USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county, who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present time > Part 34
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The young town and its ambitious fathers were not long in recognizing Mr. Wickersham's ability to fill any position which he could be prevailed upon to accept, and in addition to taking care of his private practice he also acted as district attorney, a position to which his fellow-citizens had elected him in 1855. He also acted as notary and did considerable business in lending money. As a development of the last-mentioned industry, in February, 1865, he estab- lished the private bank of I. G. Wickersham & Co. on the corner of Main and Washington streets, and so successful had the venture proven, that two years later, in 1867, he erected the first bank building in the town. Business advanced with the passing of years, and in October, 1874, the name of the bank was changed to the First National Bank of Petaluma, and at the same time the capital stock was raised to $200,000. Business under the new regime began January 1, 1875. with Isaac G. Wickersham president; H. H. Atwater cashier ; while the trustees were the president and cashier just mentioned, and Jesse C. Wickersham, P. B. Hewlitt and H. L. Davis. On September 1I, 1884, the institution became a state bank under the name of The Wickersham Banking Company.
On May 21, 1857, Mr. Wickersham was united in marriage with Miss Lydia C. Pickett, a native of Fall River, Mass., and six children were born to them, two of the number dying in infancy and two, Frederick A. and Frank P., after becoming prominent in business circles, passed away about the age of forty. One of the daughters, Mae L., became the wife of A. M. Bergevin, and the other daughter, Lizzie C., became the wife of Thomas Maclay, a well-known citizen of Petaluma, of whom a sketch will be found elsewhere. Throughout the years of his residence in Petaluma Mr. Wickersham took a leading part in whatever was done for the upbuilding of the town and county. and his death was counted a loss to the entire commonwealth. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, to the forwarding of whose good work he gave liberally of time and means.
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY
WILLIAM HILL.
It is always interesting to chronicle the life of the pioneer, the man who was not afraid to enter the wilds of a new country, ready to endure whatever privation or hardship he might encounter and always persevere in whatever occupation he undertook until, by his indomitable energy, tact and ability, he rose as a peer among the men of his calling. Such a man was William Hill, agri- culturist, horticulturist and banker of Petaluma.
A native of New York state, William Hill was born in the town of Scott, Cortland county, September 8, 1829. His parents, Alexander and Ann ( Kenyon) Hill. were natives of Washington county, that state, and died when William was thirteen or fourteen years old, consequently he remembered very little about them. He attended the common schools of his neighborhood up to the age of twelve years, after which he had very little opportunity for schooling, but he had a good home and worked on his father's farm until he was fifteen years of age. He then left New York and went to Wisconsin, where he worked by the day and month during the summer, herding and driving cattle on the plains of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, after which he turned his atten- tion to the cooper's trade and worked at it most of the time up to 1853. Having saved his earnings in the meantime he was able to procure an outfit of horses, mules and other equipment and started across the plains for California. He left Racine, Wis., March 25, and arrived at Hangtown (now Placerville) on the ioth of the following August and, like the majority of early pioneers, he had an uncontrollable desire to visit the mines. Accordingly he went to Mis- sion Flat and Coloma, where he prospected for awhile, until his money was about gone, when he hired out by the day. After he had been there about three months and had earned enough money to come to Sonoma county, he took up a piece of government land which had two Spanish claims against it, although the title was afterward proven to be all right. Here he put up a cabin and went to work ehopping wood, which he sold to the San Francisco market. In the fall of the following year he was taken sick and was unable to do anything for over two months, at which time he came to Petaluma and went into the mercantile business, continuing this until 1860. During this time he had bought a farm near Stony Point and after going out of business, moved on it and remained for five years, following agricultural pursuits, at the end of that time returning to Petaluma.
In 1866 the Bank of Sonoma County was organized and Mr. Hill was elected its first president, which position he held for twenty years. It was started with a capital of $90,000, and during the years that Mr. Hill was at the head of it, there was something like $375,000 paid in dividends to the stock- holders and $210,000 of its earnings capitalized, which shows an able manage- ment of the affairs of the institution. In August of 1886 he severed his connec- tion with the bank and on July 1, 1887, the banking house of William Hill & Son was organized, which was later incorporated, with Mr. Hill as president and Alexander B. Hill as cashier. This position William Hill held until the day of his death. This bank was started with a capital stock of $100,000, and afterwards increased to $150,000. Mr. Hill's business career had generally been attended with marked success. He was one of the largest real-estate owners in the county, at one time possessing about six thousand aeres in Sonoma and Marin counties.
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besides vast holdings in Old Mexico. That in Sonoma and Marin counties was improved land, having a vineyard of two hundred acres situated near Forest- ville, and he was also largely engaged in fruit-growing, having over one hun- dred acres in orchard. He was a stock-holder and director in the Sonoma County Water Company, having been identified with the corporation since its organization. He was also identified with the railroad interests of the county, and was president of the subsidy started in building the Donohue Railroad, before the company sold its interests. He was instrumental in starting the woolen mills in this city, was president of the company that managed it at this time, and was more or less connected with the history and growth of Petaluma from its earliest existence, and always willing to assist and encourage any public enterprise that would result in good for the city and county.
Mr. Hill was married in San Francisco, August 12, 1862, to Miss Josephine Pilkington, who was born in Troy, N. Y., the daughter of James and Margaret (Lonnon) Pilkington. The former was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, the latter in the north of Ireland, of an old Scotch family, whose mother was a Wallace, traced back to the Jacobites. The father came to the United States when a young man, taking up his residence in New England and later moved to Providence, Bureau county, Ill., where he owned a farm, but his time was principally taken up as a traveling salesman. His demise occurred in Port- land in 1864, shortly after coming west. The mother's death occurred at the home of Mrs. Hill. A brother, Dr. John B. Pilkington, was a prominent physi- cian in Portland at the time of his death. Another brother, Thomas J., is a successful horticulturist in Sonoma county.
Mr. and Mrs. Hill were the parents of four children : Alexander B., who after his father's death became the head of William Hill & Co., until its dis- incorporation, and is one of the able financiers of Petaluma; Raymond P .; William K .; and James V., who died after they had reached young manhood.
Since her husband's death, Mrs. Hill has resided at the family home on Seventh street, where she delights to welcome her friends, who love her for her generosity and many acts of helpfulness and charity bestowed on those who have been less fortunate. She is carrying out the wishes of her husband in be- ing active in all movements that will better the conditions of the citizens and is conscientions in all things and all her acts of kindness are done in an unostenta- tions manner. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, as well as in Old Mexico and in 1910 and 1911 a much-desired visit to England was ful- filled, which gave her the opportunity of visiting her father's old home in Clitheroe.
Mr. Hill's death occurred. suddenly at his home on Seventh street at nine o'clock in the evening of July 30, 1902, having been attending to his business at the hank all day. The news of his death was received with the deepest regret. For years he was a familiar figure on the streets of the city and in business Mr. Hill possessed an abnormal capacity. His interests, though widely diversified, were handled with consummate skill and with due attention to all its smallest duties. In his business dealings with the public he was known as an honest, square-dealing man, and as president of the Hill Bank, Petaluma Power and Water Company and president of the Novato Land Company, esteem for him was unbounded. Fraternally he was much devoted to Masonry, being an active member, and rose to the Knight Templar degree.
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY
LEWIS WEEKS.
Not unlike many others who have succeeded to a position of influence and popularity in Sonoma county Lewis Weeks proved his worth at the beginning of his career by enlisting for service in the Civil war as soon as age would permit. When the smouldering animosity between the north and south came to a crisis in the declaration of hostilities it found him uneventfully passing his days on a farm in Lincoln county, Me., where he was born in 1845. When the call came for men to come to the front to aid in putting down hostilities he would have responded gladly had his age permitted, but as he was then only sixteen years old he did not attempt to join the ranks. However, he followed the events of the war on land and water with an interested eye, and on attain- ing his eighteenth year he needed no urging to enlist his services. Enlisting in the navy in 1863. he was detailed for duty on the steamer Lodona, of the south Atlantic blockading squadron, and was stationed for service on the coast of Georgia. A creditable service of two years was brought to a close by the dec- laration of peace, after which he returned to his native state and remained until after reaching his majority.
The year 1867 found Mr. Weeks setting out for California by the Panama route, and his journey's end found him in San Francisco a stranger among strangers, with only $5 in his pocket. His first winter in the west was passed in the mines of Calaveras county, where he had great expectations of gain- ing sudden wealth, but like many another, he was doomed to disappointment, and he returned from the mines a sadder and wiser man. Going back to San Francisco he applied himself to learning the carpenter's trade, a wise under- taking, in that it provided him with remunerative employment in that city for a number of years, or until 1881. In the meantime he had become interested in agricultural affairs and wished to try his luck in this line of endeavor. Com- ing to Sonoma county, he bought a ranch in Bennett's valley, near Santa Rosa, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, seventy of which he set out to grapes. Here too his success was indifferent, and after remaining on the ranch for five years he returned to San Francisco and entered the employ of the Pacific Pine Lumber Company, a position which he held until returning to Sonoma county in 1893.
Although Mr. Weeks' first experience as a rancher had not met his ex- pectations entirely he was not discouraged and his second venture proved to him that he had not been over sanguine in his hopes. Near Sebastopol he purchased thirty acres of rough, virgin land, which he cleared of timber, and after putting it in condition for crops, planted an orchard of prunes and apples, and a vineyard of seven acres. In the selection of his grapes he chose a variety that would not be affected by an over abundance of rain, a variety known as the Petitsyrah grape, which has no parallel as a wine grape. From his com- paratively small vineyard of seven acres he gathered twelve tons during the season of 1909, for which he received the highest market price. His prune crop for the same season amounted to twenty-five tons of green fruit, while his apple crop amounted to two tons of fine apples boxed, and five tons of dried fruit. A variety of other fruits as well as berries are raised for home use, in addition to which a hennery of two hundred and seventy-five chickens is main- tained. It is Mr. Weeks' intention to increase his flock and carry on the chicken
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business on a larger scale, as the small business that he now has, has demon- strated its financial advantages.
A marriage ceremony in 1880 united the destinies of Lewis Weeks and Ida M. Ramsdell, who is also a native of Maine, born in Augusta in 1853. One child has been born of this marriage, Robert L., who is his father's valued assistant in maintaining the varied interests of the home ranch. Fraternally Mr. Weeks is a Mason, and he is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. belonging to Ellsworth Post, of Santa Rosa.
G. A. STROUT.
The interesting and active career of this well-known citizen of Sebastopol began in his birthplace, Bradford, Me., where he was born in 1846, and was con- tinued in Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota and Oregon before he finally came to Sonoma county, Cal., in 1890. Reared and primarily educated in his birth- place, he subsequently went to Bangor, Me., and became a carpenter's appren- tice, learning the trade in all of its details. At the age of twenty-one, with the confidence born of youth, he started out from the home of his parents deter- mined thenceforth to make his own way in the world, a determination which never weakened and which has its reward today in the knowledge that all he has is the result of his own unwearied exertion.
From Maine Mr. Strout went first to Chicago, Ill., where he took an exam- ination for school teacher, and out of twenty-one applicants he was the only one to pass the examination. The school assigned hin was in Elk Grove, Cook county, twenty-two miles from Chicago, where he completed one term as teacher, after which he went to Minneapolis, Minn., and there made the first practical use of the trade which he had learned, working at the carpenter's trade for the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad for about four years. From there he went to Fargo, N. Dak., where he took charge of a crew of men who were constructing a bridge over the Red River of the North, and when this was completed he became fore- man of the buildings on the Northern Pacific Railroad, under the direction of the chief engineer of the road, Thomas L. Rosser, and while so employed, erected a three-story hotel which was the first building of any importance in Fargo. This was used as Mr. Rosser's headquarters while there. Subsequently the building was destroyed by fire. Besides the work which the position of foreman of building involved, Mr. Strout also had charge of the carpenter con- struction on the road for some years, as well as doing general contracting work in Fargo.
Being offered a good business chance in Oregon in the construction of grain elevators in Round Valley and Pomeroy, he went to that locality from North Dakota and entered upon the work for which his varied experience had so well qualified him. The failing health of his wife, however, was the means of his giving up much of the work which he had expected to do, and upon his return to North Dakota, where his wife had remained during his absence, he made plans to come to California. With his wife and family he came to the west the same year, 1890, and in 1892 located in Sebastopol. This was the year in which the town was incorporated and in the new life which
A.P. Mitues
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this honor gave to the town he readily found work at his trade. After working at the carpenter's trade for three years he started the planing mill of which he is now the proprietor, his specialty being the manufacture of step-ladders, fruit- driers and fruit-trays.
Mr. Strout's first marriage was with Miss Mary L. Trott, who was a native of Maine, and who died in California in 1890, soon after coming to the state. Five sons were born of this marriage, as follows: Elmer, a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a practicing physician and surgeon in Winthrop, Minn .; Ernest, a graduate of Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal., and now general manager of a mine in Mexico; Archie, who is a graduate of the Univer- sity of California at Berkeley and is now associated with his father in the mill in Sebastopol; Gale, a graduate of Stanford University and a civil engineer by profession ; and William, a resident of San Francisco. Mr. Strout's second marriage, in 1892, united him with Miss Millie L. Saunders, a native of Oregon, but a resident of California the greater part of her life. At her death in 1908 she left five children, Irmo, Sylver, Hazel, Zeno and Mervin. In whatever community Mr. Strout has made his home he has entered heartily into its wel- fare and done his part in its upbuilding as any good citizen should do. While in North Dakota he served as city trustee of Lisbon and Fargo, was county commissioner of Cass county, and also served in the capacity of department superintendent of public instruction. His interest in his later home in Califor- nia has been no less ardent, and for four years he served as one of the trustees of Sebastopol. For many years Mr. Strout has enjoyed membership in the Masonic fraternity, having joined the order in 1873.
HON. ALBION PARIS WHITNEY.
Over a quarter of a century has come and gone since the earthly career of Mr. Whitney came to a close, but so deeply embedded in the hearts of his friends and fellow-workers is the memory of his long and helpful life among them, that time nor circumstance has had no power to dim it. For all that he was able to accomplish in life he took no credit to himself, but gave it rather to his worthy forebears, members of the famous old Whitney family of New England, whose accomplishments in the interests of humanity have made the name a household word all over the world. In direct line his ancestors were William, Samuel, Abner, John, Moses, Richard and John, the last-mentioned being the establisher of the name on American soil. From England he came to the United States in 1636 and settled with his wife and five sons at Watertown, Mass. From this immigrant was descended Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin; William Collins Whitney, secretary of the navy; besides many statesmen, inventors, educators and manufacturers who have been invaluable factors in the progress of the United States.
A native of Maine, Albion P. Whitney was born in Bangor September 15. 1825, on the family homestead, where he was early in life initiated into the duties of a farmer's son. When he was sixteen years old he went with his brother into the wild woods in the northern part of his native state, engaging in the lumber business there until 1855, and becoming an expert sawyer and 18
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millman. The western fever having attacked him, he came west as far as St. Anthony's Falls, Minn., and worked in the lumber camps for one season. Later he penetrated the dense woods in Meeker county, that state, and finding a good mill site, in partnership with two others established a mill on Crow river and engaged in the manufacture of lumber for two years. The undertaking proved very successful, but as immigration seemed to be attracting settlers further west, Mr. Whitney determined to give up his business and make a tour of inves- tigation in the west. Leaving his family in Minnesota, in 1858 he set out for Pike's Peak, Colo., but changed his course after meeting people on the way who were returning from the Peak. Instead, he took the trail leading to Cali- fornia, coniing around Puget Sound with an ox-team. At the end of one year's work in a sawmill he sold the wagon in which he had made the journey across the plains for $55, sending $50 of this home to his family. Better prospects awaited him, and for the following three years he filled contracts for getting out mining timber in Placer county, Cal. In the fall of 1861 his family joined him, his wife making the trip with four children by the Panama route, landing at San Francisco December 15. From there they came to Petaluma, where Mr. Whitney had located in 1860. In the spring of each year he returned to fill his contracts.
With means which he had accumulated, $1,600, in 1862 Mr. Whitney pur- chased the interest of Mr. Cross in the grocery business of Cross & Lamereaux, to which he later added a grain business. A couple of years later he acquired the balance of the business, which grew apace and ultimately assumed large proportions due to the enterprise and far-sightedness of the proprietor, who carried on a large business in freighting grain and produce by water to the coast markets. This he continued up to the time of his death February IO, 1884. When one reflects that he came to California without resources except the endowment which nature gave him, the success which he attained was truly remarkable. For many years he was one of the leading men of the county, taking a keen interest in the well-being of the city and state, and in many public offices of trust and responsibility he rendered efficient service. He was chair- man of the board of city trustees for a number of terms, and in 1874 was hon- ored by being the first man elected to the state senate on the Republican ticket. For a number of years he was a member of the school board of Petaluma, and was also an important member of the District Agricultural Association.
Mr. Whitney's marriage, February 1, 1850, united him with Miss Susan D. Eastman, who was born in Jackson, N. H., March 28, IS32, but was brought up and educated in Maine, her parents removing to that state when she was six years old. Otis Eastman lived to reach a very great age, making his home with his daughter in Petaluma for eleven years, but later became a resident of Humboldt county. Eight children were horn of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Whitney, of whom the four youngest were born after the removal of the parents to California. Named in the order of their birth the children are as follows : Calvin E., who prior to his death at the age of forty years was engaged in the commission business in San Francisco; Cleora, the wife of Frederick Hewlett, a resident of Napa county; Nancy Jane, who became the wife of George P. Morrow, of Oakland; Arthur L., who is engaged in the manufacture of salt in San Mateo, Cal .; Leona Merrill, who died at the age of two years
Mrs. Susan D. Whitney
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY
and six months; Marcella, the wife of C. B. Wheaton, of Alameda ; Albion H., who is interested in the salt business with his brother Arthur; and Clara, the wife of Lonis E. Spear, of Alameda. Mr. Whitney's name was one well known in Masonic circles, for he believed in and worked for the good of the order as did few others. He was a member of Petaluma Lodge, F. & A. M., which he served for a time as chaplain, besides filling the same office in the com- mandery. As is well known, Mr. Whitney came to the west empty-handed so far as this world's goods were concerned, but by industry, energy, thrift and good management accumulated a vast wealth, leaving $160,000 to his family. A portrait of Mr. Whitney accompanies this biography, taken when he was a member of the state senate, at the age of forty-nine years.
MRS. SUSAN DURGIN WHITNEY.
There is no name better known in Petaluma than Whitney, for in all phil- anthropic movements Mrs. Whitney has ever been found among the leaders. She was born in Jackson, N. H., March 28, 1832, the daughter of Otis Eastman, who was likewise a native of New Hampshire, having been born in Conway, April 15, 1806. His wife was Florella Merrill, a native of the same place and of English ancestry. Her father, Enoch Merrill, was born in Conway and represented a family that came from England and settled in Massachusetts in 1636, during the early history of this country. There he married Sarah Merrill, who was born in New Hampshire and died in Minnesota, at Kingston, aged seventy-three years.
On the paternal side Mrs. Whitney comes from Welsh stock; her grand- father, Abiather Eastman, born in Conway, N. H., served in the war of 1812 and died in service. His widow, Susan (Durgin) Eastman, was also a native of New Hampshire. At the death of her husband she was left with six children to rear and with no means at her command. This meant that as soon as each one was old enough he would have to shoulder the burden of life and assist in supporting the younger members of the family. Otis Eastman was bound out to a relative from the age of seven until he was fourteen, at which time he began as a farm hand, working about the neighborhood at from $8 to $10 a month. He cleared a farm in Jackson and later went to Aroostook county, Me .. where he improved another farm and about 1870 he located in Kingston, Meeker county, Minn. When he was eighty-five years of age he came to Cali- fornia and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Whitney, in Petaluma, and he passed away on November 12, 1905, aged ninety-nine years. He was a Jacksonian Democrat until Fremont's time, and thereafter voted the Repub- lican ticket, and was a Methodist.
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