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 52
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Although he is a native son of California, born in Colusa county in 1853, Mr. Laymance did not really become a citizen of this commonwealth until about the year 1875, since which time he has lived here continuously. His parents, James P. and Augusta (Caldwell) Laymance, were both natives of the south, born in Virginia and Georgia respectively, and both are now deceased. Their advent in the west was brought about by the discovery of gold in California, but with what success the elder Mr. Laymance met, the records do not state partic- ularly. It was while he was engaged in mining in Colusa county that his son George W. was born in 1853, and he continued to remain here until the son was two years old, when he went east with his family, returning by way of the Isthmus of Panama and landing in New York. It was not the intention of Mr. Laymance to remain in the east, however, and as soon as arrangements could be made he secured transportation to southwestern Missouri, where the parents made their home throughout the remainder of their lives.
George W. Laymance has no earlier recollection than of the parental home in Missouri, where he was educated and grew to a sturdy young manhood of twenty-two years. Besides a public-school education at Springfield, Mo., he also received the privileges of a high-school education in the same city. When his school days were over he gave vent to an inborn inclination to follow the miner's life, his first experience along this line being in Colorado, near Denver. After a number of years passed in that state he came to California in 1879, coming direct to Healdsburg, Sonoma county, which has been the scene of his activities ever since. He owns a forty-acre ranch about seven miles northwest of Healdsburg.
In 1876, about the time he came to the west, Mr. Laymance formed domestic
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ties by his marriage with Miss Augusta Testemen, a native of Missouri, and five children, two daughters and three sons, have been born to them. Charles, who was born in 1882, is proprietor of a hotel near Chicago, Ill. Lillie B. is the wife of Ralph Thomas and the mother of a daughter, Ruth, the family residing in Oakland. George E. is employed in the oil fields near Bakersfield, Cal. Ernest G. is now stationed in Texas as a member of the Twenty-third Regiment of the Regular Army. Marguerite is a graduate of the high school at Healdsburg, and is now at home with her parents. Not unlike her husband, Mrs. Laymance is a descendant of southern ancestors, both her father and mother being natives of South Carolina, and both are also deceased. Probably no one in this part of Sonoma county has a more thorough or complete understanding of mining in all of its varied phases than has Mr. Laymance, who has been equally successful in the mining of gold, silver and copper. Politically he is a Democrat, and it was on the ticket of this party that he was elected to the office of sheriff and United States marshal for the Indian Territory, in both of which capacities he served efficiently for a number of years. He has never allied himself with any secret order, but is a man who is ever on the alert to advance the welfare of the com- munity in which he lives, and is a citizen of which any community might be proud.
EMMETT SEAWELL.
Judge Emmett Seawell was born in Yountville, Napa county, Cal., April 5, 1862, a son of the late William N. Seawell, who was born in Cape Girardeau, Mo., in August, 1811. Of Virginian ancestry, the father of the latter, Joseph Seawell, removed from North Carolina to Missouri at an early day and was a member of the state legislature from his district. W. N. Seawell took up land in Missouri and was engaged in farming for several years. He came to California via the Truckee route and after his arrival in 1853, settled in Napa. He was appointed postmaster by President Buchanan, and afterwards served as deputy sheriff, and there also engaged in farming. In 1873 he removed to Santa Rosa, was elected city recorder and justice of the peace, serving in the latter capacity for many years. He was a very active man and was identified with many movements that were factors in uphuilding the city and county. He passed away in 1896. Sarah A. Rickman, to whom he was married, was born in Hartsville. Tenn .. in 1818 and died in Santa Rosa in 1898. She was an earnest member of the Methodist church. To this worthy couple eleven chil- dren were born and we mention the following: Mary, who married M. H. Matthews, now deceased; Joseph: James W., a well-known stockman of this county ; Susan, who became the wife of the late Benjamin Wood, of Santa Rosa ; George C .; Lucy; and Emmett, of this review. Senator John H. de- ceased, was a prominent attorney of Mendocino county and was its repre- sentative in the Senate and Assembly for many years.
Emmett Seawell came to Sonoma county when he was a lad of eleven years of age and for the following five years was a pupil in the public school of Santa Rosa. He subsequently worked at the printer's trade for a period ot three years and a half, then entered Pacific Methodist College, and pursued
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his course covering several years. On March 17, 1885, he was appointed postal clerk, but in August of that vear resigned to finish his college course and was graduated in May, 1887, from the Pacific Methodist College. His college days over he devoted some time to newspaper work as a reporter for different news- papers and was also connected with the Associated Press. In 1888 he entered the law office of J. W. Oates, and the following year was appointed clerk of the committee on judiciary of the state legislature. May 6. 1890, he was admitted to the bar, and shortly afterwards formed a partnership with W. F. Cowan in the practice of his profession in Santa Rosa. In November, 1892, he was elected district attorney of Sonoma county and was re-elected in 1895. serving six years. In 1898 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for congress. He was loath to accept, but was persuaded to do so by his friends and at the election ran ahead of his ticket in his district. In 1902 he was elected judge of the superior court and again in 1908 was returned to that important position and is now serving with satisfaction to the people. He has frequently been called to preside over cases in other counties.
Judge Seawell was united in marriage on March 20, 1892. with Ida S. Graeter, of Santa Rosa and they have two children Dorothea, aged seven years, and Emmett James aged four years. In 1910-11 Judge Seawell served as grand trustee of the Grand Parlor N. S. G. W. A man of good attainments, well versed in the intricacies of the law, he has conducted and won many im- portant suits, and in his professional conflicts with prominent lawyers of Sonoma county and the section of the state in which he resides has ever proven him- self an opponent worthy of their highest efforts. As a judge he has shown his true quality and his decisions have ever been made with justice and without partiality.
MELVIN R. CRYSTAL.
In the raising of fruit as in other occupations of the present day the spe- cialist has certain advantages over other horticulturists, for having devoted his land and energy to the perfection of some particular specie, he naturally acquires results which one whose interests arc more scattered could not attain. One who has made a study of this subject and is now devoting his attention to the raising of apples and berries almost exclusively is Melvin R. Crystal, whose ranch on Rural Route No. 2 from Sebastopol is one of the show places of the county.
Though not a native ot. California, Mr. Crystal was born in the adjoining state of Oregon, in 1872, and has passed his entire life in the west. His parents were both natives of Iowa, but much of their mature life was passed west of the Rocky mountains. The father has passed from earth, but the mother is still living in a small home of her own near Sebastopol. When he was fifteen years of age, in 1887, Melvin R. Crystal came to California, and in 1895 he settled in Sonoma county. His first experience as a rancher in this locality was on prop- erty adjoining the Burbank ranch near Sebastopol, which he had purchased in 1898. After living there about four years he sold the property and rented the Hicks ranch in Green valley, remaining there one year. Upon giving it up in 1903 he purchased the property on which he now resides, near Sebastopol. The
Christian Lauritzen-
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ranch was only partly cultivated and it remained for the purchaser to make of it what he could. Mr. Crystal's has been the master hand in bringing about the transformation that has since been wrought, all of which has been done in a quiet, methodical way, characteristic of the proprietor and noticeable in whatever he undertakes. Of the one hundred and sixty-three acres included in his prop- erty, known as the Formosa ranch, ten acres are in Gravenstein apples, ten acres in strawberries, logan and mammoth berries, ten acres in vineyard, and on a portion of the remainder he raises hogs, also horses for his own use, besides which he keeps cows to supply the needs of his household. The raising of fruits has been a subject of special interest to Mr. Crystal for a number of years, and in specializing on the raising of apples and berries the results would indicate that he has made no mistake in his selection. Having decided that the Graven- stein apple was the best adapted to the conditions that prevail in this locality he set out ten acres to this variety, also devoted the same amount of land to berries, strawberry, logan and mammoth berries, and these two commodities are his spe- cialties, although he also has a vineyard of ten acres which is in a very flourish- ing condition. His apple crop averages four hundred boxes to the acre, and brings an average price of $1.50 per box. The fruits raised on the Formosa ranch have no equal in this section of the country, and are not only in constant demand, but bring the highest prices. The purchase price of the land was $16,000, and although Mr. Crystal has since disposed of eighty-eight acres, he holds the remaining acreage at $44.000, and even at this figure could not be tempted to part with it. In mentioning the fruit-raising possibilities of Formosa ranch all has not been said in its favor, for it includes a natural park of ten acres which has no equal in Sonoma county. This is entirely covered with a natural growth of trees, making a spot as beautiful as it is unusual.
In 1895 Mr. Crystal was united in marriage with Mrs. Sadie D. Ewing, a native of California. In his political sympathies he is a Republican, but he has never cared for nor sought official recognition, finding his greatest interest in the care and development of his ranch and doing his duty as a citizen in a quiet, unostentatious way.
CHRISTIAN LAURITZEN.
The life herein delineated commenced in Denmark in the year 1846, and ended in California in 1897. It represents the maximum of effort on the part of an individual to achieve for himself a life of undying fame by the consum- mation of earnest and sincere desires both toward himself and his fellows. There is nothing more inspiring, nothing more glorious, than a life well spent and duty well discharged, and this may be said to be true of Mr. Lauritzen.
Christian Lauritzen was born in Hjerndrup, Denmark, August 10, 1846, a son of Hans and Katherine Lauritzen. At an early age he became a student in the public schools and later in life commenced farming, in which pursuit he was engaged until he came to America. In addition to this, he served three years in the Danish army. From the annals of family history we learn that Mr. Lauritzen left his native land in the year 1866 and journeyed to America. He came direct to California and for a time stayed in Petaluma, later moving
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to Humboldt county, where he engaged in the sheep-raising industry with his brother, J. C. Lauritzen. Continuing in this business for several years with a imeasure of success, they sold out in 1884 and returned to Petaluma, buying a livery business in the Centennial building, and in addition to following this. also conducted a butcher business until 1888. In that year they sold the busi- ness, bought a ranch at Reclamation and engaged in farming. Their ranch con- sisted of eight hundred and forty acres of good land, through which the North- western Railroad runs. Reclamation station was located on the place and af- fords a splendid shipping point. Here Mr. Lauritzen died November 16, 1897, having lived a successful life as a farmer, stock-raiser and a citizen. Politically he was a Republican, firmly believing in the principles advocated by this party ; fraternally he was a member of the United Ancient Order of Druids, and reli- giously gave his moral and financial support to the Lutheran church.
Mr. Lauritzen was married in Petaluma January 10, 1888, to Miss Clara Dahlmann, a native of Marin county, Cal., and daughter of Henry Dahlmann, who was born in Hanover, Germany, where he married Wilhelmina Starke. This couple immigrated to America during the early '50s, coming via the Isth- mus of Panama, and landing in San Francisco. After mining for a short time Mr. Dahlmann located on a farm in Marin county, where he had bought a dairy farm consisting of two hundred and fifty acres. Here both Mr. and Mrs. Dahl- mann passed away. There were seven children in their family, six of whom are living, Mrs. Lauritzen being the fourth oldest. After her husband's death, Mrs. Lauritzen came to Petaluma, and established her home where she now lives on Seventh street. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lauritzen: Harold. who is paying teller in the Savings Union Bank of San Francisco, having served three years in the Hill Bank of Petaluma and six months in the Petaluma National Bank ; and Augusta, who is at home. Mrs. Lauritzen continues to hold her interest in the farm on which her late husband died, and in the city of Petaluma she has many friends who admire her for her numerous admirable qualities and kindly disposition.
THOMAS GILBERT WOOLSEY TROSPER.
It is intensely interesting to chronicle the life history of the pioneer, the man who in his prime entered the wilderness and claimed the virgin soil as his heritage, not afraid to endure the hardships and dangers that surrounded him on every hand, and by his energy and perseverance carved out a home and competence for himself and family. Such a man was the late Thomas Gilbert Woolsey Trosper, pioneer, hunter, Indian fighter and citizen. He was born in Knox county, Ky., June 2, 1826. His father, also a native of Kentucky, moved to Nodaway county, Mo., in 1833, when Thomas was only eleven years of age and there he was brought up on the frontier farm and became inured to the privations and hardships attendant upon the conquering of a new country. It was an active outdoor life for him and laid the foundation for his strong physique, energy and endurance displayed in after years. However, living as he did, on the frontier, gave him very limited advantages for obtaining an education.
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In 1850, like thousands of others, he became interested in the gold dis- coveries in California, so he crossed the plains with an ox-train, arriving in due time and for a time followed mining, but it was not fraught with the success he had pictured, so he turned his attention to other fields, and came to Cape Mendocino, where he entered into a contract with a large mill company to furnish them with meat by hunting with his old muzzle-loader. He killed an abundance of deer, elk and hear for their camp. During this time he had several scraps with the Warm Springs Indians and one of these nearly termi- nated his life, while he and a partner were working about half a mile from their cabin, getting out timber. They had been bothered a great deal by Indians pilfering while they were away and they took turns going to the cabin to see that things were not disturbed. On one trip, as he passed through the tall grass, he was waylaid and attacked by five Indians grabbing his gun and ham- mering him over the head with pine knots. Fortunately they did not get in a telling blow from the start, so that in the scrimmage he knocked one down with his fist, thus freeing his gun, and wounded another through the knee, the same shot killing the Indian he had knocked down. The third Indian was killed with a blow from his gun, breaking it off at the stock. Seeing the fate of the three the other two ran away. His partner found him unconscious and nursed him until his wounds were healed and he was fully recovered. He had twenty- seven holes and cuts through his scalp at the time and carried the marks of the battle as long as he lived. When his partner found him there were two Indians beside him and the third was found later in the top of a fallen tree where he had crawled and died.
Sometime afterward Mr. Trosper settled in Green Valley where he mar- ried Cornelia Elizabeth McGuire, born in Jackson county, Mo. Her father, James McGuire brought the family to California in 1849, crossing the plains with ox-teams and locating at Knight's Landing, where he died, the family afterwards removing to Green Valley, Sonoma county.
Thomas Trosper was among those who made the rush to Salmon river during the gold excitement, making the trip through the mountains, over- land. As early as 1860 he purchased a tract of land on West Austin creek, above what is now Cazadero, and located there. At the mouth of what is now called Bear Trap creek he built a bear pen and in it trapped many a bear and from this the creek received its name. He was a great lover of hunting and enjoyed it all his life, although he had many a narrow escape from bruin. In 1867, near Cazadero, he wounded a bear and his dog stopped it and four other bears in a thicket. Nothing daunted, Trosper went in, being absolutely fear- less, but the wounded bear attacked him; his hunting partner fled, the bear caught him by the heel, then with a second pass of his huge paw grabbed the calf of his leg and stripped it clear down; then caught him by the thigh and began chewing it up and would soon have put an end to him had the bear not been in a dying condition. Fortunately his life was ebbing slowly and as one of Trosper's dogs bit the bear it turned on the dog and with the effort keeled over, dead. Trosper was carried home on a horse and was laid up for six months from his many wounds: though healed he carried them for life.
Mr. Trosper was extensively engaged in sheep, cattle and hog raising, in which he was very prosperous and acquired a large tract of land, being classed
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among the foremost and most substantial men of his section, always interested in its advancement and upbuilding. When a young man Mr. Trosper took an active part in driving the Mormons out of Missouri and when he came over- land to California he left Salt Lake to one side. His demise occurred May 4, 1898, while his wife died in 1910. Five children were born of this union, as follows: Albion A., who died at the age of nineteen years; Annie E., who became the wife of F. O. Schumann and died in Marin county in 1882; Arthur L., who died near Occidental. in October 1910; Francis D., and Ernest E., whose sketches appear elsewhere in this work. Mr. Trosper was a man of much native ability and was truly a self-made man, rising from a youth empty handed to a man of affluence. He was a very prominent old pioneer, kind hearted, generous and charitable and he and his good wife were greatly esteemed by all who knew them.
ROBERT EDWARD LEE HALLEY.
We are indebted to the eastern states for many of our best citizens. Many of these men and women came to this state in the early days and by persistence and industry made possible to us many of the privileges we enjoy today. In fact it is impossible to estimate correctly the amount of good these fearless ones have done for California. Not only to the pioneers of old do we owe a debt of deep gratitude, but to those who followed them up and continued their work. The progress of a country cannot be continued indefinitely by one band of men and women, for the time comes when they are called upon to rest from the heat and burden of the day and view from the rugged heights of achievement the accom- plishments of their hands. Then it is that others are called into the breach to maintain prestige won by predecessors. Thus it is that we commend the life and work of Robert Edward Lee Halley.
Mr. Halley was born in Newton, Jasper county, Ill .. September 13, 1869. a son of John Henry and Lucie Kathleen (Thompson) Halley, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee, where they were married in Brownsville, May 4. 1864. Mr. Halley was educated in the public school of his native place and his after life bears excellent testimony to the fact that he made the most of the meagre educational facilities, by earnest application to his studies. After graduating from the public school he was first employed as a clerk in a store, which occupation he followed for some time. Not content with the pros- pects of improving his position in the store in Illinois, we find the young man travelling from one place to another in search of better conditions, always being sure that he was advancing his status before making the move. Thus we find him going from Illinois to Paica, Indian Territory, and later to Antlers. At the latter place he heard of the splendid openings in the west and ultimately yielded to the lure of this land of sunshine, for we find him coming to San Francisco From this latter place he moved to Cotati, Sonoma county, in which town he now resides.
Mr. Halley saw a splendid opportunity to purchase land at Cotati and he accordingly bought seven acres. Having the instinct of shrewdness well developed, Mr. Halley sold this land, for which he had paid $85 per acre, at a good margin
F. N. Folsom, MA.
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of profit which enabled him to purchase a store and five lots in Cotati. In this store he now operates a general merchandising business and his up-to-date method of attending to the many wants and needs of the customers finds hearty endorsement in the minds of all who trade there.
Politically Mr. Halley is a Democrat, believing in the rule of the people, and in him his party has a stanch supporter of its principles, for he is true to what he believes to be right and just. For two years he was school trustee and during his tenure of office showed his practical sympathy in giving to rising gen- erations the full benefits of modern educational methods. He has also served as deputy sheriff and is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Odd Fel- lows. He is a member of the Catholic Church.
Mr. Halley married, October 17, 1891, in Arkansas City, Kan., Miss Eliza Park, who was born in Clements, Kan., February 11, 1872. She was the daughter of Samnel Chase and Amanda (Carner) Park, natives of Athens, Bradford county. Pa., both of whom died in California. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Halley, a daughter, Wanda, was born in Elmdale, Kan., July 26, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Halley are looked upon with respect by all the citizens of Cotati and vicinity and they continue to hold the patronage of their many customers.
FRED NEWTON FOLSOM, M. D.
A gratifying medical and surgical practice, and an honored place as man and citizen in the community of Forestville, Sonoma county, have not come to Fred N. Folsom through any special advantages of fortune or encouragement along the lines of influence or money. On the other hand, he had to make his own way unaided, obtaining the means to prosecute his medical studies by fol- lowing the teacher's profession until his studies were completed.
Aside from pride of accomplishment in professional lines, Dr. Folsom is proud to claim birth as a Native Son, being a native of Marysville, Yuba county. where he was born July 6, 1871, the son of Hiram Folsom, who came as a pioneer to the state in 1852 and is now living in Marysville at the age of eighty years. He is a native of New England, born in New Hampshire, while his wife was born in New York state: the latter died in Marysville in March. 1910, at the age of sixty-nine years. The possibilities of the mines had been the chief attraction in bringing the elder Mr. Folsom to the west in 1852 and for some time he followed mining with more or less success in Plumas county. Besides the subject of this sketch the parental family included another son, Clarence E. Folsom, who is now engaged as an electrician in Oakland.
Although a miner during his earliest years in the west, the father later turned his attention to farming, and on the home ranch Fred N. Folsom grew to a sturdy boyhood and youth, and when he had attained school age, was a pupil in the schools of Prairie, Yuba county. After his graduation from grammar school he took an examination for teacher, and passing it successfully, began his career as a teacher at the early age of eighteen, in 1889, and continued to follow it until 1894. With the proceeds of six years efforts he began his medical studies in San Francisco, taking the regular course, from which he graduated
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