, thence to port of destination. On arrival he hired a canoe, with one Indian and a boy, to take him up the Chagres river, landed at Gorgona, and performed the rest of the journey into Panama on foot. The year was the eventful one of 1849. At this time there were two thousand one hundred persons at Chagres in one day awaiting passage, and no vessel to take them, but, there was one which had her full complement on board, and to her captain Mr. S. agreed to pay fifty dollars coin, as well as work his passage, to be allowed to proceed in the ship, which he did, and arrived in San Francisco about 18th May, 1849. At once proceeded up the river to Embarcadero, now Sacramento, where there were but four houses, belonging to Sam. Brannan, Priestly & Co., Davis & Rider, and Jones and Brown. The city had been then already surveyed and divided into town lots. The first person he met on the river's bank was Professor Sheppard, of Harvard College, who had come to the Pacific coast on scientific explorations, but was then attired in the typical costume of the Californian pioneer, and driving an ox team. Mr. S. im- mediately commenced the transporting business, to the mines, with thirteen yoke of oxen, divided into three wagons. In his first trip up to Rose's Bar, on the Yuba, with one division of his outfit, he cleared the sum of $3,300. He followed teaming with good success till June, 1850, when he sold out for $76,000, with which, he purchased from the Kelsey's the entire Clear Lake country, of sixty-four miles square, with all the stock, numbering ten thousand head of cattle and a thousand horses. This was a most disastrous speculation, for in eight months after the purchase he was dragging his way to the mines with three mules and an old horse. In February, 1851, he arrived on Salmon river, during the epoch of the memorable starvation, when he carried about $800 in his bosom, but could not buy a breakfast anywhere. In 1852, along with Capt. Best Reynolds, John Chapman, Bill Stevens, and others, discovered the first quartz ledge on the South fork of Scott's river. A hundred pounds of this rock was despatched to Moffett & Co., assayers of San Francisco, who returned $13.90 as the proceeds, on the strength of which, he, with his comrades, purchased machinery, shipped it to Oregon, and thereafter brought it 350 miles overland to the river, and erected the first
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
quartz mill in the northern part of the State. This adventure too was a failure. The following spring returned to Salmon river and bought out a man named Jessup, and all that season cut a quantity of timber. In the winter of 1853, he and Best built the first saw mill on the Salmon river, getting the machinery from San Francisco via Humboldt bay, and conveying it on mules to the place of erection. The mill was a success. In that year built three miles of flume in different "riffles." After re- maining there till the fall of 1854, having achieved a certain amount of success, he determined to revisit the Eastern States, and with that view purchased a ticket in the "Yankee Blade," on the voyage in which she was lost. He did not go on board the ship, however, but went to Placer county and engaged in quartz mining. In 1855 commenced business as a butcher at Gold Hill, Placer county, which he carried on till 1860, when he moved to the Allison Ranch mine, in Grass Valley, Nevada county, where he stayed till 1865. In that year followed up the Meadow Lake excitement, after which, went as butcher with the workmen on the Central Pacific Railroad, remaining with them till its completion in 1869. Remained at Truckee until October of that year, when he came to Vallejo and opened a butcher store, which business he still continues. Is a mem- ber of the Vallejo Pioneer Association. Mr. Shirland married in 1856, Miss Mary Orr, of New York City, at Pine Grove, Placer county, who died in 1865. By her he has one daughter, Frances, born December 17, 1861.
SIMONTON, GEORGE W. The subject of this memoir was born on April 21, 1824, in Waldo, now Knox county, Maine, where he received his early education and resided until December, 1859. In 1848 Mr. Simonton en- tered that career which has, in after life, placed him at the head of that long list of teachers in California whose scholars are now fast coming into prominence in the world. The first school in which he taught was that in Prospect, Waldo county, prior to which he had been associated with his uncle, Dr. Putnam Simonton, at Searsport, a most accomplished gen- tleman, and from whom young Simonton received much of that learning which has stood him in such good stead. . His next tuition was under- taken in the seminary of the Hon. M. C. Blake, the present Judge of the Criminal Court of San Francisco, after which he entered an academy taught by Rev. Edward Freeman, with whom he remained until the year 1848, when he became Principal of the school, and as such continued till 1859, when he retired, on account of failing health. On December 1, 1859, he sailed from New York city, by way of Panama, and arrived in San Francisco on the day after Christmas of that year. He at once pre- sented himself before the Board of Education, and being examined re- ceived a first-grade certificate. Remaining in San Francisco but a short
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
time he proceeded to Benicia, and there received a school certificate for the county of Solano from Dr. Woodbridge, and proceeded to the Green Valley District, in 1861. Here he remained, teaching school, till 1864, when he came to Vallejo, and there took charge of the public schools on September 2, 1864. At the time of his taking charge of these schools there were but seventy scholars, while his daughter, a young lady of some fifteen years of age, was the only assistant teacher procurable ; here Mr. Simonton labored until 1872, when he received a well-earned leave of absence for one year. Proceeding to Ukiah City, Mendocino county, Cal., he there purchased a private school, but giving it up in May, 1873, he returned to Vallejo, and, assuming his former duties, continued to per- form them until December, 1874. Mr. Simonton was elected to the posi- tion of County Superintendent of Schools in 1863, filled the office for six years, and is now employed in the Constructor's Department in the Navy Yard on Mare Island. He married March 4, 1847, Harriet A. Ross, of Rocklin, Knox county, Maine, who died January 3, 1868, by whom he had eight children, there being now living, Fred. W .; Sophia A .; Frank R .; Willis E. and James G. Married secondly, Mrs. E. J. Monroe, a na- tive of New York State, on April 16, 1870.
SMITH, JAMES G., is a native of Cheltenham, England, having been born January 27, 1836. He came to America in 1857, and having spent one winter in Rochester, New York, went westward, and, on arrival at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he enlisted as a cattle drover to the Government, for the purpose of driving stock to Salt Lake City. Was there discharged, and in company with fourteen others, made the journey to Sacramento on foot, arriving there in November, 1868. His first permanent settle- ment was made at Feather river, where he engaged in farming, and hav- ing remained there for two years, in the winter of 1860, went to the mines at Nevada city. In the fall of 1864 he arrived at Vallejo, and opened his present studio, where he carries on the business of photo- grapher. Married at Vallejo March, 1865, Adelaide A., daughter of Ben- jamin Ingolls, of Boston, Mass., by whom he has Cheltie A .; Waldo E .; Alfred G. ; and Saxon I.
STEFFEN, JACOB, born in Germany, in 1841, where he remained until 1857, and then emigrated to America, and settled in New York city, re- siding till 1863, when he came to California. He first took up his abode in San Francisco, but, in 1865, moved to Napa, but only sojourned there two years, when he came to Vallejo, and in 1872 commenced his present business. In 1875 he entered into partnership with Mr. M. Fors- tenfeld, under the style of Steffen & Co., in a meat market, which they still continue. Is unmarried.
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
TAYLOR, M. D., WILLIAM E., Medical Inspector U. S. Navy, was born near Richmond, Virginia, December 7, 1837. Early in life, his parents removed to Winchester, Virginia. Received his education at the Win- chester Academy. Graduated in medicine at the Winchester Medical College in April, 1859. Entered the U. S. Navy as Assistant Surgeon on the 3d of July, 1859. His first service was on board the U. S. S. " Sa- vanna," flag-ship of the Home Squadron, from October, 1859, till Novem- ber, 1860. Joined the U. S. S. " St. Mary's," at Panama, in January, 1861. Remained on board this vessel till May, 1862, during which time she visited a number of ports on the Mexican coast, and spent several months at San Francisco and Mare Island. Returned to the Eastern States in June, 1862. Promoted to the grade of Surgeon U. S. Navy September 5. 1862. On special duty at the Naval Rendezvous and Naval Asylum, Philadelphia, till December, 1862; then on duty on board the U. S. steam-sloop " Iroquois," and subsequently on board the U. S. steam- sloop " Tuscarora," serving in both vessels off the Wilmington blockade until the spring of 1864; then ordered to the U. S. receiving-ship "Ohio," at Boston, Massachusetts, remaining there until the spring of 1866; then ordered to the U. S. iron-clad steamer" Meantonomoh,"at New York, in which vessel he made a cruise to Europe, returning to Philadelphia in July, 1867. Placed on waiting orders until October, 1868; then ordered to the Navy Yard at Mare Island, Cal. Reported for duty at that station Novem- ber 26, 1868. In November, 1871, ordered to the U. S. S." Pensacola;" from that ship to the U. S. S. "Saranac," in December, 1872; made a cruise of three years in these two vessels. Detached from the "Saranac " Novem- ber 30, 1874, and ordered to the Navy Yard, Mare Island, Cal. Promoted to the grade of Medical Inspector U. S. Navy on the 31st of December,
1876. Detached from Mare Island on the first of October, 1878. On the first of November, of the same year, reported for temporary duty in charge of the Naval Hospital at Mare Island, Cal. Remained there until De- cember 31, 1878 ; then detached, and placed on waiting orders.
Dr. Taylor was married in Pittsburg, Pa., October 20, 1863, to Miss Char- lotte W. Irwin, a native of that city. He has an only daughter, Grace Lee Taylor; born in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
THOMPSON, J. D., born in Sangamon county, Illinois, March 27, 1846 and resided there until 1859, when he moved with his parents, to Monroe county, Iowa. In 1861 he returned to his native county, and in the fol- lowing year left for California, arriving in Honey Lake valley, Lassen county, California, in August, 1862. Here he engaged in freight and staging till 1867, when he went to San Francisco, coming to Vallejo on March 10, 1868, being variously employed until 1873, when he established his present draying business. Mr. Thompson married April 28, 1872, Miss
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THE HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY.
Jennie Currier, by whom he has Frankie J., born July 11, 1873, and Charlie, born September 8, 1876.
THOMPSON, H. M., born in Sangamon county, Illinois, February 25, 1852, where he stayed with his parents until 1858, when they moved to Mon- roe county, Iowa. In the spring of 1855 he returned to the place of his birth, and came to California in August, 1874, and took up his permanent residence in Vallejo. He married, November 8, 1877, Miss Emma J. Ham- ner, a native of Ray county, Missouri, by whom he has one daughter, Alice V., born October 8, 1878. Mr. Thompson is occupied in the busi- ness of a drayman.
THORNTON, T. A., is a native of Yorkshire, England, where he was born in the year 1826. In 1847 he emigrated to New York, and from there to Massachusetts and back to New York, and finally sailed for California March 5, 1852, arriving in San Francisco in the following April. He was variously employed at his trade of machinist, and at the mines until No- vember, 1853, when he came to Mare Island and commenced working in the sectional dry dock, as Engineer. Has been Dock Master there since 1877. Is a member of the I. O. O. F., and one of the building association for the construction of the hall. Is also a vestryman of the Church of the Ascension. Married, March 29, 1859, Margaret McDowell, a native of New York city.
TOBIN, J. F., was born in Kilkenny county, Ireland, on August 15, 1830. When nineteen years of age he left the green shores of his native country, arriving in America in 1849 and settled in New York, from which place he emigrated to California, landing in San Francisco on July 9, 1855. He remained here only a few months and proceeded to Vallejo, where he at once embarked in the occupation of a butcher, a business he still continues. In connection with this trade, Mr. Tobin has been largely interested in farming and stock-raising enterprises, while at this writing he is classed among the largest land holders in the county he owning no less than three thousand acres of land. Mr. Tobin is a man of much sterling worth; is esteemed by his fellow-citizens, while his energy has brought him to the position which he now holds among his compeers. He married in San Francisco, October 12, 1860, Miss Catha- rine Lynch, by whom he has a family of five children living: William J., born Sept. 1, 1861 ; Lizzie, born June 13, 1863; Marie E., born Dec. 18, 1868; Lilly A., born Jan. 1, 1872; and Cecilia, born Dec. 6, 1878. Two children have died, Martin E. and James F.
VANDERBILT, WILLIAM W., was born in New York in the year 1815, where he studied and engaged in the profession of a machinist and engineer,
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and afterwards as shipbuilder ; was for many years in the service of his cousin, Commodore Vanderbilt, of New York. He was Chief Engineer of the pioneer steamer "California " when she made her voyage to this coast. In 1849, he visited Benicia and, in this connection, relates that water was so deep there that the steamer was made fast to the shore, where she rode in perfect safety. Mr. Vanderbilt was in the employ of the Pacific Mail Company from 1849 to 1869, and for ten years was their General Superintendent of the Bureau of Hulls and Machinery, during which time he designed and superintended the construction of many of the company's largest steamers. Having retired for some time, he again entered the service of the P. M. S. S. Co. in 1873, which he left in the following year to superintend, in the interests of Phineas Burgess, of Brooklyn, New York, the rebuilding of the single turreted monitor " Comanche," and the construction of the double turreted monitor " Monad- nock " now building at Vallejo. Is a life member of the Society of Cali- fornia Pioneers of San Francisco, and is a member of long standing of the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. He was married in New York, in July, 1840, to Miss Sarah Remer, by whom he has two daughters who are married and living in Vallejo.
WALKER, WILLIAM, lumberman, was born in Perth, Scotland, and came to America in the year 1842, settling in Albany, New York, and after at Schenectady, New York ; when, after a year in each place, he went to Detroit, Michigan. In this State he commenced farming in Lexington county, but, in 1852, he crossed the plains to California, with his family, arriving at Hangtown, now Placerville, in August of that year. There he remained for about eighteen months, when he removed to Sacramento and thence to Benicia, and commenced working in the establishment of the P. M. S. S. Co. as a machinist. Mr. Walker remained eighteen months at Benicia and, on February 1, 1854, came to Vallejo, where he has re- sided ever since. For the past sixteen years he has been engaged in the lumber trade. He married, first, Jane, daughter of William Allen, of Ayrshire, Scotland, on November 6, 1848, who died in April, 1877, and, secondly, Mrs. Mary A. McKay, on August 18, 1878.
WARD, JAMES, of the Bernard House saloon, was born in Ireland on December 18, 1843, and emigrated to this country in 1849, settling in Franklin county, New York, where he lived five years, after which he moved to St. Lawrence county, New York. In June, 1862, he emigrated to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and returned to St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1865, coming to this State on May 25, 1867, and in December of that year, settling in Vallejo, where, up to the commencing of his present business in December, 1876, he was engaged in various pursuits, Married
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Mary, daughter of James Rice, September 21, 1877, and has three children : John F., Mary Ann and Margaret.
WENIGER, CHARLES, resides at the Summer Resort, about one mile dis- tant from Vallejo. He was born in Prussia, September 13, 1824. In 1842 he emigrated to America, and settled in the city of New York, where he remained till the outbreak of the Mexican war, when he en- listed in the 6th Infantry of N. Y. Volunteers, and proceeded to the scene of hostilities, being present at some of the principal engagements. After one year and nine months' service he was honorably discharged; he then returned to New York, remaining there until 1850, when, on January 6th, he sailed for California, and arrived in San Francisco on February 23d. He soon started in the liquor business, carrying it on till 1855, when he removed to Vallejo, and opened a restaurant. Sold out this business in 1859, and entered on his present premises, which is a great resort for the lovers of sport for that portion of the county. Married, May 16, 1855. Frederika Ovir, a native of Wurtemberg, by whom he has Julia ; Charles ; George ; Emma; Peter ; John and Fannie.
WENTWORTH, JOHN, was born in Lincoln county, Maine, on January 14, 1827, and, when an infant, was moved by his parents to Waldo county, in the same State, where he remained till 1845, when they returned to Lin- coln county, and settled in Thomaston. Here he attended the Academy, but being possessed of a restless and adventurous spirit, the quiet life of a school-boy became monotonous to him; he, therefore, at the age of eight- een, sailed in the ship "Mountaineer," on a voyage to Europe, the cruise occupying six months. On his return he now joined the ship " Pyramid," and again visited Europe, and, making the return voyage, he was there- after, in 1848, landed at Cairo, Ills., from whence he returned home by way of Cincinnatti, Ohio. On his arrival at Thomaston he bound himself apprentice to Nathan Reed, a ship-carpenter of that place ; remaining at his trade till 1851, when he proceeded to Virginia, for the purpose of pro- curing ship's timbers, but remained there only a short time, when he again returned home, and resided there till January, 1853. In this month he sailed for California, and arrived at San Francisco on February 19 of that year. He at once proceeded to El Dorado county, and engaged in mining till 1854, when he returned to the Eastern States, remaining there but three months, when he once more proceeded to El Dorado. In Novem- ber, 1854, he came to Vallejo, and obtained employment on Mare Island, where he worked at his trade. In 1862 he left the Navy Yard, and en- gaged in farming, which he pursued for four years. In 1867 Mr. Went- worth was elected Treasurer of Solano county, which office he held for two years. In 1869 he began business as a real estate agent, and con- tinued it till 1875, when, on May 27th of that year, he was appointed Fore- man Shipwright on Mare Island Navy Yard. He married at Union,
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